most boards I had weren't budget no, but not really expensive ones either until recently... sorry if it sounded like that, I just used that as exeggeration that "even most" budget boards had them (at least most of those I checked) ^^

but yeah I get the upgrading cheap systems, I'm just interested to hear if people did that often.

A lot of boards that don't have SPDIF outputs on the back panel still have a header.

For normal application just the integrated sound in my laptops.

For music applications a Tascam US-16x08 USB audio interface.

I still shake my head at Creative still being a thing when it's painfully obvious how terrible their stuff is 90% of the time.

I'm happy enough to find legit CMI8738's that still have a functioning OPL block that isn't made inaccessible by PCIe bridge chips. It's funny patching out DosBOX to talk to the OPL directly rather than emulating it, kinda wonder if I can do the same thing with QEMU...

Do any of the "modern soundblasters" even have legitimate DSP processors onboard anymore? Has all that kind of processing really moved onto software or are people actually using the supposed ASIC's included on some GPU's now to do audio processing with?

gdjacobs wrote on 2020-04-15, 23:07:

A lot of boards that don't have SPDIF outputs on the back panel still have a header.

Which is useless unless you have something to connect it to. So that's the same situation as "just buy a cheap USB to SPDIF device".

if you can't find a spdif bracket for a few bucks you can also easily make one yourself though, that's not really an argument imho ^^

imi wrote on 2020-04-16, 11:34:

if you can't find a spdif bracket for a few bucks you can also easily make one yourself though, that's not really an argument imho ^^

Most people can't.

ZellSF wrote on 2020-04-16, 11:25:

gdjacobs wrote on 2020-04-15, 23:07:

A lot of boards that don't have SPDIF outputs on the back panel still have a header.

Which is useless unless you have something to connect it to. So that's the same situation as "just buy a cheap USB to SPDIF device".

Yeah, I like the "Behringer U-Control UCA202".
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-U-Control-UC … s%2C219&sr=8-13

This thing is great. No drivers needed. Just plug it in and it works.
Works with PC/Mac/Linux
Has SPDIF output.

works great with SPDIF connected to A/V reciever.

You can use this in combination with your original sound card so you don't have to remove anything for your current computer setup.

ZellSF wrote on 2020-04-16, 12:38:

imi wrote on 2020-04-16, 11:34:

if you can't find a spdif bracket for a few bucks you can also easily make one yourself though, that's not really an argument imho ^^

Most people can't.

As noted above, the brackets are very inexpensive and very available.
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/SPDIF-Optical-and-RCA … fUAAOSwtJZXXhjX

gdjacobs wrote on 2020-04-16, 14:49:

ZellSF wrote on 2020-04-16, 12:38:

imi wrote on 2020-04-16, 11:34:

if you can't find a spdif bracket for a few bucks you can also easily make one yourself though, that's not really an argument imho ^^

Most people can't.

As noted above, the brackets are very inexpensive and very available.
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/SPDIF-Optical-and-RCA … fUAAOSwtJZXXhjX

That's like 20$ to me. Not saying it's a significant sum, but as I said earlier: if you suddenly find out that's not enough you would have wasted money trying to save it.

Also, that can be 38 days away, a sound card can be less than a day away.

ZellSF wrote on 2020-04-16, 14:56:

gdjacobs wrote on 2020-04-16, 14:49:

ZellSF wrote on 2020-04-16, 12:38:

Most people can't.

As noted above, the brackets are very inexpensive and very available.
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/SPDIF-Optical-and-RCA … fUAAOSwtJZXXhjX

That's like 20$ to me. Not saying it's a significant sum, but as I said earlier: if you suddenly find out that's not enough you would have wasted money trying to save it.

Also, that can be 38 days away, a sound card can be less than a day away.

I built some of these and it works i think. It light up red anyways.
I have not had the time to actually test it.

Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 40-Pin Header

ZellSF wrote on 2020-04-16, 14:56:

That's like 20$ to me. Not saying it's a significant sum, but as I said earlier: if you suddenly find out that's not enough you would have wasted money trying to save it.

Also, that can be 38 days away, a sound card can be less than a day away.

Le sigh. I suspect you can find them locally as well.

gdjacobs wrote on 2020-04-16, 16:06:

ZellSF wrote on 2020-04-16, 14:56:

That's like 20$ to me. Not saying it's a significant sum, but as I said earlier: if you suddenly find out that's not enough you would have wasted money trying to save it.

Also, that can be 38 days away, a sound card can be less than a day away.

Le sigh. I suspect you can find them locally as well.

No.

Maybe if I ask people around, dig around for a few hours, but my time isn't worthless, the 20$ would be cheaper.

What you all are suggesting is a good idea if you're on an extreme budget and your time isn't important, but that doesn't apply to everyone.

ZellSF wrote on 2020-04-16, 17:08:

What you all are suggesting is a good idea if you're on an extreme budget and your time isn't important, but that doesn't apply to everyone.

Take a break dude, we get it.

badmojo wrote on 2020-04-16, 21:19:

ZellSF wrote on 2020-04-16, 17:08:

What you all are suggesting is a good idea if you're on an extreme budget and your time isn't important, but that doesn't apply to everyone.

Take a break dude, we get it.

Maybe talking about SPDIF headers is off-topic, but I'm not the only one, so I don't see why you're singling me out.

ZellSF wrote on 2020-04-16, 21:47:

badmojo wrote on 2020-04-16, 21:19:

ZellSF wrote on 2020-04-16, 17:08:

What you all are suggesting is a good idea if you're on an extreme budget and your time isn't important, but that doesn't apply to everyone.

Take a break dude, we get it.

Maybe talking about SPDIF headers is off-topic, but I'm not the only one, so I don't see why you're singling me out.

Spdif header is a good inexpensive option for a sound card with spdif output connector.at $20
But this behringer UCA-202 USB audio device is anther great option at $30.
Both will do the job.

I don't have anything against the Behringer DAC per se, but it's basically an order of magnitude higher in cost and significantly inferior in I/O metrics. An onboard solution will have significant technical advantages if you can extract a digital signal and push it through a high performance converter.

There's a reason most semi pro gear used Firewire preferentially.

gdjacobs wrote on 2020-04-17, 02:19:

I don't have anything against the Behringer DAC per se, but it's basically an order of magnitude higher in cost and significantly inferior in I/O metrics. An onboard solution will have significant technical advantages if you can extract a digital signal and push it through a high performance converter.

Except for a few very high end sound cards (which are considerably more than 30 bucks, like ten to a hundred times that) it's hard to use an internal sound card and not have problems with coil whine or grounding issues causing noise on modern systems. Most semi-pro audio interfaces are external these days.
It also has the advantage of not having one or more massive cables attached to your computer...

There's a reason most semi pro gear used Firewire preferentially.

During a given era. Currently most interfaces are USB. If you want performance, you get a Thunderbolt interface (Thomann tells me prices start at 500 bucks) and a Mac to use it with.

That's only because Firewire died away and not because it was not better for audio equipment.

USB is pure shitshow when it comes to audio stuff, in my experience.

I tryed different ones but for me best one is the " Asus Strix Raid DLX" I also tryed the Soundblaster Z but was not really happy with it. I use my soundcard with a byerdynamic T1 HP so i need strong amp with 600ohm. The Asus gives me the best sound.