You may have concluded that the sound built into your system no longer meets your current demands, or perhaps a technical glitch has taken it out of commission. Regardless of the reason, external sound cards are a reality, and anyone who wants to combine the flexibility of USB connectivity with the added robustness of dedicated hardware should take a closer look at these five suggestions we've put together.
Dealing with an audio device problem can be as simple as (like reinstalling drivers) or as truly complicated as (hardware failure), especially when we're talking about portable systems or more integrated designs like (All-in-One, NUC, etc.). On the other hand, we're seeing a new set of demands for fidelity and overall playback quality that cast doubt on the classic "on-board" options. These situations bring us into the territory of external sound cards, a field we see dominated by two brands: the Xonar series from Asus and Sound Blaster from Creative. Today we're going to present two models from both companies, plus an additional model that will surely appeal to those on a tighter budget. Let's take a look.
Asus Xonar U3
Despite its external appearance, which makes us think of a pair of compact speakers, what the Asus Xonar U3 has there are nothing more than indicator LEDs, but that "disappointment" isn't enough to ignore its virtues, which include broad Dolby support, a ten-band equalizer, and over 25 ambient effects. Another interesting fact: Asus still offers drivers compatible with Windows XP and Vista. If your computer is a bit older than average, you might want to opt for the Xonar U3. (35 euros)
Sound Blaster Play! 2 SB1620
If our first Asus option seems a bit pricey, or you haven't had good experiences with that company (it can happen), Creative remains a true classic, and among its most accessible products is the Sound Blaster Play! 2. The design is spartan to the core, and it only provides a single headphone output (two with its splitter) with no volume control. However, that's exactly what many users look for in an external sound card: something compact, straightforward, and simple. (20 euros)
CSL Mini
Our "hinge card", so to speak, is the CSL Mini, which we could see as a mix of the first two recommendations, but its three dedicated connectors (headphones, microphone, and combined), a physical volume control, and two buttons to instantly mute the microphone and audio make this board a more complete solution than it appears. If that seems like too little, several users report compatibility with the Raspberry Pi. (15 euros)
Asus Xonar U7
We've decided that the second half of our list should be dedicated to high-end options, and our first stop is indeed one of the top models in the Xonar series, the external U7 card. The front of the device offers headphone and microphone connectors, but if the plan is to play some surround sound configuration (5.1 or 7.1), its magic is found at the back, with several additional connectors (the front channels are RCA), and a Type-B USB port, like the ones printers use. (80 euros)
Sound Blaster X-Fi HD
Creative doesn't hesitate to present its Sound Blaster X-Fi HD as "ideal for audiophiles", and although each user should be judge and jury if they want to verify that (at the end of the day, its support is only stereo), we have to admit the details are there. 6.35mm (or "quarter inch") TRS connectors for headphones and microphone, optical input and output, and a classic RCA input give it the ideal profile for any high-end headphone setup, or why not, a turntable to help digitize some records. (80 euros)
Am I forgetting something? Want to suggest a board? Have you tried one of the cards on our list and want to add your opinion? Leave a comment. The goal of these lists is not only for our readers to see and purchase one of the options we suggest, but also to exchange information among themselves, and from there, make the best decision. Good luck!
