Differences in audio chipsets

[Charlie98]

I'm getting a low-end H81 mobo for an budget build... the biggest difference between the two are the audio chipsets. They both have Realtek chips, one has a ALC662, the other an ALC892.

My Z68 board has a ALC889 chip, and has reasonable sound through my 3-way system, I'm guessing the 892 chip is just the new-and-improved 889 chip.

How much less-capable is the ALC662 audio chip? It's going to run a simple 2-way desktop speaker set... but I don't want it to sound like the AM radio in my '68 Nova, either.

 

[dma0991]

If you're playing through mediocre speakers and aren't an audiophile, either will make naught of a difference. Sound is subjective, therefore it may sound good to you. That being said, I wasn't impressed at all with the quality of the ALC898; they just sound horrible with my headphones.

 

[dac7nco]

The 892 is pretty nice; I have it set-up to a sound bar (analog) in my bedroom... It's basically an 889.

 

[Knowname]

Aaah this brings back memories! I used to run through mobo reviews looking for any info on integrated audio chips they're hardly ever even taken into account. Fact is, though, their all basically the same. They all sound the same, muddy when played through good speakers and earphones (don't even TRY to play them through earphones!!). I try to avoid Realtec all together though. Not only do I chear for the underdog but as is true with most underdogs, the other chipsets like ITG and ADI, are very 'expiramental' though, the plain jane Realtek will invariably have the 'strongest' implamentation. But how 'strong' can integrated audio really be?? lol their ALL just AC97.

So yeah, anyway the numbering scheme isn't necisarily in order, the 8xx series is just an 8 channel design, the 6xx series only does 6 channels but there's really no difference. 1- you only got 3 channels and 2- it's all mud anyway xD.

I will say this though, a Realtek based chip is the ONLY integrated chip (besides the inobitantly expensive creative one you might find... and don't be fooled, even a creative integrated chip isn't nearly as good as an x-fi card! It just caves you a precious pci slot) I'd trust enough to record with. And only stuff that's very unprofessional and sh*t ofc.

ITG chips are cool, they supposedly can say, skype through your speakers as you have your game going over your earphone. I'm not sure if it actually works that way though, I'd never gotten it to work :/. ADI is known for their incredibly cpu-taxing 3d effects. I just like them so there. I've been known to splurge on a mobo based solely on it's audio processor lol... not like theirs much difference in them anyway but.

 

[Soulkeeper]

I think people stopped caring when the crackling/popping sounds stopped over 10yrs ago ...
The implementation is likely more important than the chip revision itself (ie: higher quality capacitors, better board layout).
Only the true audiophiles are likely to appreciate the differences between audio chips these days.

 

[dkm777]

I'd say the chip itself matters little nowadays. I've had my fair share of integrated audio and I'm pretty much an audiophile. The only one that actually sounded good was ADI AD2000. Everything else was all the same - just bland and muffled. Hell, I bought a pretty crappy MSI mobo once just because it had an ALC889, but it was a total waste of a good chip - it made weird noises when going from low CPU load to high because the audio circuit wasn't designed properly and was picking up interference from the VRMs. Never again. (/me gently strokes his RME Fireface 400 and M-Audio monitors)
Please note however that you'd have to have pretty solid speakers hooked up to a quality receiver to notice any kind of difference.

 

[ShintaiDK]

My experience says its more about the mobo than the chip.

And I use a NAD T755 + Dali Concept 8 as setup.

 

[Boondox]

I tried using all of Realtek's audio solutions, and simply gave up. The SNR, loss of bass, and lack of fidelity was annoying. But as they say; You get what you pay for. I am quite happy with the DX and D2X from Asus and wouldn't sway from them.

 

[ChaiBabbaChai]

True audiophiles don't use the onboard audio. They use rack or desktop outboard converters and preamps.

 

[bgt]

True audiophiles don't use the onboard audio. They use rack or desktop outboard converters and preamps.

Yep, all the way. I get Spdiff(optical) out to an external 32bit DAC(Buffalo2), passive preamp-Hypex Class D amps(400W) to a pair of Monitor Audio Silver RS8 speakers.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

How does the old asus xonar dx compared to modern onboard audio? Using m-audio lx4 speakers and shure srh840 headphones.

 

[bononos]

I'm getting a low-end H81 mobo for an budget build... the biggest difference between the two are the audio chipsets. They both have Realtek chips, one has a ALC662, the other an ALC892.

My Z68 board has a ALC889 chip, and has reasonable sound through my 3-way system, I'm guessing the 892 chip is just the new-and-improved 889 chip.

How much less-capable is the ALC662 audio chip? It's going to run a simple 2-way desktop speaker set... but I don't want it to sound like the AM radio in my '68 Nova, either.

