Revisions for Asus P8P67 and P8Z68 Deluxe?

[dieselpower]

Ok, now that I read on here (3rd paragraph) that the Z68 chipset is prioritized to P67 by pretty much all mainbborad manufacturers and that I actually want the Asus P8Z68 Deluxe now, for the sweet emulated HD Graphics Quick Sync through Virtu (board itself doesn't have VGA out ), I gotta rephrase my initial question (in a new thread since I couldn't edit the title on the old one):

Do you guys know if a revision of the Asus P8Z68 Deluxe (or the P8P67 Deluxe for that matter), similar to the Revision 3.1 on P8P67 and P8P67 Pro with the ALC892 Realtek Audio Codec and the ASMedia USB 3.0 controllers, is coming out and if yes, do you know when?

Realtek's HD Audio codecs:
I downloaded the specs both on ALC 889 and ALC 892 (Datasheets at the bottom of each page) and I will have to read for weeks on on the web before I can understand the differences.

What matters to me is whether they sound differently (all that dB and converter specs). Right now I'm not interested in streaming through HDMI to a TV. I am saying this, because I read everywhere that the ALC 892 supports protected HD Audio streaming. I also read somewhere that they both beat all older Creative X-Fi chips except for one. Considering I have a very bad external USB X-Fi Sound and I am happy with it on the laptop I'm using now, I'm guessing those integrated hardware codecs by Realtek will do it for me. If they beat X-Fi, they should also be better than the Realtek AC 97 on my laptop which forced me to buy something as ridiculous as an external USB 2.0 Sound Card and made me hate Realtek back in the day. I'd still like to grab the one Realtek HD codec with better sound quality.. I'd appreciate a comparison between the two in terms of sound quality when listening on the computer.

NEC vs. ASMedia USB controllers:
I read a test of P67 chipset motherboards weeks ago, where the old revision of the P8P67 of Asus was being tested. It had compatibility issues with some USB 3.0 devices with its NEC controller (not the two Intel USB ports at the back). It was stated on there that these are older solutions too. Cannot post a link to that benchmark since it's in another language.

My question is: do you guys know of any compatibility issues with the NEC USB 3.0 controllers, currently to be found on the Asus P8Z68 Deluxe?

Your feedback on these three questions of mine is important to me cause I find myself now waiting on a revision of a motherboard that may not come at all. I couldn't find an announcement of a revision of the P8Z68 Deluxe anywhere on the web. If NEC's USB 3.0 controllers are widely spread in the industry and are not known to be troublemakers and if both of Realtek's integrated hardware codecs "sound the same", then there is no need for hypothetical waiting anyway . Although it's not funny that the basic Asus P8P67 and the Pro version have these updates already and the Deluxe versions both of P67 and Z68 Chipsets are lingering still... That's why I'd appreciate ANY feedback I can get.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Rusting In Peace]

I was about to say that this is a duplicate of your other post!

I still give the same advice of contact ASUS and look for another board in the mean time.

However with regards to the USB controllers I think this is just going to be part and part of the change to USB3.0. Always an issue for early adopters really. Unless you need to use USB3.0 right now I'd perhaps consider just using USB2.0 devices - they should use a different controller, then pick up a USB3.0 add on card when things get more stable / when you really need USB3.0?

On a usb vein, I think the majority of USB soundcards are meant to be rubbish? So I don't think you should let that get in your way of any X-fi. There was that company Auzentech that did some really nice sound cards. Maybe you want to check out those guys. There is also of course ASUS sound cards if you aren't keen on Creative.

 

[dieselpower]

First off, thanks for the response. I have been waiting for some answer on the Revision thing for a while now .

on the USB: you are suggesting to go for the current version with the NEC Controllers, not use them and buy me some PCI card for USB 3.0 later on? Honestly I don't fancy the idea, although this would be the uncompromising USB solution..

on the soundcards: I think you got my question wrong there. I am not planning on using some USB sound card on my new desktop PC. I was merely trying to get feedback on which hardware codec from Realtek is better to go with, since I am planning on actually using them and not buying a sound card. If I were planning on using the USB card on buying a sound card, I couldn't care less about what the ALC HD hardware codecs onboard are capable of. I know that both ALC 889 and ALC 892 outperform my USB X-Fi soundcard on my laptop. This is my benchmark - my guarantee that those will sound nice on my desktop. The question still remains, if there is sound quality or maybe nice enhancements on the driver side (similar to Creative's Crystalizer), that make one more attractive than the other.

