[Build help] Dedicated sound card recommendations.
My sound card just died on me, it was an Asus Xonar DG which worked fine as a replacement for my burnt integrated one. This former card had some issues, generally related to the awful drivers it provides. In essence:
- Front panel worked... Sometimes.
- Control app fails to load most times, disabling front panel.
- Awful Linux support.
I'd like to buy a replacement which has as few issues as possible and, if possible, decent Linux support. I am no audiophile so I need no premium, but I have an amp connected via S/PDIF (coax or laser, no difference) so a card providing such feature is a must.
Posted Jan 9, 2016, 3:57 PM UTC
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I have a Xonar DG and love it. Then again, Asus support for Linux sucks for these.
I would vote for something from Creative Labs historically driver support for their cards have been great for Linux.
So my only real opinion, if you aren't hooking up anything insane, you can get one that is just 96Hz like the Xonar. Unless your system is crazy anything over that is for nothing.
Also this subreddit is awful for sound card advice. I would head over to audiophiles and ask them
Thanks for the heads up. Anything with 48KHz, front panel support and S/PDIF would be enough.
Decent drivers and Linux support would be perfect.
Sidenote: It may hurt an audiophile but Monty, creator of vorvis audio says I don't really need anything above 48KHz.
You don't really need anything above 44KHz yes. I shoot for 96 from my card as it gives headroom for expansion and can do 44KHz, while 192 is essentially marketing nonsense unless you have some sort of crazy system that can make 24/192 work and sound good.
Definitely check more audio related subs though, as many here claim on board audio is fine, which is sometimes true on newer boards, minus all the feedback that likely ensues.