jll544

rmmil978
I love quality audio so I’m interested in this card. However, I’m currently using an Aorus GA-Z270X-Gaming 8 board and from what I’ve seen in reviews my onboard audio is actually already better than most, using a ssoundblaster ZxRi audio package with a sound core 3D audio chip. Would this dedicated card be any noticeably “better” than what I’m using now?

IMHO, it's doubtful that you'd find a major improvement. Your ZxRi package includes a 127dB DAC and socketed op-amps, so it's already very much in premium soundcard territory. NU Audio might offer a better power supply, improved headphone amp, and support for higher bitrates, but those kind of improvements are in the margins rather than anything dramatic.
 
If I had motherboard audio of that caliber, I'd rather put the money into customizing the sound by swapping out op-amps for Burson, MUSE, etc.

Thanks a bunch!

I’m a bit lost regarding specs, you mentioned my card has a 127dB DAC, EVGA’s is 123. Is mine “better”? I’m not sure what that stat measures.

jll544

rmmil978
I love quality audio so I’m interested in this card. However, I’m currently using an Aorus GA-Z270X-Gaming 8 board and from what I’ve seen in reviews my onboard audio is actually already better than most, using a ssoundblaster ZxRi audio package with a sound core 3D audio chip. Would this dedicated card be any noticeably “better” than what I’m using now?

IMHO, it's doubtful that you'd find a major improvement. Your ZxRi package includes a 127dB DAC and socketed op-amps, so it's already very much in premium soundcard territory. NU Audio might offer a better power supply, improved headphone amp, and support for higher bitrates, but those kind of improvements are in the margins rather than anything dramatic.
 
If I had motherboard audio of that caliber, I'd rather put the money into customizing the sound by swapping out op-amps for Burson, MUSE, etc.

Thanks a bunch!

I’m a bit lost regarding specs, you mentioned my card has a 127dB DAC, EVGA’s is 123. Is mine “better”? I’m not sure what that stat measures.

Had it in my cart and then couldn't order it. Already sold out?
 
Now it has been removed from the audio category. Is this thing already discontinued?

gjb813
Does this have voice changers? I still love my xonar essense stx because it has voice changers.(monster,laughing,male,female) and why is it only 5.1? The Xonar essense stx has a 7.1 virtual speaker.

 
NU Audio doesn't have software features geared towards gamers. It's mainly about Stereo audio. It doesn't have DTS or Dolby software features. They plan on adding other features later on.
 
My Creative AE-5 supports 32 bit 96000hz audio playback. It has software features geared towards gamers.  
 
 

What a laughably stupid product designed for no one.
 
Yeah, I'm going to pay $250 for a worse experience than the BUILT IN HDMI PORT IN MY NVIDIA GPU, which you ALSO SELL. No HDMI out? Stereo only? What is this? 1993? What a [REMOVED] joke.
 
How long until this brand gets killed? I give it 2 months tops.

idontthinksotim

EVGA_JacobF
Also... for users who purchase the EVGA NU Audio Card, EVGA will have program where we will be offering 100 EVGA Bucks guarantee that you will be able to hear a noticeable difference between your current sound solution and the EVGA NU Audio Card.
 
Stay tuned for more details!

Notice how he used the word "difference" and not "improvement." Yeah, I'd definitely notice a "difference." The built in HDMI out with my Nvidia card GIVES ME 7.1 AUDIO, and this is only stereo. Sure is different! Wow what snake oil. Don't be a sucker and give them money for this obvious scam. $250 for stereo sound in 2019.

WOW, you are SO COOOL, you have 7.1 headphones
 
Dude comon, obviously it is not a product for you. Some of us DO actually use headphones that DO NOT require HDMI bla bla bla
Go back you your console
 
You must be a Creative tool, made that account just to bash this product
 
-Post edited by Mod to remove posts that have been removed

idontthinksotim

EVGA_JacobF
Also... for users who purchase the EVGA NU Audio Card, EVGA will have program where we will be offering 100 EVGA Bucks guarantee that you will be able to hear a noticeable difference between your current sound solution and the EVGA NU Audio Card.
 
