Need Suggestion for Sound Card with Internal SPDIF

E

Eej

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Jul 27, 2004
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So my old X-Fi XtremeMusic decided to die on me (it was a mistake, honest!) and I've ended up connecting my Realtek onboard sound to my Geforce 275 and using a DVI->HDMI cable to carry sound to my HDTV, which then outputs to my AV40s.

I'm not a big fan of the onboard sound, though, so I'm looking for a decent sound card that has the two wire internal SPDIF that so I can passthrough sound via the DVI->HDMI connection. I'm finding it really hard to figure out exactly what sound card could do the job that isn't super overpriced so I'm asking you guys.
 
Stick to onboard if you're using a digital connection as the sound quality will not change with a shift to a soundcard.
 
I was benchmarking a new DAC the other day and the frequency response difference between the integrated "HD" audio and external audio card when used as a S/PDIF source @ 24/96 were pretty dramatic. ;)


This is the "measured" frequency response with the integrated audio ---->



This is the "measured" frequency response with my M-Audio Firewire Audiophile--->



Edit: the Firewire audiphile was used as the recording card for both tests.

Don't even get me started on the noise.....
 
both are flat 20-20, whats the issue?

post a THD/IMD chart if you're gonna bitch, otherwise you're not showing anything really meaningful off here, and supporting 450's point (which I'd have to agree with)
 
I am not bitching, I am demonstrating there is a very clear difference between my onboard audio and a "sound card" when used a S/PDIF source.
Do you want to continue to pick a fight with that kind of approach or do you want to talk about this like adults? ;)
 
Bored said:
I am not bitching, I am demonstrating there is a very clear difference between my onboard audio and a "sound card" when used a S/PDIF source.
Do you want to continue to pick a fight with that kind of approach or do you want to talk about this like adults? ;)
Click to expand...



this "clear difference" is going to be heard somewhere around 21-26khz, a range most speakers have trouble reproducing accurately (did I mention that the vast majority of the population over 15 can't actually hear it, even if the speakers can do it), not to mention that a huge chunk of the source material you're likely to feed into a system isn't going to hit those frequencies (because you know, recording equipment has limitations too, not to mention that (with one exception (Dethklok if you were wondering)), bands produce music for humans)

so like I said, its flat 20-20k (this would classify as ruler flat, yes), assuming you didn't mess up on your testing methodology, and the FW Audiophile has a bit of ultra HF extension, which is more or less meaningless

so sure, if you're a dog or a horse, and have some pretty ridiculous speakers, and listen to some select, rare, wide-range recordings (which I would hardly call music), you've got about ~3-4khz of usable extension (oh did I mention where this doesn't matter much, because ideally this extension would go up to around 100khz (if you really wanted to capture the full range of all instruments))

and as I said, if you're going to complain about "noise", post a THD/IMD measurement
 
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I would normally recommend creative but you might want to check out Auzentech. They make cards with the X-Fi chipsets but usually have much greater connectivity option. I have PCI and PCI-E versions of X-Fi cards and neither seem to have spdif connectors unfortunately.
 
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