# USB Soundcard for $90



## bodosko (Jan 24, 2013)

Hi.
I had a FiiO E7 (not a soundcard, just a DAC+AMP) also without mic input, and I got refunded cause OLED burned.
Now I have $90 to spend and I changed my mind, I want a USB Soundcard with headphone AMP.

Its like this HRT microStreamer > http://highresolutiontechnologies.com/microstreamer#prods

Can you guys recommend me some?


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## ZakkWylde (Jan 24, 2013)

That FiiO E7 is fundamentally the same as that HRT microStreamer both are external "sound cards", the main component of an internal sound card is the DAC. I have read good things about the O2 amp and ODAC, however they are out of your $90 price range.


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## bodosko (Jan 24, 2013)

I saw it wrong.
Correcting, What I want is something like this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0054L8GVK/?tag=tec06d-20
It has in/out like a normal soundcard.


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## ZakkWylde (Jan 24, 2013)

That is a usb DAC, no headphone amp. Is there a reason why it has to be external? If you can go internal you could get an asus xonar dg or dgx for around 30-40 bucks and it would beat that usb dac in audio quality.


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## bodosko (Jan 24, 2013)

It has to be external. Its for notebook.


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## ZakkWylde (Jan 24, 2013)

That is a good reason lol. Well unfortunately I don't have much experience other than the DAC built into my corsair 1500 usb headset. Did you like the FiiO when you had it? I have heard that they are good for the money, my bet is that the sound quality probably out performs that asus unit.


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## bodosko (Jan 24, 2013)

It was very good. I have a ATH-M50 headphone and a XONAR DG in my PC.
The E7 destroy by far this Xonar. But E7 mainly purpose is headphones...

I think I'm going to replace my E7 with the new E07K and get a USB microphone. They are saying OLED problem was fixed.
I can't find any good USB soundcard. I wanted it because both audio and mic from my onboard sucks. Don't know why, Its a Intel HM67.


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## ZakkWylde (Jan 24, 2013)

Nice headphones, I would like to try out a pair sometime. I just got a pair of sennheiser 439s and am looking into DACs and amps. I think I'm going to save for the previously mentioned O2 amp and ODAC (not cheap but apparently compete with units costing upwards of $1000).

I'm surprised your input sound is poor with onboard audio, I thought that unless you had a high end mic it wouldn't make a difference. However I can see how the output audio might be poor with onboard, the general consensus is that onboard sound is fine with lower end headphones but noticeably poor with some good headphones (such as your ATH-M50's).


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## bodosko (Jan 24, 2013)

I found this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004275EO4/?tag=tec06d-20
It has Built-in headphone AMP.

But I never liked Creative stuff and Im afraid it could not meet E7 quality. Also its much bigger.

Both internal mic and my Zalman Zm-Mic1 sounded crap with onboard.


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## ste2425 (Feb 8, 2013)

Don't know if you've found something.

What are you using it for? Just for headphones? If so then probably won't be of use but i have the Alesis multimix 8 USB.







Thats the USB 2.0 version which allows for multi-track recording, my version is the standard USB version so it will only record the stereo main mix out. 

There not the newest things anymore so you can probably pick them up used quite reasonably, there brilliant little things very tough with built in effects mines at least four or five years old and still operates like new. All the pots function great no nasty hissing from anything, unless you set your gains far too high but then that's going into technique also.

Obviously if your not going to be recording anything then disregard this completely as it will be far to big for what you want 

edit: who ever took that photo doesn't know how to zero a desk, you don't point everything at 12 o'clock, anyhow


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