[SOLVED] Motherboard audio output

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lastdroidkiller

Sep 19, 2018
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I'd like some clarification on how the audio outputs work on a motherboard.

For instance, I have the Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 7 motherboard. According the the specs it has some really good audio capabilities. However I'm not clear on whether the "121dB SNR AMP-UP Audio with ALC1220 & High-End ESS SABRE 9018 DAC with WIMA audio capacitors" applies to HDMI outputs or only when using headphones.

I never use headphones (or game for that matter), but I do use it for streaming to my home theater system.

So, does the high-quality apply to HDMI or DisplayPort outputs or just headphones?
 
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drea.drechsler

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Oct 16, 2017
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Adding a detail to Calvin7's response: the way to hear audio output from the 'Intel Display Audio' is to hear it off the HDMI stream...usually by connecting your speaker/headphones in to the audio out jack on a display device with HDMI inputs connected to the HDMI port on the motherboard. You'll also have to change the Windows default audio output device to that from the ALC1220 audio output device.

You'll get output from the ALC1220 if connected to the motherboard 1/4" audio jacks. If you want the best low-noise output connect to a TOSLINK port with digital optic cable.

If you have a discrete GPU installed you may not be able to get output from the 'Intel Display Audio' at all as that should be disabled (at least, that's what happens with AMD APU's). In which case, there will probably be an audio device for the HDMI outputs provided by the GPU, if so equipped.
 
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td47

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Jan 14, 2019
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Hello @drea.drechsler - I was very interested in your response about sound options for ALC1220 equipped motherboards and use of HDMI or Toslink. I am looking to upgrade my aging ASROCK Z68, that has an ALC892, and works well enough with the HDMI going to my AV/AMP (Pioneer VSX-527) then out to the Samsung Monitor. I assumed that the SPIDF internal connection from the BD Player/Combo directs the video streams to the Intel Video section, the sound stream INTO the Realtek sound chip, then fed to both the Toslink (if on the mobo and connected) AND the HDMI sound channel conection port in parallel?? Certainly I get good 5.1 output with a BluRay source. I am hoping the ALC1220 and HDMI only will be as good or better (as newer motherboards seem to offer HDMI outputs and 3.5mm jacks ONLY, NO optical out). I have read that Toslink has very limited support for compressed surround sources anyway.

 
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