Sound card vs motherboard sound chip

[Gary Kleiner]

It depends on how good your motherboard audio is. I have heard the range from acceptable to horrendous in various computers.

Most likely, you will get cleaner audio with a dedicated board or box.

Gary Kleiner

Learn Vegas and DVD Architect

http://www.VegasTrainingAndTools.com

[Laszlo Kovacs]

I’m still using my years old SB live.
It’s sound quality is so much superior
(at line in and line out) to my mother boards
(Asus p4p800 e -deluxe) 7.1 channel audio.
I’m listening to it with a Sennheiser HD475.

By(t)e
Laca

[Ted Snow]

You can pick up an ECHO MIA fairly cheap ($179 new, less used on Ebay) which has balanced 1/4″ inputs and outputs and have a pro level sound card. I have one in my computer and it sounds great. With most cheaper sound cards including integrated ones, you will usually see a low level signal on the record meters even when no signal is being input the the card. A better sound card will show nothing on the record meters until there is an actual signal present.

[Zip-edit]

I started in the audio world as a sound engineer for bands etc..
When I discovered how to do audio on a computer I noticed right away there was a horrible sound chip on the MOBO and immedietely started looking for alternatives.
There are quite a number of good USB choices for around $200.
there are simpler good choices for the $70 range as well.
(edirol UA-1X)
I prefer and external card/box. Hands on routing and level setting.
software switching between consumer/pro input sensitivities (-10 db or +4)

The keypoints are-
-ASIO driver option- this makes metering much more responsive and has lower latency and load on system. Especially if you do voiceovers and punch-in editing.
-Direct monitering switch. – to choose whether the input sound is re-routed right back out or not. (feedback loops or unwanted sound being re-recorded)
-adjustible input and output VIA knobs as opposed to software.

there are other points but these alone will greatly enhace your workflow over a little mixer and an on-board sound card.
I have tested and tried quite a few of these devices.
(freind owns a music shop) happy to answer ??’s

Zip

Zip

[Stephen Mann]

Any soundcard or on-board sound chips will have a terribly high noise floor of around -50 dBm. If you want good sound, you have to go external.

[Wayne Starick]

Thanks for all the helpful input – I think its time to start watching ebay for an M-Audio or ECHO setup.

Wayne Starick
If there is no Internet in heaven – I am not going!

[Laszlo Kovacs]

[Steve Mann] “Any soundcard or on-board sound chips will have a terribly high noise floor of around -50 dBm.”

I get about -63 dB from my SB Live’s line in.
Input is linked to the amplifiers line out,
and input gain is screwed up to max.

If I decrease input gain (which is necessary by about
10..15 dB if I don’t want a distorted sound) the noise
floor decreases too.

So the actual SN ratio is about 70..75 dB which is
muuucch better, than that you can achieve with any
analog source (FM tuner, cassette player, analog video
/VHS, Hi8 etc/, or LP /vinyl/).

So If you plan only to record sound from such an analog
source, this category will meet your needs, thus saving
some money.

If you plan to record from digital sources, (CD,MD,DAT, etc)
go for the higher quality card.

By(t)e
Laca

[Zip-edit]

something to consider.
It’s not just about noise floor.
It’s the quality of the converter and its bandwidth.
I’ve had a quiet converter sound like an AM radio.
Alot of onboard stuff was designed to be suffice with the tiny little spkrs that come with the tower and reproduce the 8bit 22k windows sounds.
Compare !! …there is a huge difference out there especially if you record voice.
Good luck
Zip

Zip