Do I need to buy gaming sound card to hear the footstep more clearly?

[BOT Casual]

hi guys, I just realize there is a hardware called sound card. How much difference between using a on-board audio and good quality soundcard?

I am using gaming headset btw, I know that it definitely will make a tremendous difference if you are using speaker but as for now I am good with the headset.

I wonder if i buy a good quality of a soundcard + I am using a headset can I hear the footstep more wide and clear?

[The Man™]

get a good quallity DAC, Soundcards are not really a thing anymore and are not much diffrent than Onboard motherboard audio.

[BOT Casual]

Originally posted by Miss Ann Thrope:

Onboard audio works perfectly fine for me.

Maybe you just need a better headset?

ya, currently I am using a gaming headset cost around $80+, Omen 800. this headset is pretty good, but its not that popular, I mean look at the pros who most likely prefer to use hyperX brand.
Omen 800 can hear the footstep clearly, but I think that there's someway to enhance the audio system. (I have tried to mess around with the audio enhance such as bass and stuff.)

[trousers]

Speaking as an EXPERT, and a very lazy one; sound cards are only necessary these days for enthusiasts and people who work with audio.

Back in the day they were a big deal... and now they aren't that big a deal.

edit: slightly less lazily, yes a good soundcard will help you hear things more clearly, and at slightly lower volumes too

[BOT Casual]

Originally posted by The Man™:

get a good quallity DAC, Soundcards are not really a thing anymore and are not much diffrent than Onboard motherboard audio.

that's interesting, I thought every pcs are using the same d.a.c, didn't know that there are actually a good quality of d.a.c, will try to look for it. Thanks

[BOT Casual]

Originally posted by an amazing poster:

Speaking as an EXPERT, and a very lazy one; sound cards are only necessary these days for enthusiasts and people who work with audio.

Back in the day they were a big deal... and now they aren't that big a deal.

edit: slightly less lazily, yes a good soundcard will help you hear things more clearly, and at slightly lower volumes too

ah i see, I guess nowadays everyone is just using a stereo audio output and I think that is enough for a gamer.

I agree that most likely only a music creator will need a good quality of soundcard

[trousers]

Originally posted by Hatrick:

Originally posted by The Man™:

get a good quallity DAC, Soundcards are not really a thing anymore and are not much diffrent than Onboard motherboard audio.

that's interesting, I thought every pcs are using the same d.a.c, didn't know that there are actually a good quality of d.a.c, will try to look for it. Thanks

TL;DR

everything that can send audio data to a speaker converts from digital to analog.

the chip(s) on your motherboard can do that, as it's necessary. obviously.

but unless you have a very expensive motherboard - and even then - they aren't the best quality (and can vary in quality). especially if you're using headphones or a lot of high end speakers. they often have poor signal-to-noise, which is something a more anal retentive poster than i can go into detail on

that's where external DACs come into play (and high end soundcards with their accompanying DACs)

good ones can be hilariously expensive. it's not a world i'm too clued up on though as i have the sense of hearing of a banana

they're very worth it though if you're an audiophile, or really love to hear footsteps.

[BurgerJoe]

I have a Creative Sound Blaster Z in my computer.I don't think it made me any better at games,but it made them sound a lot better...more details and better echoes,music sounds way better too.
The onboard audio (mine is Realtek alc892) sounds flat and muddy in comparison.

[Samwise]

Originally posted by Hatrick:

Originally posted by Miss Ann Thrope:

Onboard audio works perfectly fine for me.

Maybe you just need a better headset?

ya, currently I am using a gaming headset cost around $80+, Omen 800. this headset is pretty good, but its not that popular, I mean look at the pros who most likely prefer to use hyperX brand.
Omen 800 can hear the footstep clearly, but I think that there's someway to enhance the audio system. (I have tried to mess around with the audio enhance such as bass and stuff.)

80$ headset is cheap, low end when it comes to headphones quality. 150$-250$ is actually mid range, and for high end its 500+. Mid range headphones are sufficient for on board audio, but using high end with on board wont sound much different, you need good sound card to hear difference at that point.

I remember when i used steel series headset, which also cost about 70€, and after switching to real, quality brand headphones (beyerdynamic custom one pro) which cost 170€ (at the time, they’re cheaper now) the sound quality difference was HUGE.

Headphones have different sound signatures and are better for some things than others. Also, the type (on ear, over the ear, closed, open, dynamic etc) matters.

But in nutshell:

1. Read about headphone types, and how they affect sound
2. Check out actual quality brand headphones of your preferences (akg, sennheiser, audiotechnica, beyerdynamic and such)
3. Read reviews and google how well they are suited for gaming, if review doesnt mention it

You can also just check out the one i mentioned above. Its pretty good for gaming + you can change bass levels without any software, because theres physical switch on each can.

