(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best external sound cards

Actually, the Vive Pro can be a terrific headset but you might want to swap a couple of things out. I did a ton of research before choosing to go with the Vive Pro and am very happy I did. Although, it isn't cheap to get it to it's best.

The main reasons I went with it was:

OLED screens
Vive wireless compatible
Good resolution... I don't notice any screen door effect really.
You can still use the new index controllers if you want. They are great!

First, the fresnel lenses are not great and have a small sweet spot. However, if you swap them out for these then the image and sweet spot are incredible:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/618525953/october-sale-complete-gear-vr-lens-mod?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_ts1-a-electronics_and_accessories-gadgets&utm_custom1=_kenshoo_clickid_&utm_content=go_920092302_46336053576_218705956513_aud-301856855998:pla-353904501530_m__618525953&gclid=Cj0KCQjwl8XtBRDAARIsAKfwtxCVZQeOQvaBjAXccyIERp_eCxuMJwsRGMWDweNIpkWBv8sNQYQavYIaApVYEALw_wcB

I was nervous about swapping out the lenses but it really isn't hard at all. Here's a video showing how to do it:

https://youtu.be/5O45PcAATxk

I can't remember if the guy in the video mentions this but you want to install the lenses so that the side with the bigger bulge is facing towards you and not inward. They look like they should go in the opposite way which is why you will see people complain about it looking like they are in a fish bowl.

The headphones are not great but they aren't terrible either. Unfortunately, they didn't give us a headphone jack on the headset but instead gave us a USB c Port right next to where the link cable plugs into the headset. Taking off the built in headphones is very easy.

https://www.vive.com/eu/support/vive-pro-hmd/category_howto/removing-the-headset-earphones.html

So you need either USB c headphones or a USB c headphone adapter. If you're using wireless then you will want to use this one since other ones I tried did not work when using wireless but this one did:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071HJ98Q6/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_7JySDbNGYKK5B

With the lens mod, Vive wireless, and good earbuds.. I have loved my Vive Pro set up.

I was going to say, a sound card like that should be $3-6 (USD) so you are right in the range. Those things are great for testing but probably not so great as a permanent solution.

If you game or care about audio fidelity for any reason I would go out and buy a decent sound card, yes!

You could "go nuts" and buy something like this Creative Audigy but it probably isn't strictly necessary. Then again, it's only $40 USD.
https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blaster-Audigy-Performance-Headphone/dp/B00EO6X4XG

Otherwise, just see what kind of port you have free on your motherboard and buy something for around $20 USD that fits. That price range should get you something respectable.
Example (PCI) sound card =
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Channel-Surround-Adapter-PCISOUND5CH2/dp/B00JLREDZG

Good luck!

Sorry for the late response, but I appreciate all the help you've offered so far. If it's cool I still have some questions.

I currently have that Zalman mic you linked and getting the white noise with it. Do you think the onboard soundcard I have on my z97 board is the issue? (MSI SLI Krait z97 if it makes a difference)

Would getting a microphone with a little plastic buffer like this help the issue, or would spending the money on a cheap sound card be more beneficial?

I was also looking a condenser mic with stand or maybe a gaming headset like these G430s on sale.

Any and all help would be appreciated!

if you simply wanted a multi-channel audio output, i would just get a multi-channel soundcard or multiple soudcards, and then hook up the outputs the same way as the current CD player's outputs (left channel->light controller, right channel->speakers).

this is assuming that you want to keep the rest of the relay controller system intact, which looks like was painstakingly built and calibrated, and you probably don't want to redo that part.

from there, simply find the right audio player for your needs. you could look into a multitrack program to control the time synchronization of multiple songs/tracks on the different channels. (reaper is a good one, and has an "infinite" demo period and the actual price is also quite low as well if you're satisfied with what it can do).

qlab (as the other commenter suggested) is a great piece of software, but is potentially overkill in terms of features and price, but more importantly not designed with your existing light control system in mind and from your post it sounds like you're simply looking for a solution for the audio part of the system.

in terms of specific audio hardware, the cheapest option would be to get a bunch of usb audio interfaces - like, really cheap ones that are a couple bucks each (many are advertised as virtual 7.1 but really just have a speaker out and mic). from there, each track you're playing can be set to output to a particular interface. more expensive options might include a professional grade multichannel dac, but then you're looking at a couple hundred bucks at least and you probably won't be needing the high quality preamps for inputs, or balanced outputs in your setup. one in between solution would be to get something like this which gives you "3 CD players" worth of outputs since it has 6 channels of output. not as nice as a pro interface but much cheaper.

There are lots of nice headsets you could get.

I just got the Logitech G230 yesterday and it is truly amazing! It has nice bass (really balanced for my liking) and feels comfortable.

It's the same as the G430 but it has different colors. However the G430 comes with a USB adapter that I highly recommend (has more features and improves the mic).

You could either order the G430 or the G230 with the adapter.

The SteelSeries Siberia v2 is pretty good but the build quality might not be that great. My pair (black edition) had its mic and headband break within months. The same also happened to my brother who got the Frost White version. However, this was almost two years ago and may have been improved.

I can't really speak for any other headsets as these are the only ones I've ever had.

You're looking for a USB DAC (Digital-to-Analogue Converter), also called an external soundcard, or some combination of those.

Ones that are a desktop "box" rather than a large dongle tend to be more expensive, however here's one from Asus that a quick Amazon search turned up. Creative is also a name worth looking out for, there's this one and this smaller one There are also higher end ones more suitable if you're doing music or video production, which have high-quality inputs for microphones and instruments.

Don't worry if you find ones that take a 6.25mm (1/4") headphone cable as you can get converters easily. You can certainly get more expensive.

Edit: The Razer box probably does some simulated surround sound processing, I believe the Asus and Creative products should have simulated surround sound (and probably do a better job of it) in addition to enough speaker outputs to have true surround sound. Simulated surround isn't for everyone, and can be turned off.
Worth mentioning is the Sennheiser GSX 1000, which got a great review from HardwareCanucks, especially the simulated surround sound. Very expensive though.

TL;DR
It's a type of USB Soundcard, the Razer one has the wires fixed in. Only some of them are boxes with volume controls on them, so shop around.

Almost any sound card will be an upgrade compared to your onboard Realtek audio. The main benefits will be slightly cleaner sounding audio stream and additional features like the Dolby enhancements (which are nice for headphones and stereo systems).

