Onboard Audio (Realtek 1150) VS USB DAC/AMP solutions - How GOOD is Onboard audio?

⭐ Overall Rating: 4.4 / 5
Tech Review Analysis
44 Views

  • Thanks! Share it with your friends!

    You disliked this video. Thanks for the feedback!

brity
Published
With recent review of the Creative Soundblaster E5 (which is a very good unit in its own right), I was pleased to put both the E5 and the ASRock's X99X Purity sound through some paces and compare them side by side...When I saw the results I was blown away - the crosstalk figures and also the EQ results were IMPRESSIVE for the Purity Sound 2, slightly beating the E5.

Now there is some bass roll-off however (which the E5 doesn't suffer as much from), though it is nothing that can't be fixed with a program like EqualizerAPO for example (though that sub-bass is definitely still lacking a bit, though one would need some very nice headphones to take advantage of sub-bass anyhow). So I guess the right term to coin it nowadays would be sub-bass roll-off and then again sub-bass appeals to a very select few, myself excluded.

Although Onboard Audio posted some amazing figures, it still does have its limitations like impedance mismatch and amplification levels (I imagine high end 600ohm headphones would still be hard to drive on onboard audio).
Though when we are talking about the average guy with $50 to even $400-500 low impedance cans, the onboard audio really has shown that it can give you a hi-fidelity listening experience without the need to spend an extra $400 on a USB/DAC amp combo.

Just remember if something sounds different and subjectively better, it doesn't mean its better, just means it could have some coloring (which is why one needs objective measurements) in the treble region.

One thing I didn't talk about was output impedance which I don't have the gear to measure (as the figures are 2 for the onboard, though that is from the actual DAC and not the amp itself.)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Check me out on twitter*
https://twitter.com/techyescity

*Check me out on facebook*
https://www.facebook.com/techyescity

*Support TYC for free when you shop on amazon!*
http://amzn.to/1RkqU2E

*Support TYC whenever you purchase games from G2A.com*
https://www.g2a.com/r/techyescity

*Donate to show appreciation and help keep TYC sponsor free!
http://www.patreon.com/techyescity

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Intro Music - Lensko - Circles (NCS Release)
Category
All categories Tech YES City
Be the first to comment