Listening & Conclusion
Listening Tests
For our many hours of auditioning our favorite well-recorded CDs, we primarily used our reasonably accurate Edifier R1230T active speakers. These speakers were plugged into two sound cards at the same time by using their two sets of mini-plug and RCA inputs for instantaneous A/B switching comparisons using Windows software at the same volume.
Our challenge is to determine if we can “hear the difference” using our Edifier PC desktop speakers by switching back-and-forth between our 3 PC audio card solutions: the FTW motherboard’s Realtek integrated audio, the Diamond USB 7.1 soundcard, and the PCIe-based Nu Audio card. We also use a pair of entry-level audiophile Grado SR60e headphones which make it even easier than using inexpensive speakers to hear the differences between sound cards.
Will we be able to hear the musical superiority of the Nu Audio card over a USB sound card just using our desktop speakers, or would we have to resort to Grado headphones to hear any improvement?
First of all, there is absolutely no comparison between what we hear on motherboard audio and the music produced by the Nu Audio sound card. There are only stark contrasts. If the Nu Audio sound is “lifelike”” than integrated sound is mostly dead and lifeless. It is harsh and it grates on nerves after a prolonged high volume listening session. It is flat, distorted, lacks definition or imaging, and you cannot easily distinguish many instruments on a small and rather collapsed sound stage. The bass may be muddy and there is no zing nor any transients that the higher frequencies should deliver.
In contrast with the hiss and distortion in the background of the integrated audio, there is dead silence with the Nu Audio card. Our low-end integrated motherboard audio goes boom-boom, tink-tink, but that is about all it can be expected to deliver. A USB digital sound card is a much better choice and it is an attempt to get a more musical sound – the bass becomes more solid and you can differentiate sounds and instruments from each other instead of the sounds smearing together. Games also sound better and there is better audio directionality experienced by a better sound card.
In a progression up from our USB sound card, the Nu Audio card exhibited far more musical nuances. The sounds became crisper and I can hear the transients start to shimmer. The cymbals sizzle, the guitars sing, and the piano notes are crystal clear with just the right amount of delay and reverberation. The low-end bass is far better on the Nu Audio card, and the sound stage images better to open up and become more musical than the USB card using the same desktop speakers.
If you are one of the rare few that cannot hear any difference, then you have probably never really listened to music. It appears that EVGA is making a rather safe $100 bet. Music from motherboard audio is mostly suitable for background music, for videos, light gaming, and for compressed MP3 music. Motherboard integrated audio is generally not designed for music listening or for pleasure at any realistic volume with decent speakers, and it is just barely adequate for gaming.
However, even a fifty dollar Diamond USB sound card sounds much better than motherboard integrated audio for music and for improved positional gaming, so our real test comes when we compare the Nu Audio card with a better-than-integrated audio solution and when we played Steely Dan at high volume. At the click of our mouse, we switched back-and-forth between the USB sound card and the Nu Audio card.
It was easy to tell that the sound produced by the Nu Audio card is superior, more accurate and detailed, and definitely more musical. Switching back to the USB sound card found that the sax solo in “Deacon Blues” became harsher. At the same time, the vocals became less open, the percussion less snappy, and the drum beats became less tight and well-defined. The soundstage is more natural while listening on the Nu Audio card than hearing the same music produced by the USB sound card. It was then even easier to spot and confirm these sound card audible differences using Grado headphones for the rest of the album.
Using the Nu Audio card, Lauryn Hill’s rap on Santana’s “Supernatural” album found her vocals open and crystal clear. The recording projects her presence perfectly and it doesn’t wander nor lose its natural progression. The imaging is impressive on the Nu Audio card as the speaker soundstage remains focused and the instruments are natural in their relation with each other. However, switching back from Nu Audio to USB collapsed the sound stage during the orchestral crescendo. Although the USB card still sounds decent, is clear that the Nu Audio card is far more musical and less tiring to listen to.
Listening to CD after CD and even listening to EVGA’s high end demo wav. tracks confirmed that the Nu Audio sound card sounds better and that it is easy to “hear the difference” over a USB sound card never mind its stark contrast with the awful-sounding free audio solution provided by many motherboard manufacturers.
It is very clear that EVGA and Audio Note intend to deliver a high-fidelity PC audio solution in a PCIe card that would primarily address gamers who also love music and own quality speakers and headphones. They succeeded and the Nu Audio card may even be considered by some to be entry-level audiophile. I did not try out Nu Audio’s native DAC playback capabilities, but listened mostly to CDs that I know very well.
Unlike with other PC audio sound card companies whose intention is to “process” the sound with a lot of software options, EVGA and Audio Note have pursued the “pure” sound approach. The Nu Audio card works at reproducing the sonic vision of the artist and recording engineer unaltered and as pristine and as natural as possible delivered to the music listener. This is the approach that we applaud and appreciate and this Nu Audio card’s audio even rivals some more costly dedicated external DACs.
For gaming, we prefer 2 speakers and a stereo stage on which to hear the relative positions of the enemy NPCs. Over the 30 hours that we played Metro Exodus, we appreciated the excellent positional imaging of the Nu Audio card as well as our new ability to hear the finest details contained in the audio cues that were completely missing from the motherboard audio and only partially reproduced by the USB sound card. The superiority of the Nu Audio card was clearly discernible by using the Edifier desktop speakers or the Grado headphones, and also with the Logitech G Pro and HyperX Cloud headsets.
We were impressed that we were able to hear the difference with music and gaming between the USB sound card and the Nu Audio card and that it was significant on decent quality $100 PC active speakers. Using Grado headphones, the differences and superiority of the Nu Audio card became even more pronounced and we would expect that a much nicer stereo setup would benefit even more. The RGB lighting is just a plus and it can also be turned off.
From our experience, the audio quality of the Nu Audio card rivals some even more expensive standalone DAC units. $249 is certainly expensive for a sound card, but not for the gamer and music lover who has spent a small fortune on speakers and headphones to say nothing of their music collection. EVGA Elite members can save $50. We also understand that there is a guarantee of $100 EVGA bucks for those who purchase the Nu Audio card that has not yet been fully detailed by EVGA.
We can hear the Nu Audio improvement using a relatively inexpensive set-up that should be even more noticeable with better speakers or headphones. But what has been the most surprising outcome of this review of the Nu Audio card is that this editor is enjoying his music on his PC again!
Conclusion
EVGA Nu Audio Pros
- Well-built and engineered entry-level audiophile card that brings better sound than either motherboard integrated sound or a USB sound card to a good quality 2-speaker PC stereo system or to headphones
- Easy to install software, high-quality hardware, and great flexibility in an good-looking RGB package
- It’s easy to hook up the connections to active speakers or to an amp
- Excellent musical sound with 2 speaker 2.0 or 2.1 audio possible from your PC and also set up for a 5.1 home theater system using its optical out.
- The Nu Audio card is well-engineered and built to provide well-above average music reproduction characteristics that clearly sounds superior playing music on above-average speakers or headphones rivaling the sound of expensive standalone DACs
Cons
- Price. High-quality sound does not come cheaply. It would also be nice to have a backplate included just as with high-end video cards.
If you want to listen to music on your PC and already have a decent pair of speakers or headphones, I highly recommend the Nu Audio card. You will do your ears a big favor by dumping your integrated sound or even upgrading your USB sound card for more alive-sounding music.
EVGA has succeeded in their partnership with Audio Note to bring a high-end stereo PC sound card to market. If you love music but don’t love your soundcard, audition this card. We are pretty sure you can tell the difference. This editor certainly can and thanks to the Nu Audio card, he is again thoroughly enjoying his music collection.
