External sound card review. Sound card for computer: how to choose. Useful tips. Why you need a sound card
I can share my real experience of using Creative Audigy Rx. The card is good, it costs its money, you can hear it on Edifier s550 acoustics, and the basses are softer and clearer and everything else, BUT! but one big “but” ... there was no limit to my rage when updating some kind of software from auto-update, before that there was a fatality champion, I suffered even then with it with drivers, the channels began to fail, the crack went, I sold it. used the built-in year. all the folders of the creative seem to have remained, I sort of deleted them then, then I set auto-update to this one, the control panels of this card didn’t load, I’m all under “shift cases”, there was no “aninstola” in the control panel.
Let's put it on a new disk. but it is not installed, another menu appears “add“ delete» restore ”Frankly, the installation does not work forcibly on a new one, it throws out some errors. it was necessary to insert a disk and uninstall this card completely, and then install it from the disk on a new one. I cleaned the registry a little, through the “shift cases” I tried all the signs of creativity on the computer in order to somehow launch the start menu of the istalahi from the original disk. The number did not pass, I forcibly installed the sound driver through a folder in the disk itself. the sound went on, but there were no settings and the control panel, and the panels themselves were not installed separately, some errors were given. but in general saved "system restore" rolled back. I launched the autoran, everything works, I'm satisfied. but in general people, be vigilant when installing.
The creative, as always, was in its spirit, to be honest, I didn’t want to buy it, because I got steamed up with the old creative with firewood, it’s terrible, you first had to install the board itself separately, then the driver, and then just connect the external unit, otherwise the driver wouldn’t start when everything was together included in the system unit, the channels got confused, then fell out, in general, a dreck, but I didn’t find a replacement for the asus, I don’t see the point in buying a super expensive one, they are even more buggy. yes, bit accurate when I turned on the system from the Firefox browser and IE, the system sounded only 2.1, and in general, in my opinion, there is no difference. if you have an old creative, delete everything you can before installing this one, clean the registry, make a restore point and then install this one. all the best
Pros: An order of magnitude better sound than the built-in 8-channel audio codec Realtek ALC888 GA-MA790X-UD3P, installation from a disk on Win 7 x64 is fine.
Minuses: Boca, when updating additional software from auto-update, neither the control panel nor everything else loaded for me. Works well only with software disk. At the moment I am writing, the latest drivers are on the disk. no problem.
The best sound cards of 2015 combine practicality, clear sound without interference, minimal processor load and functionality. How to identify them among the entire range of stores? What to pay attention to? This will help our rating.
Internal sound cards
A device of this type is installed in the system unit itself, due to which it does not clutter up the space with a large size and a lot of wires. The most popular manufacturers of such cards are ASUS and Creative. The first is produced under the Xonar brand and is characterized by high-quality and detailed sound, a variety of ports and the presence of a special cap that protects against electromagnetic interference. Its only drawback is software data processing, which slows down the processor. Therefore, this option is great for music lovers.
For gamers, devices from the manufacturer Creative are ideal, which do not load the central processor.
The rating of budget sound cards of the PCI type is headed by the ASUS Xonar DS model, the approximate cost is 3750 rubles. Clear sound and high frequency DAC, 4 analog connectors and 8 channels are its main advantages. Among the disadvantages are a small number of settings and relative high cost.
In second place is the device of the same brand - Xonar DG, the approximate price is 2020 rubles. Quick installation, 3 analog jacks, optical output - great benefits at a low cost. However, this is not the best option for connoisseurs of high-quality and detailed sound.
The third line belongs to Creative Audigy SE for 2170 rubles. Good amplifier, quick and easy installation, low price and support for EAX does not compensate everyone for the low frequency and lack of an optical output.
Top sound cards 2015 are represented by the following models:
- ESI MAYA44 for 10640 rubles. valued for crystal clear sound, multiple connectors and phantom power;
- RME HDSP 9632 for 23611 rubles. has a large number of cables, which is more of a minus than an advantage, and high-quality sound;
- Xonar Essense ST for 12460 rubles. guarantees crystal clear sound and noise protection at a reasonable cost. The disadvantage is that the device must be powered.
