Onboard audio - Stellar or not?

I just bought a new P67 MSI motherboard with the Realtek audio chipset and the sound is excellent.

Is it me, or is on board audio becoming stellar, or do you think it still has a way to go,
compared to add-on audio cards?

Your opinions, please.

5 or 10 years ago it was a lot different, but nowadays, it's so much improved that, unless you would need a sound card for something specific, it wouldn't be worth the money to add a card if you have onboard sound.

I remember the days of really crappy onboard sound and video. Sound is so much better now, but I still don't like the idea of using onboard video for any gaming or anytihng that is slightly stressful in the video department.

MWRed said:

(... ) but I still don't like the idea of using onboard video for any gaming or anytihng that is slightly stressful in the video department.

Click to expand...

I agree.

Depends mainly on how and what you're connecting it to. If you're using digital/optical out then it pretty much doesn't matter because the device at the other end (amp/receiver or speaker set) is doing the decoding to analogue to feed the speakers, and the sound will only be as good as the DAC in said device. If you're connecting via analogue and have a decent set of speakers or headphones, then onboard sound can and still does blow as the DAC on it can't touch a decent sound card.

I have a separate sound card (an HT Omega Striker 7.1) as I need it for some features. I have a 2.1 speaker system (very good quality) and if not for the one special application software feature that will only work if the card is installed (and that I got the board free from a client) I would be using the on-board SigmaTel (now called IDT) audio on my Intel motherboard.