HD Audio not working, RMA board or get sound card?

[bingaloman]

My new motherboard Asrock Z87 Extreme6 HD Audio seems to not work, I installed drivers after OS install, and audio isn't working.

I disabled it and it reinstalled drivers and it shows it working but when I plug in headphones, I hear the sound but with crackling noises, but when I restart pc, audio doesn't work again.

So should I RMA the board or should I just buy like a $30 sound card?


Will a $30 sound card be better than on board Realtek ALC1150?



Thanks

 

[Mahisse]

I have no experience in soundcards but I would RMA the board since I insist on having fully working components out of the box. I understand it may be a killer when you have to wait for the new components though so I guess it's a personal choice.

If you know what you're looking for I'm sure that you can find a 30$ soundcard that performs much better than any on-boards. But doubt you will be able to hear any difference for normal use.

A thing to consider with the soundcard is that it's extra heat and one more obstacle for the airflow. But that's the only cons I can think of.

Pros: True sorround sound if you choose the right card.

 

[bingaloman]

I have no experience in soundcards but I would RMA the board since I insist on having fully working components out of the box. I understand it may be a killer when you have to wait for the new components though so I guess it's a personal choice.

If you know what you're looking for I'm sure that you can find a 30$ soundcard that performs much better than any on-boards. But doubt you will be able to hear any difference for normal use.

A thing to consider with the soundcard is that it's extra heat and one more obstacle for the airflow. But that's the only cons I can think of.

Pros: True sorround sound if you choose the right card.

Thanks for the suggestion, I decided I'm just gonna RMA it back to newegg. Didn't wanna have more things plugged in the PCI cause I'm planning to SLI soon.

Thanks!