[jasontsay]

Just for reference, this is my parts list sans a sound card - http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=20141907

 

[jasontsay]

Just for reference, this is my parts list sans the sound card - http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=20141907

 

[riffer]

I think i would just go with the onboard sound, and if I wasn't happy, get something later.

 

[plonter]

external units are preferable over a onboard soundcard because like other said,the computer is not the most silent enviroment to say the least,so its better to take the audio processing outside of the computer box.  the computer will be used as a transport for the digital bits only,so no need to worry to much about noises and stuff like that.     the better the dac unit,the better the sound will be. 

 

[Roller]

As long as people are careful when building their machines, noise and hums of the such won't be an issue.
 
OBAMANIZER, if you game, you go internal, namely Creative.
 
riffer, you are wrong, onboard is bad, worse than expected with only price going for it, which isn't near enough to justify using that mess.

 

[Mad Max]

If you get an X-Fi card, its DSPs like Dolby Headphone and what not can still be used with an external setup later.

 

[BlackbeardBen]

Contrary to popular belief, onboard isn't always horrible. The Conexant audio on the ThinkPad T510 is actually quite good, although it is underpowered and with some rolloff in the extremes. I can't say if it really outputs 44.1 kHz audio or resamples, however.

 

[Roller]

Let me rephrase it. Run away from onboard audio as the devil runs from the cross. ALL onboard audio is horrendous. At the price even the lowest end dedicated soundcards are, there is no point in having such low standards as onboard.

 

[Mad Max]

 
Quote:

Let me rephrase it. Run away from onboard audio as the devil runs from the cross. ALL onboard audio is horrendous. At the price even the lowest end dedicated soundcards are, there is no point in having such low standards as onboard.

x2

 

[olegausany]

Totally agree with two previous posts stay away from onboard sound

 

[BlackbeardBen]

Have you tried every single onboard audio solution?

Didn't think so.

 

[Roller]

Quote:

Have you tried every single onboard audio solution?

Didn't think so.

Of course not. If I have heard plenty of crummy onboard audio chips? Certainly. At my home there are 2 laptops with Conexant onboard chips, I've heard 3 other different Conexant models, not to mention the plethora of Realteks, IDTs, VIAs, etc, etc, etc.
 
Stop giving bad advices.

 

[riffer]

Quote:

....
 
riffer, you are wrong, onboard is bad, worse than expected with only price going for it, which isn't near enough to justify using that mess.

I suppose I would have a better leg to stand on if I used my own onboard sound
 

 

[Roller]

Quote:

I suppose I would have a better leg to stand on if I used my own onboard sound
 

Again, it's due to having very low prices for entry level soundcards, that by themselves are miles ahead of the best of the worst (onboard)

Honestly, using onboard and being on Head-Fi seems kind of a paradox.

 

[Mad Max]

 
Quote:

Have you tried every single onboard audio solution?

Didn't think so.

It's not like the good ones will be able to compete with good soundcards or anything with all the compromises they make in their design.