Let me give you a few options that would be farily decent:

• ~$100: Asus Xonar U7 - Fairly new so may be a bit hard to find. Offers some decent features, especially for headphones. Also has an optical out for Home Theatre systems. Plus it's a USB device so you can take it with you if you have a laptop.
  
  
• ~$60: Asus Xonar DSX - PCI-E based card, basically the entry level card I would go for if you want an internal sound card. Has a decent set of features and has 7.1 analog output (for the cheaper surround sound systems).
  
  
• ~$180: Asus Xonar Essence STX - Probably the best solution for headphones as far as PCI-E sound cards go. Decent DAC, reasonable integrated headphone amp, and all the other typical Dolby features. Note that this, like the U7, does not have multiple 3.5mm analog outs like the DSX.
  
  Now the above DAC's/sound cards are suggested if you are looking for something that has support for a surround sound speaker system and also has the virtual surround software (Dolby headphone/Dolby home theater). If you don't care about those and are only going to have either a stereo (2 channel) setup then I would probably recommend something different.

I use this: http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Sound-Blaster-24-bit-External/dp/B00030099O

It's easy plug-and-play, has lots of outputs, and sounds great. Looks like you can get used ones on Amazon Market for $60, I'd recommend it. Has Coax and Optical Digital Audio outs, as well as standard 1/8" jacks. Powered by USB, supports 5.1 audio passthrough (DTS & Dolby Digital), so if you get a good receiver you can send the encoded signal straight to the receiver to decode, minimizing loss.

Your best cheap option is the SMSL SD-793ii. It's a DAC/AMP combo that has both optical and coaxial in but no USB connection (so you'll need this adapter if you want to use it with a laptop. This is what I currently use with my PS4 and laptop and it does a good job. I'd recommend the Amazon Basics Optical Cable. Not really sure about a good coaxial cable as mine is just some random one I got on Ebay.

However, I'm soon going to be upgrading to the Schiit Modi/Magni Uber stack (the Modi Uber has optical in), which is a better option if you have the money for it. Although, if this is strictly for your PS4 then the SD-793ii is all you need.

> Another device I've see are USB sound cards. How different is the audio quality vs the 3.5mm jack? I assume the hiss is gone, but is it louder? anyone have any experience with this?

It naturally depends on the USB sound card. I tried 2. First I got a cheap one (was supposed to be from Adafruit, but I received a Hexin one). It was barely better than the built-in hardware. Then I got a better one: the Creative Sound Blaster Play! 2 SB1620. Much clearer and louder, still using it now. Note that a little bit of configuration is needed, but I can help with that.

Looks like the same idea yes...hopefully something that cheap would work and last. Sound quality would most likely not be up to par with what the Sound Blasters can offer though.

This is in Amazon's top 10...looks like exact same device with different branding LOL. If it's that popular I imagine it at least works...I only see 3.5 stars though which is a little low for electronics so just be careful or check out return policies. :)

https://www.amazon.com/Optimal-Shop-Channel-External-Surround/dp/B00Q4WQ7XW/ref=zg_bs_3015427011_9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2S9W70QM5GC3053QB6Z3

Oh, hey, here’s another idea, related to comments from others (sorry to again be offering alternatives, but I have no advice on how to make progress with Dell).

Easier than trying to make a custom front jack fix would be to get a USB headphone adapter, like one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XKC2DNQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_7wYWAb6ZA6RAT

• this one seems cool, but I can’t speak for the brand
  
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FH1KTFI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_eFYWAbQ8DE8BN
  
• I have a prior version of this one, and it has always worked well

I used to use an E-MU 0404 soundcard for getting guitar and vocal channels into the computer. Perfectly adequate for starting out, and the monitoring through it was much better than without it (effectively did away with latency). It will connect MIDI controllers, though I don't think I ever did with that (you can also use a USB adaptor straight to the PC for that).

If you're not recording instruments and just want a soundcard that improves sound quality to your headphones / speakers, you can use something much cheaper, I currently have this one plugged in for listening to music. Cheap and nasty but works well enough; did not require any setting up in either Win 10 or Ubuntu. Note its mic input is 3.5mm so will not take a "proper" microphone.

you need an external sound card like this:
https://www.amazon.com/EC-Technology-Aluminum-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B014F2VUO8/ref=sr_1_14?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1480617365&sr=1-14&keywords=external+sound+card
be sure to get a usb extension wire as the PS4 is just an awful shape that doesn't fit usb's that have a large base like most sound cards

OR

a DAC with an optical cable like this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005K2TXMO/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AFKH6OU9WWNFS


a suggestion for a mic if you need a great one that's cheap:
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-ECMCS3-Omnidirectional-Stereo-Microphone/dp/B0058MJX4O/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1480617666&sr=1-3&keywords=sony+omnidirectional+microphone


you can also use any mic that plugs into a usb slot like a blue snowball or other desktop mic. I'm not sure what exactly your setup is so I can't really tell you whats best but hopefully this helps.

Didn't get an answer last time I posted hopefully more luck this time.

Budget: Max 150 - 200 (Euro)

Looking for a DAC/AMP with mic input, I have Philips X2 headphones with ModMic but the modmic is super quite, have to boost mic gain so people can hear me which in turn make the mic sound pretty bad. Seems to be a problem with my Motherboard's audio, a lot of other people with Realtek audio have the same problem.

Source: Desktop

What I have been looking at:

At the moment leaning towards Creative BlasterX G5 or Creative Sound Blaster Omni haven't really seen any options outside of Sound Blaster for DACs with mic input.

Or maybe a simple cheap mic to usb sound adapter is all I need?


I have read the Philips X2 don't benefit too much for a DAC or Amp. Anyone who has run into similar problems with their ModMic could you let me know how you solved it, thanks.

You have the solution already, don't use FRAPS. (i.e. don't record the conversation with your friends as well as your personal audio track)

Something like Dxtory is in many ways superior to FRAPS (although not as simple), and it allows you to record audio explicitly/separately.

Another solution (which is the same thing, but with hardware instead of software) is to have more than one sound card, and have your game audio going through one and your skype audio go through the other (and have FRAPS record the sound card with the game audio). This second one will be what the Yogs who still use FRAPS will be using, since FRAPS is just too simple to the point it can only be told to record ALL audio on a particular sound card, rather than separate feeds/tracks.

