Do you need a sound card? Theory of sound and acoustics in plain language Why the built-in sound is not very good

We figure out whether it is worth buying discrete or external sound cards. For Mac and Win platforms.

We often write about high-quality sound. In a portable wrapper, but desktop interfaces are bypassed. Why?

Stationary home acoustics - subject creepy holivars. Especially in cases where computers are used as a sound source.

Most users of any PC consider a discrete or external audio card quality sound guarantee. It's all the fault of " conscientious" marketing, stubbornly convincing us of the need to purchase an additional device.

What is used in the PC to output the audio stream

The built-in sound of modern motherboards and laptops far exceeds the auditory analysis capabilities of the average mentally healthy, technically literate listener. The platform doesn't matter.

Some motherboards have enough quality integrated sound. At the same time, they are based on the same funds as in the budget boards. The improvement is achieved by separating the sound part from other elements, using a higher quality element base.


And yet, most boards use the same codec from Realtek. Apple desktops are no exception. At least a decent part of them are equipped Realtek A8xx.

This codec (a set of logic enclosed in a chip) and its modifications are typical for almost all motherboards designed for Intel processors. Marketers call it Intel HD Audio.

Realtek Audio Quality Measurements

The implementation of audio interfaces is largely dependent on the manufacturer of the motherboard. Quality copies show very good numbers. For example, the RMAA test for the audio path Gigabyte G33M-DS2R:

Frequency response unevenness (from 40 Hz to 15 kHz), dB: +0.01, -0.09
Noise level, dB (A): -92.5
Dynamic range, dB (A): 91.8
Harmonic distortion, %: 0.0022
Intermodulation distortion + noise, %: 0.012
Interpenetration of channels, dB: -91.9
Intermodulation at 10 kHz, %: 0.0075

All received figures deserve ratings "Very good" and "Excellent". Not every external card can show such results.

Benchmark results

Unfortunately, time and equipment do not allow us to conduct our own comparative testing of various built-in and external solutions.

Therefore, we take what has already been done for us. On the net, for example, you can find data on double internal resampling of the most popular discrete cards of the series Creative XFi. Since they relate to circuitry - we leave the check on your shoulders.

Here are the materials published one big hardware project allow you to understand a lot. In the testing of several systems from the built-in codec for 2 dollars before the audiophile solution for 2000, very interesting results were obtained.

It turned out that Realtek ALC889 shows not the most flat frequency response, and gives a decent tone difference - 1.4 dB at 100 Hz. True, in reality this figure is not critical.


And in some implementations (that is, motherboard models) it is completely absent - see the figure above. It can be seen only when listening to one frequency. In musical composition, after properly setting the equalizer, even an avid audiophile will not be able to distinguish between a discrete card and an integrated solution.

Expert opinion

In all of our blind tests, we were unable to detect any difference between 44.1 kHz and 176.4 kHz, or 16-bit and 24-bit recordings. Based on our experience, 16bit/44.1kHz provides the best sound quality you can experience. The formats above are just wasting space and money.

Downsampling a track from 176.4kHz to 44.1kHz with a high quality resampler prevents loss of detail. If such a recording fell into your hands - change the frequency to 44.1 kHz and enjoy.

The main advantage of the 24-bit format over 16-bit is the greater dynamic range (144 dB vs. 98), but it doesn't really matter. Many modern tracks are in a battle for loudness, in which dynamic range is artificially reduced even at the production stage to 8-10 bits.

My card sounds bad. What to do?

All this is very convincing. During my work with hardware, I managed to test a lot of devices - desktop and portable. Despite this, as a home player I use a computer with built-in chip Realtek.

And if the sound has artifacts and problems? Follow instructions:

1) Disable all effects in the control panel, put on the green hole “line output” in the “2 channels (stereo)” mode.

2) In the OS mixer, turn off all unnecessary inputs, volume sliders - to the maximum. Adjustments should only be made with the knob on the speaker/amplifier.

3) Install the correct player. For Windows - foobar2000.

4) In it we set “Kernel Streaming Output” (you need to download an additional plugin), 24 bits, software resampling (via PPHS or SSRC) at 48 kHz. For output we use WASAPI Output. Disable the volume control.

Everything else is the work of your audio system (speakers or headphones). After all sound card First of all - DAC.

What is the result?