Stay tuned for more details!

Notice how he used the word "difference" and not "improvement." Yeah, I'd definitely notice a "difference." The built in HDMI out with my Nvidia card GIVES ME 7.1 AUDIO, and this is only stereo. Sure is different! Wow what snake oil. Don't be a sucker and give them money for this obvious scam. $250 for stereo sound in 2019.

This card has nice hardware and it's probably good for people who use a desktop to listen to high quality audio files in stereo mode. The 100 evga bucks if you can't notice a difference is a marketing gimmick.
 
 

Got mine ordered this-morning. All I need is to drive Sennheiser HD700s for natural music playback. I've been stuck on PCI slot HT Omega Claro Halo because no other soundcard I've tried in the $100-$200 range (Creative or Asus) has been able to come anywhere close to matching its non-gimmicky high quality stereo. If EVGA pull it off with this new soundcard then I won't be stuck on 2 gen old motherboard for my audio build anymore. Gaming soundcards are garbage quality to any discerning ear so I'm delighted to see EVGA took the high ground with this product launch by making something for audiophiles even if the masses will whine about the "missing" "features". 

EVGA_JacobF

gettinscurvy
So, I see it has a 6.3mm headphone jack. My headphone cord extension has the headphone jack the same smol size as the microphone. Would you just run an adapter? Is it painfully obvious that this product might not be for someone like me that just uses Razer headphones and just uses their computer for video games?

The adapter is included.

Does EVGA have any audio analyser measurements for SNR, crosstalk, THD etc.?

Personally I only care how any audio device actually performs. If it measures well, it will sound good too.

Surprised NuForce hasn't hit them with a trademark infringement yet, but their names may be dissimilar enough.
 
I'm rocking an old school THX set of Creative Labs speakers and a set of HyperX Cloud headphones. Would I even notice a difference jumping up to this from my Creative Z?

idontthinksotim

EVGA_JacobF
Also... for users who purchase the EVGA NU Audio Card, EVGA will have program where we will be offering 100 EVGA Bucks guarantee that you will be able to hear a noticeable difference between your current sound solution and the EVGA NU Audio Card.
 
Stay tuned for more details!

Notice how he used the word "difference" and not "improvement." Yeah, I'd definitely notice a "difference." The built in HDMI out with my Nvidia card GIVES ME 7.1 AUDIO, and this is only stereo. Sure is different! Wow what snake oil. Don't be a sucker and give them money for this obvious scam. $250 for stereo sound in 2019.

Edit:  I realize the person I replied to wasn't the one with the 7.1 headset, but even so if you actually need HDMI out then what do you even need any kind of sound card for? 
 
Another poor soul ensnared in the "7.1" headset myth.  Anyone claiming they have a "7.1" headset doesn't know what they're talking about and you'll never see any competitive players using those pieces of crap. 
 
Most games' 3D positional audio will work the best with good quality stereo headphones. Your "7.1" headset that is likely made of cheap plastic and a poor quality sound stage doesn't actually have 7 speakers and a sub built in.  Think about it, where is the sub, and where is the center speaker in your headphones? Does the sub float on an arm behind you and the center floats in front of your face or something? You and many others (including myself at one point) got duped by the audio companies into buying products. 
 
So your average gimmicky "7.1" headsets are also just stereo, with a software layer that is supposed to emulate 7.1 sound but it's always hit or miss. The best 3D audio you will find today is in a game where the game engine does the audio processing using Stereo mode. That's why this NU audio is likely the best music+gaming sound card out there, though I'm waiting for a review. 
 
PS: For anyone with a "7.1" headset and have PUBG or BF5 or any other similar game:  Try to disable all the 7.1 virtual features, make sure Windows is set to Stereo mode and that the Windows 10 virtual surround sound (if you have it) are disabled. It's virtually a guarantee you'll get better positional audio using standard stereo. 
 
edited by mod to remove masked language
 

what is your PC setup like? CPU,ram,motherboard.
I have a 6 year old Intel Motherboard (actual Intel Motherboard) with 3570K cpu and 16 GB ram.
Current sound is being handled by a GTX 1060, which I recently added to the setup.
 