External best sound cards 2015
An external sound card is connected via a USB cable to various techniques- computers, laptops and tablets. Among their tangible advantages are protection against electromagnetic interference and additional connectors that expand the functionality of the device. However, there is a drawback - multiple wires that require additional space.
Budget category best cards represented by models ASUS Xonar U7 (average price - 6435 rubles) and Creative SB Play (price 2339 rubles). The advantages of the first are compact size, maximum DAC frequency, 5 analog connectors and 8 channels, and convenient control. The second device is distinguished by its low price and low DAC frequency.
They are surpassed only by professional sound cards. For example, M-Audio M-Track Plus worth 11240 rubles. It features phantom power, coaxial outputs and inputs, 2 microphone inputs and 2 XLR connectors.
Choosing a sound card is now easy: the main thing is to decide on desired characteristics and features of operation.
Especially for those who prefer to use a powerful stationary PC as a source, this Top-7 has been prepared. Indeed, to achieve excellent sound quality, it is not at all necessary to buy an external DAC and spend money on interconnect cables. Not to mention saving space. Discrete sound cards can help us with this.
Alas, the stagnation of the PC market and the massive transition to laptops have done their job. High-quality discrete sound cards have become an endangered species. The once huge range of solutions is gradually fading away. Leaving us little choice. Apparently, in a couple of years, we all will definitely need an external DAC. But until this happens, let's look at the solutions still on the market.
According to the good tradition of our rebounds, to begin with, we will determine simple rules its construction. This time they will really be very simple. In fact, our Top includes only cards with PCI-Express interface, which can be used without any reservations primarily for listening to lossless music. If, at the same time, the card also allows home recording, well, well! All the better. Go!
7th place
Despite its professional roots and focus on Home Recording, the E-MU is quite capable of delivering tolerable sound quality. Up to 24/192. Of course, it cannot be compared with the top three. But you simply cannot want more from a $100 card! Yes, E-MU is cheaper than MAYA44 XTe in 5th place. In my opinion, despite all the curvature of the drivers typical for Creative, the card is a more justified purchase. And it gives incommensurably more opportunities. Don't expect miracles from her. But the zvukovuha-“veteran” definitely deserved its fourth place. And we move on to the top three.
3rd place
ESI [email protected] XTe. For a moderate fee of $200, the manufacturer offers us a truly universal solution! [email protected]- a real transformer. The main part of the card can be rotated 180º, bringing out either balanced 1/4″ (6.3 mm) connectors or RCA tulips.
The repertoire of the card extends up to 24/192. But TTX is a very ambiguous thing. Therefore, we traditionally turn to RMAA charts:
As you can see, the frequency response is close to ideal. And the noise and harmonic distortion curves are located at around -140 dB, which is 10 dB less than that of the MAYA44. Yes, the charts are inconsistent. And if you wish, you can find fault with the unpleasant peaks in the low and midrange segments of the spectrum. But you can hear the difference only on instrumental recordings 24/192 of reference quality. Therefore, a professional solution with excellent audiophile capabilities proudly takes 3rd place. It is this card that I can honestly call “the people's choice”.
2nd place
Creative X-Fi Titanium HD. A desperate attempt by the once market leader to stop Asus from expanding. Here we also see Burr-Brown opamps with SNR 123 dB with the ability to quickly “cold” swap without voiding the warranty. And a high-quality dedicated headphone amplifier. And a demonstrative rejection of multi-channel in favor of the highest quality 2.0-stereo path. In general, this product was supposed to be the answer to the Asus Xonar Essence ST.
But has it become? Looking ahead, I will answer - no! Let's take a look at the RMAA curves to understand the reasons:
The situation is very strange. Frequency response in 24/96 mode goes into a steep peak immediately at around 20 kHz. No fluidity. It seems that someone chopped off the curve with an ax. The situation in practice remains the same with respect to 24/192. The noise level is up to the mark only in 24/96 and higher modes. But not dynamic range! It is just with complete opamps that it does not allow the card to open up properly. The result is sad. Without replacing those same complete opamps, you can’t count on a decent sound. And for a card for which they ask for ~ $ 230-250, this is already unforgivable. And if it were not for the very ability to quickly replace modules without soldering, then the X-Fi Titanium HD would unconditionally change places with [email protected] Xte.
