Sound Cards, DACs, and Amps as Fast As Possible

[@Pragmag]

I always wondered why my speakers had that hissing noise and why it grows when I start applications. Thanks Linus, these are super dope and informative!

[@milkywayprince_]

I watched it 3 times and still know nothing.

[@OneMadGaming]

DAC = Shit Audio In PC Sound Card = Audio is Aight in PC, but could be better.

[@milkywayprince_]

Caped Baldy That helped, thanks. I love your name.

[@Stryker13799]

You must be Jon Snow

[@milkywayprince_]

Stryker oh god, maybe i am?

[@Stryker13799]

xD

[@aMuthaFingNinja]

I think you forgot to mention that if you aren't an audiophile, and there isn't anything physically wrong with your speakers/motherboard ect, then you probably don't need any of this.

[@IG5139]

^This is true. The majority of people are fine with listening to beats out of their computer. They are missing out, but if they go to a mid-high end audio store and can't tell / appreciate the difference they shouldn't buy anything different!

[@woopygoman]

Once you try high-fi and summit-fi gear, there is no going back! I have a FiiO E10K DAC + Schiit Asgard 2 + HiFiMan HE-400 planar magnetics and it's nirvana, man... My end game setup will be Ragnarok + Yggdrasil + LCD-2's. I'm almost there Q_Q

[@callmesuspect]

Most people who aren't audiophiles may still prefer a better experience than they're currently getting, they might not even know what they're missing.

[@Gambit166]

There's been a flood of newbie audiophiles in recent years and more than people realize. While the percentage of audiophiles to non-audiophiles is still very small, the number has been increasing dramatically... sadly, thanks to the popularity of Beats. Anyway, my current setup is Sennheiser HD700 + Meridian Explorer² + Schiit Vali. It's a relatively expensive setup, but well worth the money. If people stop to think about it, a $500-$1,000 investment in high sound quality is extremely important. You need good sound for gaming, music, movie and stream video-watching, content production, etc. In my opinion, it's an essential part of everyone's tech setup. You don't have to upgrade sound nearly as often as graphic cards, either.

[@goemon4]

Gambit166 Bro my mp3s sound the same on both, you got ripped off man These are top quality 720p youtube rips sound great on my sony speakers. ;)

[@thomasneidenmark1042]

Wow Linus, your timing is impeccable. I'm just about to buy a Amp/DAC combo, and I've been surfing around a lot to find out more about what I need. This is perfect, thank you!

[@danukenator123]

These Counter Strike jokes are amazing. Clearly there is a GO fan in the editing department.

[@shaung9300]

3:03 THANK YOU for honouring us producers who do all of the work~! You are awesome :D

[@Simon74]

Friberg: "WTF Flusha U WAT M8!" hahahahahaha I see what you did there.

[@mini-_]

Of course you did Gabe, we ALL did

[@iDerekMC]

i am an audio file :D

[@favclassisspy9478]

.flac or .mp3?

[@LohJiaHung]

gr8 b8 m8 i r8 -8/8

[@iDerekMC]

nomnomnomlol xDD wma

[@BloodSprite-tan]

.ogg is much more high fi for the common person.

[@BloodSprite-tan]

.aiff is more compressed then wav but also loseless.

[@Mega_Arrow]

You guys got me good. I thought the thumbnail was a redheaded Olivia Wilde XD

[@FaisalMahmood91]

Lol hey Bill.

[@Mega_Arrow]

Hey, dude XD

[@ThatdeafITGuy]

fancy running into you two here =P

[@Mega_Arrow]

Yup, we were bound to run into each other watch tech videos haha. I was also baited by the thumbnail XD

[@FarshadFelfelian]

Great script. much better than your average techquickie videos. plus I love the Gardiens of Galaxy refrence at the end.

[@yaltschuler]

1:59 Those headphones? Those are the Sennheiser HD201's, they retail for $25.

[@JimmyJaxJellyStax]

better to get the Sennheiser HD 6XX

[@silentstatic2759]

Script was awesome. Didn't even notice a difference from the other ones. Well done :)

[@PowerMangoLP]

So.. I dont have a problem with my onboard sound.. No hissing, no distortion and (at least in my opinion) Good Sound, i dont know if a new soundcard would make a big difference though. What do you guys think ? Should i get a soundcard or nah ?

