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    External Soundcard For Notebook PC

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Kage, Feb 11, 2011.

  1. Kage

    Kage Notebook Consultant

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    I have the Asus N61JQ-X1 Notebook PC and the Creative Gigaworks T20 Series II speakers. I don't like the Realtek Audio DAC with SRS software in my notebook and I'm not a pc gamer. I'm been researching the Turtle Beach Micro II USB soundcard. I would like to know if the Turtle Beach Micro II USB soundcard is good, if not please recommend other brands?
     
    Kage, Feb 11, 2011
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  2. sgogeta4

    sgogeta4 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    For the price, the Micro II is hard to beat.
     
    sgogeta4, Feb 11, 2011
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  3. newsposter

    newsposter Notebook Virtuoso

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    newsposter, Feb 11, 2011
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  4. sgogeta4

    sgogeta4 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Majority of Creative Lab products suck (with the exception of the new X-Fi Titanium HD). I got the X-Fi Surround 5.1 (USB) for free from a friend who didn't want it and honestly it was hardly an improvement over integrated audio. I gave it away to another person after a week of testing it.
     
    sgogeta4, Feb 11, 2011
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  5. jeremyshaw

    jeremyshaw Big time Idiot

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    NuForce uDAC2. 100usd for the HP (headphone-centric), 130usd for the more general model. I consider it the extreme bare min in terms of audiophile type equipment. Next step after that would probably be the larger HUD-MX1.

    HOWEVER, if all you are looking for is a cheap USB audio DAC, then the TB MicroII is probably good enough. The uDAC2 is generally aimed at better headphones, and decent speakers (AD700, A700, M50; AudioEngine2 and up).
     
    jeremyshaw, Feb 11, 2011
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  6. Kage

    Kage Notebook Consultant

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    I bought the Creative Labs X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro yesterday and I returned it this morning. It did not sound better than the Realtek audio dac with SRS software in my laptop, it sounded a little worse.
     
    Kage, Feb 11, 2011
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  7. sgogeta4

    sgogeta4 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Just want to add/clarify, that "better" headphones usually means high impedance headphones and much higher cost. There are many great headphones for cheap such as the Grado SR-60i.
     
    sgogeta4, Feb 11, 2011
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