Ready for the Z78?

[cobito]

The thing with the operational amplifiers seems to me an unnecessary gimmick. Anyone who is so extremely exquisite with the sound would never connect the audio directly from the analog output of the PC.

But anyway.

I'm eager to see some reviews and especially if the extra consumption of the Haswells compensates for the increase in performance.

[Sylver]

From what I have read, it seems that it is not as simple as arriving and putting them in the kitchen sink :ugly: but they do show interesting advances and are climbing the ranks. There will definitely be a lot to choose from, and we will have to wait for juicy reviews and comparisons to decide between models :sisi:

Regards

[Franziskaner]

more info from Asus
regards

[Bm4n]

@cobito:

The thing with the operational amplifiers seems to me an unnecessary gimmick. Anyone who is so extremely fussy about sound would never connect the audio directly from the PC's analog output.

It's something so extremely simple for the manufacturer to put a connector instead of soldering, there are those who spend on a motherboard with good integrated sound, a good sound card, or even on a mITX you put up with what you have... With this system it's as simple as buying the one you like the most and plugging it in. The boards are absurdly underutilized in many cases because of the fact that you can't choose according to your needs or they come with everything or they come with nothing. In my case for now I have connected via SPDIF but the day the old amp breaks down I would have to get a monitor and another 100€ on a sound card... if I can save it better.

[cobito]

@Bm4n:

The boards are absurdly underutilized in many cases because you can't choose according to your needs or you take everything or you take nothing. In my case for now I have connected via SPDIF but the day the old amp breaks down I would have to get a monitor and another 100€ for a sound card separately... if I can save it, better.

I agree with that. The thing about a motherboard is being able to choose any component (I imagine being able to choose for example the chipset, the ethernet controller or the audio chip as well).

@Bm4n:

It's something so extremely simple for the manufacturer to put a connector instead of soldering, there are those who spend on a MB with good integrated, a good sound card, or even in a mITX you put up with what's there... With that system it's as simple as buying the one you like the most and plugging it in.

As for it being extremely simple, it depends. Those integrateds are through-hole and unless the manufacturer puts smd sockets (which I have never seen for that type of component), the manufacturing cost will be higher. It is much more expensive to assemble t-h components than smd. Although it is also true that those customizable boards will not be cheap at all.

[Bm4n]

It costs two quid http://www.tandyonline.co.uk/8pin-low-profile-ic-socket.html and you only need to solder one…

[cobito]

@Bm4n:

It costs two quid for a Tandy - 8pin Low Profile IC socket and you just have to solder one…

I don't mean the socket but the PCB manufacturing + assembly process.

[Bm4n]

@cobito:

I'm not referring to the socket, but to the PCB manufacturing and assembly process.

Ah, I didn't understand you, well, man, don't think there will be a difference because in the boards it's not the only component that's assembled that way: sockets for the BIOS, numeric LEDs, buttons, connectors, etc. It's just one more, maybe they'll cost 15 cents per board to assemble that, the problem as you say is that they will most likely put it on high-end boards and maybe with a markup for the gimmick/exclusivity/novelty... we'll see. Gigabyte only needs to improve the software, which is what Asus has dedicated itself to doing, because all these gimmicks without software to support them are nothing.

[fjavi]

I think the one that should have good audio without costing a fortune is the Biostar this one.

http://sia1.subirimagenes.net/img/2013/03/11/130311100347394965.jpg

in gigabyte it will be the G1 assasind and those surely come out much more expensive, besides Biostar will have others more affordable also from that series Puro Hi-fi, this z77 already had very good sound according to them, surely some more economical would be good for HTPC.

Hi-Fi Z77X :: Motherboards :: BIOSTAR

but already for high-end boards they would have to have good audio.

Asus instead of putting so many gadgets that in the end are not even used like the OC panel and others would have to put more practical things, it makes the boards more expensive with things that in the end do not serve us most.

regards

[Bm4n]

The thing is that Biostar and ECS in Spain are hard to find, right? Even EVGA and sometimes not even MSI or AsRock… there are many stores that only sell Giga and Asus

[ferelxyx]

I agree ASUS puts a lot of gimmicks that are useless to almost everyone
and a poor sound system in many of their motherboards

regards

[Franziskaner]

heatsinks like this
or like these


best regards

[Tecnho]

BIOSTAR is a brand that I have always liked and I have not ventured to buy because of the issue of processing guarantees since in Germany it is easily found, but if a brand comes out it is a lot of money for shipping, I have already taken ASUS out of habit and I am not very happy with mine, right now I would go for an asrock that I like quite a lot or a gigabyte which is the easiest to find, EVGA are good but I have had a couple of bad experiences with x58 motherboards and a graphics card, it doesn't have to be the same for everything but I already have a suspicion.