1st place
I'm sure you've already guessed who you'll see here. This product simply has no alternatives today. Yes it Asus Xonar Essence STX/STX II. Essentially identical solutions, differing only in that STX II provides multi-channel support. Is it necessary in practice? In my opinion, no. Because STX today is a more justified acquisition from a financial point of view.
The same legendary possibility of replacing opamps without a soldering iron. Excellent elemental base and well-designed power supply. And all this is crowned with a built-in amplifier that can drive even 600 Ω headphones. There is simply no one to compete with STX in the audiophile segment at the moment.
The frequency response of the card in 24/192 mode cannot be called otherwise than ideal. The dynamic range also has the most even structure without significant rises in the low-frequency section, as was the case with X-Fi. THD in the “older” modes is located at around -150 dB. What guarantees the practical absence of audible distortion in the music. Such indicators are extremely difficult to beat. And the price tag at the same level of $230 for the first version makes the choice between STX and X-Fi obvious. Well deserved first place.
That's all for today. Next time we will talk about shelf acoustics. See you later! :)
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We recently talked about external sound cards for computers that belonged to the budget segment and were suitable only for those who just wanted to slightly improve the sound quality on their computer for further watching movies, listening to music and playing games. In this review, we will write about sound cards that are installed in your computer and are intended primarily for those who want to play modern gaming products with clear sound, clear effects and positioning. Naturally, the cost of such sound cards is slightly higher, they are installed inside the computer, in the slot reserved for expansions, and they produce better sound in games. However, this does not mean that listening to music will not work or movies will sound bad. No, a good sound card for games is also great for other tasks, it's just that the quality is best felt in shooters, racing, MMOs, and so on. It is worth noting that if your computer is under warranty and you cannot disassemble its case, then you will not need these sound cards. Either lose your warranty or wait for it to expire. In the meantime, you can read a little and figure out what to pay attention to.
ASUS Xonar DS
The developer himself positions this sound card as an inexpensive solution for those users who want to get good positioning in games. If you play shooters, then this is perfect option- the steps of the enemy are well heard, you can easily find out where these steps come from, all third-party noises are distinguished, such as reloading the machine gun. In most cases, in shooters, this allows you to have a certain advantage over an enemy that does not have such positioning. Thanks to 7.1-channel sound and low cost, this card has been popular among gamers for a long time. It has an AV200 sound chip, 24-bit bit depth, DTS-ES technology support and 4 line outputs, plus one microphone connector. The sound card is installed in the PCI 2.2 slot. If you're on a budget and all you want is just good sound with positioning in shooters, then this decision can safely be called ideal. If you want to get good sound in movies and music tracks, then you need to look further. The cost of this sound card is 4100 rubles.
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy Rx
Creative sound cards are very rarely positioned as just gaming cards, since the developer primarily looks towards music connoisseurs. However, the Creative Sound sound card Blaster Audigy The Rx is great for gaming thanks to its 7.1-channel sound and ability to convey game positioning as well as pure gaming audio. This card installed already in the PCI Express port, so you will need to take care of a free port in your motherboard. The sound chip here is Creative E-MU, it allows you to perfectly position objects in games, movies and music. The DAC bit depth is 24 bits, the maximum frequency is 192 kHz. Separately, it is worth noting the support for EAX Studio technology and the ability to connect two microphones at once. There are, in general, quite a lot of line outputs here, but connecting two microphones is a very good opportunity. Originally a second jack was added for karaoke in pairs, but you can easily connect two microphones for better audibility in streams or toys. The cost of this card is 5300 rubles and we really liked it, even if it is not sold as a game card.
ASUS Xonar DX
The Xonar DX sound card is considered almost a legend in the market. The fact is that quite a few years have passed since its appearance, and professional players continue to use this particular solution and completely reject the new products, even if they can boast of better sound quality. With real-time 7.1-channel audio conversion, as well as real-time 5.1-channel audio, as well as decent highs and lows, the card allows you to enjoy high-quality music and distinguishable positioning in games. Of course, we cannot call the product the best option for music, because the previous version looks even better in this role, but in games ASUS Xonar DX has no equal. You install the card in the PCI Express slot, connect some more or less normal headphones with a microphone, and you can safely go to conquer the virtual expanses of shooters. The sound chip here is Asus AV100, that is, the difference between Xonar DS and Xonar DX will not be very big. Nevertheless, we personally consider the DX the best sound card on the market for the money. Its cost, by the way, is only 5600 rubles.
