The Cricket Log

Through extremely scientific double-blind testing¹, I have determined that motherboard-integrated audio devices still can’t measure up to the quality of my ancient Sound Blaster Audigy².

I recently purchased a new motherboard as part of a system upgrade. I figured I’d give the on-board HD audio chip a shot. I will admit that it has improved since I bought my last motherboard that still had an AC97 audio chip. If I were just listening to music through my speakers I’d probably have trouble telling the difference, but it’s easier to hear the quality difference when I use my headphones. When listening Float On by Modest Mouse through the Audigy, I can tell that the bass hits a little harder and the treble isn’t quite as shrill. When listening to some Penguin Cafe Orchestra through the motherboard, the strings sound hollow–they lack midrange.

In any case, I’m still not sure I’m comfortable having to use ALSA’s dmix software mixing plugin when playing audio from multiple applications. Hardware mixing FTW!

1. Complete bullshit. [↩]
2. I’m talkin’ ’bout the first generation [↩]

To anyone on Facebook I may be trying to find:

If you don’t use a picture that’s close enough to your face, I can’t tell that it’s you.