Switch from Realtek USB onboard to Nvidia HDMI audio

larc919 · 1 Week Ago

The last 2 ASUS motherboards I bought have Realtek USB instead of HD onboard audio. I've frankly not been happy with the apparent downgrade of S/PDIF and analog sound output and have been considering buying a couple of soundcards. Before doing that, I decided to try updating Nvidia audio drivers and changing to GPU HDMI out for PC audio. The improvement is obvious. Wish I had thought of doing this much sooner. Goodbye and good riddance to Realtek USB and to SoundKeeper64 that I had to run to avoid delay in S/PDIF. Another big plus is the return of loudness equalization. With so many different sound levels from Internet sources, I find this smooths audio out very nicely without interfering noticeably with dynamics.

Quexos · 1 Week Ago

"Realtek USB" on a mainboard? That confuses me. They used some USB codec for onboard? My Asus Xonar SE sound card does that. A USB C-Media chip + a USB to PCIe converter right on the "PCIe" soundcard, but on the motherboard? The last few boards I've had do not have S/PDIF or header pins for Coax any more. No more digital outputs at all.
Edit: searched a bit on your listed specs, Audio CODEC ALC4080 = USB onboard, yup...weird! Never had one, but in theory, that sounds like a really decent audio chip, usb or not unless there is some bad implementation? More reading: sounds like they (Asus, again) botched it, popping, clicking etc. I'm so surprised /sarcasm.

Assuming you still have that Schiit Modi 3E (from another thread)? Ever tried using that via USB (audio and power input) instead of S/PDIF/Optical to bypass the onboard stuff? That would be a much "higher end" way to achieve the following...

The GPU HDMI thing is probably totally fine if you have HDMI stuff to hook it to, but for those like me who don't, I've been using a $35 Syba Sonic SD-DAC63118 DAC/Amp to add headphone amp, and replace onboard audio (for basic stereo sound) and have been really happy with it for the money! Don't let "cork sniffing audiophiles" fool you, the cheap stuff can sound very good. The "SD-DAC63118" model number is important though. There are three Syba versions of it, plus a NEOHIPO branded rebadge that I know of, and that "xxx18" model is the one with a superior op-amp, as follows:

I think all use a C-Media CM6533 DAC/ADC (nothing special, but I am partial to C-Media devices. Avoiding predatory Creative Labs garbage with them for decades)
#1 Syba (sliver), model: SD-DAC63118, Op-Amp TI-LM4562 (better)
#2 Syba (black), model: SD-DAC63116, Op-Amp TI-LM358 (worse)
#3 Syba (sliver), model: SD-DAC63057, Op-Amp TI-LM358 (worse)
#4 NEOHIPO H1 (black, rebrand), presumably this is a "#2 SD-DAC63116", but possibly a custom build? Don't know.

How to add/restore the Enhancements Tab with "Loudness EQ" on onboard Realtek chips and others/all(?). I've tested this on my Realtek ALC1200 + another ALC892 with UAD driver, and my Syba Sonic DAC which is just a plug-n-play default Windows driver deal. The link is all the instructions and a link to a youtube video I made showing exactly how it's done.

How To: Restore Enhancements Tab (Realtek UAD) no 3rd party bloat.

larc919 · 1 Week Ago

There have been popping problems with Realtek USB audio on some ASUS boards, but I never experienced them. I think that was at least partly caused by inclusion of Nahimic Sonic Studio Virtual Mixer, but they issued a Realtek driver mod that disabled that. While I didn't get the popping, the Nahimic software really wasn't very good and distorted sound more than it helped.

Unfortunately, Schiit Modi 3E DAC inputs are limited to digital (optical and coaxial) or usb. Optical is from Realtek USB and results in frequent dropouts (it works perfectly with RealtekHD and UAD drivers). I don't have coaxial out and never tried the usb connection since it's mini and the board doesn't have that type. I have 2 Modi 3E DACs and both got dropouts. Technicians at Schiit don't know what the problem is, but suspect an anomaly in Realtek USB audio.

I wasn't able to get the enhancements tab back with Realtek USB audio. Anyway, the HDMI sound beats any onboard Realtek analog or optical out I've ever had. I'm running Microsoft audio drivers in a couple of older ASUS boards with Realtek HD in other systems, so do have enhancements in those.

Quexos · 1 Week Ago

larc919 said:

I don't have coaxial out and never tried the usb connection since it's mini and the board doesn't have that type. I have 2 Modi 3E DACs and both got dropouts.

Dropouts were probably caused by Asus' botched implementation of the Realtek chip. If the GPU's HDMI method works, it works! But for possible future scenarios...

Get a mini > type A or C cable if the Schiit Modi didn't come with one? Same thing that runs my Syba Sonic DAC. The motherboard doesn't have to have a mini port, any usb will do!

larc919 · 4 Days Ago

Yes, I could get a USB Mini to C adapter cable easily enough. But everything is set up satisfactorily now. I'm using one Modi 3E on an audio system to convert digital signals from a CD player and the other for my kitchen PC with RealtekHD (optical from PC into Modi 3E into Fosi TB10D stereo amp powering a pair of desktop speakers).