Hi everyone,
This is my first post but have been following the forum for consultation on headphones since my first real purchase back in Nov 2010. I've always been a big computer hardware. gear head and got into audio awhile ago and got recommended here. Any who, I have a pretty straight-forward question. How do those $7.80 soundcards stack up against the integrated soundcards. Before you tell me that there are much better options, I know. I already have the Turtlebeach amigo and micro II and one of those X-fi go usb flash drive/sound card "software solutions." I have one laptop that I use as my out-on-the-town laptop (I have more computers then I know what to do with :P). Anyway I just got doe upgrading the Mhz of the RAM and speed of the HDD and thought maybe a sound upgrade might be in order. As this is not going to be my HTPC having an expensive audio solution isn't a big issue and portability and simplicity are on this setup. I was looking at maybe getting another TMAA Micro II for it, but one question has been burning in my mind. Those uber cheap usb sound cards, are they even capable of matching or beating the internal integrated IDT? Personally this lappy doesn't have any major issues with its integrated (it doesn't hiss or garble when accessing the HDD, and has a moderate to low level of background noise) but of course is still integrated card and obviously inferior for that reason. So with this in mind would one of those c-media solutions add any benefit at all? I guessing no, but I'm not sure. Also would there be any advantage when comparing it to an older (crappier) laptop or desktop (one w/o a pci soundcard) from my "collection" that we use as a for playing older games and as a guest computer when we have guests over?
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
