Intel Desktop Board DG45FC Sound Quality

**bratnetwork** · 11-15-2008, 05:11 PM

Intel® Desktop Board DG45FC

I'm really interested in purchasing this board to use in my car since i already have a processor and RAM and stuff that will work with it. I plan to hook this up to a multi-channel amps in the car and I like the idea of the multiple audio outputs so i can control the fade and balance of the speakers.

My question is how is the sound quality of the build in audio? Does anyone have specs for the sound? Or just from your experience how do the analog outputs sound on higher end sound equipment?

**customaudioman** · 11-17-2008, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by bratnetwork

Intel® Desktop Board DG45FC

I'm really interested in purchasing this board to use in my car since i already have a processor and RAM and stuff that will work with it. I plan to hook this up to a multi-channel amps in the car and I like the idea of the multiple audio outputs so i can control the fade and balance of the speakers.

My question is how is the sound quality of the build in audio? Does anyone have specs for the sound? Or just from your experience how do the analog outputs sound on higher end sound equipment?

Im wondering the same, cause I have all the parts right now on my gd965ss motherboard, it micro-atx. so I would be getting this board but in a micro-atx form factor dg45id. I hate using the soundblaster right now, it drivers suck, it takes me 1minute to boot window's home screen. If I unplug the soundcard, it takes 25 sec. So I'm hoping this new board I can use the on-board audio.

**galvitron** · 11-17-2008, 07:23 PM

You planning on using digital or analog out of the motherboard? If digital to the amp, then sound quality will be very good. If analog, above average for onboard sound but not as good as a dedicated card.

I don't have that exact board, but I have a P45 board with the same audio chip. It is fine for my mp3s and FLACs.

**customaudioman** · 11-20-2008, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by galvitron

You planning on using digital or analog out of the motherboard? If digital to the amp, then sound quality will be very good. If analog, above average for onboard sound but not as good as a dedicated card.

I don't have that exact board, but I have a P45 board with the same audio chip. It is fine for my mp3s and FLACs.

I think analogue, cause I will be using the arc audio foose fd-4150 for highs and the fd-1200 for the two arc audio subs I have. I just hate using the soundblaster external soundcard.

**galvitron** · 11-26-2008, 01:10 PM

In a car the analog sound will be fine unless you are an audiophile or doing competitions. There is so much noise in the car that you probably won't notice the difference.

**rijk** · 11-26-2008, 05:22 PM

i use the analog setup, and it sounds just like my head did. It gets low on the fronts what a lot of other cards can't. The maya soundcard i used cant't and even not an extreme card like the u46mk2.

There is one drawback. You can ajust the soundlevel on the diffent channels,
when you go all the way to soundlevel 0 all output is the same again. So you have to listen and ajust your amps outputlevel very well.

**bratnetwork** · 11-26-2008, 05:40 PM

thanks for all the input... I bought the board hopefully soon ill have everything else i need to start installing it.

**RedGTiVR6** · 11-26-2008, 06:22 PM

good luck with this board.

I'm going to be getting rid of mine soon as I can't stand it.

EXTREMELY slow boot times, finicky video, won't suspend, and the BIOS is buggy....I can't even get into the temperature/voltage screen in the BIOS without the damn thing locking up completely.

Who knows, perhaps I have a bunk board, but without Intel being much help, there's hardly any way of actually knowing.

The digital out on this board is the primary reason I purchased it. It DOES sound better than any other board's optical out that I've tried. I also beg to differ that unless you're an audiophile you won't notice the difference. you don't have to have golden ears to hear the difference in audio quality. The only time I've seen that to be true is someone who has convinced themselves that they can't hear the difference because they can't or don't want to spend the money.

**bratnetwork** · 11-26-2008, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by RedGTiVR6

good luck with this board.

I'm going to be getting rid of mine soon as I can't stand it.

EXTREMELY slow boot times, finicky video, won't suspend, and the BIOS is buggy....I can't even get into the temperature/voltage screen in the BIOS without the damn thing locking up completely.

Who knows, perhaps I have a bunk board, but without Intel being much help, there's hardly any way of actually knowing.

The digital out on this board is the primary reason I purchased it. It DOES sound better than any other board's optical out that I've tried. I also beg to differ that unless you're an audiophile you won't notice the difference. you don't have to have golden ears to hear the difference in audio quality. The only time I've seen that to be true is someone who has convinced themselves that they can't hear the difference because they can't or don't want to spend the money.

Yea I've notice the boot time is a little slow and I'm even running a shrunk version of XP using nLite... but i think my issue has something to do with my windows install bc the bios loads quick and the windows logo is decent but then it goes black for a bit after that b4 it goes into windows... other than that its been flawless. I like the the board but I do have my concerns on the sound quality as I'm used to higher end audio equipment in my vehicles, but we'll see. Maybe I can tune it enough to make it ok.

**RedGTiVR6** · 11-26-2008, 11:28 PM

If you're not happy with it, then you haven't done enough tuning.

I'll put it this way, in our car, we just walked away with 1st place Advanced Pro (by 30 points) & 1st place Pro Q & Best of Show at the 2008 USACi Finals.

I'm running optic straight out of this board into our Alpine 701 for processing. I was running Centrafuse for this season for all audio.

If you're not happy with it, then you have other areas that need improvement.

That's not to say it's perfect, but I'm also saying that it's pretty damn good to begin with.