Could not install the sound card on the Asus Crosshair Hero VIII.
Could not install the sound card on the Asus Crosshair Hero VIII.
The $200 audio add-on differs from a $20 chip on the motherboard. The motherboard audio works just fine; it tends to feel a bit dated when people promote more expensive audio gear that doesn’t compare directly. For most gamers and listeners, the built-in features are more than sufficient. I’ve used PCIe audio cards and noticed only a slight improvement in color and warmth, with average gains. Cleaner sound is possible using an EQ app. There are clear, measurable differences in power, volume, and clarity, but the improvements are still somewhat vague.
It appears the installation on a second rig with the Z97 Pro Gamer MoBo might reduce the graphics card's bandwidth to around x8. Check the first 19 pages of the guide for details.
Most PCIe devices such as video cards include additional tabs at the front, similar to sound cards. If your GPU fits into the X16 slot, the sound card should fit into the X1 slot. It’s unclear why it would only fit in the bottom X16 slot when the spacing between the I/O shroud and all slots is identical.
I mentioned that the "red" part is hitting the blue one, and the card isn<|pad|>, it won’t fit. There’s some resistance. I might try laying it flat first and then install the card, since gravity could help. But I’m not sure I’ll get it right. The plastic cover over the sound card on MoBo definitely shouldn’t be there!
Is there a screw securing it on the opposite side of the board? You're just using your GPU for sound—it's simpler for you.