[@MarciusSim]

Nah.

[@woopygoman]

I'd say buy the FiiO E10K from a website you can return it to. It's a USB DAC/AMP combo, it provides enough power for most high sensitivity/low impedance headphones, it has very clean sound and it's a very popular product so chances are you will hear a difference with: 1. High quality files i.e. 320kbps MP3 or FLAC 2. High fidelity headphones

[@PowerMangoLP]

well, i dont know if it would make a big difference :(.. im just a simple gamer..

[@Fixedup89]

Well I purchased a sound card for my PC and rarely use it, has lots of noise coming off it, onboard is far better if you set up a good EQ. I wouldn't buy another sound card unless it was external

[@mrsocksman]

***** If you aren't hearing any distortion or interference and it sounds fine then keep what you have. If you don't find yourself needing any more inputs/outputs than you have then you're good. If you know someone with a high quality audio set up then ask if you can listen. Also as Fixedup89 said onboard soundcards are definitely not the way to go, you want something external.

[@Jor0716]

This video actually gave me an answer to a question that I didn't know was going to get answered going into this video. Thanks linus

[@ParallaxFPV]

New guy did well. 10/10.

[@HAZARDOUS88]

Always used external soundcards. Fast Track Pro did the job for years and was amazing. Now that it's started to show it's age, I upgraded to a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 and it's incredible!

[@ZippehJr]

hehe, flusha, what a cheeky legend

[@Azortharion]

Really awesome script imo. Didn't notice it was different till you said it. Did seem fresher, no information lost. 10/10

[@EposVox]

Nice video. Just started using a DAC over my sound card, loving the difference. Need some good cans, though. #nomoney

[@JimmyJaxJellyStax]

Sennheiser 6XX is a great pick!

[@mbahmarijan789]

@@JimmyJaxJellyStax dt 990 pro

[@nightwaddle]

FANTASTIC! I've been having this exact question for a long time now and have never found a particularly satisfying answer.

[@f100storys8]

This video didn't help at all

[@RickyMon]

I got an audio interface for my eletric guitar years ago, its an external USB Toneport UX2 and I use this as my main sound card even for gaming

[@TheXxSPANKERxX]

Linus you're so amazing! if only you knew the amounts of people you helped build their first PC ((including me))and teach on more complicated computer stuff :3 stay strong bro you're my hero!

[@technic]

Actually was really hoping this video would be made soon!

[@JonathanKing9608]

is it just me or is Linus's..s voice getting higher?

[@JamesAJ]

Holy wow, that was an AMAZING analogy Linus! It really helped me understand this shebang.

[@Dylan99781]

1:55 "amplication"

[@BloodshedRomance]

been suffering from noise for a while.. tried a soundcard, didn't fix it.. got a external amp/dac (FiiO E07K) and solved it.. the E09K dock is pretty awesome aswell since its a dedicated amp that goes nice with the E07K..

[@loaf_mane]

Best script writer NA, more CSGO jokes plserino

[@DylanClarkSallee]

I actually thought the script for this video was AWESOME, especially the add segway. Gg to the new guy.

[@Dr.WhetFarts]

people who buy gaming headsets might not need a dedicated soundcard or dac, because those headsets are garbage no matter what.

[@brawndon7875]

then can you recommend a good headset?

[@imuha8]

@@brawndon7875 depends on your budget , if you got +300$ you can get a decent headset like 6xx with good dac/amp

[@WWEIsTheAwesome]

My brother started hearing strange noises from his speaker. At first we thought Edward Snowden was trying to get in touch with him . Thank's Linus for clarifying.

[@theumas1238]

Who is the redhead on the thumbnail?

[@Aldorthemerry]

T. Rietbergen my girlfriend...

[@pmpmasta]

Olivia Wilde

[@guthxchild0]

T. Rietbergen Thirteen

[@iberaider]

T. Rietbergen It's Olivia Wilde

[@brendanwilliams5362]

guthxchild0 xfr d

[@MevenTeven]

Thank you for the information, and that was a really smooth transition into the audible bit.

[@jefferykuenle6106]

Call me out if I'm crazy, but that DJ at 3:05 did NOT look like he was giving the salute for "yeah brah!"

