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[Hydrargyrus]

I have a question that it's not completely related with the topic, but I can't solve it.

I've recently bought a PC with an Optical output but I can't find the way to play games (in steam) in DD or DTS.
With my PS4 I have no problems, but with the PC, my receiver only displays Dolby Prologic Enhanced and when I go to hardware management, to the sound output only appears 2 way channel

Any tip?

 

[Dahaka]

I have a question that it's not completely related with the topic, but I can't solve it.

I've recently bought a PC with an Optical output but I can't find the way to play games (in steam) in DD or DTS.
With my PS4 I have no problems, but with the PC, my receiver only displays Dolby Prologic Enhanced and when I go to hardware management, to the sound output only appears 2 way channel

Any tip?

you need Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect

 

[Hydrargyrus]

you need Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect

Sorry, I'm really new in the PC world.
How do I get that?, do I need a sound card?

 

[mdzapeer]

Still rocking my X-Fi Titanium

CMSS-3D is the best thing if you want to use good stereo Headphones for gaming. HTRF needs to take a huge jump into gaming again.

We seriously regressed in audio technology in the past decade.

Seriously, CRT>LCD as well.

Using a Recon 3D card, with headphones DT990 pros connected to the dedicated headphone port. Plus the Virtual Surround with THX Surround sounds amazing.

 

[JordanKZ]

I've had Sound Blaster sound cards for years, despite their flaws. I picked up a Sound Blaster Z a few months ago, having a dedicated jack for headphones that is both electrically isolated (well, as best as possible) that also has its own amp is a killer feature.

Seriously, CRT>LCD as well.

I may have agreed with your point 5 or 6 years ago, but LCD's are so far and away better than a CRT these days... Apart from input latency. And if you're really wanting something massively better than CRT, pick up an OLED monitor. They exist, but they are rather expensive.

 

[indigo-cyclops]

I have a Xonar DGX, sounds better than onboard sound.

Same here, overall extremely impressed with it...

 

[Jenks]

Im still using my X-fi music OEM it was cheap and even with my basic old Aego M2 speakers and HD555 headphones, no way i could use the onboard sound on the motherboard its naff.

 

[roadrunn3r]

It makes zero sense to use a discrete sound card if you are going to use digital output.

Nowadays, you only want a soundcard for improved dacs and analogue output direct to amplifier/headphones.

What about mic pre's? What about routing several devices into a stereo output?

 

[dmix90]

Sorry, I'm really new in the PC world.
How do I get that?, do I need a sound card?

Yes you need a dedicated soundcard or onboard audio chip that supports either technology. No idea if there is a USB or other types of devices that support that. I used probably the cheapest dedicated card -> ASUS Xonar DS( supports DTS Connect ) for this purpose. Worked really well. There is a quality difference between the two you might want to consider. I believe DD only gives you ~640kbps bitrate while DTS can provide ~1500kbps,

 

[Doc_Drop]

We seriously regressed in audio technology in the past decade.

Is it not the case that dedicated external soundcards are actually just cheaper and user friendly? therefore there is more of a split of people just using the onboard soundcard if it doesn't matter to them and people investing in decent outboard equipment if they do?

 

[nkarafo]

I bulit a new PC about 3 years ago, I thought the onboard sound would be good enough being a mid to high end gigabyte motherboard. (Realtek) I was using the same speaker setup and it just didnt sound right, i listen to alot of music with my PC. I messed with drivers and settings for quite awhile.

Long story short took my OG Audigy Platinum out of my old Pentium 4 PC, and it was so much better. And i am not a Audiophile or anything, but the difference was quite noticeable.

Yes.

I don't know how good the audio is on higher end mobos, but compared to a low/mid end mobo, even the older audigy models sound better for sure. In fact, i bet even the SB Live! 5.1 sounds better.

 

[Sheytan]

I'm using a Fiio-E10 DAC but honestly, I barely notice any difference. At least it makes easier to switch between my speakers and headphone (Fidelio X1, not exactly high end, so maybe that's why), so I'll keep using it.

PS: there are modded realtek drivers to enable some options that are locket out to specific vendors. Had I known this before, I probably wouldn't have bothered trying to enhance my sound setup (my receiver uses optical, so 5.1 on PC with default drivers was complicated).