----------------------------------
You can get Dxtory here

Or a simple, but decent, USB sound card from here

Or (the free option) a piece of software that mimics having more than one sound card, so you can still use FRAPS. Found here, main info page here

I'm doing a new build I've already started as noted in recent post. I used this USB SoundCard happily for years, loved it but now has issues with Win7 64. I want an internal card if I get one, other than using my mobos onboard audio so I can use the jacks on my new case. I also would like optical out to run to my receiver like I did with the USB one.

Right now, I'm using a cheap USB headphone like this: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B014F2VUO8. As long as it's plug and play, I think it will be fine on a Raspberry Pi. I looked at the specs for Centrance and it says it's plug and play with Windows, Mac, and Linux. So, you should be fine. I would verify if anyone owns one and has had any issues. If someone has, then it should be fine on a pi.

I've been meaning to try the Zoom R8's audio interface since that is what I use to record or the Novation X-Station's audio interface. Worth a shot. I wouldn't record with the cheap headphone usb audio interface I have now. I've been using it while I learn the ropes of pure data and what I can get away with on the Pi.

Some thoughts:

• A lot of cheaper sound cards run internally at 48kHz no matter what. They might happily take sample data at 96kHz, but actually resample it down to 48. If yours does this, you're better off giving it 48kHz directly and bypassing its resampling pipeline. The resampling might be a cause of the wobbly lines.
  
  
• Does your scope have a "Z", "intensity", or "blanking" input when used in X-Y mode? If it does, you can use it to turn off the electron gun when moving between disconnected lines., giving less unwanted crud on the screen.
  
  
• Speaking of disconnected lines, have you thought about sorting the list of lines in a way that minimizes the total distance you have to travel to draw the scene? It's an NP-hard problem, but even a half-hearted greedy version might help increase fidelity by lowering the amount of high-frequency content.
  
  
• You might be able to increase the speed of line traversal while keeping decent quality if you dwell for an extra sample at the beginning and end of each line. It keeps corners from getting rounded off so much.
  
  
• When I did my own oscilloscope game years back I used an old Sound Blaster Live 24-bit External, which is a 5.1 USB sound card. External helps eliminate electrical noise from inside the computer (though it may not be the best for latency), and the SBLive has good quality without objectionable processing as long as you don't turn on any of the silly effects.

What model? Like this?

http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Sound-Box-USB-SBCV/dp/B002R33VWW

Unless I'm right off the mark, you don't have the ideal USB audio interface with two outputs - you have one input and one output, but the main setup for Traktor DJs is at least two OUTPUTS - one for the Main Output, one for the Headphone monitor output.

Your only option might be to create an aggregated sound card, but your latency is likely to be an issue. I think Soundflower on Mac is your best bet so you can combine this USB adapter with your internal laptop sound card for audio output.

You can EQ these types of headphones? Tell me what the purpose of this is and if it negatively impacts quality by possibly bypassing the motherboard:

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Adapter-Windows-AU-MMSA/dp/B071HJ98Q6/

I found it recommended here for the Modmic 4 that comes in the DT 770 bundle:

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/727615-modmic-4-vs-modmic-5-is-the-5-worth-the-price-difference/

Do I plug the headphones into the motherboard and the mic into this thing...?

As for 240hz monitors, McCree is one of the heroes you should be experiencing the biggest difference on. For me it's primarily about the smoothness of motion, including your aim. If for whatever reason 240hz doesn't do much of anything for you the pinnacle of quality will be set by the upcoming feature-rich 4k 144hz monitors and the 1440 ultrawide 200hz monitors. There you're talking around $2k for the monitor and it would be a good idea to pair it with a new gen (not yet announced but they're coming) Titan north of $1k. Otherwise I've heard some good things about IPS, which you can get at 1440 at 165hz. I also have a 1440 165hz TN monitor but prefer 240hz by a significant margin for Overwatch.

I have a G27, which really only has one usb output to begin with, but my setup until recently consisted of a 50 ft usb cable from my computer to a powered usb hub (amazon basic) where I plugged the G27, a $10 small sound card that looked like this, and keyboard and mouse. Rather surprisingly, it all worked flawlessly. I don't know if the hub being powered made all the difference or not, but I didn't want to take any chance.

External sound cards are going to be your best bet in most cases. For music production in particular you'll wanna make sure it's ASIO compatible (usually listed in the spec sheet of the card). Also, if you're on a budget, try to find one with a built-in DAC, so you don't have to spend unnecessary money on a discrete one. My personal recommendation would be Asus Xonar U5. Pretty inexpensive and is basically all you're gonna need until you go pro.

Yeah, sounds like there's simply too much cable there. Rule of thumb with electrical shit is that every time you move between two different cables you lose some power. So all those adapters are sucking power out of the setup and your computer is simply not outputting enough power to the microphone channel to get a signal to make the round trip. Microphone signals don't require as much power as speakers because they're mostly passive; speakers have to do the work of making noise, microphones have the work done to them.

What hardware limitations are you dealing with that you couldn't solve with a $20 headset? You've already spent 6x what you need to because you're buying Beats, they're mediocre headphones for audiophile money, and they don't even do what you need them to do...

[This](HyperX Cloud Stinger - Gaming Headset - Comfortable HyperX Signature Memory Foam, Swivel to Mute Noise-Cancellation Microphone, Compatible with PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Mobile Devices https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L2ZRYVE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_VG11Db7426ZQD) is what I just bought because my old headset broke. It's great.

You could also attach [this](Antlion Audio ModMic Attachable Boom Microphone - Noise Cancelling with Mute Switch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R98JVVU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_MI11Db49A1NPS) to your beats to give them a detachable mic.

Something like [this](USB Sound Card,TechRise USB External Stereo Sound Adapter Splitter Converter with Volume Control for Windows and Mac,Plug & Play No Drivers Needed https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J7P0OGI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BK11DbDK7NF1H) might help supply more power to your existing mic as well.

Whatever you do, you need to reduce the number of cables you're using.

How exactly would that work?

Edit: watched a video on it and seems like my easiest and best option. Think I'm going to get this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L56C28R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_g.iVDbAR5W6H0

Unless you have any other recommendations

I bought one of these and already had one of these. I've heard shotgun mics aren't ideal for music recording, but it works pretty well for a beginner setup. I record straight into garage band right now, I'll probably upgrade to Ableton eventually.

