Personal computing discussed

Moderators: renee, Captain Ned

 
tanker27
Gerbil Khan
Topic Author
Posts: 9444
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2002 7:00 pm
Location: Georgia

Just a dumb question

Thu Mar 10, 2011 9:29 am

so really a dumb dumb question. If I have a soundcard like the Asus Sonar and I have speakers or a headset that is USB, is the sound card used at all? Or is all the processing handled by the OS/CPU?
(\_/)
(O.o)
(''')(''')
Watch out for evil Terra-Tron; He Does not like you!
 
bdwilcox
Graphmaster Gerbil
Posts: 1262
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2003 12:21 pm

Re: Just a dumb question

Thu Mar 10, 2011 9:52 am

You know, I asked this same question about the HDMI sound through my ATI video card and none of the baby geniuses around here knew, so it's not as dumb a question as you think. I believe the sound card isn't used. Try disabling the sound card in Device Manager and see if the sound still works through the headphones. If they do, no sound card needed. BTW, ATI's HDMI sound doesn't use the soundcard at all.
 
DancinJack
Maximum Gerbil
Posts: 4494
Joined: Sat Nov 25, 2006 3:21 pm
Location: Kansas

Re: Just a dumb question

Thu Mar 10, 2011 10:01 am

If your speakers/headset are plugged in via USB, they bypass the sound card.
i7 6700K - Z170 - 16GiB DDR4 - GTX 1080 - 512GB SSD - 256GB SSD - 500GB SSD - 3TB HDD- 27" IPS G-sync - Win10 Pro x64 - Ubuntu/Mint x64 :: 2015 13" rMBP Sierra :: Canon EOS 80D/Sony RX100
 
DancinJack
Maximum Gerbil
Posts: 4494
Joined: Sat Nov 25, 2006 3:21 pm
Location: Kansas

Re: Just a dumb question

Thu Mar 10, 2011 10:02 am

bdwilcox wrote:
You know, I asked this same question about the HDMI sound through my ATI video card and none of the baby geniuses around here knew, so it's not as dumb a question as you think. I believe the sound card isn't used. Try disabling the sound card in Device Manager and see if the sound still works through the headphones. If they do, no sound card needed. BTW, ATI's HDMI sound doesn't use the soundcard at all.


What were you trying to figure out here? If you use the sound over HDMI on an ATI card it has it's own driver and does not use the sound card you have installed.
i7 6700K - Z170 - 16GiB DDR4 - GTX 1080 - 512GB SSD - 256GB SSD - 500GB SSD - 3TB HDD- 27" IPS G-sync - Win10 Pro x64 - Ubuntu/Mint x64 :: 2015 13" rMBP Sierra :: Canon EOS 80D/Sony RX100
 
Captain Ned
Global Moderator
Posts: 28704
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2002 7:00 pm
Location: Vermont, USA

Re: Just a dumb question

Thu Mar 10, 2011 10:02 am

I know that when I plug my Total BitHead USB headphone amp into my computer, the sound device listed in Control Panel > Sounds changes from the Xonar to USB Audio Device, so I'm betting your device completely bypasses your Xonar as well.
What we have today is way too much pluribus and not enough unum.
 
tanker27
Gerbil Khan
Topic Author
Posts: 9444
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2002 7:00 pm
Location: Georgia

Re: Just a dumb question

Thu Mar 10, 2011 10:21 am

What about the sound processor on the Mobo? Would it bypass that.

Really, what I am getting at is justifying purchasing a sound card. I currently have a Asus Sonar that have my speaker and headset plugged into.
(\_/)
(O.o)
(''')(''')
Watch out for evil Terra-Tron; He Does not like you!
 
DancinJack
Maximum Gerbil
Posts: 4494
Joined: Sat Nov 25, 2006 3:21 pm
Location: Kansas

Re: Just a dumb question

Thu Mar 10, 2011 10:24 am

tanker27 wrote:
What about the sound processor on the Mobo? Would it bypass that.

Really, what I am getting at is justifying purchasing a sound card. I currently have a Asus Sonar that have my speaker and headset plugged into.