Honestly, have never been able to tell a difference sound wise with Graphic cards with built in audio.
I change out for a new graphics card.. they all sound the same. I run the audio through a Yamaha RX-V671
with 2 floor standing speakers.
 
Sound format and processing capability make a big  difference.
 
You are already using a serious set of speakers but only running stereo via the TOSLink
So all the processing would happen back at the card. The output from the Nu Real would be better via
the Stereo jacks as they specifically are designed to handle DSD output.
 
I will be running TOSLink and Stereo output comparisons on this EVGA Audio Card and will post back my comparisons.
Your ASRock has some nice features does it match with a ASRock Motherboard?
Noticed this on the ASrock site "Supports Dual LAN with Teaming function (for motherboards with Broadcom LAN)"
 
My motherboard does Dual Lan teaming, helps with throughput network wise by quite a bit.

xMoac
I have active speakers , Kef LSX , connected to my PC via optical out (toslink) thru my old Asrock Game Blaster sound card. (X79 motherboard extreme 9)
Would I benefit from this Nu Sound card?

It would hook up just the same with the TOSLink
As to performance / sound difference that would be up too you to judge.
It also depends on what you are using feature wise in the software. As MSim pointed out currently there are just base line options in the software where he likes to use Scout mode with his current creative hardware when playing games.

Anarion
There's not going to be any difference if he's using toslink. He would be wasting his card because it wouldn't be doing anything really. DAC in it wouldn't be doing anything. It would be a massive waste.

True, the DAC would not get used.
With an aging motherboard could there be signal degradation / noise in the digital end of things? Is that even possible?

kcwilsonii
what is your PC setup like? CPU,ram,motherboard.
I have a 6 year old Intel Motherboard (actual Intel Motherboard) with 3570K cpu and 16 GB ram.
Current sound is being handled by a GTX 1060, which I recently added to the setup.
 
Honestly, have never been able to tell a difference sound wise with Graphic cards with built in audio.
I change out for a new graphics card.. they all sound the same. I run the audio through a Yamaha RX-V671
with 2 floor standing speakers.
 
Sound format and processing capability make a big  difference.
 
You are already using a serious set of speakers but only running stereo via the TOSLink
So all the processing would happen back at the card. The output from the Nu Real would be better via
the Stereo jacks as they specifically are designed to handle DSD output.
 
I will be running TOSLink and Stereo output comparisons on this EVGA Audio Card and will post back my comparisons.
Your ASRock has some nice features does it match with a ASRock Motherboard?
Noticed this on the ASrock site "Supports Dual LAN with Teaming function (for motherboards with Broadcom LAN)"
 
My motherboard does Dual Lan teaming, helps with throughput network wise by quite a bit.

My Asrock X79 extreme 9 motherboard came with the Asrock Game Blaster and they work rather well. All I use the sound card for is the optical out for my Kef LSX speakers.

My pc setup is : not a 2019 PC exactly but don’t see much need in upgrading to newer components.
Win 10
CPU i7 4930K
Ram 32GB DDR3
Motherboard X79 extreme9
GPU GTX 980
SSD Samsung 860 Pro 256GB

From what I read on the Kef LSX is that they have a built in Dac and amp in each speaker. There are spec sheets but I have no clue how good they are since I am not that informed on what makes a good sound.

Several have suggested that I would not draw much if any direct sound benefit in updating to the new sound card given I use active speakers that cost (1300 euro) with built custom components. But that it would add is a great solution for headphones via the big audio jack.

Would the Nu sound card offer better (more protected) SPDIF connection?
Or any benefit outside of the headphone use?
I should add that I plan on buying , in fact, made an order on a new toslink cable:
QED Refernce Quartz for 110euro. Is that money wasted or would it benefit having a good toslink cable?