The best External Sound Cards: Reddit reviews

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Just a word of warning - I implemented this in my car, and ran into a few hurdles:
1) Audio output was too quiet, haf to crank my stereo to 100%. Installed a USB soundcard ( https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Adapter-Windows-AU-MMSA/dp/B00IRVQ0F8 ) to correct the issue.
2) Calling support is limited! Just launches speakerphone on your phone, no bluetooth audio support for calling.
3) I had trouble finding a power adapter that wouldn't trigger the lightning bolt (bad power indicator) in the upper right of my screen when, especially since the phone pulls power through the Pi. Oddly this one worked fine: https://www.amazon.com/AUKEY-Charger-Charge-Samsung-Galaxy/dp/B01KZHKF4I
4) This issue is probably limited to my exact car, or my model of car ( 2010 Hyundai Elantra Blue), but: after connecting the setup, within 5 minutes a light would fire in my dash indicating one of my TPMS sensors had disconnecting. Removing the Pi setup would clear the light within 5 minutes. The sensors operate on 315 mhz; no idea how the Pi setup could be interfereing ( tried a Pi2, Pi3, and Pi3b+ w/ Official 7" LCD ). I am probably the only person on earth who will experience this, but figured I'd report anyways.
5) Heavy Waze + Spotify user here; the entire setup would shit the bed if there was too much going on in Waze (traffic, cops, accidents would trigger massive audio tearing). Other users report similar experience on this front.
Overall, cool project, but I retired my setup!

It depends on the machine, but in your case, certainly not. But danielfletcher is correct, you are describing a normalized audio output. This is a mechanical switch, not controllable by the computer. It works like this.

If you just want to be able to change between headphones and speakers without having to unplug, you could use a usb audio adapter for your headphones. The adapter would show up as its own device, and you can switch between it and realtek. Here's a cheap one.

Hi! The Raspberry PI only has audio output. You need an external sound device to get the audio signal into the PI. It's likely that any cheeeep-o Amazon USB audio device will be discovered by the Linux kernel, no drivers needed. I have one of these ripped apart and soldered directly to an HT for packet work, and it does fine under Debian.

edit - wrong link*

https://www.amazon.com/external-Adapter-Windows-Microphone-SD-CM-UAUD/dp/B001MSS6CS/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1484950528&sr=8-1&keywords=SYBA+external+USB+Stereo+Sound+Adapter+for+Windows%2C+Mac%2C+Linux+Extra+Audio+Source+with+M...

No1 selling adapter on Amazon. #2 is the metal cased version for a little more.

I'd just go the simple route and grab a USB audio interface like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XBZ38ZJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_TRWZPVDBTX56654GEGNA?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Edit: just saw you're also asking about making sound play internally also. That means the system thinks there's something still stuck inside that audio jack. I'd open it up and see if there is a way to push the remainder of the plug out from the inside. But for your quick fix to get you a jack back, USB is an OK option. Might sound better, actually.

I share this a lot on here, so I don't think you really searched the sub, but this is a cheap and fast option :

Sabrent USB External Stereo Sound Adapter for Windows and Mac. Plug and play No drivers Needed. (AU-MMSA) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00IRVQ0F8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_wKM7Nttz7Awms

It’s a Phanteks vertical mount that comes with the riser cable. I love it! it’s a good metal and it includes padding in case there is a gap with your case and the mount! I have a Phanteks case but I’ve seen it works great with other cases

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MW73HTJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_U8jdGb58ZKDS7

In that case, I think you'd really enjoy the SHP 9500. My PS4 controller is not able to sufficiently power the SHP 9500, but a laptop will be able to. I used my SHP 9500 on a laptop for a while too. I would strongly suggest getting at least a cheap USB DAC. My laptop has a lot of noise straight out of the headphone jack and I got this USB DAC and it sounded far better. The SHP 9500 does have good bass, just not as much as a closed back. You can always EQ it to give it a little more bass. I actually enjoy my SHP 9500 better in some violin tracks because of the wider soundstage.

this one https://www.amazon.ca/Phanteks-PH-VGPUKT_02-Universal-Vertical-Pci/dp/B07MW73HTJ/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=vertical+gpu+mount&qid=1625348003&sprefix=vertical+gpu&sr=8-7

You are right the sound is hideous no matter the codec. The DAC is simply trash. I purchased this and was much happier.

