If you’re looking to get cleaner sound out of your computer, an internal sound card probably isn’t the best choice. In today’s computers, it just doesn’t make sense to get a sound card and we’re going to list the top reasons why.
What Are External DACs and Sound Cards?
A Digital-to-Analog Converter, or DAC for short, is a component that does exactly what its name suggests; it converts digital audio information into audible analog sound. It’s a necessary component for every digital audio processing device, as without it, you wouldn’t be able to hear anything. Your phone, your motherboard—basically, any device that stores audio in a digital format needs one.
To simplify the scope of this article, we use “external DAC” to mean any device that sits outside of your computer case and doesn’t use PCIe lanes on your motherboard. Check out what a DAC is if you want to learn more about them.
Sound cards also have a DAC in them, but when sound cards are mentioned, it usually refers to internal sound cards that plug into your computer’s PCIe slot on your motherboard. These were incredibly popular back in the early days of modern personal computers but have since fallen off the radar—for good reasons that we will get into below.
Reason #1: Accessibility
Opening up your computer to plug something into your motherboard is something that many will probably see as an intimidating task.
It’s a huge hassle to unplug everything from the back of your motherboard, open up your dusty computer, and put everything back together. It’s also another hassle to reach all the way to the back of your computer if you want to remove your headphones/earphones to bring around.
External DACs like the Creative SoundBlaster GC7 are so much more convenient, as they can just sit on your desk or somewhere more accessible than the inside or back of your computer. From there, you can plug in your listening devices and unplug them easily.
If your computer sits on your desk and you don’t want another device taking up a USB port and cluttering up your desk, an internal sound card is a good option, but just beware of the electrical noise issues you might face.
Reason #2: Availability and All-In-One Devices
Because of their accessibility, they’ve become quite popular and, thus, more easily available. A quality external DAC and amp combo can be easily had for less than $200 like the iFi Hip-DAC2.
You can also buy standalone DACs and have a separate amp, but there are also many all-in-one devices that have a DAC, amp, and a bit more, like an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in the case of audio interfaces that can be used to record instruments or a microphone.
If you’re a musician, podcast host, or a streamer, an audio interface is a must. You can listen through it and input through it, and honestly, a good audio interface is probably all you need.
The Shanling M0 and similar products like the FiiO M5 and HiBy R2 are tiny digital audio players (DAPs) that can double as a DAC/amp for your phone or computer, making it incredibly versatile. The Shanling M0 is going to be mentioned a lot, but this is to refer to products like it as well, not just that specific product alone, as these things are just so versatile.
Reason #3: External DACs Are More Portable
While not all external DACs are small, there are plenty that can be tiny. The Creative Sound BlasterX USB DAC can fit right in your pocket just like the USB sound card that comes with the HyperX Cloud II headphones.
If you’re not one for gaming audio products, you can also get a tiny DAC and amp like the FiiO KA1 that you can use with your phone or PC. An internal DAC that slots into your computer’s PCIe slot isn’t something you can use anywhere, so in terms of versatility and portability, the external DAC wins by a huge margin.
Of course, the previously mentioned Shanling M0, FiiO M5, and HiBy R2 can also do the same job, albeit being a little bigger than the two products previously mentioned. You can also free up some space on your phone by playing your music on those devices instead.
Reason #4: External DACs Have Cleaner Sound
Your motherboard connects various components together and those components speak with each other through electrical signals. An internal sound card still receives the same digital information as an external DAC, but when it converts that digital information into an analog one, your motherboard’s electrical noise can add to that analog signal in an audible manner.
External DACs have their own circuitry that can just receive the digital audio information and convert it into an audible analog signal away from the noisy environment of your motherboard. As your DAC is connected through USB, motherboard noise can still make its way into your DAC, but it will significantly reduce that noise.
I used to use the Shanling M0 to power my power-hungry HIFIMAN HE400SE, as the Focusrite Scarlett Solo had audible noise at 90% volume. The M0 has its own battery, thus eliminating the noisy electricity that your motherboard is putting through the USB port. You can also get DACs like the FiiO Q11, which has its own battery and can provide more power than a tiny, portable DAP/DAC combo.
External DACs Are the Easier Option
Plugging something into the PCIe slots of your computer probably sounds cool, like how important graphics cards are to graphically intensive tasks. However, plugging in a sound card doesn’t really give you the same value, and it might even hog bandwidth away from your graphics card.
Sound processors should stay as far away from the motherboard as possible, preferably not relying on it for power as well.
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August 11, 2023 at 06:15PM
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4 Reasons You Should Buy an External DAC Instead of a Sound Card - MUO - MakeUseOf
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