Difference between Realtek onboard sound

[kitamesume]

so for years i`ve personally owned three versions of them, ALC662, ALC882 and ALC887. but when i try them out theres hardly any difference at all, ALC882 seems the better choice though.

i was wondering if there is any noticeable difference in audio quality and features between them and others.

i`m just curious about their differences, usually i use the S/PDIF output and an external converter.

[vuzedome]

Well I use a creative card for playback, but when it comes to skype the onboard ALC 889a on my mobo does the job nicely with noise suppression, acoustic echo cancellation and beam forming.

[kitamesume]

so audio quality wise, they've hit the wall for onboards? but feature wise, i see some plenty of improvements though half of them i hardly use(because i`m using the S/PDIF instead ).

kind of makes me wonder why cant they integrate a true X-Fi or Audigy on the expensive mobos.

[iindigo]

If I'm mistaken (and I very well be, lacking expertise in audio cards), the only thing that really separates onboard audio from a PCI/PCI-e card these days is background noise caused by other things going through the motherboard. Other than that you're not going to notice mindblowing differences, at least not with typical consumer-level audio equipment.

If you have a good set of headphones ($50+) or a really good set of speakers the difference may be apparent, but otherwise it's probably not worth it to your average consumer.

[bloody000]

Onboard sound chips have different specs but their analog paths suck anyway so I wouldn't pay for a one with bigger numbers. No difference in digital out other than supported formats.


If you are interested in good sound, save up for a sound card with good analog output like those from Auzentech(creative chips) or Asus Xonar(c-media chips). Then get a pair of nice headphone for about 200 dollars or more. Alternatively you can just pay a grand for a home theatre system.

[kitamesume]

xD i`m using the S/PDIF output and an external converter, aka D/A converter, it should be the highest possible quality that you could get on an onboard right? plus i got a hand-me-down studio headphone from my uncle, its decent but abit heavy, i've wanted to get a Razer Orca for some time now though i`m saving up my money for bulldozer.

so on actuality, the difference between their digital output is just the supported formats and some additional features? while analog, i`d agree its just horrible but acceptable.

[bloody000]

You are using digital out so the answer is a definitive Yes.

[Freedom Kira]

What's the big deal if you're not an audiophile?

[bloody000]

What's the big deal if you're not an audiophile?

Your chances of developing ear cancer is significantly reduced.

[vuzedome]

When you're talking discreet audio cards it's all about the little things like operational amps, audio processing unit, capacitors but if you're going optical then mind as well go with a good amp, onboard optical like realtek's will do the job.

[Freedom Kira]

Your chances of developing ear cancer is significantly reduced.

Because people get LED-backlit screens instead of fluorescent-lit LCD for the health benefits. Right.

[vuzedome]

Your chances of developing ear cancer is significantly reduced.

Because people get LED-backlit screens instead of fluorescent-lit LCD for the health benefits. Right.

I thought non audiophiles will develop ear cancer more easily, from listening to all that incoherent noise.

[bloody000]

Your chances of developing ear cancer is significantly reduced.

Because people get LED-backlit screens instead of fluorescent-lit LCD for the health benefits. Right.

Did you know? LED backlighting is actually inferior to CCFL from a pure quality standpoint in many cases. It depends on the specific model but many on the market can't even fill The sRGB gamut which is THE standard. On the other hand wide-gamut is a plague, especially for people who do not profile their monitors.

And surprise surprise, A calibrated and profiled sRGB monitor reduces the chances of you developing retina cancer, cataract and keratitis!

[kitamesume]

the lovelier the sound is the better it is for the ear and the brain too, though its the loudness that causes the cancer

who ever listens to super screeches([chalkboard + nail] x amplifier) and likes it as a song has some serious issues in the ear and maybe in the head too.

no concerns to LED vs CFL, LEDs has its advantages and disadvantages but who would want a CRT over LED?

[mgz]

the lovelier the sound is the better it is for the ear and the brain too, though its the loudness that causes the cancer

who ever listens to super screeches([chalkboard + nail] x amplifier) and likes it as a song has some serious issues in the ear and maybe in the head too.

no concerns to LED vs CFL, LEDs has its advantages and disadvantages but who would want a CRT over LED?

if you could get me a 60 inch crt at high resolution like old monitors used to be i would take that any day

[kitamesume]

thats the point, no such thing exists, CRT's are bound by their size/weight, inefficiency and dangerousness of emitting so many wavelengths.

[bloody000]

Pioneer Kuro Elite. Now enjoy your empty bank account.

[kitamesume]

thats a plasma screen... and we're officially derailed from the original topic.

[bloody000]

They are better than C-stinking-RTs.

[zat0x91]

What's your current audio setup?  You'd probably want to replace your headphones first then get a DAC or soundcard.

The Fiio E7 is a great option if you don't want to spend a lot.

What's the big deal if you're not an audiophile?

If you have a pair of headphones that aren't garbage: AKG, Beyerdynamic, Denon, Senheisser, Ultrasone, and so on, it does.  You don't need to spend more than $150 to get a great pair of headphones, since you can find good deals on eBay or on head-fi.

Just to point out that Beats by Dre, Skullcandy, or Logitech don't count.