[@bunyaadi]

Pretty good round up. More concise than I could ever manage. A dedicated headphone amplifier is also a good idea if you want to subtract the headphone from the main speaker part of the circuit.

[@gabaktech]

make advertisement shorter at the end of the videos, usually i end up the videos before it really ends

[@xurtis]

Awesome Linus. Also, crosstalk is also a large issue with on-board solutions which is much less an issue with DACs, AMPs or combo units. Not only does less crosstalk make stereo music more enjoyable, but it also makes directional sound in games far more accurate and use-able.

[@MCDReviews]

Flusha VACation confirmed

[@coldlegit]

I'm glad someone picked up.....

[@TrioLOLGamers]

2:09 that's not everytime the problem. It depends: for low-emd HIFI quality, there are lots of internal DACS that have the same or better quality of amplifiers or DACS. But the problem comes when you are a producer: you ask less delay, you ask higher quality and etc. But that needs always to be compared to all the system: it's stupid to buy 300€ headphones with 50€ soundcard and it's unuseful 100€ external DAC with 80€ headphone.

[@wagagagaggag]

Friberg :D flusha hacker

[@AD34534]

Just bought a Fiio E10K and it makes a world of difference compared to my onboard. So much more detail and depth in the music I have been missing all this time.

[@yoshiYoishIRL]

Keep pressing 2:30 repeatedly xDD

[@marksoeplepel]

Black Faia oudt! Oudt! Out! Out! Out!

[@AmeyInamdar]

Awesome video, as always! REQUEST:: Buying guide on DSLR cameras would be great!

[@JukaDominator]

Being an audiophile is pretty easy, you just have to never be satisfied with your audio and tell everyone that the audio they have is crap even if they can't tell the difference. Seriously though this stuff is only useful to people that work with it, I don't understand why some take it as a hobby, sounds super dumb.

[@JukaDominator]

***** 'cept monitors have a much more tangible difference for everyone. Audiophilla is for a select few, who should be taking a job on it.

[@JukaDominator]

***** Well if they can keep their hobby to themselves that'll be fine.

JukaDominator There are a lot of people who spend lots of money on screens, yet can't tell the difference between them. Same thing.

[@JukaDominator]

Jay Anderson Mostly because the market forces them, this one is a conscious choice.

JukaDominator The market doesn't force anyone to buy anything. Knowing that Im posting this on ltt video I know Im doomed to hate, but it is exactly like buying a high end graphics card. Those few FPS that you get for double the price really don't matter. Same goes for sound. That little extra frequency range or lower noise floor really won't matter, but if you're an enthusiast you'll want it just because.

[@Inertia888]

I think my interface has it's own sound card. It's already outside the PC so I think I will stay with that when I build a DAW specific computer? although admittedly I need to learn more before commiting.

[@danielbeavers8701]

Iam still just as confused as I was before!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Princeton_James]

Me: I dont hear a problem with my current audio. Also me: I need a DAC.

[@Danielevans2]

there's never enough coverage on topics! if he stopped trying to be funny and used video , motion audiable cues for things then he could explain it alot quicker then us just seeing he mouth moving

[@Kolop315]

I was wondering why I got audio feedback in some games when I do certain actions. The hissing is barely noticeable though, and only happens when I'm playing games, so it really isn't a problem.

[@mrraspoetin]

Sorry a audio card is a waste of money, the onboard sound is good.imo

[@adminmovie]

most of the latest realteks are good enough for most of the users. getting a fancy soundcard doesn't make your crappy headphone/speaker setup sound good. it's actually garbage in > garbage out theory !

[@sermerlin1]

Of course it is if you're not an audiophile or a producer... Producers tho won't get an audio card but an external audio interface (beginners) and other much more expensive solutions. Also sound engineers and producers will ground every single component inside the case and the case itself and every other electronic device to minimize the noise as much as they can.

[@Niosus]

berzu21 Exactly. I started noticing this when I got a MBP as laptop (yeah shame on me, w/e). The audio chips in those are significantly better and made the onboard audio on my desktop PC sound downright crappy. This was the main reason why I went for a USB headset. They have their own DAC built in so if you pick a nice USB headset it's already a lot better. I still haven't gotten a solution that's a bit more robust but it's something I'm saving up for.

