USB sound card

[Tragik]

Hi. I'm currently using an all in one desktop (Dell Inspiron 1 2020) from 2011. I'm wondering if I should get a headset that comes with a USB sound card, since I don't really have faith in the sound quality of such an old computer. My onboard sound card is something called a 'NVIDIA virtual audio device( Wave extensible)' and Realtek HD Audio. Can I get your opinion on whether I should find a headset with a USB sound card? Thanks

And I'm pretty clueless on this matter so forgive me if I said something stupid :(

[Omega]

The sound quality of those USB headsets in general is worse then that from the build-in audio chip.

Unless you are buying seriously high-end headphones I wouldn't worry about the sound card.

[Air]

I'd personally suggest getting a DAC and regular 3.5mm headphones. USB headsets don't exactly give you much control over your audio most of the time.

[Tragik]

I was looking at the Cloud IIs (USB sound card) and Cloud Alphas (non USB). I was leaning towards the Alphas until I saw that they didn't come with the sound card, since they seemed to be superior in other aspects such as audio and mic quality.

I did think of getting regular headphones and a mic separately, but I'll only use the headset for casual gaming. Looking at reviews online, I think the mic should be sufficient for in-game communication. What's left is just the audio quality. Getting a seperate headphone seems over the top for me since I won't even be listening to music on it, although I won't deny that the audio quality is better than a headset

[Jamebonds1]

I would suggest this. http://www.schiit.com/products/magni-3 and https://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/dt-880-pro.html

[Tragik]

Цитата допису Jamebonds1:

I would suggest this. http://www.schiit.com/products/magni-3 and https://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/dt-880-pro.html

Way out of my price range haha. I'm not looking for studio quality headphones, just something I can game comfortably on

[Jamebonds1]

Цитата допису Tragik:

Цитата допису Jamebonds1:

I would suggest this. http://www.schiit.com/products/magni-3 and https://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/dt-880-pro.html

Way out of my price range haha. I'm not looking for studio quality headphones, just something I can game comfortably on

Sorry... my bad. I forgotten, what is your budget?

[TehSpoopyKitteh]

You have a couple of options. You can get an external USB audio card (The Creative XFI external or the Soundblaster Omni are good choices), you can also probably get away with a headset.

[Tragik]

Yeah I'm just wondering if my current onboard audio is good enough that I don't need an external sound card

[tacoshy]

Цитата допису The Spoopy Kitteh:

You have a couple of options. You can get an external USB audio card (The Creative XFI external or the Soundblaster Omni are good choices), you can also probably get away with a headset.

not really ... get a Fiio E10K for a tenner more which rusn circles around it. Soundblaster is ok when you have them buil in at your motherboard. but if you need to buy them additionally there better options tho the ZxR is ok but for 200€ to expensive. You get betetr DAC's for that price.

[TehSpoopyKitteh]

Цитата допису tacoshy:

Цитата допису The Spoopy Kitteh:

You have a couple of options. You can get an external USB audio card (The Creative XFI external or the Soundblaster Omni are good choices), you can also probably get away with a headset.

not really ... get a Fiio E10K for a tenner more which rusn circles around it. Soundblaster is ok when you have them buil in at your motherboard. but if you need to buy them additionally there better options tho the ZxR is ok but for 200€ to expensive. You get betetr DAC's for that price.

The Fiio 10EK is merely a DAC amplifier. The suggested Soundblaster cards are full audio cards and will process signals from speaker audio to stereo receivers.
Fiio 10EK is sold in common drug stores. The audio cards aren't sold at drug stores...

https://youtu.be/bPhAAYDKOUY

[tacoshy]

Цитата допису The Spoopy Kitteh:

Цитата допису tacoshy:

not really ... get a Fiio E10K for a tenner more which rusn circles around it. Soundblaster is ok when you have them buil in at your motherboard. but if you need to buy them additionally there better options tho the ZxR is ok but for 200€ to expensive. You get betetr DAC's for that price.

The Fiio EK10 is merely a headphone amplifier. The suggested Soundblaster cards are full audio cards.
Fiio EK10 doesn't output to digital...Audio cards aren't sold at drug stores...

https://youtu.be/bPhAAYDKOUY

Fiio E10K is not an amplifier that would be an AmpUp. Its a DAC what also the description of the youtube vid says. and DAC stands for Digital Audio Converter ... so make a guess what a DAC does. converts a digital audio signal to a stereo anlog sound which you need for headphones or headsets with 3.5mm klinke.

[TehSpoopyKitteh]

Цитата допису tacoshy:

Цитата допису The Spoopy Kitteh:

The Fiio EK10 is merely a headphone amplifier. The suggested Soundblaster cards are full audio cards.
Fiio EK10 doesn't output to digital...Audio cards aren't sold at drug stores...

https://youtu.be/bPhAAYDKOUY

Fiio E10K is not an amplifier that would be an AmpUp. Its a DAC what also the description of the youtube vid says. and DAC stands for Digital Audio Converter ... so make a guess what a DAC does. converts a digital audio signal to a stereo anlog sound which you need for headphones or headsets with 3.5mm klinke.

I know what a DAC is. It isn't an audio card. Stop mincing words and acting like you know better lol.

[tacoshy]

And which soundcards output a digital Signal for headphones Or Headset?

[TehSpoopyKitteh]

Цитата допису tacoshy:

And which soundcards output a digital Signal for headphones Or Headset?

Ummmmm.....neither. The point is that the sound cards will allow the OP to have use for them in the future if they decide to rig up their PC to a home theater saystem. The Fiio E10K doesn't have Dolby Digtial or DTS compatibility...and given how most games would require that for the best possible quality audio, the 10EK is out of the question. All it is, is a USB DAC that only uses the USB as a power unit from the laptop. The reason it is priced so high is bacause it has a S/PDIF Coaxial connector on the back of it.

[tacoshy]

Цитата допису The Spoopy Kitteh:

Цитата допису tacoshy:

And which soundcards output a digital Signal for headphones Or Headset?

Ummmmm.....neither. The point is that the sound cards will allow the OP to have use for them in the future if they decide to rig up their PC to a home theater saystem. The Fiio E10K doesn't have Dolby Digtial or DTS compatibility...and given how most games would require that for the best possible quality audio, the 10EK is out of the question. All it is, is a USB DAC that only uses the USB as a power unity from the laptop. The reason it is priced so high is bacause it has a S/PDIF Coaxial connector on the back of it.

and then were back to the topic if you do a home theatre system you want HDMi and connect it to the GPU and not want an external soundcard where every DAC runs circles around... ANd no there is not a reason despite it is Soundlaster. S/PDIF is not expensive and not betetr then HDMI. We just wen through that entire topic and yous till couldnt proof that TosLink can run all those formats. There where just literally hudnret links that it cant.