[fjavi]

@Bm4n:

The thing is that Biostar and ECS in Spain are hard to find, right? Even EVGA and sometimes not even MSI or AsRock… there are many stores that only sell Giga and Asus

If it is difficult, before they could be found at Alternate now I don't know,, I think that MSI and Asrock can be found well, EVGA maybe doesn't send although I think that at 4Frags or Pccomponentes they might have it, it's that it seems that in Z77 I didn't get it or they didn't arrive here, with Z87 they say they should be found better.

But it seems that Biostar can be ordered from Alternate although maybe they send it from Germany here is one.
Biostar Hi-Fi Z77X

regards

[garfield]

Well I don't know if I'm not a snob with the sound that an 880HD is enough for me, I don't care which one it comes with. I'm one of those who thinks that no matter how many cards you have, without an amp or good speakers you won't even notice the differences from a good one to a bad one, and if they're going to charge me 30€ more for a board to put an x-fi or similar, let them put the cheaper one that I'll take care of the sound myself. Even as an htpc what you see is mkv and mp3. Not even in games, and for the experience to be complete you need a 5/7.1. I personally would get more out of a raid, or connectivity than sound. I like asrock for that matter, excellent sound, network-wifi connectivity, solid capacitors and vrm with their decent heatsinks and I'm happy.

[Obione]

The cards do not work miracles, good speakers are essential for good sound and well, always maintain a harmony. Each one with their preferences, I prefer to be ripped off on audio that lasts longer than other components.

[Tecnho]

If you want good sound, I have always said to buy a good sound card if you can afford it, something cheap like an M-AUDIO, if you have the money, a MOTU, always a good cable, and decent speakers depending on the use.

[fjavi]

@garfield:

Well, I don't know if I'm a snob or not, but a sound card that's good enough for me is an 880HD, so I don't care which one comes with the motherboard. I'm one of those who think that no matter how many cards you have, without an amp or good speakers, you won't even notice the difference between a good and a bad one, and if they're going to charge me 30€ more for a motherboard with an x-fi or similar, then they should put the cheaper one on the market and I'll take care of the sound myself. Even as an HTPC, all you see is mkv and mp3. Not even in games, and for a complete experience you need a 5.1/7.1.
Personally, I would get more out of a raid, or connectivity than out of the sound. I like Asrock for that, excellent sound, network-wifi connectivity, solid capacitors and VRMs with decent heatsinks and I'm happy.

That Biostar for 130€ I see it very well and if it also gives good sound even better, I usually connect them to an AV amplifier with a 7.1, so I'm interested in good audio, although I also have two Xonar that with the amplifier sound pretty good, but the sound card already costs more than that motherboard.

If the Biostar Z87 maintains those prices I think it's going to be one of the best for price and extras, besides some Biostar are also good for OC, although I suppose the Z87 will be more expensive.

I think the Biostar are very good for the price, I hope the z87 maintains them, this is the highest they have and although I don't think it's expensive I see it as a design flaw, I don't think you can put a very big heatsink, because it will eat the first PCIe, but in the other model it seems better designed.
http://www.alternate.es/Biostar/Biostar+TZ77XE4/html/product/995179/?tk=7&lk=6773

regards

[Bm4n]

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@Obione:

Las tarjetas no hacen milagros, unos buenos altavoces son fundamentales para un buens sonido y bueno, siempre mantener una armonía. Cada cual con sus preferencias, yo prefiero dejarme pela en audio que me dura más que otros componentes.

Ahí está, sin unos buenos altavoces no tiene sentido gastar en el resto, hay cosas decentes por 100€ pero si tienes que gastar otro tanto en la tarjeta…
@fjavi:

Esa Biostar por 130€ la veo muy bien y si además da un buen sonido mejor aun, yo si suelo conectarlas a un amplificador AV con un 7.1, por eso si me interesa un buen audio aunque también tengo dos Xonar que con el amplificador suenan bastante bien, pero la tarjeta de sonido ya cuesta mas que esa placa.

Yo para conectar a un amplificador siempre preferiría conectar por digital y así te olvidas de la tarjeta de sonido.

[fjavi]

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@Bm4n:

Ahí está, sin unos buenos altavoces no tiene sentido gastar en el resto, hay cosas decentes por 100€ pero si tienes que gastar otro tanto en la tarjeta…

Yo para conectar a un amplificador siempre preferiría conectar por digital y así te olvidas de la tarjeta de sonido.

Si lo conecto por digital, pero se nota por ejemplo conectar a placa conectar a la grafica o conectar una buena tarjeta de sonido, desde luego nada suena como la xonar, además te saca ya directamente el 7.1.

aunque ya viendo mas placas Z87 parece que también Asrock trae un mejor sonido, algo llamado Purity Sound, que elimina distorsion, osea que quizá ya las placas tengan un sonido mas decente en varias marcas.

También se podría poner un DAC, pero son caros y lo suyo es no andar conectando cosas, sobretodo en HTPC.