Best budget sound card?
May 17, 2009 at 4:16 PM Post #17 of 36
Quote:

Originally Posted by Heyyoudvd /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Why would an external be better than an internal sound card?


To avoid possible EMI issues you can sometimes get with external. If you plan to use it for gaming too though I guess internal would be better because external USB soundcard uses more cpu resources. If it is just for music then external is the better way to go for the reason I mentioned.
 
May 17, 2009 at 10:42 PM Post #18 of 36
I'm using it for gaming as well as music, so I decided to pick up the Xonar DX.

Anyways, I just installed it and I'm having an issue through. I've noticed that my PC makes a high pitched buzzing sound every few seconds but normally it doesn't bother me, as I can only hear it if I open the pc case and put my ear a few inches away from the computer.

For some reason, however, when I plug the headphones into the front jack, that sound I'm describing somehow makes its way to the headphone jack and I can hear it through the headphones. When I plug the headphones directly into the sound card it's perfectly silent but through the front panel headphone port, I'm hearing that case sound through my headphones.

Any idea what the problem is and if it's possible to eliminate it?

Thanks.
 
May 18, 2009 at 2:29 PM Post #20 of 36
Quote:

Originally Posted by Heyyoudvd /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I'm using it for gaming as well as music, so I decided to pick up the Xonar DX.

Anyways, I just installed it and I'm having an issue through. I've noticed that my PC makes a high pitched buzzing sound every few seconds but normally it doesn't bother me, as I can only hear it if I open the pc case and put my ear a few inches away from the computer.

For some reason, however, when I plug the headphones into the front jack, that sound I'm describing somehow makes its way to the headphone jack and I can hear it through the headphones. When I plug the headphones directly into the sound card it's perfectly silent but through the front panel headphone port, I'm hearing that case sound through my headphones.

Any idea what the problem is and if it's possible to eliminate it?

Thanks.


Try muting all the inputs. Many times these can be left enabled or "floating" and they pick up stray noise from otehr components in the case.
 
May 18, 2009 at 9:13 PM Post #21 of 36
Quote:

Originally Posted by ^adm^ /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I couldnt find a review, is it any better than av 710?


Hi haven't heard the Chaintech.

I wrote a few details on the Audiotrak card here:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f46/ch...ml#post5470439

smily_headphones1.gif
 
May 19, 2009 at 3:05 PM Post #22 of 36
May 19, 2009 at 5:37 PM Post #23 of 36
Quote:

Originally Posted by Heyyoudvd /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I'm using it for gaming as well as music, so I decided to pick up the Xonar DX.

Anyways, I just installed it and I'm having an issue through. I've noticed that my PC makes a high pitched buzzing sound every few seconds but normally it doesn't bother me, as I can only hear it if I open the pc case and put my ear a few inches away from the computer.

For some reason, however, when I plug the headphones into the front jack, that sound I'm describing somehow makes its way to the headphone jack and I can hear it through the headphones. When I plug the headphones directly into the sound card it's perfectly silent but through the front panel headphone port, I'm hearing that case sound through my headphones.

Any idea what the problem is and if it's possible to eliminate it?

Thanks.


it's probably the crappy unshielded wire that connects the sound card to the front panel jack -- it is picking up all the stray rfi/emi running around in the box.

easy fix -- plug right into the sound card!
 
May 19, 2009 at 9:38 PM Post #24 of 36
Quote:

Originally Posted by oohms /img/forum/go_quote.gif
It uses the via VT1617A DAC.. which is pretty terrible

The AV-710 is excellent in 2 channel high quality mode with bit perfect transport.. but this is very fiddly to set up if you are running vista/win7


Could be superior sonically to the Audiotrak Maya, I don't know. But for value for money with its mini headphone amp output, I'd still rate the Maya as exceptional value for money and to my ears it sure doesn't sound pretty terrible.

And in fact after a curious bit of research the AV-710 uses a VT1616 DAC:
http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index....aintech_AV-710

I question the informed information.
 
May 19, 2009 at 10:02 PM Post #25 of 36
Quote:

Originally Posted by notuagain /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Could be superior sonically to the Audiotrak Maya, I don't know. But for value for money with its mini headphone amp output, I'd still rate the Maya as exceptional value for money and to my ears it sure doesn't sound pretty terrible.

And in fact after a curious bit of research the AV-710 uses a VT1616 DAC:
http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index....aintech_AV-710

I question the informed information.


The big deal about the av-710 is that the 'rear channel' output is on a wolfson dac that outperforms the vt1616.
 
May 20, 2009 at 1:04 AM Post #28 of 36
Quote:

Originally Posted by fzman /img/forum/go_quote.gif
it's probably the crappy unshielded wire that connects the sound card to the front panel jack -- it is picking up all the stray rfi/emi running around in the box.

easy fix -- plug right into the sound card!


Yeah, that's what I was thinking.

I tried what someone suggested above and I muted all the inputs I could find via the control panel (my mic, my Realtek, and my Xonar) but the sound persisted. So it's probably the terrible wire that comes with the case. When I first installed my sound card and looked at the front panel header connection, the first thought that popped into my mind was "can a cheap looking wire like that be sufficient for a fidelity sound card?" and it seems my cause for concern was validated here.

So I guess I'm going to have to reach around back, unplug by speaker front channel, and plug in my AT A900s every time I want to switch between speakers and headphones. Oh well. I was hoping I could keep both plugged in simultaneously but I guess that convenience is too good to be true.


On a related note, I'm extremely satisfied with this sound card. I don't know how $200-$300 cards sound but to my ears this sounds fantastic. Even on Z5300s there's a noticeable difference - particularly with the accuracy and tightness of the bass.
 
May 20, 2009 at 1:16 AM Post #29 of 36
I have a general audio question that perhaps someone could answer.

The signal-to-noise ratio is among the primary factors that determine sound quality, correct? Because I was browsing through home theater receivers and I noticed that even a $2000 top of the line Marantz receiver (8002) only has a listed SNR of 105dB. That's lower than an Audigy 2, let alone a high end Xonar or Auzentech.

Does that mean that a $50 sound card can offer better headphone sound fidelity than a $2000 receiver? That can't be true.
 
May 20, 2009 at 1:26 AM Post #30 of 36
Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The big deal about the av-710 is that the 'rear channel' output is on a wolfson dac that outperforms the vt1616.


Yeah, the av-710 is useless as an analogue surround sound card, but in 'high quality' mode it will output audio only to the rear channel as stereo, going through the wolfson.

Unfortunately it is a bit hacky getting this to be bit perfect, but the reward makes it worth it
smile.gif


(I'm only hoping it plays nice with windows 7)
 
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