Creative Labs Sound Blaster Play!... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XBZ38ZJ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002LM0U2S This should do the trick for you, and the terminology in the Amazon listing should help you find competitive products. However, I've just put it one of these on my birthday wish list for this year; I don't have one yet and don't know how it sounds. There are higher quality things available, but they'd obviously cost more.

I plugged a generic USB sound card -- like the Syba model here -- into the back of my older model Shield and was pleased to see that the menu clicks were coming out of the headphones, now!

There didn't seem to be any notifications, and I'm not sure you could change the routing back without unplugging it, but... at the very least, a generic USB to 3.5mm adapter appears to work.

A guitar won't drive headphones to a useable level. You might use an adapter like this to get your guitar into your computer, then listen there with headphones.

Your DAC is whack. Go to Jdslabs or audio engine or look up usb sound adapter, got one for like 9 bucks on Amazon.

Plugable USB Audio Adapter with 3.5mm Speaker/Headphone and Microphone Jacks (Black Aluminum; C-Media CM108 Chip; Built-In Compatibility with Windows, Mac, and Linux)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NMXY2MO/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_xQdpvb01MH7BE

Just get a free trial of prime with a new Amazon account for the shipping then cancel it.

I picked an external one simply because it was super cheap, well-rated, and I had heard audio samples with the modmic.

I didn't use an internal because I have a mini-ITX case and had zero room.

Here is the amazon link to the one I am using - if you decide on this, make sure to get the (AU-MMSA) model as it provides enough voltage while newer models do not.

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Adapter-Windows-AU-MMSA/dp/B00IRVQ0F8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499826634&sr=8-1&keywords=sabrent+usb+sound+card

Are you asking about a USB sound card, that offers a headphone port?

I bought a cheap one by Sabrent from Amazon that works fine.: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IRVQ0F8/

For the Pi Zero W it's on, I had to add an adapter between the OTG USB port and the Sabrent dongle's full-size USB plug. You need to decide whether that is small enough for your constraints.

Use an external usb microphone jack. An example from amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/UGREEN-External-Headphone-Microphone-Desktops/dp/B01N905VOY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1545494526&sr=8-3&keywords=usb+external+microphone+jack

There's a few manufacturers that make kits, but this one seems to be the most widely used universal one. Hope this helps. https://www.amazon.com/Phanteks-PH-VGPUKT_02-Universal-Vertical-Pci/dp/B07MW73HTJ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2VXGMXJOGDNFG&dchild=1&keywords=phanteks+vertical+gpu+mount&qid=1597712213&sprefix=phanteks+ver%2Caps%2C220&sr=8-1

You can grab something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Adapter-Windows-AU-MMSA/dp/B00IRVQ0F8

It will create another output in Windows, so you can output one thing to your headphones and another out the back of your PC.

Issue 1 is weird, never seen anything like it. Maybe plug your PC into a TV and see if that issue still happens?

For issue 2, I just dealt with a similar thing, and here's what I'd try:

1. Does your mobo's I/O panel on the back of the case have a mic slot? If so, try it. If it doesn't work, this is very weird and almost certainly a driver issue.

2. Are you absolutely, positively, 100% sure the front panel connector for the mic is plugged into the mobo, and that the connector is oriented correctly?

3. Is it possible for you to disassemble your front panel and inspect your mic port? It might just be physically broken.

BTW, don't buy a USB headset if things don't work. Buy something like this off Amazon for $8. Unless you're an audiophile with $250 headphones this will be fine.

You could check Device Manager to see if there still are audio devices your PC is able to recognize, but this happened to my SO's PC a few months ago: the motherboard audio chipset got bonkers without an identifiable reason. No output, no input and suddenly no devices on board. Dead as a doorknob. I got around it with a cheap external USB sound card.

