Sound card + motherboard inputs?

[lostark]

This may be a newbie question but I searched the forums / google and couldn't find an answer. I recently ordered a sound card from newegg abd was wondering if after installing it if it will "take over" my motherboards audio inputs, or will I have to plug devices directly into the sound card to get its benefit? Thanks!

 

[sportsfanboy]

Plug into the sound cards inputs, and go into your bios and shut off the onboard sound device.

 

[MEgamer]

no need to turn off ur onboard at ur bios, just keep it on auto, u may need other inputs someday. like optical.

 

[sportsfanboy]

Well you can turn it on if you need something you currently aren't using later, but pretty good point

 

[lostark]

So if I turn off my onboard sound will my motherboard's audio I/O ports still work? And will they be using the sound card's codec / DAC etc?

 

[sportsfanboy]

No the motherboard ports won't work but you'll have the sound cards ports that's the point of buying a sound card. You want to use the new card correct?I'm saying disable the non used motherboard device,as you can always enable it in the future if for some reason you need it .

 

[lostark]

Alright thanks. I bought an Asus Xonar DG which only has 1 headphone port and a port to plug in my case's audio ports, which are on the front right above the optical drive, so I hate using them. I want to plug 2 pairs of headphones into my computer so I guess I'll have to live with it

 

[RazberyBandit]

If all you wanted to do was use two pairs of headphones simultaneously, you could have just purchased a 1/8" stereo Y-adapter at Radio Shack for like $4 (or so) and plugged it into the existing jacks on the motherboard. There's no need to get a sound card to do it.

 

[sportsfanboy]

No you can leave it on if your planing on using it, just not sure if they'll work concurrently. Give it a shot can't hurt. My point was to shut off unwanted/unused hardware.

 

[lostark]

Raz,
I bought the sound card to improve music listening and possibly hook up to an amp via optical out.

 

[RazberyBandit]

Gotcha lostark. Those are legitimate reasons.

As for those who believe lostark could use both audio cards, Windows won't allow two unique audio outputs, let alone two outputs from separate devices, to be active simultaneously. Even when dealing with a single sound card, you have to choose your playback device. With my HT-Omega Striker, I have analog speaker outputs, S/PDIF digital, and HDMI HD-audio via my ATI HD4890 card. Despite the analog and digital outputs being on the sound card, and the HDMI HD-audio on a completely separate device, only one of them can be active at any given time.

 

[MEgamer]

if ur going to use optical, then dont bother with a soundcard, theres no difference between onboard optical and soundcard optical (very miniscule, processing and jitters)

yes and what raz says is true.