It's easy to trash motherboard audio — we've been doing it for decades. While it's true that on-board audio on motherboards used to be terrible, things have come a long way in the last 10 years.

Starting July 1, 2026, Netflix, Disney+, and others must keep commercial volume in line with your show, a broadcast-style fix that could ripple nationwide.

d&b audiotechnik CCL8 compact cardioid line arrays and CCL-SUB subwoofers highlight the upgrade. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.