Best external sound card 2016 gaming software#
Best external sound card 2016 gaming Pc#

The limitations of my onboard chip are particularly noticeable in Team Fortress 2. For instance, in Dirt 3 the Xonar reports locations of other racers and debris better while many noises such as shouts from onlookers seem to be more distinct and audible for a bit longer. It's easier to visualize myself in the middle of a large, dynamic environment. This is at least partly because everything sounds more open. but the more I listened the less I questioned whether the Xonar sounded better. As a quick example, the fluttering electronic sound between 0:42 and 1:03 of Fluke - Zion is very underwhelming at its climax when using the Realtek. Sharp voices and instruments sound muted and increasing the volume doesn't help. Similarly, as I transitioned between configurations it often felt like the Realtek was quieter, but I don't believe this is the case either. I don't think that's generally true, it's just that some of them are less clear and require more focus to hear when using the onboard solution. If I start by listening to the Xonar and then switch to the Realtek I sometimes assume certain sounds are missing. I eventually decided it would be more effective to compare memorable 30-second segments instead and this immediately highlighted quality variances. That made it impossible to judge the outputs fairly, but the more I listened the less I questioned whether the Xonar sounded better. This proved challenging though because by the time I reached the end of a five minute track I forgot what the start sounded like. I had initially planned on listening to a few songs all the way through on each device several times, noting when inconsistencies appeared.

Best external sound card 2016 gaming software#

I didn't spend much time adjusting software effects so both the onboard chip and the Xonar DX ran with a preset 'rock' equalizer because it's been my go-to setting for years and it's what I'm familiar with hearing (more on this later).

Audio Technica's ATH-M50 seemed like the best compromise between price and performance - it certainly has enough positive reviews, and I'd be pretty disappointed if I couldn't detect a difference between integrated and discrete audio outputs with $150 headphones.īesides spending hundreds of hours with each device separately, I directly compared them across many songs (FLAC files mostly) and games (primarily Team Fortress 2 and Dirt 3). Part of our #ThrowbackThursday initiative.Īs with choosing a sound card, we figured it would be most practical to pick a headset that's nice, but not second mortgage nice. We have revised it and bumped it because it's as relevant today as it was before. Note: This feature was originally published on. In other words, you're about to endure some crudely subjective findings but I'll try to make them helpful. Instead of hitting you with a bunch of numbers, I plan to toggle between my Asrock's onboard audio and the Xonar in various tests and describe the quality differences - if any - in plain English, to the best of my ability. To be clear, this isn't an in-depth look at the Xonar DX or any other product. buying a sound card has always felt more like a gamble than an investment.

To make this as useful as possible, I bought a popular mid-priced card that a typical enthusiast would likely opt for: the $80 Asus Xonar DX. After more than a decade, I hope to learn the answer and pass it along to other folks who are hesitant about taking the plunge. I know I'm not the only one to ask those questions considering how many forum threads I've seen debating the necessity of a sound card. But I mean, just how much better can music, movies and games sound? Enough to prevent buyer's remorse? At the same time, I know audio snobs with thousands in equipment and all-FLAC libraries, and I'd like to believe they aren't delusional - surely there's something to be experienced beyond my basic setup. I've never had anything except onboard sound and my knowledge of acoustics couldn't fill a thimble.įrom that position, buying a sound card has always felt more like a gamble than an investment. Lengthy audiophile reviews are available, but they generally don't offer a quantifiable takeaway if you have a limited point of reference and don't know much about the subject to begin with. There's no clear-cut metric to use as a guideline if you're shopping for a sound card. The equation for buying most desktop parts is pretty straightforward: a graphics card can handle your games or it can't, a hard drive has enough storage for your data or it doesn't, memory is compatible with your platform or it isn't, and a chassis can accommodate your hardware or it can't.

Best external sound card 2016 gaming Pc#

I've been on the fence about buying a discrete sound card since building my first PC in 2002.