The reality is that in the general case, a discrete card does not give a significant gain in the quality of music playback (at least this is). Its advantages are only in convenience, functionality, and, perhaps, stability.

Why do all publications still recommend expensive solutions? Simple psychology - people believe that in order to change the quality of work computer system need to buy something advanced, expensive. In fact, you need to put your head into everything. And the result can be amazing.

Question: is it worth buying a sound card if the built-in sound system
there is an optical drive. If the transmission is through optics, there is a difference with
built-in zvukovuhi, or a separate, cool sound card?

1. Software and hardware:

If we are not talking about the built-in AC97 and HDaudio soft codecs, then a sound card in a PC is needed mainly to implement numerous sound algorithms like EAX (Creative, for example), which add realism, volume, take into account the characteristics of the visual environment in real time and correct the corresponding them sound parameters. For example, you are walking in some kind of horror story along the corridor and the sound corresponds to the characteristics of reflection from concrete walls, literally walks and is tangible. Then go out into the big hall and the reverb changes, the EQ characteristics shift, etc. etc. This is not as noticeable as the visual effects, but in games with a high-quality soundtrack, it adds a significant amount of drama. Specialized gaming audio cards process all these effects at the hardware level with chips like EMU10K, EMU20K, etc., freeing the CPU from additional effects calculations. If the game engine does not detect such a device in your PC, then it exposes a simplified sound effects scheme, which may not differ in actual parameters from EAX, or be inferior to it. It is up to you to decide whether it is necessary, although you can output sound in games through the ZK, and music through an external USB DAC by switching in the sound device manager or directly in the software player (some have this option);

2. Sound quality. Modern top (and expensive) GAMING sound cards (there is also a category of professional sound cards like those produced by LYNX, M-AUDIO, etc.) in principle sound on musical material at the level of cheap external USB DACs. To some extent, they are saved by ASIO drivers, if there are any for your sound card model, which allow the audio stream to bypass the Windows software meat grinder (Asio4all is a software crutch that does not solve this problem). As for the sound output through the outdated optical interfaces SPDIF (sonny-philips interface), TOSLINK (Toshiba link), etc., their only advantage is the limitedness and completeness of any options. How would it be more correct to describe it: "You can buy an advanced food processor with a bunch of lotions and adjustments that require at least an understanding of the process to use, or you can load everything into one cup and press one button, where the knives will shred your vegetables into some guaranteed mass, but you can immediately forget about any neat "cubes", "straws". In fact, these interfaces are a condom connection option, which guarantees that the digital stream will reach the DAC, and the amount of losses "along the way" will be minimized. This type of connection has been used for decades, all possible problems have been resolved for a long time and in general it is easier and cheaper to implement. With a DAC of an outdated design or in a DAC where the manufacturer saved on a quality USB receiver, this type of connection sometimes shows the best result. But there is a very big BUT: the speed of these optical interfaces is very limited and you can’t even talk about any DSD or serious high-res (usually the speed is limited to 24 bit 48 kHz). USB connection has many implementation possibilities, this is a topic for a large separate article, on a Windows PC it requires at least an understanding of the process and some user actions to programmatically configure the PC-USB DAC interface to provide the so-called. bit-to-bit transmission quality (some DACs even have a special indication of confirmation that this transfer mode has been reached). It is also important which USB receiver is installed in the DAC, and the number of "losses" of digital fragments along the way depends on it. The trick is that it is the USB audio stream that is transmitted in the outdated PCM format, which completely lacks such advanced features as data transfer by transaction, transfer of checksums of data packets, etc., and therefore in this case it makes sense as in high-quality USB receivers, as well as high-quality cables, methods for implementing data transfer (for example, top motherboards have specialized USB outputs for connecting to external DACs where the power line is OFF. supply +5 Volts, and the range of the logical zero and one signal is increased (in fact, zero and one in USB differ only in voltage)). As for the DAC chips specifically, you should pay attention to them at the very least! It doesn't matter if your device has a cheap wolfson WM8741 or a top-end microchip from Asahi Kasei, the implementation and the environment are important first of all, which characterize the final sound by 90%. When they write about cool DACs and that "cheap" A produces a miserable signal-to-noise ratio of 107 dB, and advanced DAC B produces as much as 120 dB, it becomes ridiculous, because in most digital masters everything that lies below the level of 40 dB is simply castrated ! Those. there is no musical information at all in this area. Of course, this does not apply to high-quality high-res made from analog media on high-quality hardware with direct hands, but you still need to look for such ones. Specifically, the Cambridge CXA80 is a worthy device that sounds in the usual intelligent "British manner" (although this is a delusion and the so-called "British sound" is also a lot and very different), implying in general understanding timbre accuracy, as close as possible to the sound of the original, good spatial characteristics , provided by high-quality circuitry, acceptable dynamic and rhythmic performance. Cambridge and Arcam are some kind of all-rounders for "all times", which may not cause a storm of emotions with each phonogram, but they will deliver pleasure from listening. The USB DAC in this amp is built on the WM8740 chip, which was one of the most popular 10-15 years ago and received a lot of good reviews(IMHO well-deserved) due to neutrality, lack of digital sharpness, besides, in this amplifier it is implemented at least humanly, and not as a poor relative who is only invited to a funeral. Those. in a setup based on this amp, it is quite suitable for connection and adequate to the level of equipment. If you want more emotions and drive, less versatility - look in the direction of Atoll 100SE. It has no DAC, no phono stage, no tone controls, but for the price it's one of the best-sounding amplifiers on the market. You can look for YBA - also excellent devices. Again, there are worthy competitors in the face of Rega Elex, Naim 5si (I would advise Micromega, but the price for them now is just kind of sick in the head). In short, the choice is quite extensive. From the "Japs" you can pay attention to a good Denon 1520.

