[Ari33]

I'd been reasonably happy with the bitperfect sound from jriver through my pioneer stereo amp until I compared it to that from my Samsung Galaxy 4.2 dap using Neutron.

Kit

Jriver on PC with old sb030 Audigy 2 zs card- line level analogue out to pioneer seperates amp to classic pioneer 3 way cs363 full range speakers.

It's not because of PC noise levels, it just sounds much tighter, clearer and more musical.
I'd never have dreamed my wolfson equiped samsung Dap with Neutron would be able to compete, especially with the double amping going on via headphone out.
Anyone else had similar findings? Is my old audigy 2zs sound card really that bad or is this to be expected?

 

[A_Man_Eating_Duck]

If your motherboard is newish, how does the onboard audio sound?

 

[Ari33]

If your motherboard is newish, how does the onboard audio sound?

The board is a couple of years old now, Asus P8Z77V-Pro which uses ALC892, so not the latest and greatest. It's been a while since I compared them and can't remember exactly why but definately I prefered the SB0350 to onboard ALC892.

My viewpoint on using a pc/ software to experience great quality audio is changing, a mere £60 DAP with a half decent DAC and good player software just does it so much better... with the only downside being its memory capacity and having to load up SD cards for use.

 

[i019791]

The board is a couple of years old now, Asus P8Z77V-Pro which uses ALC892, so not the latest and greatest. It's been a while since I compared them and can't remember exactly why but definately I prefered the SB0350 to onboard ALC892.

My viewpoint on using a pc/ software to experience great quality audio is changing, a mere £60 DAP with a half decent DAC and good player software just does it so much better... with the only downside being its memory capacity and having to load up SD cards for use.

Your soundcard may be faulty. You could check by trying a new soundcard or an external dac (perhaps you can borrow a usb dac for your test).

 

[A_Man_Eating_Duck]

The board is a couple of years old now, Asus P8Z77V-Pro which uses ALC892, so not the latest and greatest. It's been a while since I compared them and can't remember exactly why but definately I prefered the SB0350 to onboard ALC892.

My viewpoint on using a pc/ software to experience great quality audio is changing, a mere £60 DAP with a half decent DAC and good player software just does it so much better... with the only downside being its memory capacity and having to load up SD cards for use.

Sorry i didn't mean it like that. It was more check the Audigy against the onboard to see if the Audigy was stuffed.

 

[milosingh]

TE sound card isn't faulty, it is just not that great. Get a better sound card.

 

[Ari33]

Ah,, Just remembered.... When I built the system last year I could never find any drivers compatible that worked with Win7 for this card, I even tried all the unofficial 3rd party ones too because Creative don't seem interested in supporting old cards... but strangely the 2ZS works fine without any drivers installed.
 
If the card works and I don't use any of the gaming features, mixers etc... do I really need to find the drivers for it?  Would they improve the SQ if there is no processing going on?  

 
 
 
A-Man_Eating_duck- Yeah, just compared them again and even without drivers the SB0350 does sound a little nicer than onboard Imo.. definately seems to be working ok..