Creative Sound Blaster Z
One of the few Creative sound cards that are positioned primarily as a gaming solution. The card is also "plugged" into the PCI Express port, it has a complete microphone (external) with beam focusing, which allows you to improve the quality of your voice with hardware, not just software. The sound card is based on the Sound Core3D chip operating in 5.1-channel mode with support for SBX Pro Studio, CrystalVoice, Dolby Digital Live, DTS Connect technologies. It is worth noting that thanks to the CrystalVoice proprietary technology, all noise from your microphone will be removed and your voice will be crystal clear. It really works and even if you have a bad microphone on your headphones, then there will be no sound problems. By the way, the card itself sounds very clear, there is a good positioning of objects (I would even say one of the best on the market), as well as a signal-to-noise ratio of 116 dB. According to the creators of the card, the sound here is 35 times better than when using a standard sound card on the motherboard. To believe such figures, of course, is not the most reasonable thing. The cost of this beast is 6500 rubles.
ASUS Strix Soar
A product called ASUS Strix Sora is that rare case when the most expensive gadget in the collection can be called the best. Yes, we have already said that the Xonar DX is an ideal product for its price, but the ASUS Strix Soar has a lot of advantages over the competition. For example, this is one of the few cards that work on 7.1-channel sound. Most cards either work on 5.1 channels or convert 5.1 to 7.1 with software. Naturally, native 7.1 support is much better. The card is based on the C-Media USB2.0 6632AX High-Definition Sound Processor sound chip, there is support for Asus Hyper Grounding, Asus Sonic Radar Pro, ASIO 2.0 and Perfect Voice technologies. There is an 8-channel ESS SABER 9006A Premier Audio DAC, a TI-TPA6120 headphone amplifier with frequencies of 10-48000 Hz. There are outputs for the front channel, headphones, side channel, subwoofer, center and rear channels. Connecting headphones like the Razer Tiamat with 7.1-channel audio to this card will give you the best sound and positioning on the market. Despite the fact that the sound is very clean, there is the elimination of microphone noise and significant amplification. The cost of such a miracle is 6800 rubles.
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Today we will talk about how to choose a good sound card for a computer or laptop. It would seem that such a simple device, and there are many different models on the market, you can just take and install the first one that comes across. However, in reality it is not so simple. The problem of such a choice is primarily faced by those who often listen to music, like to watch movies through a PC, or play 3D games. The best sound card is capable of transmitting a high-quality signal without problems, but here's which one is actually the best, let's take a closer look.
What is the first thing you should pay attention to
Everyone knows that most modern motherboards contain a good integrated sound card. It is quite suitable for everyday use for those people who do not need high-quality sound. Of course, if a person wants to completely plunge into the world of sound effects, then not even the coolest integrated sound card will allow him to do this. Here it is necessary to talk about external devices of this type. It is well known that DTS Digital Surround and Dolby Digital are standards that will allow you to watch movies with surround sound. Even if an inexpensive sound card can read these standards, it will allow you to watch movies with a minimum number of noise and sound distortion. This is very important in order to achieve the effect of presence when watching a movie. The presence of the standard - EAX ADVANCED HD allows you to get surround sound in the most advanced games.
Standard EAX ADVANCED HD
Thanks to this component, all the sounds that will come from the speakers will become much more realistic. Both analog and digital inputs can be present here. The first one almost always works with interference, which is almost impossible to eliminate due to its design features. The digital input almost completely excludes their formation. You should always keep this in mind when it comes to choosing a great sound card. It is worth noting the fact that some integrated systems have connectors for high-frequency signal transmission, and it is these that are recommended for use. The amount of interference in this case will be minimal.
Type
Another problem that every person who decides to purchase a popular sound card will have to face is its type. However, the choice in this case is not great. There are two types of devices - external and internal.
Internal
The second type should not be confused with the integrated one. Almost any budget sound card is connected internally system block to the PCI slot. It occupies a minimum of space, and does not contain any additional wires. Very convenient option which is what most people use.
