Accessory External pCie Enclosure to run Asus Internal SoundCard with mITX Asus Z370i

[botlebruiser]

So, I am in the process of getting my build finished up. I have been looking at external PCIE enclosures so I can use a PCIE to M.2 Sata/NVME adapter for copying OS's and copying hard drives. I would also like to run the Asus Essence Internal Sound card in an external enclosure connected via thunderbolt on my Asus Z370i motherboar. I was curious if anyone has attempted this even with different equipment and what results they got. I've included links and pictures below.

https://www.asus.com/us/Sound-Cards/Essence_STX_II/

https://www.microcenter.com/product/513260/mercury-helios-3-thunderbolt-3-pcie-expansion-chassis

 

[Soul_Est]

Just wondering. What is the main purpose of going this route versus either a combination DAC/AMP like the ODAC/Objective 2 combo or Schiit Fulla 2, or a separate DAC and AMP like the ODAC and Objective 2 or the Schiit Modi 3 and Magni 3?

 

[chx]

Of particular interest to you: https://www.amazon.com/Highpoint-RocketStor-6661A-Thunderbolt-Expansion/dp/B07CTL7XWJ

As for NVMe disks , I would just use a USB to NVMe enclosure, like https://www.mydigitaldiscount.com/m...sd-external-enclosure-adapter-mdnvme-m2x-usb/

 

[botlebruiser]

I have a small 5 channel amplifier and a couple sets of small home theater speakers. If I use a sound card with individual direct rca outputs for each channel I have an amplifier that acepts an RCA plug per channel/speaker. So it would really up my surroud sound experience and I have nice components from a previous build that I used an internal sound card with. I think it would be an interesting way to upgrade the audio output on my current build considering that's one of the options we give up when we decide to go SFF on a build instead of ATX or mATX. Its a big of a challenge and its something I would like to try more than anything else. I know there are simpler ways.