[HypersleepyNaputunia]

i bought my motherboard a little bit cause it had good audio isolation and capacitors

[BanOphobia My Struggle]

My sound card died ages ago and I never replaced, because I never noticed the difference. I use ear buds for gaming to get a nice immersive sound effect. My GPU is directly feeds into my TV due HDMI.

[ʙᴜɴ.ᴇ]

I work in music and at home I use a Scarlett 2i4, Its great but just for more clarity in listening to music and games you may want to pick up a cheaper dac that doesnt have all the inputs the scarlett has since you don't need them like I do.

its true that some dacs can go into the realm of craziness with pricing, the one at the studio I use costs around $20000 which puts my scarlett to shame and my colleagues wonder why I play games more then actually do any work at home lol the stuff I make at home and take into the studio sounds completely different on such high end gear.

as for you OP, you should not need to spend more than $50 for a dac, skip getting a gaming soundcard, they are a gimmicky thing and so overpriced and not worth it, they are not a huge upgrade from onboard audio and an external dac is a bazillion times better than any gaming soundcard, just plug your headset into the dac, plug the dac into the pc and forget about the rest, its the best audio you will get for your needs.

[BOT Casual]

Originally posted by an amazing poster:

Originally posted by Hatrick:

that's interesting, I thought every pcs are using the same d.a.c, didn't know that there are actually a good quality of d.a.c, will try to look for it. Thanks

TL;DR

everything that can send audio data to a speaker converts from digital to analog.

the chip(s) on your motherboard can do that, as it's necessary. obviously.

but unless you have a very expensive motherboard - and even then - they aren't the best quality (and can vary in quality). especially if you're using headphones or a lot of high end speakers. they often have poor signal-to-noise, which is something a more anal retentive poster than i can go into detail on

that's where external DACs come into play (and high end soundcards with their accompanying DACs)

good ones can be hilariously expensive. it's not a world i'm too clued up on though as i have the sense of hearing of a banana

they're very worth it though if you're an audiophile, or really love to hear footsteps.

a lot of time, especially when watching those pros playing csgo/pubg on twitch, I know that they lower the volume to make the audiences feel comfort. But what I can feel, is they able to hear the footstep much more far away compare to myself. I tried to copy the audio settings, but it was nothing changed at all. and I think that a $80 headset should be good enough. That's why I am thinking about sound card issues. But at the same time, i believe lot of players don't even want to upgrade the sound card at all. so I guess it should be fair enough for me haha, but still I am thinking about it.

[BOT Casual]

Originally posted by BuerKing:

I have a Creative Sound Blaster Z in my computer.I don't think it made me any better at games,but it made them sound a lot better...more details and better echoes,music sounds way better too.
The onboard audio (mine is Realtek alc892) sounds flat and muddy in comparison.

I believe it will make much better if the bass quality is good. I mean look at the pubg, the gunshots are so loud that could cause me a heart attack, I am 22 years old btw haha

[BOT Casual]

Originally posted by Samwise:

Originally posted by Hatrick:

ya, currently I am using a gaming headset cost around $80+, Omen 800. this headset is pretty good, but its not that popular, I mean look at the pros who most likely prefer to use hyperX brand.
Omen 800 can hear the footstep clearly, but I think that there's someway to enhance the audio system. (I have tried to mess around with the audio enhance such as bass and stuff.)

80$ headset is cheap, low end when it comes to headphones quality. 150$-250$ is actually mid range, and for high end its 500+. Mid range headphones are sufficient for on board audio, but using high end with on board wont sound much different, you need good sound card to hear difference at that point.

I remember when i used steel series headset, which also cost about 70€, and after switching to real, quality brand headphones (beyerdynamic custom one pro) which cost 170€ (at the time, they’re cheaper now) the sound quality difference was HUGE.

Headphones have different sound signatures and are better for some things than others. Also, the type (on ear, over the ear, closed, open, dynamic etc) matters.

But in nutshell:

1. Read about headphone types, and how they affect sound
2. Check out actual quality brand headphones of your preferences (akg, sennheiser, audiotechnica, beyerdynamic and such)
3. Read reviews and google how well they are suited for gaming, if review doesnt mention it

You can also just check out the one i mentioned above. Its pretty good for gaming + you can change bass levels without any software, because theres physical switch on each can.

yup, i got you, since my Omen 800 was broken long time ago and recently I just ordered Logitech g433 Headset instead of HyperX Cloud Alpha. Fortunately, I saw a forum that mentioned if you are going to buy a high quality headset you are going to need to upgrade the sound card as well.

Hopefully, after I equip logitech headset, it will at least improve quite a bit of the performance.

[BOT Casual]

Originally posted by HypersleepyNaputunia:

i bought my motherboard a little bit cause it had good audio isolation and capacitors

that's cool, as I will need to upgrade my motherboard as well, my motherboard can't support the K version of cpu. so I guess I'll just need to wait for a right timing for me to upgrade.