[@ybra]

Depends, I have had onboard sound that had a lot of static. However the one i have now, an Asus board with the sound components on a separate corner of the mother board, is a lot better. I think buying a usb sound card can be worth it if you have a cheap motherboard.

[@canmore0001]

especially when it a matter of driver support. windows natively supports pretty much every on-board chip. where some like creative believe in pump and dump where they give driver support for the first 6 months and after that you're supposed to by a new card with you're OS.

[@AndrewTranAT88]

Since Techquickie was meant to host to host short videos that can be shared with non-tech savvy people, you need to remember to briefly clarify what certain abbreviations you use mean, (DAC, EMI, etc), either through the scripted writing or with a short on-screen text popup. Otherwise there would be some confusion for those who haven't watched a corresponding previous video.

[@TehCourier]

FRIBURGERRRRR

[@Schmidteren]

I don't need amplification. But would love as clean sound as I can get. If I buy just a dac without volume control, and connect it to my blue yeti which has volume control. Will the yeti then intefere with the sound/make it worse?

[@K3V0M]

I got a Asus Xonar DGX for like 30 euros. The sound was noticeable better than the onboard sound of my old Gigabyte motherboard (AM2+ socket...). I don't know how my MSI H87M G43 sounds like and I don't really want to test it because I am fine with my soundcard. I have Creative Aurvana Live! headphones and KRK Rokit 6 G3 speakers. Unfortunately there are annoying sounds from the speakers when I play games. When I put my ear close to my sound card I can hear the same noise that comes from my speakers. Maybe I should swap it out...

[@ZuckerbroTx3]

Got the same issue with my graphics card . Even though I use onboard sound

[@AcencialAMV]

The new guy's script is pretty awesome,the structure is well thought out and all the info is useful! Just needs more pcmr jokes ಠ_ಠ

[@MODERNFLEX]

DACs better for studio headphones?

[@JoostStam]

Can you (or Teran) do a video about what RAW images are?

[@jonathanhedges8805]

If you buy anything to reduce hissing or pops, try changing components of your system. My speaker power cable somehow became damaged which led to hissing. A sound card wouldn't have done anything to fix that.

[@danielroytanked2375]

Please do different type of speakers (there's 3 types but I don't know what they are or how they work please explain)

[@SlapTheElmo]

I know this is "as fast as possible" but for those that have not seen it Logan has an amazing video on sound cards in more depth for those interested

[@JWapologist]

Can you please review new DAC's this year?

[@larsandersen9134]

You're right about everything. You made an audio nerd video for tech nerds so don’t expect them to follow this :D

[@leejk3926]

I get that static sound on my computer and wondered why it was doing it. Using my monitor headphone jack fixes it though.

[@CommodoreFan64]

I've have an ASUS Xonar DG sound card I've used for years sense Windows Vista, and it's served me well, I just hope the driver set will be be good on Windows 10 as it has been so far.

[@Blistio11]

I also have it, but gave it to my brother since I think onboard sound of my Asrock 890GX pro3 is equal to or better than of the given sound card. It's just - the same.

[@CommodoreFan64]

Krešimir Jurilj I found it vastly better then the sound on my MSI FM2-A75MA-E35 (MS-7721) motherboard, as the ASUS Xonar DG is able to output more then enough power too drive most headphones I've tried it with, where the onboard audio just sounded weak, and lacking in all areas, if more motherboard makers would use decent sound chips with enough power too drive some decent headphones instead of the cheap ass AC97/HD audio chipsets most use, then I could see dedicated sound cards slowly going the way of the Dinosaurs, but until that time, and as long as there is driver support I will keep using my ASUS Xonar DG sound card.

[@Animurh]

I had to get the Xonar DG because my onboard sound crapped out on me on my z97-a asus motherboard. The level of control is better in my opinion over the Realtek although the gui is a bit outdated by now no problem though. The Xonar dg is better and more true to the sound than the onboard on the z97-a

[@AndytheApe]

1:58 Where can I get this? Hopefully it doesn't involve leaving the house.

[@monster8574]

sir.. external DAC or external sound card which is better for PA systems..?

[@AzakaSekai]

As a Sennheiser HD8 DJ owner, I don't have a DAC and haven't had any issues using onboard audio. Am I a peasant yet? I don't even know if i should get one because it sounds fine.