I understand in order to use a mic you need this....
https://www.amazon.com/EC-Technology-Aluminum-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B014F2VUO8/ref=sr_1_14?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1480617365&sr=1-14&keywords=external+sound+card

However, I just wanted to confirm that the PS4 pro will recognize both USB ports actively. One USB port will have the xim4 plugged in supporting the keyboard and mouse, and the other USB port will have the above adapter plugged into it supporting the headset and mic. Both USB ports are being used for the one game we are playing by one person with one controller. Is this correct? Thank you in advance.

99.9 yes. I have found a few that might work. None do power however. Best bet is to get a USB-C hub that supports power passthough (There dangers lie though) One had a review that it would work.

this one is confirmed to work by reviewers.

The following should work but have not been tested.

• Here
  
  
• Here
  
  
• Here
  
  Please email cs-reply@amazon.com and let them know how important it is on both USB-C headphones and USB-C 3.5 adapters to specify in the description that the adapter/headphones support Digital Out(they include a DAC). Without that there would be no way that we would be able to tell if something would work or not.
  
  Also please contact your favorite audio adapter company and let them know there is a demand for this. Be sure to specify that it must include a DAC for it to work with all phones coming out(unless the phone installs some proprietary blocking system).

I agree that what you probably really want is an I-gate. It would transfer packets from rf to internet and internet to rf. A digipeater just retransmits packets, usually with higher power so it can be picked up by an I-gate somewhere else.

The tnc-x tncpi had decent documentation that someone with limited programming knowledge could easily set one up.

It can be done way cheaper with an Amazon USB sound card and direwolf, but isn't nearly as easy to set up.

I have some experience with both, so I may be able to offer a little assistance if you
Decide to give it a go yourself.

Edit: added more info

My current setup with the USB sound card is for a mobile digipeater and tracker, I'm not actually using it as an igate but did play around with some of those settings in direwolf. It uses a RPi 3b, this sound card TROND External USB Audio Adapter... https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07L56C28R?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share , and a $40 baofeng uv5r.

My igate is set up with the tncpi and uses a baofeng uv3r.

For a receive only igate go with a cheap radio as you don't need any fancy functions at all, and won't need tx. If your plan is for transmit as well, a cheap "import" radio is better than nothing, but wouldn't be as good as reprogramming the used commercial radio or a decent base station.

For budget, I would highly recommend the BM-800. Whatever the cheapest you can find, I got the Excelvan model, but they're all the same.

I also use a usb sound card, this one to be exact.

There are reviews and comparisons of the mic by a Youtuber, Podcaststage2 I believe. So you can hear it for yourself.

I'm sure the ATR2500 is a better mic, but I figure I'll throw in the ultra budget mic for consideration.

Hello,
i've bought the Sennheiser HD558 and it has a great sound, i think. But... How am i supposed to know if i need another soundcard or anything else? Right now i just plugged it into the PC-Mainboard... Am i only experiencing a small part of the power of the headphone? I also have this laying around: https://www.amazon.de/USB-Adapter-Surround-Sound-Gaming-Headset/dp/B00FH1KTFI
Should i use it?... Thanks

I understood the question. My point is that the DAC built into the phone is already quite good so there will unlikely be any benefit over just 3.5mm to RCA analog input. If you really wanted to use the coax though then this $30 USB->Coax adaptor might work with Android. The UCA-202 might as well with an OTG cable.

I was going to do a similar project, but just ended up making it in an enclosure I 3D printed. Here is the way to go:
http://www.pimusicbox.com/

Allows you to access a sonos-like interface on your computer or phone. Isn't quite the same as what you were trying to do, but its 100 times more simple, especially if you don't have much experience doing this sort of stuff.

You will need a powered USB hub, USB sound card, and USB wifi. I suggest these two things for the soundcard and wifi...

http://www.amazon.com/External-Headphone-Microphone-Plug-N-Play-Compatible/dp/B00XUPX2H0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450757339&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=usb+sound+card&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450757359&sr=8-1&keywords=edimax+wifi

One final suggestion, look into changing the grill cloth on the front of it with some new stuff, guitar amp grill cloth works great and this is a great place to buy it.

http://www.mojotone.com/amp-parts?search=Grillcloth

I assume the Modmic uses a 1/8" connection (3.5mm, like on your smartphone).

You can improve your audio quality by using a USB adapter, yes. What USB adapter do you have? Personally I use this.

Asus Xonar U5: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00MI8IDRE/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499551731&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=asus+xonar+u5&dpPl=1&dpID=415czWFsIkL&ref=plSrch

Asus Xonar U7: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00CP53ML2/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1499551731&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=asus+xonar+u5&dpPl=1&dpID=414hGNCNO-L&ref=plSrch

I have the U7 and love it. 😀

It is unclear. There's many different kinds of USB C headphones, and even the description says a lot of devices won't work with the mic.

I would definitely recommend you get an adapter like this instead of using poorly supported USB C earbuds.

USB C headphones probably won't even be a thing for too long since high fidelity & old stuff is going to stay analog, other modern stuff is going to be Bluetooth.

You're looking for an external DAC. You can get a cheap one here. There aren't really too many options on the market for a direct USB C to 3.5mm audio connection, as USB C isn't universal yet. This looks promising. You can also get a normal DAC like this one and use a cable like this one that terminates in a USB C plug to connect it to your computer.

Are there any good audio interfaces / external sound cards that can sit on my desk and allow me to plug in a 3.5mm headset and ideally have some sort of volume knob too? My PC sits under my desk and running a long extension cable to it is less than ideal. I'd rather have a small device sit on my desk that I can easily plug into when needed.

I've found this but it looks more in-line than "desktop". Also this one that doesn't have a combo jack. Anything else similar I may not be aware of?

Still holding out for internal sound support on Skylake devices.

In the meantime, I've had success using an external USB sound card.

Alternatively, you can experiment with Bluetooth receivers (speakers and some phones).

It's an amplifier board.

Specifically this amp board

Transducers

Power supply for amp/transducers

There's a dedicated PCI sound card in my PC. I'm using SimVibe software(must have) to drive the amp/transducers. Any PCI 5.1 sound card will work.

My PC is on the other side of the room so I'm using these y cable extensions. And this speaker wire

This is the sound card I bought, but i would buy a better one if I had to do it again.

the e10 is pretty cool, had one for a couple of years. it costs more though.
this is the amazon one i meant...
https://www.amazon.com/VAlinks-External-Surround-Recording-Compatible/dp/B013256ODG

Well, technically, the easiest way would be to buy a USB sound card. Probably not the cheapest though. They do make some pretty nice ones though.

Edit: Perhaps not as expensive as I thought might not be great quality though.

