Robscix
Well-known member
The better card boils down to sound quality and features. You look at details like the components used in the various sections of the card (Input,DSP,Output), The quality of the build is also a factor. The Prelude for example, uses top quality DAC's ADC's, opamps and Caps This transfers to superb sound quality when compared to a card that uses poor to medium grade components.
The final test is how the card sounds. Price has little to do with it, although you usually pay for the higher quality components.
Also, my soundcards reviews include "hard numbers" But as I said you cannot benchmark a soundcard in the same way as other devices. Unless you understand what:
Frequency response
THD%
Stereo Crosstalk
IMD%
As well as others and how they interact with each other. Where and what exactly transfer to sound quality is the discussion of much debate. Your questions is a very common one and one that is not answered easily.
reviews and personal opinion are very helpful becasue when using measurments to guide your decision you can find a device that will measure GREAT and sound awful and a device that doesn't measure so hot but sound amazing. Sound is subjective and what sounds good to one person does NOT sound good to another. Hope this helps.
The final test is how the card sounds. Price has little to do with it, although you usually pay for the higher quality components.
Also, my soundcards reviews include "hard numbers" But as I said you cannot benchmark a soundcard in the same way as other devices. Unless you understand what:
Frequency response
THD%
Stereo Crosstalk
IMD%
As well as others and how they interact with each other. Where and what exactly transfer to sound quality is the discussion of much debate. Your questions is a very common one and one that is not answered easily.
reviews and personal opinion are very helpful becasue when using measurments to guide your decision you can find a device that will measure GREAT and sound awful and a device that doesn't measure so hot but sound amazing. Sound is subjective and what sounds good to one person does NOT sound good to another. Hope this helps.
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