[SOLVED] What soundboard to buy

[KarolisKamiu]

I'm about to buy soundboard but not sure witch one is better. Mostly for gaming and music. Current using only headset. Please help me to pick, thank you! 😁🙆

1. Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus

Or

2. Asus Gaming Audio Card 7.1 STRIX RAID PRO

 

[hang-the-9]

Neither of those may make a difference in the sound quality to you over the onboard computer audio chip, what headset are you using and what motherboard? You may be much better off buying a better headphone set than a sound card, especially spending $150 on one.

 

[KarolisKamiu]

Neither of those may make a difference in the sound quality to you over the onboard computer audio chip, what headset are you using and what motherboard? You may be much better off buying a better headphone set than a sound card, especially spending $150 on one.

Hey thanks for reply. Basicly im buyng sound card because of the windows 10 update bug, early this year after windows update theres been small amount of users who got low sound in games. Not in all games. Sadly i recognized it verry late... I reinstalled windows, changed headphones worked on it 2months, did all the basics nothing helped. Ofcourse i found out that i am luck one of that small amount who get this <Mod Edit>. Windows declared that they gonna fix this in september. But its already november and im so tired i can not play my beloved games for almost a year... I had options to buy additional hdd or ssd and write into them old version of windows that hasnt that bug or buy sound card and hope this will fix that stupidity, but summer came and i just let it go and was ok to wait till september.

I have asrock z270 extreme4 mobo and logitech g pro x headset. Im kinda pretty sure that these sound cards gives difference in quality, but i aim only normal volume in games i want to play. For example i have now 30% of real sound as 100% in some games. So you can imagine how that feels.

P.S heres good description in what situation i am right now. ---> https://betanews.com/2019/09/14/kb4515384-windows-10-audio-problems/

 

[hang-the-9]

I have asrock z270 extreme4 mobo and logitech g pro x headset. Im kinda pretty sure that these sound cards gives difference in quality, but i aim only normal volume in games i want to play. For example i have now 30% of real sound as 100% in some games. So you can imagine how that feels.

P.S heres good description in what situation i am right now. ---> https://betanews.com/2019/09/14/kb4515384-windows-10-audio-problems/

The Pro X headset has a USB sound card with it, if you are using that, you already have two sound cards to test with.

Have you tried both the motherboard connections and the Logitech USB DAC? That audio issue you linked is a year old for Windows version 1903, are you still running 1903? If so you should do the update to the newer one.

I also would not spend $150 to try to fix this, since your headset has a USB DAC with it, it's not even going to be using the sound card when using that. Did you make sure you have both Windows and in game sound turned up? The headset has volume controls on it also, did you make sure that is turned up?

 

[KarolisKamiu]

The Pro X headset has a USB sound card with it, if you are using that, you already have two sound cards to test with.

Have you tried both the motherboard connections and the Logitech USB DAC? That audio issue you linked is a year old for Windows version 1903, are you still running 1903? If so you should do the update to the newer one.

I also would not spend $150 to try to fix this, since your headset has a USB DAC with it, it's not even going to be using the sound card when using that. Did you make sure you have both Windows and in game sound turned up? The headset has volume controls on it also, did you make sure that is turned up?

My windows updated to latest, yes the sound bug is one years old and it's not gone. And I'm pretty sure it's windows problem. In Reddit I saw somewhere guy with the same problem posted with same issue on his pc he tryed in Linux and sound was ok. So that means it's not technical issue.

I think some outputs not working in some games for example 7.1 virtual surround and rear part not working.

All the basics like volume sliders, mixers, drivers and etc.. trust me I tried everything. I even changed headset.

I think Headphones usb DAC still connected to mobo chip, because u can choose only between windows or realtek as main.

Sorry for my bad English.