I have an AT2020+ that works fine on PS4, but PS3 took some extra steps. I believe what finally ended up working was getting one of these (https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Adapter-Windows-AU-MMSA/dp/B00IRVQ0F8/), plugging that into the PS3, then plugging the monitor/headphone jack of the microphone into that adapter.

It's kinda silly, but basically you need to get the mic into a format the PS3 can read for it to work.

You can use a USB adapter for your current headset, just double-check compatibility with headset and PS4. I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/DuKabel-ProSeries-Mic-Supported-Headphone-External/dp/B07RS11M1T/

Throw this in the Goog:

NAXK-SYNC3-USB

It's expensive but should work.

You should be able to find a USB sound card for less, but no guarantees. But at ~$15 for descent one.

I just got this one for WSJT-X use: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N905VOY/

Even if it doesn't work for the vehicle, you have one for Digital modes to a laptop or desktop.

I haven’t used this equipment so I can fully endorse it but something like this might work. The external audio card can output 6 channels of audio and the amp can accept and pass through 6 audio channels at once.

StarTech.com 7.1 USB Sound Card - External Sound Card for Laptop with SPDIF Digital Audio - Sound Card for PC - Silver (ICUSBAUDIO7D) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002LM0U2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_Y5S94V7RKE2BM4CRXJ39?psc=1

Pyle 6-Channel Audio Marine Amplifier - Compact Power 600 Watt RMS 4 OHM Full Range Stereo with Volume Bass Treble Rotary Control - Wireless Bluetooth Receiver Speaker & LCD Digital Screen PFMRA640BB https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RZQ6RQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_S2J7PDY0NTW1QGJ2Z7EG

It may have done damage to some of the capacitors along the line, or even oxidized the ground plane in the board, if it traveled along the ground plane. It would be impossible to say without physical access to the board, and possibly even destructive testing if it's not just a blown capacitor or such.

It definitely sounds like it's a hardware issue, though, and with lightning, I wouldn't be surprised if other more subtle problems manifest in the future, but your audio issue could be solved for $8 with a USB audio dongle. I've got a few of this exact dongle and they're quite handy. I generally use them on PCs that don't have front audio inputs or have a combo jack and I need a separate mic input, and they don't require any drivers. Just plug in and Windows will have it running in a few seconds, and it will be it's own entirely new audio interface with its own power supply and no crossover to the onboard audio, so it shouldn't share the symptoms.

I originally had this Phanteks but it sagged a little so I got this Cooler Master which had better support. But I did not pay Amazon’s current price of $79 for it. I think I paid $49.

Edit: I also painted the mount white.

That sucks. I bought a new gaming laptop last year hoping Rocksmith 2014 would easily work but it had tons of latency no matter how I adjusted the settings. Then I bought an external sound card and now it works perfectly.

This is the one I purchased that worked for me.

Ya, I couldn't find/get the new Lian Li one so I did some research and it the Phantek https://www.amazon.ca/Phanteks-PH-VGPUKT_02-Universal-Vertical-Pci/dp/B07MW73HTJ

Haven't had and drooping yet. It has notches where you use the finger screws and as long as I got them nice and tight all was well.

a separate vertical mount kit doesnt really have that problem. most of them are just fine, i'd get this phanteks one https://www.amazon.com/Phanteks-PH-VGPUKT_02-Universal-Vertical-Pci/dp/B07MW73HTJ/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=vertical+gpu+mount&qid=1622060267&sr=8-10

or this one if you need pcie gen 4. if you dont need it, dont spend the extra https://www.amazon.com/LINKUP-Vertical-Bracket-Graphic-Holder/dp/B091Q95ZXM/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=vertical+gpu+mount&qid=1622060267&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEySjg2UVFMOFdESDI5JmVuY3J5cHRlZEl...

the vast majority of cases that support vertical mounting natively put the card too close to the glass. the one exception i can think of is the SL600M