[@adminmovie]

no you don't unless you want to try surround DSP algorithms, which Linus failed to mention here.

[@TalesOfWar]

It's not that you don't notice any issues, but if you get a decent DAC and AMP you'll start to notice things in your recordings that just simply weren't audile before, especially on decent headphones like you have.

[@AzakaSekai]

Are there any recommended budget DAC/AMP I could get then? Something below 100 dollars. - Also, O2 isn't available in my country, unless I order it from US.

[@adminmovie]

♪~ Still (Azure) ~♪ get an E10 or E17

[@patrickdrew8405]

♪~ Still (Azure) ~♪ I just got the Fiio e10k and i have been very happy with it. www.amazon.com/FiiO-E10K-Headphone-Amplifier-Black/dp/B00LP3AMC2

[@ciaranroc]

Really enjoyed the video, thought the script was great... couldn't be a little bit shorter for a fastaspossible but other than that good work newguy :P

[@Ryamix]

SO BASICALLY, good audio and computers are pretty much incompatible because of some issue we haven't resolved yet involving interference when outputting audio. External Dacs+Amps aid in this by taking the data and turning it into the audio signal externally?

[@MrMincecraft]

The guy at 1:11 had the exact same headphones that I'm using to listen to this video. The HD 439 from Sennheiser.

[@nathanlamont9920]

Now that you mention it, I hear some cracking on my old compaq speakers from time to time.

[@kavamalekava6556]

now good question. I have rog ally conected to monitor by HDMI and as monitor do not have speakers i use sound bar conected to monitor headphone jack. this odd setup because on same monitor conected my desctop by display port. and it gives me audio same way. so on hdmi and display port they transfer analog audio or there is DAC in monitor?

[@NiekNooijens]

You can reduce noise with shorter cables or use BALANCED CONNECTIONS (like XLR)

[@riverdalemaryland]

But Linus you didn't display any of the recommended sound quality devices you talked in your video! Can anyone mention the best DAC etc available out here in the market ? Thnx

[@DerpySwag]

I use a PCIe soundcard to connect to my audio rack to my mixer, then to a focusrite mix master, then speakers. Amazing sound quality when producing music.

[@Jarrod_C]

Would love to have seen examples of the problems like the hissing, and crackling sounds, and then showing the difference a good DAC, sound card, or external devices make and showing the improvements with respect to DAC, AMP, etc.....this will allow us to get intuition

[@WouterH.]

My on-board sound card died within three weeks on my Asus P8Z77-v, so I got a PCIe soundcard for 35 bucks, and I can hear my PC work through my right speaker when using the main output... Using the front panel output it's fine, though, but it's annoying I can't use the normal output.

[@subpanda101]

Guardians of the Galaxy reference :) You just made my day LinusTechTips

[@TestudoImprobis]

Is the FiiO E10K Olympus 2 worth the money for my Audio Technica ATH-M50x?

[@Deadorelse]

HAHAHA that Friberg absolutely devastated my lungs.

[@liambishop2199]

Linus, do you think hyper-threading the cpu can contribute to the hissing noise in onboard sound? But any way great video keep it up!

[@crasssaa]

Bought an Asus Xonar DG, getting a lot of noise, no problem with the onboard one though.

[@Seaking177]

stupid question, what about the many USB soundcards that are around?

[@bradywb98]

do sound cards convert to analog or just process the digital audio differently? I ask because I'd like to use both an internal sound card to process and output a high quality digital output and then from there run it into an external amp and DAC.

[@xerr0n]

OK, so ill need a DAC then, i'm mighty annoyed by the constant hissing of my speakers. lol and i was looking if something was wrong with my speaker system(its quite a bit lower, the hissing, on my headphones)

[@Powertampa]

So what should one look for when getting a Soundcard or DAC then?

[@delivrex]

Digital sound (via toshlink cable) vs. Stereo sound?

[@jonathanbosanko254]

LINUS PLEASE ANSWER: How does audio tax your cpu? Does onboard audio tax the cpu more than a dedicated card or external device? Would an external/pci sound card increase fps in gaming for example? Id be grateful if you would make a video on this :)

[@antartica8426]

Love the Flusha hacking reference at 1:15

[@D0Quanta]

The script seems the same as it always is Good job new guy!!!