Dolby Digital Live, DTS Interactive, Dolby Home Theater, DTS Neo: PC
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/t...olby-digital-live-and-dts-interactive.193148/

Dobly DIGITAL /w THX and DTS, DTSHD, DTS Connect, SRS Processing, CMSS-3D and EAX VIA Alchemy, XFIMB II stuff
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/xfi-mod-is-back.183809/

The majority of the games didn't output surround when i used dts connect with a realtek card, that was the reason why i bought soundblaster z.

 

[Zexen]

Yes but principally for my headset/microphone, onboard system still beeing far behind when using High quality hardware IMO. For speakers, nah, I'm using GPUs HDMI output, connected to an A/V Receiver.

 

[dr. apocalipsis]

What about mic pre's? What about routing several devices into a stereo output?

Doesn't that fit into the analogue part for you?

 

[roadrunn3r]

Doesn't that fit into the analogue part for you?

I do everything with my RME so I can skip mixers and such. What I meant was that you only want a soundcard for improved dacs and analogue output, mic pre's and routing otherwise what have the romans ever done for us.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

If I got a motherboard with a good and legit sound chip on it, I'd use that instead of a card. One less thing to hassle with when I work on a machine.

 

[JRW]

Still using my Creative X-Fi Titanium I got like 100 years ago.
There was no new drivers for Windows 10 when I last checked, but there are plenty of modded drivers (PAX drivers for example) which make it work on modern systems.

http://support.creative.com/kb/ShowArticle.aspx?sid=126331 looks like Ttatnium is supported now, I had issues when Creative first released Win 10 drivers for my XtremeMusic but I haven't had any problems since the last driver update from a few weeks ago.

 

[John Wick]

I built a system last May. The motherboard I have is a MSI X99 Gaming 7. It has onboard audio. I've a Sound Blaster Recon 3D which is in my previous I5 750 build from 2009. MSI use a lot of fancy words and phrases for the onboard sound on the motherboard. Creative Sound Blaster Cinema 2 with Audio Boost 2 etc. Would the onboard sound be good enough and on par with the sound card or am I better off putting the Recon 3D into my current build?

 

[Amagon]

Whats a recommendable DAC+amp for HD 598. I also have powered speakers as well to play with.

And when I mean recommendable, I mean $300 or less.

 

[Deleted member 325805]

Honestly the difference isn't massive for sound but I can barely hear my mic when using the onboard, whereas it's loud and clear with my XFI.

 

[leng jai]

Whats a recommendable DAC+amp for HD 598. I also have powered speakers as well to play with.

And when I mean recommendable, I mean $300 or less.

This thing:https://www.jdslabs.com/products/48/o2-odac-combo-revb/

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

I bought a Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE for my old PC from 2003 back in 2008 for a foolish, in vain attempt at reducing even a tiny bit of load off my very aged P4c, pretty much a waste of $30. In three months it'll be five years since I retired that old HP and built my current one, the last five years have been much kinder to it than those five years were to the old pre-built.

 

[nkarafo]

I built a system last May. The motherboard I have is a MSI X99 Gaming 7. It has onboard audio. I've a Sound Blaster Recon 3D which is in my previous I5 750 build from 2009. MSI use a lot of fancy words and phrases for the onboard sound on the motherboard. Creative Sound Blaster Cinema 2 with Audio Boost 2 etc. Would the onboard sound be good enough and on par with the sound card or am I better off putting the Recon 3D into my current build?

I would use the Recon 3D. I doubt any motherboard has as good sound chip.

I bought a Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE...

Isn't that the cheap version of the Audigy line? I have 2 of those. They aren't even compatible with all the software/filters of the normal versions.

 

[Engell]

Whats a recommendable DAC+amp for HD 598. I also have powered speakers as well to play with.

And when I mean recommendable, I mean $300 or less.

Guess you would need something that can power both the headphones and RCA/optical out at the same time. Otherwise it will be a pain if you constantly have to switch cables.

headfi.org has a nice list of dac/amps with ratings and reviews
http://www.head-fi.org/products/category/amp-dacs

 

[Hypron]

This thing:https://www.jdslabs.com/products/48/o2-odac-combo-revb/

You can also get it from Head'n'Hifi for cheaper. I ordered one from there a couple days ago actually. You can even buy parts and build your own one but depending on where you live you might not save much money.