5 best usb audio

USB audio refers to the use of USB (Universal Serial Bus) connections to transmit audio signals between devices. It has become a widely used method to enhance audio capabilities, especially for computers and other electronic devices. USB audio is closely related to external sound cards and is a significant aspect of computer components and electronics.

  1. External Sound Cards: External sound cards, also known as USB audio interfaces, are devices that use USB connections to process audio signals. They are often used to improve the audio quality of computers or other devices by providing better sound processing capabilities.

  2. Improved Audio Quality: USB audio interfaces can offer higher audio quality compared to built-in sound cards on computers or other devices. They can support higher sampling rates and bit depths, resulting in more accurate and detailed sound.

  3. Flexibility and Portability: USB audio devices are often portable and easy to use. They can be connected and disconnected easily from various devices, making them convenient for users on the go or those with multiple setups.

  4. Compatibility: USB audio is highly compatible with a wide range of devices, including computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. This compatibility makes it a versatile solution for enhancing audio across various platforms.

  5. Plug-and-Play Functionality: USB audio devices typically feature plug-and-play functionality, meaning they can be connected to a device, and the operating system will automatically recognize and install the necessary drivers without requiring manual configuration.

  6. Usage in Music Production and Recording: USB audio interfaces are extensively used in music production and recording setups. They allow musicians to connect instruments, microphones, and other audio equipment to a computer for recording and producing music.

  7. Headsets and Microphones: USB connectivity is common in headsets and microphones, providing a straightforward way to connect these devices to computers and other compatible platforms for communication, gaming, recording, or streaming.

  8. Audio Output and Input Devices: USB audio can serve both as an output and an input for audio devices. It enables the transmission of audio signals from a device to speakers or headphones (output) and from microphones or instruments to the device (input).

In summary, USB audio involves using USB connections to transmit audio signals, commonly through external sound cards or other audio devices. It provides improved audio quality, flexibility, and compatibility, making it a popular choice for various applications, especially in the realm of computer components and electronics.

Below you can find our editor's choice of the best usb audio on the market
  

Sabrent USB External Stereo Sound Adapter for Windows and Mac. Plug and Play No Drivers Needed. (AU-MMSA)

SABRENT

Based on 23 reviews Check latest price

Product description

Description: This Sabrient AU-MMSA 2.1 audio sound card adapter is a highly flexible audio interface, which can be used with either laptop or desktop system. No driver required, plug-and-play for instant audio playing and compliant with all mainstream operation systems. Simply plug the sound adapter into your USB port, and then plug your headphones into the adapter. Features no external power required. system requirements mac OS 8.6 or above what's in the box?  information: 1 Year limited . When you register your new Sabrient product online within 90 days of purchase, your standard 1-year coverage is extended to 2-years. Material - Plastic.

  • Connectors: USB Type-A, Stereo output jack, Mono microphone-input jack.
  • Driverless for Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/Server 2003/Vista/7/8/Linux/Mac OSX.
  • USB bus-powered, no external power required.
  • Reverse Compliant with USB Audio Device Class Specification 1.0

User questions & answers

Question: Can this be used to talk with a mic
Answer: If you have a headset/mic with a single combo 3.5 mm male connector you should be able to use a headphone splitter, 3.5 mm female combo to dual male 3.5 mm headphone and mic connectors.
Question: Do I need to have built-in sound card in my laptop to use this
Answer: I believe that even if a laptop/PC did have a built-in sound card, this wouldn't use it since sound cards don't accept USB input. It would connect directly to the motherboard, eliminating the need for the sound card in the first place. I am not exactly sure about this information, but this is what makes sense to me.
Question: Will this work with Windows
Answer: I have tried with 3 different windows 10 machines and cannot get the microphone to work. Maybe I got a defective product but cannot tell because all my devices are windows 10. Running 2020 update for windows 10
Question: I would like to use two of these in a PC at the same time to get two microphone inputs to create a Karaoke PC. Has anyone tried
Answer: No it will not work, because you only can dedicate one USB connection as your default playback device. But you can do what you want with only one unit by using a microphone splitter to attach to the (RED) hole and connect the other end to the two microphones. You can use a splitter like " RLCAB095 - Stereo Audio Input Splitter". Google it.