 

[doolittle]

IMO the logitech USB sound cards are also problematic with windows updates almost as bad as Realtek - I also had some driver problems with the older G430 usb sound card with my DIY headset... Got fed up with it and got the Play!3 for $20 and it is much improved and not to mention no problems with windows updates at all

A budget replacement for yours would be the Sound BlasterX G1 which is a very good deal at under $30 on sale and IMO SBX surround is a bit better than the dolby surround on the logitech (when it actually worked!)

Of the sound cards you mentioned I would go with the AE-5 just for the SBX surround and it also supports their "CrystalVoice" feature (their version of echo and noise cancellation, which is great for use with external speakers and mic if you ever go that route)

 

[KarolisKamiu]

IMO the logitech USB sound cards are also problematic with windows updates almost as bad as Realtek - I also had some driver problems with the older G430 usb sound card with my DIY headset... Got fed up with it and got the Play!3 for $20 and it is much improved and not to mention no problems with windows updates at all

A budget replacement for yours would be the Sound BlasterX G1 which is a very good deal at under $30 on sale and IMO SBX surround is a bit better than the dolby surround on the logitech (when it actually worked!)

Of the sound cards you mentioned I would go with the AE-5 just for the SBX surround and it also supports their "CrystalVoice" feature (their version of echo and noise cancellation, which is great for use with external speakers and mic if you ever go that route)

Thanks for reply, well you see I had this sound issue with other headphones that didn't had usb dac, corcair gaming void. after reinstalling windows I thought it my headset, so I changed them to Logitech g pro x and there is not mutch difference I'm using it with usb dac or not, the issue is still there. Usb just let me use all software features-settings.

Right now me just not sure will sound card fix this problem, as it's independent sound card. Because windows with mobo sound chip not working properly right now for almost a year...

Btw what was he sound problem? Did u had same issue low sound in games?

 

[doolittle]

My problem was when I wanted to switch between Dolby surround and DTX for movies, the software always crashed / lockup windows and I had to hard reboot, then remove the usb driver and logitech software then reinstall it all - very painful!

I also having problems with the logitech software itself (still use for my mouse), the last windows update left my monitor not working with power management / sleep modes when it is running, so I have to disable it from starting up with windows and all is well (very odd problem!) and now only run it when I want to change the mouse settings.

I believe you can resolve the problem similarly, try removing all the software and drivers for both the realtek and logitech, then reinstall the batch, that may work to resolve your sound problems (at least until the next windows update!)

When I switched to the SB Play!3 I now do not have any sound problems at all after windows updates, well worth the investment IMO seems like Sound Blaster has good software and drivers and unfortunately cannot say the same about Realtek and Logitech

If you go with either the G1 usb or the AE-5 pci-e, that should resolve the issues as Sound Blaster software / drivers seem very stable. No experience with the AE-5 but I have used the G1 on other folks pc with gaming headsets and they are very satisfied as well, and you will never have to switch back to the realtek on-board sound in windows

 

[KarolisKamiu]

My problem was when I wanted to switch between Dolby surround and DTX for movies, the software always crashed / lockup windows and I had to hard reboot, then remove the usb driver and logitech software then reinstall it all - very painful!

I also having problems with the logitech software itself (still use for my mouse), the last windows update left my monitor not working with power management / sleep modes when it is running, so I have to disable it from starting up with windows and all is well (very odd problem!) and now only run it when I want to change the mouse settings.

I believe you can resolve the problem similarly, try removing all the software and drivers for both the realtek and logitech, then reinstall the batch, that may work to resolve your sound problems (at least until the next windows update!)

When I switched to the SB Play!3 I now do not have any sound problems at all after windows updates, well worth the investment IMO seems like Sound Blaster has good software and drivers and unfortunately cannot say the same about Realtek and Logitech

If you go with either the G1 usb or the AE-5 pci-e, that should resolve the issues as Sound Blaster software / drivers seem very stable. No experience with the AE-5 but I have used the G1 on other folks pc with gaming headsets and they are very satisfied as well, and you will never have to switch back to the realtek on-board sound in windows

Well software installing reinstalling I tested in all possible ways 😁🙆 yeah I'm gonna get ae-5 and hope for the best 🙂