Feature Testing: Onboard Audio
Since fewer and fewer consumers seem to be buying discrete sound cards, the quality of a motherboard's onboard audio is now more important than ever. We figured that it was worthwhile to take a closer look at just how good the analog signal quality is coming out of the onboard Amp-Up audio subsystem that is implemented on the Z170X-UD5 TH. As mentioned earlier, this model features a proven Realtek ALC1150 codec, Texas Instruments OPA1652 op-amp, and both an EMI cover and PCB-level isolation line.
Since isolated results don't really mean much, but we have also included some numbers from the plethora of motherboards that we have previously reviewed. While the budget GIGABYTE Z170-HD3 motherboard is based on the Realtek ALC887, a lower-end 7.1 channel HD audio codec, all of the other models feature onboard audio solutions that are built around the higher-end Realtek ALC1150 codec, but feature different op-amps, headphone amplifiers, filtering capacitors, secondary components and layouts. The GIGABYTE X99-Gaming G1 WIFI and EVGA X99 Classified are both based on the same Creative Core3D CA0132 quad-core audio processor, but feature vastly different hardware implementations.
We are going to do this using both quantitative and qualitative analysis, since sound quality isn't really something that can be adequately explained with only numbers. To do this we have turned to the RightMark Audio Analyzer, basically the standard application for this type of testing.
Since all the three motherboards support very high quality 24-bit, 192kHz audio playback we selected that as the sample mode option. Basically, what this test does is pipe the audio signal from the front-channel output to the line-in input via a 3.5mm male to 3.5mm male mini-plug cable, and then RightMark Audio Analyzer (RMAA) does the audio analysis. Obviously we disabled all software enhancements since they interfere with the pure technical performance that we are trying to benchmark.
As you can see, the Z170X-UD5 TH posted very strong audio results, and we are happy to report that the sound quality was above reproach. As we have mentioned in the past, at this high level there was no discernible difference in output quality between motherboards. Using our usual mix of mix of Grado SR225i and Koss PortaPro headphones, Westone UM1 IEMs, and Logitech Z-5500 5.1 speakers, the playback was clean, and using the front-panel audio header we could crank the volume up on our Grado's to well past enjoyable sound levels. As always, we aren't experts in this area, but we suspect that most owners will likewise be very happy with this motherboard's onboard audio capabilities.
Feature Testing: Onboard Audio
Since fewer and fewer consumers seem to be buying discrete sound cards, the quality of a motherboard's onboard audio is now more important than ever. We figured that it was worthwhile to take a closer look at just how good the analog signal quality is coming out of the onboard Amp-Up audio subsystem that is implemented on the Z170X-UD5 TH. As mentioned earlier, this model features a proven Realtek ALC1150 codec, Texas Instruments OPA1652 op-amp, and both an EMI cover and PCB-level isolation line.
Since isolated results don't really mean much, but we have also included some numbers from the plethora of motherboards that we have previously reviewed. While the budget GIGABYTE Z170-HD3 motherboard is based on the Realtek ALC887, a lower-end 7.1 channel HD audio codec, all of the other models feature onboard audio solutions that are built around the higher-end Realtek ALC1150 codec, but feature different op-amps, headphone amplifiers, filtering capacitors, secondary components and layouts. The GIGABYTE X99-Gaming G1 WIFI and EVGA X99 Classified are both based on the same Creative Core3D CA0132 quad-core audio processor, but feature vastly different hardware implementations.
We are going to do this using both quantitative and qualitative analysis, since sound quality isn't really something that can be adequately explained with only numbers. To do this we have turned to the RightMark Audio Analyzer, basically the standard application for this type of testing.
Since all the three motherboards support very high quality 24-bit, 192kHz audio playback we selected that as the sample mode option. Basically, what this test does is pipe the audio signal from the front-channel output to the line-in input via a 3.5mm male to 3.5mm male mini-plug cable, and then RightMark Audio Analyzer (RMAA) does the audio analysis. Obviously we disabled all software enhancements since they interfere with the pure technical performance that we are trying to benchmark.
As you can see, the Z170X-UD5 TH posted very strong audio results, and we are happy to report that the sound quality was above reproach. As we have mentioned in the past, at this high level there was no discernible difference in output quality between motherboards. Using our usual mix of mix of Grado SR225i and Koss PortaPro headphones, Westone UM1 IEMs, and Logitech Z-5500 5.1 speakers, the playback was clean, and using the front-panel audio header we could crank the volume up on our Grado's to well past enjoyable sound levels. As always, we aren't experts in this area, but we suspect that most owners will likewise be very happy with this motherboard's onboard audio capabilities.
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