There was a time when the question of the need for a sound card did not arise at all. If you need a sound in your computer that is a little better than the grunting of a speaker in the case, buy a sound card. Don't need it - don't buy it. True, the cards were quite expensive, especially while they were made for the prehistoric port of ISA.

With the transition to PCI, it became possible to shift part of the calculations to CPU and also use RAM for storing music samples (in ancient times, not only professional musicians, but also normal people had such a need, because the most popular music format on computers 20 years ago was MIDI). So soon entry-level sound cards became much cheaper, and then integrated sound appeared in top-end motherboards. Poor, of course, but free. And this dealt a severe blow to sound card manufacturers.

Today, built-in sound is absolutely in all motherboards. And in expensive ones, it is even positioned as high-quality. That's right Hi-Fi. But in fact, unfortunately, this is far from the case. Last year I collected new computer, where I put one of the most expensive and objectively the best motherboards. And, of course, they promised high-quality sound on discrete chips, and even with gold-plated connectors. They wrote so deliciously that I decided not to install a sound card, to get by with the built-in one. And got around. About a week. Then I dismantled the case, put the card in and didn’t do any more nonsense.

Why is the built-in audio not very good?

First, the question of price. A decent sound card costs 5-6 thousand rubles. And it's not the greed of manufacturers, it's just that the components are not cheap, and the requirements for assembly quality are high. A serious motherboard costs 15-20 thousand rubles. Is the manufacturer ready to add another three thousand, at least? Won't the user get scared if they don't have time to evaluate the sound quality? It's better not to risk it. And they don't take risks.

Secondly, for really high-quality sound, without extraneous noise, interference and distortion, the components must be at a known distance from each other. If you look at the sound card, you will see how unusually much free space is on it. And on motherboard it is short, everything has to be put very tightly. And, alas, there is simply nowhere to do it really well.

Twenty years ago, consumer sound cards were more expensive than any other computer, and they had memory slots (!) for storing music samples. In the photo, the dream of all computer scientists of the mid-nineties is the Sound Blaster AWE 32. 32 is not a bit depth, but the maximum number of simultaneously played streams in MIDI

Therefore, integrated sound is always a compromise. I have seen boards with built-in sound, which, in fact, hovered on top in the form of a separate platform connected to the “mother” only by a connector. And yes, it sounded good. But can such sound be called integrated? Not sure.

For a reader who has not tried discrete sound solutions, the question may arise - what, in fact, does “good sound in a computer” mean?

1) He's outrageously louder. An amplifier is built into the sound card of even a budget level, capable of “pumping” even large speakers or high-impedance headphones. Many are surprised that the speakers at the maximum cease to wheeze and choke. This is also a side effect of a normal amplifier.

