I'm in the market for a new AM5 motherboard, but I'm finding that some of the options don't include an SPDIF port. Can anyone suggest what I should do if I end up with a motherboard that lacks SPDIF? Would I need to invest in a DAC or is there another solution?
3 Answers
You could get a cheap PCI-E soundcard or even a USB adapter. Since S/PDIF is a digital signal, the quality won’t degrade—it's either perfect or it doesn’t work at all. Here's a decent option: [link to Amazon product].
Well, it depends on what you're plugging into the SPDIF port. What devices are you connecting?
I have a wireless Sennheiser RS 175 headset that uses SPDIF and a speaker set using line out. Currently, I’m on an Aorus Elite X570 board with both ports, but I'm considering some motherboards that don’t have SPDIF.
A PCI card can do the trick! It's a straightforward solution and should work just fine.
Someone else mentioned a USB to SPDIF dongle, which might be a cheaper alternative since I only need the extra SPDIF output.
Ok this is perfect, thanks! I was going to write off all motherboards without SPDIF at first.