External
The external version of the device also has the right to exist. This is a separate node that is installed outside the personal computer. It is worth noting the fact that it has relatively small geometric dimensions, so it does not create any additional interference during operation. The external map may contain a large number of various outputs, which significantly expands its functionality. However, she is the only possible option connecting a 5.1 system to a laptop. It is she who is the very link between him and sound system.
Functionality
All modern sound cards are divided into certain types depending on their functionality. Any device must have at least 8 connectors, each of which performs a specific function. These include: a connector for connecting to an external device, that is, a computer or laptop, output to the front, rear speakers, center channel, microphone, headphones, line channel, as well as a number of additional connectors that can be useful for certain cases.
Sound card connectors
Of course, the functionality of good sound cards depends on what they will be used for. For living conditions The three types of cards listed above will suffice. If we are talking about the computer of a professional musician, then here you should think about the possibility of connecting additional devices and about high quality production of the board itself. Of course, this cannot but affect the cost of the device. In terms of the price-quality ratio of a sound card, for a person who simply listens to music and watches movies, an option that has high-quality connectors of the above types is suitable.
Musician sound card
And for musicians, high-quality sound cards are created, which are quite expensive. You can find a huge amount of information about such devices on specialized resources on the Internet. The sound card forum will tell the novice musician which option to pay attention to when buying. We bring to the attention of dear readers a small rating of inexpensive, but high-quality sound cards for computers.
Rating of the best sound cards for a computer
Here is a summary of everything you should pay attention to when buying a sound card. And one more piece of advice: after you have decided on the model of the card, it will not be superfluous to read the reviews of its real owners on the thematic forums. Don't forget to check Youtube for video reviews of the maps. And now I present to your attention a small rating of the best internal sound cards in an inexpensive segment.
ASUS Xonar HDAV1.3
Internal sound card ASUS Xonar HDAV1.3 with connection type - PCI-E, has r bit depth of DAC and ADC -24 bit and oh signal-to-noise ratio DAC and ADC –120 dB. The maximum frequency of the stereo DAC, multichannel DAC and ADC is 192 kHz. The card has 4 analog inputs and 4 analog outputs. In addition, it has an optical input, coaxial output and HDMI 1.3 output/output. The device supports standards: EAX - v. 2, ASIO-v. 2.0 and OpenAL. According to reviews, this is a wonderful sound card for watching movies with a 7.1 audio system.
ASUS Xonar DG
The internal sound card ASUS Xonar DG with the connection type - PCI 2.2, received the ability to output multi-channel sound. The card has a 24-bit DAC with maximum frequency stereo - 96 kHz. The device has an optical output, 4 analog inputs, 6 analog output channels and 3 analog output connectors. The model delivers clear and surround sound, supports EAX-v. 2 and ASIO- v. 2.0. According to reviews, this is one of the best sound cards for listening to music through headphones. The owners of the device on the forums recommend installing drivers not from a disk. but from the internet.
ASUS Xonar DGX
Internal sound card ASUS Xonar DGX with connection type - PCI-E, has the ability to output multi-channel audio. The card has a 24-bit DAC with a maximum stereo frequency of 96 kHz. The device has an optical output, 2 analog inputs, 6 analog output channels, 3 analog output connectors and a connector for connecting to the front panel of a PC. The model supports the standard - EAX v. 5. To connect it, you need a PCI-Express slot on the motherboard. The card itself has a 7-pin (2 by 4 and one empty) output, where plugs are attached for output to the front panel, headphones and a microphone. The card understands that if you insert headphones in front, then the speakers in the back are turned off. Card owners recommend downloading drivers for the card from the Asus website, and not from a disk. The model has a high-quality separate headphone amplifier.
Creative Recon3D PCIe
The Creative Recon3D PCIe internal sound card with connection type - PCI-E has the ability to output multi-channel audio. The card has a 24-bit DAC with a maximum stereo frequency of 96 kHz. The device has an optical input / output, 4 analog inputs, 6 analog output channels, a connector for connecting to the front panel of a PC, 3 analog output connectors and an independent headphone output connector. The model supports standards - EAX v. 2 and OpenAL . The card has a flexible setting from Windows, and according to reviews, it has proven itself to be excellent in the sound accompaniment of 3D games, striking in the quality of sound effects. It behaves similarly when watching movies. Playing music with a card through any Hi-Fi headphones up to $ 200 fully reveals their potential.
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