[QUOTE="hartsickdiscipl"]
[QUOTE="blaznwiipspman1"]
i agree, sound cards aren't much better than onboard (not the $30 asus xonar dg that I have anyways), but they do have alot of inputs and if you're listening to headphones then its also definitely worth it. But for just a speaker setup then its not necessary for a soundcard, in fact I would be pretty suprised if someone could be able to tell the difference in quality b/w onboard and the soundcard.
blaznwiipspman1
Would you be surprised if someone could tell the difference between the sound of a Luxman or McIntosh stereo/surround amp and a $250 Onkyo? Almost anybody with a decent ear can tell there is a world of difference there, as long as you're using decent speakers. The same is true of good sound cards and onboard sound. The imaging is better, there's more punch, the highs, lows, and mids are better.. There is a big difference.
Some people talk about TVs like they're all the same too. They're nuts.
you're comparing high end audio equipment that could run you thousands to a $250 onkyo. Of course the more money you spend the better audio you get, but at this point Im having trouble telling the difference between my $30 creative a220 speaker plus sub combo connected to onboard audio and my M-audio av40 speakers connected to my asus xonar dg. Audiophiles will tell me that there is a world of a difference, but sadly the difference is almost non existant. The OP can get a soundcard but I'll warn him to not expect too much out of them compared to his onboard if hes only listening through speakers.
To your ears. Sound quality is subjective; always has and always will be due to the physiological differences in hearing. Some people can recognize certain details promptly (hearing the difference between FLAC and 320kbps mp3s for example) while others cant. Different people will also have different preferences for sonic signatures. Your scenario is unfortunate but that doesn't necessarily mean that the difference isn't there. I personally can't discern the differences between FLAC and 320kbps in most cases but I do have friends who can consistently AB them in blind tests and produce accurate results.
I've never used the AV40s so I can't give any input regarding them but to me, there is a substantial difference between the Xonar Essence ST (with 2x LME49720 opamps) and my onboard realtek when using the Swan M200MKIIIs. Not only is the signature different (analytically cold vs. warm and fuzzy) but details such as depth perception, sound stage, and bass tightness also differ in contrast. Its the same ordeal when using my IEMs and headphones.
Onboard audio has come a long way in the past decade so that may be the reason why you can't discern differences between your Xonar DG and your onboard. The gap between onboard and low-midrange soundcards is becoming increasingly small.
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