I use a Xonar U3 external USB soundcard for my headset. It actually hugely improved the mic and sound quality. I wasn't expecting it.
Hey, Jow Forums
Luke Wright
Hudson Cook
+1 for an external DAC. You should be able to get a decent one for around $100.
Ryder Lewis
>If he would actually think you buy a sound card for digital out
That was never the conversation.
>Do they even make a huge difference?
Was OP's question. The answer for the most likely use case scenario is no. The answer in the other use case scenario is no. For a person with average equipment the DAC on integrated sound vs. an average type of sound card is going to produce sound that is 100% the same in listener perception.
This is reality and audiophile jerkoffs of course want to try to sell someone a sound card. He would spend 129 bucks or whatever and be able to tell zero difference unless he fooled himself into thinking so like you.
Dominic Morris
>You don't buy a sound card to use its integrated DAC. That is not a realistic, advisable, smart, or economical use-case scenario.
You DO realize digital output uses compression for multi channel? Something you'd buy a sound card and use it's DAC for. Heck it even uses compression for high bitrate stereo.
Levi Thompson
I concede sound cards are good for multi channel audio especially
Cooper Young
>That was never the conversation.
>You don't buy a sound card to use its integrated DAC.
>For a person with average equipment the DAC on integrated sound vs. an average type of sound card is going to produce sound that is 100% the same in listener perception.
A higher end one, like a external DAC with a power supply or internal sound card with a 'above average' DAC and OPAMP for example WILL give you better bass reproduction as it can simply deliver more voltage in a shorter amount of time when needed. This is just one example of differences OP asked about.
Also depending on the circuitry, the noise level will be different, something you can perceive pretty easily.
Gavin Anderson
>sine waves are the same as square waves
And the retard of fhe year award goes to...
Matthew Wright
>A higher end one, like a external DAC with a power supply
can you fucking read? why respond to what i'm talking about with "YES BUT THIS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THING..."
retard ahoy.
Christopher Cooper
I use an Essence STX, it works well for me. Has the headphone amplifier built in with different gain settings, and you can roll the OP amps to change the sound a bit.
A good external one will always be better I think, but this works great for me pc, and mid range headphones