On-board or not?

[Poci]

SPDIF (digital coax or toslink) or HDMI and DisplayPort all qualify

But even digital don't they rely on the sound card for processing?
Your saying even with onboard if you use digital you wont notice difference?

Like HDMI, doesn't it go to sound card for audio even though you have nothing plugged in analog?

[Nightowl224]

I'm currently using the Realtek ALC1150 HD Audio codec on my Z87 motherboard, paired with Logitech Z506 speakers. ASUS when they ordered the batch of Realtek ALC1150 codecs from Realtek for their high end Z87 boards, requested a batch with DTS surround enabled. Manufacturers when they order codecs from Realtek have to specify what surround sound features such as Dolby or DTS they want, if they don't make those requests, Realtek will sell them a batch of codecs along with handing them drivers where surround sound, such as Dolby and DTS are not enabled.

The ALC1150 HD Codec is actually quite good, and does come awfully close to a full blown soundcard. I'm considering my options since I have a decent set of 5.1 speakers, as to what PCI Express sound card to get or if I should just stick with the onboard sound.

[kbohip]

I haven't bought a sound card since my first pc build in 1999. Haven't used one since around 2003 or so and have never missed it either.

[Activate: AMD]

I'm currently using the Realtek ALC1150 HD Audio codec on my Z87 motherboard, paired with Logitech Z506 speakers. ASUS when they ordered the batch of Realtek ALC1150 codecs from Realtek for their high end Z87 boards, requested a batch with DTS surround enabled. Manufacturers when they order codecs from Realtek have to specify what surround sound features such as Dolby or DTS they want, if they don't make those requests, Realtek will sell them a batch of codecs along with handing them drivers where surround sound, such as Dolby and DTS are not enabled.

The ALC1150 HD Codec is actually quite good, and does come awfully close to a full blown soundcard. I'm considering my options since I have a decent set of 5.1 speakers, as to what PCI Express sound card to get or if I should just stick with the onboard sound.

I've been intrigued by what appears to be a much greater focus on sound by all the motherboard manufacturers with the switch the 1150.. all the mobo reviews mention these changes, but not a single review I've read has spent even a single paragraph documenting their experiences with the new codec

[Nightowl224]

I haven't seen any reviews of the Z87 Deluxe where they went in to detail of the ALC1150 HD Codec personally. But I do like the ALC1150 HD Codec and will stick to using the ALC1150 HD Codec, I sold my soundcards as with this codec I don't need the added expense of a soundcard

I tested it with Rock Music, and New Age music which is just modern instrumental music and the sound is quite good. For rock music, I used Brother Firetribe a rockband from Finland. All I did was set the equalizer to Rock Music, and setup and fine tune DTS Connect for my 5.1 speakers, and started going through the music. The music I might add was clear and sounded perfect when I went through it. From my perspective, with the ALC1150 on so many high end Z87 motherboards a soundcard is pretty much a thing of the past.

With the ALC1150, I would say to not even bother with a soundcard unless one is doing professional recording.

[Dave_H]

picked up a SoundBlaster Z. I can't believe the improvement in sound.

[ozrico]

Discreet sound card deliver quality sound more so now than in the past what with other companies giving Creative a run for their money & Creative firing back with upgraded products of their own. I run a Creative Soundblaster Titanium HD card paired with a Corsair SP2500 2.1 speaker set that shakes the room and sounds fantastic doing it. I've never heard an onboard solution anywhere near the ballpark of what this can do. I suspect those that claim there's little difference between the two have not compared in quite some time. There was a time when onboard audio began to approach what sound cards had to offer, but sound card companies still stayed ahead of the curve. Now though, they're putting out some sweet cards with the Asus Xonars, Claros and are in more competition with each other. If you haven't looked in awhile, it's worth it unless you pipe everything out digitally to some external solution.

From my perspective, with the ALC1150 on so many high end Z87 motherboards a soundcard is pretty much a thing of the past. With the ALC1150, I would say to not even bother with a soundcard unless one is doing professional recording.

I'll have to read more about that Realtek chipset.