In addition to the built in RTTY & PSK, you can control the KX2 with the appropriate USB "serial" cable, and interface to an external sound card on your computer for things like FT8, JS8Call, or computer-controlled RTTY, PSK, etc. For the built in digital, you can use the CW key on the rig to generate text. With an external computer, you would just use the computer's keyboard.

I use this for an external sound card with a small laptop for field portable digital, and it works great: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071HJ98Q6

[This amp](http://www.parts-express.com/sure-electronics-aa-ab33182-4x100w-at-4-ohm-class-d-digital-audio-amplifier-board-sta508-(t--320-335)

and this sound card

If I were to do it again, I'd buy a better sound card. That one, the drives are built into the software and you can't do anything about it. It interferes with the onboard audio and makes the speakers I have plugged into onboard run at 5.1, even though they are 2.1 speakers. But overall it works pretty decent.

I just found this external usn sound card from creative: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00F8VB0IW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF&psc=1

​

Will something like this increase my sound quality regardless of what speakers I am using?

I have a HyperX Cloud II, It has a single 4-pole 3.5mm connector. Like your Cloud Stinger it works just fine plugged in to my PS4 controller, but it will not work in my PC's headset jack (for audio or mic). However, it came with a USB sound card that does allow it to work with my PC. Maybe look in to this or something similar? I can't guarantee that it will work because I use the official HyperX USB sound card that came with my headset, but it may be worth a shot.

I actually had the 558s before my AKGs! :D

But sorry to say, this is actually my first headphone amp. It was about $60 and powers my AKGs/sounds great.

The one I have is here although note that it only works through optical, there's no USB port there, so if you're stupid like me and damage your optical port, you'd have to buy something like this to fix it.

Otherwise, /r/headphones is always a good place for buying advice, and people there are definitely more well-versed than myself.

Get this!! More volume and dolby 7.1!!! You will be shocked at how much better it will make your alphas sound! They gotta have it in sweden somewhere lol.


hyper x amp

this is actually fairly easy to do. reaper is 60$, these are 75$, this is 16, this type of midi controller is 55$, and you will need a laptop,

in reaper setup 5 channels, assign each cahnnel to a dedicated out using the soundcard i provided. setup SAMPLOMATIC5000 (reaper vst) with allthe sounds and have them set to midi triggers that you then trigger from the midi controller i provided. setup speakers anywhere in the room you would wish to have them.

​

now I gave you the BASIC setup, but all this can bedone with a keyboard through reaper, and even an SPDIF(optical) out in reaper if you do a little digging. This is NOT difficult and I commend you for wanting to provide an elevated gaming experience and I know you can do this if you just put your thoughts into action. you got this!

I have a Theta DS Pro basic. It's an older DAC so there's no USB input. I send a signal to it from my computer via my ifi headphone amp which has an SPDIF out. I would like to have my headphone amp back, so I'm thinking about buying a standalone USB to SPDIF converter. Will buying a more expensive one actually have any noticeable difference in audio quality over a cheap one like this one on Amazon?

I had a similar issue that turned out to be a kernel bug: https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=195303

​

I got one of these and all is well: https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-External-Adapter-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B01HPMHOY0/ref=sr_1_18?crid=3J2Q1R1HVQ2IW&keywords=usb+audio+adapter&qid=1554078757&s=gateway&sprefix=usb+audo%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-18

​

Not ideal, but I'll gladly switch back to onboard once the issue is fixed.

​

Hey guys, Posted in here a few times now seems every week i have a new question and an idea for an upgrade searing it's self into my mind.

Currently looking at getting the AT2020 Microphone

I currently have a pair of Sennheiser HD 579's

My question is, Will both of these connect correctly to This Mix Amp. If not, what is a better mix amp to use?

Thank you for the continued help as i continue to upgrade my build.

This one might work

USB-C Audio Adapter, CableCreation Type C External Stereo Sound Card with Headphone and Microphone Jack Compatible with Windows, Mac, iPad Pro 2018, Plug and Play, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075YFDJ4Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_EzFTDb18GG36N

I don't have it. But I figured I might try to help you look for one.

Well you can get a SPDIF out by using one of these USB to SPDIF adapters. The other choice is the E17K which is quite a bit more OR using the SMSL sAp5 OR the SMSL sApII and a dedicated dac. You could get something as cheap as the behringer UCA202 ($30) or up it to anything to the Schiit Modi and beyond.

Take off the side panel of your PC. Are the front panel connectors on the case connected to the motherboard? are you sure? connected securely? could be a defective PC case.

I'm 99% sure the Strix has a dual headphone out/mic in on the back. If not this is $10.

Here is one of you have only one jack https://www.amazon.ca/External-Converter-Headphone-Microphone-Desktops/dp/B07Q1NT97X/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?keywords=audio+to+usb+adapter&qid=1558133412&s=gateway&sprefix=audio+to+usb+&sr=8-12 if you have two than you will need this https://www.amazon.ca/TROND-Headphone-Microphone-Plug-N-Play-Compatible/dp/B00XUPX2H0/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?keywords=audio+to+usb+adapter&qid=1558133412&s=gateway&sprefix=audio+to+usb+&sr=8-11 these are just ones I found quickly on Amazon you might be able to find better ones if you look more

No idea how you'd get audio to a Google Cast endpoint - that protocol is still a black box as far as I know.

If all you want to do is distribute the audio from the vinyl player, then just capture it and replay it over Snapcast or Icecast or MPD or literally hundreds of other services that play an audio stream.

For capturing from the vinyl player unless you have a heavyweight system alongside, you could get a small embedded box (like an RPi) and a cheap USB soundcard or try to go digital with either an HDMI audio extractor or (much rarer) audio interface with TOSlink input like this DIGIFLEX External Sound Card USB 6 Channel 5.1 Audio one.

On the RPi side you'd pick the audio off the sound card with something like cpiped (linked above) which will buffer the audio for you and then pipe that to snapserver or forked-daapd or icecast or whatever.

(If you don't need synchronized audio then it's even simpler since an awful lot of networked TVs and amplifiers can be instructed to play an audio stream URL.)

Just started searching for this myself. I don't need 7.1 though. The turtlebeach one seems like the best, but I can't find it in stock anywhere. Does anyone know of another USB optical audio converter? Would THIS WORK?

1

2

3

I found these three would they be any good?