Sorry, I am confused. Do you mean Asus Xonar?
i7 6700K - Z170 - 16GiB DDR4 - GTX 1080 - 512GB SSD - 256GB SSD - 500GB SSD - 3TB HDD- 27" IPS G-sync - Win10 Pro x64 - Ubuntu/Mint x64 :: 2015 13" rMBP Sierra :: Canon EOS 80D/Sony RX100
 
bdwilcox
Graphmaster Gerbil
Posts: 1262
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2003 12:21 pm

Re: Just a dumb question

Thu Mar 10, 2011 10:55 am

DancinJack wrote:
What were you trying to figure out here? If you use the sound over HDMI on an ATI card it has it's own driver and does not use the sound card you have installed.

Well, I figured that one out on my own. I wasn't sure if the HDMI driver simply allowed the computer to redirect sound from the soundcard over the HDMI bus (acting as a pass-through) or if the the video card hard an actual sound processor in it. The reason I was asking was TR was having a contest for a Xonar card and since I was using sound over HDMI I was wondering if the Xonar would give me improved sound. The answer is no, the sound processor on the video card handled the sound signal and ignored the sound card. I figured that one out when I loaded XP, installed the ATI HDMI driver but didn't install a RealTek sound driver and my sound still worked.
 
ludi
Lord High Gerbil
Posts: 8646
Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2002 10:47 pm
Location: Sunny Colorado front range

Re: Just a dumb question

Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:31 am

tanker27 wrote:
so really a dumb dumb question. If I have a soundcard like the Asus Sonar and I have speakers or a headset that is USB, is the sound card used at all? Or is all the processing handled by the OS/CPU?

The basic question was already answered, but to clarify the "why", there is no such thing as a sound protocol over USB. When you plug in a USB sound device, it has its own internal soundcard hardware and identifies itself to the system as a USB sound device. If there are other sound devices set up in the system, you can still find all of these in the Control Panel applet and select which one should be used for which tasks. The one unique feature about any USB sound device is that when you unplug it, the system is smart enough to switch back to whichever device was previously set up as the default.
Abacus Model 2.5 | Quad-Row FX with 256 Cherry Red Slider Beads | Applewood Frame | Water Cooling by Brita Filtration
 
tanker27
Gerbil Khan
Topic Author
Posts: 9444
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2002 7:00 pm
Location: Georgia

Re: Just a dumb question

Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:37 am

ludi wrote:
The basic question was already answered, but to clarify the "why", there is no such thing as a sound protocol over USB. When you plug in a USB sound device, it has its own internal soundcard hardware and identifies itself to the system as a USB sound device. If there are other sound devices set up in the system, you can still find all of these in the Control Panel applet and select which one should be used for which tasks. The one unique feature about any USB sound device is that when you unplug it, the system is smart enough to switch back to whichever device was previously set up as the default.


And now I know........
DancinJack wrote:
Sorry, I am confused. Do you mean Asus Xonar?


you knew what I meant, typo.
(\_/)
(O.o)
(''')(''')
Watch out for evil Terra-Tron; He Does not like you!
 
morphine
TR Staff
Posts: 11600
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Portugal (that's next to Spain)

Re: Just a dumb question

Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:38 am

ludi wrote:
... the system is smart enough to switch back to whichever device was previously set up as the default.

Most of the time.

And Gord help you if Skype depends on this somehow.
There is a fixed amount of intelligence on the planet, and the population keeps growing :(
 
DancinJack
Maximum Gerbil
Posts: 4494
Joined: Sat Nov 25, 2006 3:21 pm
Location: Kansas

Re: Just a dumb question

Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:40 am

tanker27 wrote:
Really, what I am getting at is justifying purchasing a sound card. I currently have a Asus Sonar that have my speaker and headset plugged into.


Really, I didn't understand. You said you were trying to justify purchasing a sound card here, but that you already have an Asus Xonar. I guess you were asking about buying a new one?
i7 6700K - Z170 - 16GiB DDR4 - GTX 1080 - 512GB SSD - 256GB SSD - 500GB SSD - 3TB HDD- 27" IPS G-sync - Win10 Pro x64 - Ubuntu/Mint x64 :: 2015 13" rMBP Sierra :: Canon EOS 80D/Sony RX100
 
tanker27
Gerbil Khan
Topic Author
Posts: 9444
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2002 7:00 pm
Location: Georgia

Re: Just a dumb question

Thu Mar 10, 2011 12:07 pm

Yes I have a Asus Xonar. No I am not trying to buy a new card. I wanted to really justify what I currently have and ask about the tech involved with USB sound devices and its interaction with said sound card. I got the answer/s I was looking for. Thanks.
(\_/)
(O.o)
(''')(''')
Watch out for evil Terra-Tron; He Does not like you!

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest
GZIP: On