Iosys
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 11, 2009
- Posts
- 23
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I have a custom-built desktop PC with onboard Realtek audio. The motherboard is an Asus M3A. I have an issue with some crackle and other interference which seem to be related to graphics (busy web banners, for instance, make it worse), and the mouse wheel (scrolling up and down causes high frequency noise). I know this is most likely due to the onboard audio and all the other communication taking place on the board, but want to make sure before getting something else. I've tried muting the Line In/Mic inputs, but that didn't help. Tried upgrading audio drivers, etc, but that didn't help either.
My long term intention is to use my PC as my primary audio source along with a Cowon D2 for portability. At this stage, I have the D2 and I have a pair of Grado SR60is. As you can probably tell from all that, I'm very new to the headphone scene in the first place and, more importantly, very constrained when it comes to budgeting, especially for the foreseeable future. Nonetheless, I can't have this noise going on if I'm going to source from the PC.
One recommendation that seems to continually pop up across the internet, to solve this problem, is to use a dedicated sound card rather than onboard audio. I can see where this would help since, though it's plugged into the PCI bus and therefor prone to the same communication noise, it is (or should be) built to isolate itself from this noise or otherwise filter it out in ways the motherboard itself can't.
With the primary problem in mind, then, (the noise, etc), am I correct that I'm going to need a soundcard before worrying about DACs, etc? I would assume the audio source has to first be free of noise before running to other equipment. If this is correct and a soundcard is the first and foremost piece of equipment needed to solve the issue, then what is a good one for a budget? I can always upgrade down the road for optimum sound, but for the foreseeable future I just want a good card that would solve the noise issue and give me better or at least comparable audio output to the Realtek onboard audio. Being new at all this, I won't know what I'm missing yet with more expensive equipment (though I aim to find out as time goes by).
Anyway, any help with this would be much appreciated.
My long term intention is to use my PC as my primary audio source along with a Cowon D2 for portability. At this stage, I have the D2 and I have a pair of Grado SR60is. As you can probably tell from all that, I'm very new to the headphone scene in the first place and, more importantly, very constrained when it comes to budgeting, especially for the foreseeable future. Nonetheless, I can't have this noise going on if I'm going to source from the PC.
One recommendation that seems to continually pop up across the internet, to solve this problem, is to use a dedicated sound card rather than onboard audio. I can see where this would help since, though it's plugged into the PCI bus and therefor prone to the same communication noise, it is (or should be) built to isolate itself from this noise or otherwise filter it out in ways the motherboard itself can't.
With the primary problem in mind, then, (the noise, etc), am I correct that I'm going to need a soundcard before worrying about DACs, etc? I would assume the audio source has to first be free of noise before running to other equipment. If this is correct and a soundcard is the first and foremost piece of equipment needed to solve the issue, then what is a good one for a budget? I can always upgrade down the road for optimum sound, but for the foreseeable future I just want a good card that would solve the noise issue and give me better or at least comparable audio output to the Realtek onboard audio. Being new at all this, I won't know what I'm missing yet with more expensive equipment (though I aim to find out as time goes by).
Anyway, any help with this would be much appreciated.