I think the lightning input on this splitter is only for charging. You'll probably need a powered USB hub with built-in audio like this one (not sure if it's compatible with iOS, though) https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-External-Adapter-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B01HPMHOY0

You could try the Trond AC2 USB sound card. It's Linux compatible and has excellent reviews.

https://www.amazon.com/External-Headphone-Microphone-Plug-N-Play-Compatible/dp/B00XUPX2H0

Sorry to keep asking but that would mean something like this would work?

https://www.amazon.com/HyperX-Amp-Sound-Card-HX-USCCAMSS-BK/dp/B07GW1SHSN/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1MB9YG0IJRM4V&keywords=hyperx+cloud+2+usb+sound+card&qid=1564283851&s=gateway&sprefix=hyperx+cloud+2+usb%2Caps%2C157&sr=8-4

I'd recommend a USB sound card then, it'll be cheaper.

I've got this one which works well.

https://www.amazon.com/VAlinks-External-Surround-Recording-Compatible/dp/B013256ODG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1475185530&sr=8-2&keywords=usb+optical+audio

Something like this should work well for you

I would assume something like https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B071HJ98Q6 would be an easy solution. Haven't tested this though yet, but I'm ordering one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071HJ98Q6
Sound quality is pretty on par with mediocre motherboard audio, but it does the job just fine.

If you're on a desktop, get a PCI soundcard with optical out, if you're on a laptop, look for a USB sound card or DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) - essentially a USB sound card. amazon.co.uk should have plenty, but at that price point it could be hard to find something good.

eg.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TRIXES-External-Sound-Channel-Audio/dp/B003TO3KHY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1483537816&sr=8-2&keywords=usb+soundcard+optical+out

Try a USB sound card that features a Stereo Microphone jack. It is possible your computer is using a balanced mono jack.


Something like this should work and is reasonably cheap. It won't hurt to give it a shot.

I had this problem as well, but then I bought a Logitech headset that came with USB to jack adapter. It's something like this.

Now I use it for my 2.1 stereo as well, just run 3.5 from it to 'headphones' part of the adapter. PS4 is connected via HDMI to TV at the same time.

Thanks for your answer!

I guess this should work (Amazon)? 16 bit and 48 kHz are enough for me.

There are suprisingly few low-cost options for USB to S/PDIF, while decent and cheap DACs are so abundant.

USB Audio Adapter or USB Sound Card? Something like this?


USB Sound Card,TechRise USB External Stereo Sound Adapter Splitter Converter with Volume Control for Windows and Mac,Plug & Play No Drivers Needed https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J7P0OGI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_N9xwDbR1VJYA3

Although I haven't used a mic for recording voice, I use a measurement mic and an RTA app on my phone for work.

I use to be able to use a mic/headphone splitter, something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Kingtop-Adapter-Tablet-Headsets-Version/dp/B01I3A47I4/ref=sr_1_3?crid=7GITDJG042NF&keywords=mic+headphone+splitter&qid=1567198293&s=gateway&sprefix=mic+headpho%2Caps%2C197&sr=8-3

But after the Oreo update, the splitter stopped working.

Luckily, I was able to use this USB-C audio adapter:

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Adapter-Windows-AU-MMSC/dp/B071HJ98Q6/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=usb+c+audio+adapter+sabrent&qid=1567198535&s=gateway&sr=8-3

And the mic jack works for my purposes although I notice a some noise at around 15khz that wasn't there when I was able to use the mic/headphone splitter so I don't know if it would get picked up by a recorder.

Btw, if you want to get a USB-C adapter, get the one I linked to. I bought a similar one from Cable Matters as a backup but it wouldn't work on my phone.

Yes, seen those, the build quality is suspect.

I may end up with something like this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-Performance-Headphone-Integrated-Microphone/dp/B00F8VB0IW

Although I don't need the soundcard part of it.

I have actually done this exact thing! I purchased Optimal Shop USB 2.0 External Sound Card 6 Channel 5.1 Surround Adapter Audio S/PDIF for PC-Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q4WQ7XW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_zuAeAb8W124J2 because it was cheap and worth a shot. It has been extremely good to use and I have had no issues with it whatsoever. The software is a bit...low budget, but it has all the features that you could need.

That was my exact goal with the eGPU, too. I wanted a one cable solution for mouse, audio, monitors, and also a wireless charger port. I bought this usb to 3.5 mm audio jack adapter to take care of it. I have a decent ear and have not noticed any significant loss in audio quality.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L56C28R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XU4LDbP1EQ8RH

This is the newer version http://cdn.mobilesyrup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/HTC-Vive-Pre-20.jpg

its just an usb hub I think. One is input and one is output.
It has a 3.5 audio jack aswell but thats audio over hdmi (=no microphone?) and its basically just an extension cable.

All the audio stuff is done in Windows.

I am sure every USB soundcard would work but my main problem is that I want one with good sound. Thats why I am here :D

These are the 3 more expensive ones that I found on Amazon

http://www.amazon.de/Asus-externe-Soundkarte-Digital-Support/dp/B004ZI5E1S

http://www.amazon.de/Creative-Blaster-Externe-USB-Soundkarte-schwarz/dp/B00JFRHLOM

http://www.amazon.de/Soundkarte-Virtuelles-Surround-Tablet-PC-10-kompatibel/dp/B017NH8M0C

and I have no idea which one I should choose.

Good one, but i think there are few more ways to do it.


https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-CableCreation-External-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B075YFDJ4Q/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=cablecreation+audio&qid=1563789284&s=gateway&sr=8-2



https://www.amazon.com/Headphone-Splitter-Adapter-CableCreation-Earphone/dp/B0778FHLWL/ref=sr_1_25?keywords=cablecreation+audio+splitter&qid=1563789987&s=gateway&sr=8-25

Will something like this work?

​

AmazonSmile Link

Use this AmazonSmile link to donate a part of your purchase to charity.

I think I'll go hub. I'm pretty sure it's USB only but can't check right now.

Someone else suggested this...
https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-External-Adapter-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B01HPMHOY0

So I'd go Keyboard > Hub > Adapter > iphone/ipad, then run the audio back out through the hub. Sound right?

I was initially annoyed by this issue and I even bought a [USB Sound Card] (http://www.amazon.com/External-Headphone-Microphone-Plug-N-Play-Compatible/dp/B00XUPX2H0/ref=sr_1_31?ie=UTF8&qid=1450050903&sr=8-31&keywords=usb+audio) to rectify the issue. But as I used the Surface Book more, I noticed that I also use my laptop without a table (lap, sofa, bed) and placement turned out to be a godsend. For my previous laptops, I can't turn them sideways when using them in a sofa for example because it will use the inserted headphone jack as a support. I once broke the inside of the 3.5mm port of my old laptop because of this. With the current design, I don't have to worry about this issue as the jack is at the top.

