[User4567]

Hey guys,
 
I want to ask you a few questions. How much does your sound card affect the quality of the music you're listening to? And how do I get the best sounding music?
 
I listen to music via Youtube and downloaded files (Spotify and MP3 Music Downloader) but I was wondering if I would get better quality if I listened to bought music. Also, does the quality you put a Youtube video on affect the sound quality?

 

[PurpleAngel]

If your looking to upgrade the audio hardware on your computer, it would be helpful if you listed a budget.
A lot of people can not hear a noticeable difference between 320k and FLAC music files.

 

[RRod]

  Hey guys,
 
I want to ask you a few questions. How much does your sound card affect the quality of the music you're listening to? And how do I get the best sounding music?
 
I listen to music via Youtube and downloaded files (Spotify and MP3 Music Downloader) but I was wondering if I would get better quality if I listened to bought music. Also, does the quality you put a Youtube video on affect the sound quality?

 
For most common cards, the main effect is in how well they can drive your headphones; what kind are you using?
 
High-rate mp3 and aac should sound just fine. I turn my whole CD collection into aac for my DAP, and I never notice anything bothersome. Youtube quality setting does affect sound, which will be typically aac or vorbis.

 

[User4567]

  If your looking to upgrade the audio hardware on your computer, it would be helpful if you listed a budget.
A lot of people can not hear a noticeable difference between 320k and FLAC music files.

No, I just wanted to know if it does make a huge difference.

 

[Ari33]

 
No, I just wanted to know if it does make a huge difference.

 
How much of a difference is all relative, a lot depends on the whole chain and the weakest link in it.... what soundcard or onboard sound you already have, how you listen, ie; headphones or speakers and what spec/quality they are inc any amp in the chain... before you'd even think about trying to hear the difference in SQ beween 320k and FLAC.
I have half decent Imo headphones (Pioneer Sae1000), a very good souncard, average but perfectly fine amp & speakers. The Soundcard (opa627 modded Xonar ST) allows my headphones to shine to their potential and the amp/speakers combo does sound great but only with a little of the Xonar centres DSP dialled in. A big difference over onboard? Yep, for me, defo..

 

[jarrett]

re: YouTube
 
Yes, but you must set the playback quality to 720p for the audio quality to improve

 

[User4567]

   
How much of a difference is all relative, a lot depends on the whole chain and the weakest link in it.... what soundcard or onboard sound you already have, how you listen, ie; headphones or speakers and what spec/quality they are inc any amp in the chain... before you'd even think about trying to hear the difference in SQ beween 320k and FLAC.
I have half decent Imo headphones (Pioneer Sae1000), a very good souncard, average but perfectly fine amp & speakers. The Soundcard (opa627 modded Xonar ST) allows my headphones to shine to their potential and the amp/speakers combo does sound great but only with a little of the Xonar centres DSP dialled in. A big difference over onboard? Yep, for me, defo..

My soundcard is a crappy onboard realtek soundcard. I hear a small difference between 320k and FLAC.

 

[cel4145]

My soundcard is a crappy onboard realtek soundcard. I hear a small difference between 320k and FLAC.

You should try this test to make sure that the difference you think is there is actually there: http://lifehacker.com/5903625/mp3-or-lossless-see-if-you-can-hear-the-difference-with-this-test. A lot of people find out that they can't actually hear a difference when they test properly and don't know which is which.