Neil's Messy Basement 34: EVGA Nu Audio Pro 7.1 Sound Card Review and User Guide

[Neil]

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0EcH7Wue9k Neil gives an in-depth review of EVGA's Nu Audio Pro 7.1 sound card and shares recommendations that will maximize enjoyment of the audio experience. Setups tested include headphones, a TOSLINK-connected 5.1 receiver, and direct-connect 5.1 surround sound speakers. This is part of a whole series of programs MTBS is doing on ways to enhance our entertainment experiences beyond technologies like virtual and augmented reality. Disney Plus (Disney+) fans will want to watch the last segment of the program as next week's episode is going to be something else!

[Guig2000]

Hello,
so maybe they should have use an HDMI output instead of the toslink?
But really nowadays, with such good electronics, the limit is much more the speakers and the software, I think.

Have you tried to compare with your onkyo amplifier plugged via one of your HDMI ports on the graphic card? Of course you won't have the realtek's nahimic software but, you may be able to do the same within the amplifier settings.

[Neil]

Hello,
so maybe they should have use an HDMI output instead of the toslink?
But really nowadays, with such good electronics, the limit is much more the speakers and the software, I think.

Have you tried to compare with your onkyo amplifier plugged via one of your HDMI ports on the graphic card? Of course you won't have the realtek's nahimic software but, you may be able to do the same within the amplifier settings.

HDMI output wouldn't have helped because you would need a simultaneous HDMI output for the video and they would need to play at the same time. Most (maybe all) receivers are not designed to do that. What EVGA needs (which they could have one day if they create it) is a recording listening device like What U Hear or a stereo mixer that can forward their digital output directly through the PC's or GPU's HDMI without wires connected to the sound card itself.

Onkyo HDMI audio is better than EVGA Nu TOSLINK audio for sure - but that's a limitation of the TOSLINK connector. I can't really judge direct to HDMI and Onkyo speakers because there is no way to do it via EVGA to compare. I know for Creative Labs AE5 (which I've done a review for), unless you are using Dolby Atmos, the sound card is the better choice through the Onkyo. HOWEVER, that is only because the AE5 has that software feed-through ability that I can't yet do with EVGA.

Regards,
Neil

[Guig2000]

HDMI output wouldn't have helped because you would need a simultaneous HDMI output for the video and they would need to play at the same time. Most (maybe all) receivers are not designed to do that.

I'm not sure to understand:
You mean that the amplifier will create a delay that will make the audio too much late compared to the video?

[Neil]

My audio system works like this:

PC (or other content source) ----> Onkyo Receiver ----> Projector

So the PC connects its HDMI to the receiver which passes the audio and video to the projector.

If the sound card had hdmi audio out, then there would be no place for the video to connect. I suppose if the display went into the GPU directly and the audio card went to the receiver via hdmi, that could work - but you would lose the convenience benefit of having the receiver and its ability to connect multiple video sources to your display.

Regards,
Neil

[Dom]

What I used to do with my workstation computer with 32 inch led tv HDMI tv to get my sound card audio was to use a 3.5mm cable and connect it from the front 2.0 output on my sound card (sound blaster Z) then connect the other end of the 3.5mm cable to my 3.5mm input motherboard audio soundcard. Then goto sound control panel in windows 10 and select the the line-in "listen to" as the HDMI output like as my HDMI tv monitor I have.

The thing is this is only 2.0 analog to digital audio PCM I think, there maybe a way to get Dolby pro logic out of 2.0 PCM if you have those channels encoded or if you can change the surround settings in the EVGA sound control panel with Virtual 3D audio in PCM 2.0.

The best method would be to get the virtual cable connection "what you hear in windows 10" but there is also this program look here:
https://www.google.com/search?q=virtual ... e&ie=UTF-8

Also on windows 10 you can buy an audio add-on called Dolby Access in the windows store. It allows upsampling for Dolby Atmos in headphones. Theres DTS Sound Unbound in windows 10 store too.

Hope this helps

Dom

[Guig2000]

My audio system works like this:

PC (or other content source) ----> Onkyo Receiver ----> Projector

I did that and abandoned:
Despite my HT-RC660 from 2014 is HDMI 2.0 and 3D capable, when i plug my projector (HD29H) by this way, I loose 12bit per color, HDR content and 3d fail. i assume my receiver is too old for that.

So on my vega 64, I had two hdmi output, so I used one for audio (onkyo) and one for video (projector). Fortunately my projector also have a dual hdmi input, so I use one for the PC and the other receive the onkyo output for other sources.

[Neil]

That is a tough one.

[hwateal]

Still around.