Bottomline:
Do I hate the placement? Yes and it looks annoying. But it has some benefits for me on how and where I use the laptop.

I bought an ancient headset with the green and pink adapters for 6.00 and a USB adapter off Amazon for 4.00.

C Technology Aluminum External USB Sound Card Audio Adapter with 3.5mm Stereo Headphone/Speaker and Mono Microphone Jacks for Window XP/Vista/7/8, Mac OS 8.6 or above- Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014F2VUO8/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awd_JmC8wbJ0CJNVJ


Plantronics .Audio 326 Stereo PC Headset https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001S2RCXW/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awd_ilC8wb6CGVR21

This is what I bought locally on sale. You can buy the 3.5mm adapters that plug straight into your controller also and use an older headset that way.

I have this:
https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Xonar-U7-Sound-Card/dp/B00CP53ML2/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1485041042&sr=1-1&keywords=xonar+u7
works great, little over your price, at $80, but you might consider ..

Optimal Shop USB 2.0 External Sound Card 6 Channel 5.1 Surround Adapter Audio S/PDIF for PC-Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q4WQ7XW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_nqUKBb31EYXPQ

There's a wide range of options, from the "$10-15, decent, it works": https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IRVQ0F8/

https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-External-Adapter-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B01HPMHOY0/

https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-External-Converter-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B01M7QQQC7/

There's fancier stuff:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0044DEDCA/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018JUPY3A/

https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Performance-Headphone-Integrated-Microphone/dp/B00EZT7RE4/

Or for the wealthy audiophile: https://www.amazon.com/Creative-X7-High-Resolution-Headphone-Connectivity/dp/B00Q3XLGLU/

Definitely makes sense. I also found it a tad weird how I couldn't just use an external sound card.

Since you seem to know what you're talking about I have a question. Now I'm not gonna buy this, as it's too much for what I need, but could something like the Asus Xonar U5 work?

It's just that I have a hard time shaking the idea that there must be something off when using two devices (speakers + sound card) that both contain an amp. I mean you are essentially amping up the volume through 2 devices then.

Will this benefit and work well along side Hyper X Cloud 2s?

What about this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-Performance-Headphone-Integrated-Microphone/dp/B00F8VB0IW ?

HyperX Amp USB Sound Card - Virtual 7.1 Surround Sound - Works with PC/PS4 - Plug and Play Audio Upgrade for Stereo Headsets (HX-USCCAMSS-BK) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GW1SHSN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gBo1BbRAP2TG2

Is this what your looking for?

HyperX Amp USB Sound Card - Virtual 7.1 Surround Sound - Works with PC/PS4 - Plug and Play Audio Upgrade for Stereo Headsets (HX-USCCAMSS-BK) https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07GW1SHSN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_CPhUDbKXEHXKG

Yeah i don't believe in that baloney. All you need is a basic USB sound card with spidf output.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00A2QJK5I/

Yeah it has two ports. In and out Link

I just ordered this sound card to go with my Hyperx headset, I hope it works without a problem but if it doesn't, I'll just return it then try sending the motherboard for repair, or maybe get a new power supply.

>that an analog to USB adaptor will not work for the training or be accepted.

This isn't a thing, and if it existed it would not work. USB is a digital only output. If a headset is USB, that actually means it has a little DAC (digital to analog converter) in the cable of the headset.

I cannot think of a reason why they would require you to use a USB headset. It seems ridiculous, unless the computer just simply do not have onboard audio.

However, you could get a cheap USB to analog adapter and use that with your current analog headset. Most of this sub is concerned with more "audiophile" DACs and headphone amps, however something like this should work

https://www.amazon.com/EC-Technology-Aluminum-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B014F2VUO8

Yeah. Don't make your life harder than it should be. Every USB C hub out there implements SD card readers, Ethernet ports, audio ports with USB-to-whatever circuits. You can do that yourself.

Say, https://smile.amazon.com/Adapter-MicroSD-Charging-Chromebook-Nintendo/dp/B07MC76BBP/ almost there but doesn't have audio. Plug https://smile.amazon.com/UGREEN-External-Adapter-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B01HPMHOY0/ into one of the USB 3.0 ports or https://smile.amazon.com/External-Adapter-Compatible-Windows-AFUNTA/dp/B01LH1NQ9W/ into one of the USB 2.0 ports. Done!

I use this and it works fine. Can be obtained for 9 dollars on eBay with Chinese shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B013256ODG/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?qid=1464057928&sr=8-11&pi=SL75_QL70&keywords=usb+to+spdif

My speakers are connected to my receiver, A optical cable goes from my receiver to this box., Then it goes from the box to usb in my pc.
The problem is that it doesnt have dolby digital live to decode the audio signal. So thats why i want an soundcard that has it. I just need advice if that is a good card or not or if it is even going to work.

I ended up going with this Sabrent USB-C external stereo adapter. For $9 its not too bad.

Note: I'm far from the average audio file here, still a newbie, take others advice before mine.

If you need an amp is dependent on how much power your system draws. Otherwise, an easy way is to use an external usb sound card.


Optimal Shop USB 2.0 External Sound Card 6 Channel 5.1 Surround Adapter Audio S/PDIF for PC-Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q4WQ7XW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_5wYxzbCW7V6S9


That one is probably poor considering how many generic copies there are of that one, but gives you an idea of what to look for.

Probably want a DAC for your audio. For the ports, just search for a generic "USB Hub".

You could get it in one piece with this: https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-External-Adapter-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B01HPMHOY0

Or something similar.

Usb Sound cards are dead cheap, you can pick them up on amazon for £4 although I’m not sure they understand what 7.1 audio is. For a bit more this has all the channels and SPDIF in and out, I use it fir line in/out but it can’t do passthrough which is what I wanted, I don’t know if all the channels are supported because I don’t have a multiple channel output device.

This is the one I use. $13 bucks :P https://www.amazon.com/Optimal-Shop-External-Channel-Surround/dp/B00Q4WQ7XW/ref=sr_1_8?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1518862926&sr=1-8&keywords=sound+card

>Sound Blaster Omni Surround

Is it this one?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-Performance-Headphone-Integrated-Microphone/dp/B00F8VB0IW/

Headphones only have one plug, for audio. You are talking about headsets, which have one for audio and one for the microphone. I use one of these for that.