2) Frequencies complement each other, and do not mix, turning into a mess. A normal digital-to-analog converter (DAC) “draws” basses, mids and highs well, allowing you to very accurately tune them with the help of software to your own taste. When listening to music, you suddenly hear each instrument separately. And films will delight with the effect of presence. In general, the impression is as if the speakers used to be covered with a thick blanket, and then it was removed.

3) The difference is especially noticeable in games.. You will be surprised that the noise of the wind and the dripping of water do not drown out the quiet steps of rivals around the corner. That in headphones, not necessarily expensive, there is an understanding - who, from where and at what distance is moving. This directly affects performance. Sneaking up / driving up on the sly to you simply will not work.

What sound cards are there?

When this type of components became of interest only to connoisseurs of good sound, of which, unfortunately, there are very few, there were very few manufacturers left. Only two - Asus and Creative. The latter is generally a mastodon of the market, who created it and set all the standards. Asus, on the other hand, entered it relatively late, but still does not leave it.

New models come out extremely rarely, and old ones are sold for a long time, for 5-6 years. The fact is that in terms of sound there is nothing you can improve without a radical increase in price. And few people are ready to pay for audiophile perversions in the computer. I would say no one is ready. The bar for quality is already set too high.

The first difference is the interface. There are cards that are designed only for stationary computers, and they are installed on the motherboard through the PCI-Express interface. Others connect via USB and can be used with both large computers and laptops. In the latter, by the way, the sound is disgusting in 90% of cases, and an upgrade certainly won’t hurt him.

The second difference is the price. If we're talking about internal maps, then for 2-2.5 thousand models are sold that are almost identical to the built-in sound. They are usually bought in cases where the connector has died on the motherboard (a phenomenon, alas, is common). An unpleasant feature of cheap cards is their low resistance to pickups. If you put them close to the video card, the background sounds will be very annoying.

The golden mean for built-in cards - 5-6 thousand rubles. It already has everything to please a normal person: interference protection, high-quality components and flexible software.

Per 8-10 thousand the latest models are sold that are capable of reproducing 32-bit sound in the 384 kHz range. This is right here top top. If you know where to get files and games in this quality, by all means buy :)

Even more expensive sound cards differ little in hardware from the already mentioned options, but they get an additional body kit - external modules for connecting devices, companion boards with outputs for professional sound recording, etc. It already depends on the actual needs of the user. Personally, the body kit has never been useful to me, although it seemed to be needed in the store.

For USB cards, the price range is about the same: from 2 thousand alternative to built-in sound, 5-7 thousand strong middle peasants, 8-10 high end and beyond that, everything is the same, but with a rich body kit.

Personally, I stop hearing the difference in the golden mean. Just because cooler solutions require high-end speakers with headphones, and I honestly don’t see much point in playing World of Tanks with thousand-dollar headphones. There are probably solutions for every problem.

Several good choices

Several sound cards and adapters that I tried and liked.

PCI-Express Interface

Creative Sound Blaster Z. Sold for 6 years, I have in different computers costs about the same, and is still very pleased. The CS4398 DAC used in this product is old, but audiophiles compare its sound to $500 range CD players. The average price is 5500 rubles.

Asus Strix Soar. If in the Creative product everything is shamelessly geared towards games, then Asus has taken care of music lovers as well. The ESS SABRE9006A DAC is comparable in sound to the CS4398, but Asus offers more fine tuning options for those who like to listen to "Pink Floyd" in HD quality on a computer. The price is comparable, about 5500 rubles.

USB interface

Asus Xonar U3- a small box, being inserted into the laptop port, takes the sound quality in it to a new level. Despite the compact dimensions, there was even a place for a digital output. And the software is surprisingly flexible. An interesting option to try - why do you need a sound card at all. The price is 2000 rubles.

Creative Sound BlasterX G5. A device the size of a pack of cigarettes (smoking is evil) is almost indistinguishable from the internal Sound Blaster Z in terms of characteristics, but you don’t have to climb anywhere, just plug the plug into the USB port. And immediately you get a seven-channel sound of impeccable quality, all sorts of gadgets for music and games, as well as a built-in USB port just in case you don't have enough. The presence of space allowed us to add an additional headphone amplifier, and once you hear it in action, it's hard to wean. The main functions of the software are duplicated by hardware buttons. The issue price is 10 thousand rubles.

Play and listen to music with pleasure! Not so many of them, these pleasures.