 

[jaquith]

As to issues with NEC, nope hasn't really been a problem. About the only issue is that you cannot boot or flash off ANY nonnative USB port. Intel has future plans to offer native edit 'USB 3' support, but not yet with the H67, P67, or Z68. The sole reason from changing from NEC to ASMedia and other coming out soon after is MONEY; personally NEC is a very good and well known company so I'm personally more leery of others. When, that's a supply & demand issue I would suspect when v 3.0 are nearly sold out. Everyone assumes new is better, countless examples of that theory proven wrong; it's a 'flocking' thing.

Sound cards, I've been an HT | OMEGA fan for sometime, superior sound and compatibility/stability vs Creative. Never use USB sound for anything high fidelity, it's fine for headsets which you already know. Realtek is fine and better than it was years ago and they manufacture the VAST majority of onboard sound; it's a choice A or A thing, and by itself don't let it totally rule your decisions. The ALC892 supports the streaming of the new lossless multichannel codecs like Dolby True HD and DTS HD; assuming the rumor mill is correct.

Your sound is integrated into your HDMI so you're stuck on what sound codecs are coming from what source e.g. iGPU {internal to onboard} or dGPU {internal to GPU}. Protected HD Audio is a now generic term, and suppot was back in 2008 with Xonar HDAV1.3 {bitstream and decode lossless audio (Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA)} with a Software decode.

 

[dieselpower]

Thanks for the info on the USB Controllers.

Now on the sound:

If I understand your tech-geek speak right, then this means that when I playback multichannel lossless audio (when watching a BluRay movie or something), the audio that's gonna be coming out of my audio out, respectively HDMI ports on the motherboard is going to actually be software-decoded through the CPU, if I'm using the ALC 889 and hardware-decoded on the onboard sound if I'm using the ALC 892? Now, if I'm listening to my lossless music (simple stereo FLAC or APE), then will this be decoded on the hardware audio ALC 889 or on the CPU?

I hope the differences between those two ALCs are as negligible as they seem, since I'm tired of waitin' and will be going for the P8Z68 Deluxe with the "crappier" ALC 889.

 

[jaquith]

This discussion of the MOBO's sound is irrelevant for HDMI since the ASUS P8Z68 DELUXE lacks ANY HDMI output, and is completely dependent upon the GPU's HDMI standards and Sound Capabilities.

First, be perfectly clear the ONLY sound-out period is coming from the HDMI when HDMI is used; meaning zip {nothing} is coming out of ANY other MOBO output. The only exception I've seen is a Jerry-rigged nVidia HDMI hacked to use some other output source e.g. MOBO's sound; the real problem then is syncing from 2 different sources video and audio streams.

Further, if you want to 'spit' the video and audio via HDMI you'll need a dedicated Receiver or if to a TV a TV with a damn good audio out.

 

[dieselpower]

First, be perfectly clear the ONLY sound-out period is coming from the HDMI when HDMI is used; meaning zip {nothing} is coming out of ANY other MOBO output.

A very interesting fact that I didn't know about, considering I haven't been up to date on many things for a long while now.

Still, I'm mostly going to be using DVI from GPU, audio out 8 cinch from mobo, some surround sound audio speaker system for 350 bucks and a gaming monitor (unfortunately those have res higher than full HD and I'll have to stretch the vid) to watch movies and listen to music. That's why I didn't care about HDMI in the first place. I presume one can always connect a TV to the computer using DVI out on the GPU (even if I'm using the PG HD graphics on my processor). For audio I have other outputs.

The main question remains: is there a difference in audio quality between ALC 889/892 when listening to stereo lossless music through the audio out on the mobo?

 

[jaquith]

I'm an Audiophile with older B&W 801F's for the front 2-channels and other B&W's for my 7.1 and even my older early 2000's PC sounded good with a quality card, and now even better. So that said the sound quality coming from either 889/892 will be indistinguishable assuming it's all setup correctly; ANS NO.

If you have some inexpensive 5.1/7.1 then you're loosing soooo much range, particularly distorted range that none of this matters. I don't judge a subwoofer on the clarity of music, I judge it on the full 'clear' natural range I can hear. As mentioned earlier, IMO get a HT | OMEGA i sound really counts to you and don't use any MOBO sound.

e.g. http://www.htomega.com/clarohalo_xt.html

Newer TV's give you a ton of options: D-Sub, HDMI, DVI-D, Displayport, S-Video, Composite, Component.

IMO - DVI-D and MOBO's S/PDIF.

 

[dieselpower]

Thank you.

 

[Keystone4132]

To Jacquith's comment that the primary reason ASUS changed out its NEC USB 3.0 controller for an ASMedia 3.0 controller, was economic, this link supports that argument:

http://news.softpedia.com/news/ASUS-Subsidiary-to-Ship-10-Million-USB-3-0-Controllers-140444.shtml

ASMedia is an ASUS subsidiary. I was going to wait on a r3.1 board, but now am pushing ahead with the 3.0 that is available at Microcenter (and $40 off with Intel processor).