I would get a usb to 3.5mm
Here's an example
https://www.amazon.com.au/Logitech-3-5mm-Audio-Adapter-Version/dp/B00FH1KTFI

Would this be what I'm looking for? Or would it be something else?

EDIT: Would this work too? Or this Turtle Beach one? Or this StarTec one? Or this Behringer UCA202?

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00CP53ML2/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_hRslxbTBJQRM6

this one :)

Can you use Bluetooth midi and usb audio at the same time? I have not tried pressing the button on back while using a usb-c audio connection.

What about https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-CableCreation-External-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B075YFDJ4Q

Here’s a link Amazon-HyperX Amp USB Sound Card

This system is a set of computer speakers.

You will need a USB soundcard to get this to work.

For example:

http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Sound-Card-Xonar-U5/dp/B00MI8IDRE/ref=pd_sim_147_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=41y7FcI5BML&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0CA6VW02PA6PBVC0TVED

Might be cheaper just to get a USB DAC

https://www.amazon.ca/TROND-Headphone-Microphone-Plug-N-Play-Compatible/dp/B00XUPX2H0/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1543250406&sr=8-15&keywords=usb+DAC

http://www.amazon.com/Optimal-Shop-Channel-External-Surround/dp/B00Q4WQ7XW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1458699439&sr=8-6&keywords=sound+card
im kinda strapped for cash until the summer so would this work for right now?

http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Sound-Box-USB-SBCV/dp/B002R33VWW
this is the one i bought about a year ago

You need a second audio output. It doesn't have to be anything fancy - a simple USB audio adapter should be enough.

aha! There's a PCI version audio card that fits in the long slot at the edge of the motherboard, is that one covered?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JLREDZG/

Why not opt for a USB split adapter? For [reference] (http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-3-5mm-Audio-Adapter-version/dp/B00FH1KTFI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450902226&sr=8-1&keywords=logitech+usb+adapter) only

maybe this will help you guys

Just a heads up, if you pick up the these Cloud Is for PS4 then you can upgrade them to Cloud IIs with 7.1 surround sound by purchasing this adapter.

Try this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/DIGIFLEX-External-Sound-Channel-Audio/dp/B003TO3KHY/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1374761849&sr=8-6&keywords=usb+sound+card

If it doesnt work search for

DIGIFLEX External Sound Card USB 6 Channel 5.1 Audio

I own the SMSL 793II and had this same issue after changing my motherboard, then someone linked this

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00A2QJK5I/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1453069883&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=Usb+to+coaxial&dpPl=1&dpID=41WEoRSM6OL&ref=plSrch

This sort of thing?

it appears to have three phono outs so i could i use this to output three instruments each to a different speaker?

but it says 6 channels, so how do you get six individual streams of sound out of it if there aren't six outputs?

You could try a USB sound adapter. The sound will be produced on the USB itself so that would rule out a problem with the headphone jack on the laptop.

Something like this...: https://smile.amazon.com/EC-Technology-Aluminum-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B014F2VUO8/

> Apparently USB sound cards with line-in audio are hard to find

Not all that hard.

My mobo is MSI A88XM-E45, and it has absolutely awful on-board sound. Most things I couldn't even hear because it wouldn't get loud enough. My sound card is this, I think. It's actually pretty decent for the price.

Right? I'm not sure why that is. I have an ASUS ROG VL753VD which has a built in microphone but obviously its insanely sensitive so other people can basically hear my heartbeat through it...it just doesnt detect any microphones that are inputted through the audio jack. And do you think this would get the job done or not?

Maybe you could try something like this? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JLREDZG/ref=s9_top_hd_bw_b1C5v_g147_i3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=WNZRHZD5HDC8C1FMVMZJ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=202b99be-dd6c-5402-b007-d88175803d72&pf_rd_i=284823
I have not done this but I am just thinking of solutions if it is broken.

Does the X1C3 have stereo line-in input? Even decade-old Thinkpads have mono microphone inputs. You could try a USB sound card with stereo input, like this one.

If your minidisc player has some form of digital audio output, you could investigate that feature, as it would minimize degradation of the sound quality.

I'm struggling to think of much else!

Can you try the headset in your phone (without the splitter this time) and confirm that it does work properly there? Also how about trying some other microphone/headset in your PC?

An odd part from your answers is that the back ports give you nothing... Are they certainly the right ones? Can you make sure your speakers aren't set to the wrong configuration (see here)? A photo of the back of your computer would be nice to confirm. I might take a poke around the BIOS in case the ports have been accidentally disabled somehow.

If it's certainly the PC that is acting up, and the headphones are fine, then a cheap soundcard would side-step the problem. USB or PCI.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CP53ML2/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2F5K4JEE2HZCG&coliid=I1G8S0FB4FE80K&psc=1

this is a DAC/AMP that has a headphone out and a mic input. So if you've got the vmoda boompro mic, you can use the splitter no problem with this.

Essentially the older version of this - HyperX Amp USB Sound Card - Virtual 7.1 Surround Sound - Works with PC/PS4 - Plug and Play Audio Upgrade for Stereo Headsets (HX-USCCAMSS-BK) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GW1SHSN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_CJdBDb2ZSWFNF. Which I recently
bought, at the same price as this new one damnit. :(

You're getting interference from something. It could be a USB device, your internal hard drive, or something else in your laptop. This is a very common annoying issue, especially in laptops since the analog cables for your sound run so close to virtually every component in your system. Totally eliminating the problem while still using the same headphone jack on your laptop would be very tedious, and you may not be able to get it fixed completely. However, if you bought something like this your problem should go away. This device passes your audio signals, including a mic signal, through a USB port to the outside of your laptop. All you have to do is plug it in, plug your headphones into it, and maybe change your default audio device. I used it on a desktop that had almost completely broken onboard sound (until I bought a discrete sound card) and it worked like a charm. Give it a go if you want to.

Will this be good enough?

https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-External-Converter-Adapter-Desktops/dp/B06XP5R449/ref=zg_bs_3015427011_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0588R0YE2P6TRRJ0CRT1

Or maybe should I take this?

https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Xonar-Sound-Cards-XONAR_U3/dp/B004ZI5E1S

I saw this as a cheap USB-C one but it might be crap

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Adapter-Windows-AU-MMSC/dp/B071HJ98Q6#customerReviews