Product features

Description:

This Sabrent AU-MMSA 2.1 Audio Sound Card Adapter is a highly flexible audio interface, which can be used with either laptop or desktop system. No driver required, plug-and-play for instant audio playing and compliant with all mainstream operation systems. Simply Plug the Sound Adapter into your USB port, and then plug your headphones into the Adapter.

UGREEN USB Audio Adapter External Stereo Sound Card with 3.5mm Headphone and Microphone Jack for Windows, Mac, Linux, PC, Laptops, Desktops, PS5 (Black)

Based on 11 reviews Check latest price
  • Ideal Sound Card Option : UGREEN usb audio adapter is ideal to replace your faulty sound card or audio port, it adds a mono microphone-in and a stereo audio-out port to your computer through a USB port, which enables you to connect your existing headphones, headset, speakers, or microphone with 3.5mm jack to your PC through a USB interface.
  • Practical Stereo Sound Adapter: It protects against electromagnetic interference and enjoy the stable and best sound quality. Quite great for Skype/ ICQ/ Google Hangouts/ TeamSpeak, additionally suitable as a second sound source for simultaneous operation of loudspeakers and headphones.
  • Superior Features: No driver required, just plug and play! USB bus-powered, no external power required for this convenient sound card.
  • Wide Compatibility: Windows 10/98SE/ME/2000/XP/Server 2003/Vista/7/8/Linux/Mac OSX/ PS5/ PS4/ Google Chromebook/ Windows Surface Pro 3/ Raspberry Pi are ok with the usb to audio adapter. Please kindly note it only supports mono microphone TRS, it does not support TS, TRRS. Not compatible with PS3.
  • Compact and Portable: Durable ABS material made the USB to headphone adapter compact and lightweight. IMPORTANT NOTE: This usb audio converter only supports mono microphone TRS, does NOT support TS, TRRS.

User questions & answers

Question: would this be able to power mic that need power to work
Answer: Hi Jay R.Thanks for your enquiry.Sorry that this item cannot power mic. It cannot work for the mic that needs large power.Thanks for all your support to Ugreen.Any more information, please contact us with [email protected] Regards,Ugreen Customer Care Team
Question: Can this be used to take the output from my satellite radio to plug into a rental car USB port
Answer: I'm afraid you cannot.
Question: Can I plug a line-level signal into the mic jack? For example if I'm in a video call with someone, can I plug another audio source into the mic jack
Answer: Yes you are able to do so
Question: Will this work as a "headphone device" using the usb port on the back of my new hd tv? there is no headphone jack on the tv
Answer: What TV? Most USB ports on HD TVs are for (1) powering auxiliary devices, or (2) mass storage of movies, photos. It most likely does *NOT* provide any audio signaling output.

Product features

UGREEN USB Audio Adapter External Stereo Sound Card With 3.5mm Headphone Microphone Jack For Windows, Mac, Linux, PC, Laptops, Desktops, PS5 (Black)

Overview

Ugreen USB Audio Adapter includes a stereo headphone output jack and a mono microphone input jack. It can bypass the defective sound card or the faulty 3.5mm audio port of your laptop/desktop system and regain the audio function for you. Save the cost of replacing a failed sound card.

Specifications

- Computer Connector: USB 2.0 Male

- Headset/Speaker Connector (Green): 3.5mm Female

- Microphone Connector (Pink): 3.5mm Female

- Cable Length:15cm

- Chipset: C-Media

Configuration Instructions

Windows:

* Right-click on the sound icon in the taskbar;

* Select Playback or Recording devices;

* Adjust the volume on the computer and in the application.

Mac:

* Go to System Preferences > Sound > C-Media USB Headset > Output or Input > Volume

UGREEN USB 3.0 Hub 3 Ports USB Sound Card 2 in 1 External Stereo Audio Adapter 3.5mm with Headphone and Microphone 5Gbps High Speed for Mac OS Windows Linux iMac MacBook Mac Mini PCs Tablets

UGREEN

Based on 443 reviews Check latest price

Product description

Description

Ugreen usb 3.0 data hub with 3.5mm Stereo Jack Audio Sound Adapter help protect the USB port on your PC or computer by adding two additional USB ports. It can be used with either laptop or desktop system, easily connectting your USB drives, headphones, headset, speakers or microphone via usb port.