[@TheTacCom]

It's 2022 and I forgot how powerful that eyebrow was.

[@TheSpeedo666]

A question for the experts, my Asus M5A99FX Pro 2.0 has a dedicated area on the MotherBoard for the sound (as Linus mentions at 1:18), does that mean I don't need a separate DAC or AMP for my Superlux HD668B (just ordered)? The only "hardcore" game I play is BF4.

[@thineswarthineswar8103]

+TheSpeedo666 I think he said that if you hear any hissing or crackling, then you need one. However, there is nothing wrong in getting one anyways.

[@Ozrico1o1]

It's a bit of a study. When people speak of DAC's as it's covered in the video, it's like starting to read a story somewhere in the middle. What a DAC is laid bare is a single chip, in your mobo's case it's the Realtek ALC892 that lies at the heart of your audio chipset, the rest of the audio chipset designed to function around it, like a motherboard is designed to function around a particular AMD or Intel CPU. Even an old CD Player that has analog outs have a dac inside, converting the digital signal to analog. Your consideration should begin by comparing the performance of your Realtek vs. other popular dacs, such as Sabre, Texas Instruments, or Wolfson's offerings, and see if you can convince yourself whether the performance gain is worth the upgrade. Usually I wouldn't consider a Realtek chip to be in the game, but I haven't kept up with them lately, and they make a hell of a lot of chips. Since Asus made a special effort to locate the sound subsystem on your board separate from where it might gain EMI interference, it's fair to say that other upgrades might have been made to that subsystem as well, because it's not just the dac, it's the implementation, it's surrounding circuitry. Take the new Dragonfly, which utilizes what's understood to be one of the best new dac chips out right now shoehorned into a a sexy little glowing thumb drive. Probably the best portable solution you can get for upgrading your laptop, but I'd look elsewhere for a desktop as I'm not convinced there's enough room in that thumb drive to fit the hardware needed to get all you can get out of that chip, and that's where these standalone dacs come in. A box big enough to fit everything needed to make the most of the dac chip inside. Which one is right for you? I don't know, depends on your setup. That's why I like sound cards. Some of them have premium dacs onboard, room enough on the card for a good implementation plus software that let's you shape the sound as you like it, something standalone's don't have.

[@TheSpeedo666]

***** Thanks for taking the time to write all that for me. You explained it better than anyone I have asked previously. As for the sound on my motherboard, after using the HD668Bs for the past 5 months, I can say there's a slight hissing in the audio coming from my motherboard (no crackling though), but the sound quality is good enough for for my uses. But I will probably get a DAC down the road, just not anytime soon, not with the way my financial situation is now.

[@joeymcawesome]

doesn't a DAC take the audio signal from your soundcard or mobo though? Where all the EMI noise is?

[@GrnArrow092]

I get perfect sound from my on board audio. I'm currently running an old MSI X58 board which was brand new when I got it from Amazon. I don't pick up any sound distortions with my on board audio, so an audio card is something I can do without.

[@stopthrm]

I think that the only time its good to have a sound card is when you're plugging your PC into a Stereo receiver. As far as I know the only way to get surround over a digital output is to have some kind of encoding to send to the stereo where it can make sense of what to do with the channels.

[@zeebpc]

What if you use onboard sound and have never noticed any sort of hissing or any audio interference at all? What are the benefits of a soundcard then?

[@allgot1]

What's up with the CS:GO pro scene images? :O

[@tarna41]

can we get a video on if gamer glasses actually work?

[@66thething]

I have a Cakewalk UA-25 EX and I love it. At the time they were sellingfor a few hundred so I picked up a second hand one for around £100. Full 24 bit 96KHz audio, solid construction, loads of connection options and it just works. This thing has 2 jack XLRs that support phantom power +48v , Toslink and USB. This beauty also has a headphone out ( via 1/4" TRS jack , toslink link out, phono out and 2 1/4" TS jack outs. Finally it does also have midi in/out but I have never used that. It is a lovely like DAC/ADC and I can't fault it slightly and it drives my headphones lovely. I have had it a few years and I haven't had a single problem apart from moving to windows 8 however the driver for this is sorted now. I believe this thing is more aimed at professionals but it's still a great option for computers.