The specs of the 892 is actually lower than the 889 which has an advertised 108db snr. I think the 662 should be just fine for desktop speaker sets.

Take a read here:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1428698/i...the-pc-worth-it-if-you-have-a-good-sound-card

 

[TheGoat Eater]

I am currently using an external DAC/ tube headphone amp going to My AKG Q701 set... For my audio, and I love it far more than I would that a creative card in my rig or my onboard audio (notebook). Take a look at the FiiO E18 for a solution if you want something to use at the PC and on the go (mine comes in tomorrow )

 

[john3850]

The first and only good onboard sound chip I had came on a ABIT NF7-S V2.0.

 

[TheGoat Eater]

Good old ABIT :'( I miss my IP35 Pro

 

[BrightCandle]

I can't tell the difference between 100Db SNR and 125Db SNR on a pair of HD 598s. The realtek chips just don't sound very good, music is just flat sounding and quite muddy, even on the high end ones. But unless you have the kit to really expose both the poor general quality and the noise level I don't think its a good reason to buy a sound card.

However gamers do have one requirement that onboard sound deals poorly with and that is standard 2 channel headphones but with simulated surround sound. Realtek's chips do have a surround sound option, but its terrible. Most games can utilise good surround sound as DirectSound takes as input from the API a position and volume for a sound and then it outputs up to 7.1 to the sound card. Most sound cards can take that 7.1 and simulate surround on a pair of headphones (or a pair of speakers) and its actually really quite good once have it working.

You have a few options for getting surround sound on a PC and only one of them makes a sound card an obviously better choice:
1) Get surround sound speakers - Best positioning but takes up a lot of space, specifically behind you and makes using a mic harder. You can use noise cancelling on the sound card if it has it but it often still bleeds some sound through.

2) 5.1 headphones - The general audio quality from these is pretty poor but they are slightly better at positioning information than simulated surround, but they don't sound very good at all.

3) Headphones with Binaurial/Simulated Surround sound - Soundblaster Z series has SBX Surround, The Xfi's had CMSS and the Xonar has Dolby Headphone. They all take 5.1/7.1 and use sound cues to simulate surround on a pair of headphones. Usually the only option in a competition but also more convenient in most houses than speakers.

So if you use headphones for gaming you should choose standard ones that are reasonably good, they will last you a lifetime. You wantstrong mids and highs (gunshots tends to overpower footsteps on bassy headphones) rather than a bassy headset. Then you need a simulated surround sound so you can pinpoint things with either a soundblaster or Cmedia based card like a Xonar. SBX Surround in theory is more accurate as its not sampling from 7.1 but instead from the actual positions in many games and people who have used both do say the positioning is better on the Sound blaster but the sound stage isn't as good as Xonar.

So IMO the only real reason to get a sound card for a gamer is for the better simulated surround sound on headphones that comes from them. SNR and such only really starts to show up with external dacs and headphone amps and less efficient headphones, none of which most gamers would really benefit from. Its certainly worth getting a decent pair of headphones as the surround sound effect is improved with clearer headphones but a lot of sound in games is really poor quality and once the headphones expose all the MP3's you don't need to go much further as the source is the issue.

 

[UaVaj]

all realtek onboard simply sucks. for general use it is fine. anything else and you want a real sound card.

only onboard sound worth its silicon is via.

 

[nenforcer]

The first and only good onboard sound chip I had came on a ABIT NF7-S V2.0.

That would have been an nVidia SoundStorm as seen in my SIG. From what I hear the Realtek ALC898 and higher (ALC1150) are about as good as any of the others ever were, (IDG / SigmaTek and Analog Devices).

I've never liked the included software / drivers from either Realtek or VIA, however.

 

[uclabachelor]

I'm getting a low-end H81 mobo for an budget build... the biggest difference between the two are the audio chipsets. They both have Realtek chips, one has a ALC662, the other an ALC892.

My Z68 board has a ALC889 chip, and has reasonable sound through my 3-way system, I'm guessing the 892 chip is just the new-and-improved 889 chip.

How much less-capable is the ALC662 audio chip? It's going to run a simple 2-way desktop speaker set... but I don't want it to sound like the AM radio in my '68 Nova, either.

Most of the onboard sound chips are just that - they produce mediocre sound to go with mediocre sound systems / desktop speakers.

If you want better sound, you need dedicated sound hardware and a better stereo system.

I personally have the Logicform NV1 USB DAC and that thing sounds amazing, especially with lossless FLACs as I hear details in music that I've never heard before. Of course I also have a decent sound system to go with it. Prior to the NV1 DAC, I was using the onboard 3.5mm audio out and it did its job for a half a year.

 

[JEDIYoda]

actually I don`t worry about audio at all!!

I have the musical scores to most of the games I play!
I just hire an orchestra and have them play while I am gaming!!