Expand USB Ports on your PC or Ultrabook

Designed especially for PCs, laptops, tablets, and ultrabooks and expands one USB 3.0 high-speed port into 3 easily. With the external power source, it can get more drives to work together!



Super Speed on Data Transfer

Support super faster data transfer up to 5Gbps-10X faster than USB 2.0, transfer HD movies or files in just seconds.



Multi-functional Stereo Jack Audio Adapter

Enables USB connectivity with your existing 3.5 mm audio headphones, headset, speakers or microphone. Perfect to bypass a faulty sound card, audio port, or as a replacement for a broken USB audio adapter.



Portable and Safe Design

The handy and compact design offers an ideal way to fast access to your USB devices anywhere. Built-in Overvoltage / Overcurrent / Leakage and Short-Circuit protection unit to protect you&your family!



Power Usage

For a stable connection, avoid connecting high power-consumption devices, such as external hard drives. The hub will sync but not charge tablets and other devices that require a higher power input. The maximum current of a single USB port can be 900mA. Please plug in the power source of your external HDD if it requires higher power.



Package Content

USB 3.0 HUB with External Stereo Sound Adapter X 1

  • Multi Ports: USB 3.0 Hub 3 Ports help protect the USB port on your PC or computer by adding two additional USB ports. If done frequently plugging and unplugging the USB port of PC, it is easy to damage. With this little hub, you can connect three USB devices at the same time without worry.
  • USB Audio Adapter: USB Sound Card is ideal to replace your defective sound or audio port card, it adds a Mono microphone input and an audio output port to your computer via a USB port. It allows USB connectivity with your earphones, headphones, speakers, or your existing 3.5mm microphone. Note: The microphone port only supports microphone with TRS jack(3 conductors), does NOT support TS(2 conductors) and TRRS(4 conductors) jacks.
  • 5Gbps Fast Speed: UGREEN USB 3.0 Hub allows data transfer speed up to 5Gbps, you can quickly transfer large files from the USB 3.0 port on your PC; it is also backwards compatible with all devices and hosts with USB 2.0 or 1.1. Plug&Play: Supporting the Plug and Play hot-swap feature, no drivers are required.
  • Extra Power: On the USB 3.0 hub, there is a Micro USB port that was used to power the hub when you connect intensive devices energy, like the HD 3.5". Compatibility: Compatible with standard including Windows systems 10 / 8.1 / 8/7 / Vista / XP, Mac OS, Linux, etc.
  • Safety: Voltage and protection against incorporated overload (surge) to ensure the safety of your devices.

User questions & answers

Question: My lg tv does not have headphone jack , can i use this item to connect a bluetooth speaker
Answer: The Asus web site does not list a separate HiFi card. The Essence STX II is primarily a HiFi stereo card so some of the sites might list it as a HiFi card. I currently have the card driving an external receiver and two bookshelf speakers. Awesome sound. much better than any computer speakers that I could find.
Question: I am using a condenser microphone with a 6 ft cabel. does this product work well with this type of mic? the adapter i have now doesn't work well with my mic so i needed to know this adapters quality with condenser mics
Answer: Ground loops are either because of two things.... 1. Faulty PSU in your case 2. Bad wall socket ground Since you are using Hum X and still have an issue, there could still be a wall ground issue. Many older homes have 3 pin plugs but the 3rd pin for ground isn't attached behind the socket, so you plug a 3 pin power cable in, and its only getting the normal 2 pins. But you also said that it reduced the hum "somewhat". I would replace your power supply unit and see if that fixed the issue. If not, trouble shooting from those 2 issues gets a lot harder and I honestly don't feel like typing all that out.
Question: is this compatiable android
Answer: I use my computer as the source for my audio which then goes through my Pioneer SC-1528. Having this audio card made a big difference in the quality of sound. If your source is crap, your amp can only do so much.
Question: Is this device compatible with the PlayStation
Answer: This package does not come with the daughter board. There is a combined STX II package with both.

DuKabel USB to 3.5mm Jack Audio Adapter, USB to Aux Cable with TRRS 4-Pole Mic-Supported USB to Headphone AUX Adapter Built-in Chip External Sound Card for PS4 PC and More [9.8 inch]

Based on 3 reviews Check latest price
  • 2 in 1 Essential: DuKabel USB to aux adapter supports listening + speaking, dual functions. Easily adds a 3.5mm TRRS aux port (integrated microphone-in and audio out interface) to your devices. This stereo to usb adapter can work for your PC, PS4, Laptop, Desktop, MacBook, and more. *DO NOT work for TV/Car/PS3/Truck etc.
  • 0 to 1 Setup: The DuKabel USB audio adapter is super easy to setup. Simply plug and play. The USB port will be automatically recognized by system in seconds. No driver download required, no external power required.
  • One for All Compatibility: Usb audio jack adapter support CTIA standards TRRS headsets and microphones. No system limitation. Support Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP, Mac OS X, Linux, Google Chromebook, Windows Surface 3 pro, Raspberry Pi and PS4 etc.
  • Smart Chip: The usb external sound card is built-in with DUKABEL's exclusive advanced chip for the better listening experience. Efficiently Decoding the signal of sound, and optimizely amplifying the analog signal to make a much clear sound. For optimize experience, we recommend to use with DuKabel cables.
  • Compact yet Durable: Usb to microphone jack adapter with premium metal casing and cotton braided cord, ensuring a much longer lasting life. Much more durable than other plastic casing USB adapters. Comes with a 12-month free warranty.

Product features

Plug & Play Convenience

  • USB 2.0 Male Connector
  • TRRS 3.5mm Female Jack
  • Aluminium Housing
  • Reinforced SR
  • Cotton Braided Cable

ProSeries Core Technology

  • Exclusive Built-in Chip
  • Noise Reduction
  • 360° Stereo Sound
  • Clear Voice Transmission

Lossless Transmission

  • Enamelled Copper Wire
  • 11 Strands of Four Cores
  • Ground/Left/Right/Mic

Small Changes Make It A Big Difference

The size of the USB-part is only 1.77*0.79inch (4.5*1.8cm). Its compact body size makes sure you don't interfere with any other device while using other USB-devices, much more convenient than others.

Product Specifications:

System Requirements

  • * Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP
  • * Mac OS 8.6 or above(For IOS System, the output sound for Left and Right chanel will possibly be Reversed )
  • * PS4 Important Note: For using with PS4, the output sound for Left and Right channel might be Reversed.

Configuration Instructions

Windows:

  • * Right-click on the sound icon in the taskbar;
  • * Select Playback or Recording devices;
  • * Adjust the volume on the computer and in the application.

Mac:

  • * Go to System Preferences > Sound > C-Media USB Headset > Output or Input > Volume

Creative Labs Sound Blaster Play! 3 External USB Sound Adapter for Windows and Mac. Plug and Play (No Drivers Required). Upgrade to 24-Bit 96Khz Playback

Creative Labs

Based on 1 reviews Check latest price
  • power source type: Corded Electric

User questions & answers

Question: Does the equalizer have a 31Hz band with a +/- 24db boost/cut range
Answer: Do you mean cassettes? I Googled "dassettes" and came up with nothing. This is a CD player, so it plays CD's (formal ones as well as ripped ones), and it has a USB port to play a music-loaded thumb drive. It also has a FM (no AM) radio.
Question: Would there be any issues with using 2 of these? One for my headphones, and one for my desktop speakers
Answer: nope. just the CD player
Question: Does it make a popping sound if there's a USB power spike
Answer: If you need a pair of speakers and also the TEAC ai-301da-bk integrated amplifier with bluetooth usb and DAC, since what you bought, the PD 301 is just a CD player and FM radio. I hope this helps
Question: difference between play 2 and play
Answer: It happens often

Product features

Instantly Upgrade to High Resolution Audio

Once you upgrade from motherboard audio, you'll never go back to it again. The Sound Blaster PLAY! 3 provides such an upgrade, by giving you high resolution 24-bit 96kHz audio for your music, movies, and games.







 

Studio-Grade Listening
Crisp Voice Communications and Recording
Great Connectivity

Simple, Fuss-Free, Plug-and-Play

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