---
product_id: 4005077
title: "7.1 USB Sound Card - External Sound Card for Laptop with SPDIF Digital Audio - Sound Card for PC - Silver (ICUSBAUDIO7D)"
brand: "startech.com"
price: "$84.38"
currency: USD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 9
category: "Star Tech.Com"
url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/4005077-7-1-usb-sound-card-external-sound-card-for-laptop
store_origin: US
region: United States of America
---

# Supports analog & SPDIF digital audio 7.1 channel surround sound Plug & play USB 2.0 connection 7.1 USB Sound Card - External Sound Card for Laptop with SPDIF Digital Audio - Sound Card for PC - Silver (ICUSBAUDIO7D)

**Brand:** startech.com
**Price:** $84.38
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 🎶 Elevate your audio game—because your sound deserves the spotlight!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** 7.1 USB Sound Card - External Sound Card for Laptop with SPDIF Digital Audio - Sound Card for PC - Silver (ICUSBAUDIO7D) by startech.com
- **How much does it cost?** $84.38 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/4005077-7-1-usb-sound-card-external-sound-card-for-laptop)

## Best For

- startech.com enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted startech.com brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **Precision Audio Control:** Integrated volume and mute buttons plus software-selectable outputs for effortless sound management.
- • **Seamless USB Plug & Play:** Instantly upgrade your sound without opening your device—just plug in and play across Windows systems.
- • **Immersive 7.1 Surround Sound:** Transform your laptop or PC audio into a cinematic experience with true 7.1 channel output.
- • **Compact & Portable Silver Design:** Sleek, lightweight external sound card that fits perfectly into your professional setup on the go.
- • **Dual Analog & Digital Audio Support:** Versatile connectivity with 3.5mm jacks plus SPDIF optical output for crystal-clear sound.

## Overview

The StarTech 7.1 USB Sound Card (ICUSBAUDIO7D) is a compact external audio adapter that upgrades your laptop or desktop with immersive 7.1 channel surround sound via a single USB 2.0 port. Supporting both analog and SPDIF digital audio outputs, it delivers high-quality playback and recording at 44.1KHz and 48KHz sampling rates. Designed for easy plug-and-play installation on Windows systems, it features intuitive volume controls and multi-input support, making it the perfect cost-effective solution for home theater, gaming, and professional multimedia presentations.

## Description

This 7.1 USB sound cards offers a high quality solution for upgrading desktop or laptop sound. Home Theater-Ready Audio Solution Providing a robust USB audio experience, the external sound card for your laptop or PC connects to a host computer through a single USB 2.0 connection, to deliver impressive external audio capability that can instantly be swapped between systems, without having to open the computer case for installation. Cost-Saving Solution Supporting analog and digital audio for 2 to 7.1 channel audio applications, the SPDIF output sound card provides a cost-saving upgrade from built-in/on-board sound that turns desktop/laptop sound into a home theater-ready audio solution. The audio to USB adapter features easy-to-use volume control and two external microphone inputs, for applications requiring high quality sound with multi-input capability with support for 44.1 KHz and 48 KHz sampling rates for analog playback and recording or 48 KHz for SPDIF. Easy Setup A more than suitable solution for home theater, gaming or multi-media presentations, the External USB Sound Card is easy to install with plug and play support in Windows XP and Windows Vista operating systems. The USB stereo audio adapter is backed by our 2-year warranty and free lifetime technical support. Note: The audio adapter’s SPDIF optical pass-through port supports two-channel audio, this port does not support 5.1 or 7.1 audio.

Review: Adds missing stereo inputs to your laptop/computer - I have a periodic need to record from an analog stereo source (line/headphone jack). Most (nearly all) new laptops lack a stereo mic/line input so a passive adapter wouldn't work. This device provides the connectivity I needed and works great with audacity in Windows. I have not tried it with Linux, but the advertised Linux compatibility was a factor in choosing this particular device as I will be migrating in a year or so. The star tech brand was a factor too. I've had good experiences with many of their devices over the years. I am very happy with the audio quality that I'm getting on my recordings, and have no intention of using the outputs, but you never know what you'll need to hook up in the future and this device seems to have some staying power support-wise and I've had good luck with Star tech equipment and adapters in the past (but they will eventually drop support because they are a business not a charity). I've had this about a year now and expect it to last and continue to function well.
Review: Laptop needs to be connected to 5.1 analog speakers? Get this! - I bought an HP EliteBook 755 G5 with a docking station and wanted to connect it to my existing Logitech 5.1 analog speakers. These speakers have three 3.5mm stereo jacks: Front speakers (green), Rear speakers (black), and Center/Subwoofer (orange). The laptop contains two built-in sound cards. One is only capable of 2.0 stereo and works through the 3.5" audio jacks. The other built-in sound card works only through the DisplayPort connection. For example, if you connect the laptop to a TV with audio capability or to an A/V receiver, that sound card handles that audio output. Since I have a monitor with no audio jacks or processing, I cannot take advantage of that built-in device. (There is another kind of product that could. I’ll talk about it at the end of this review.) I chose StarTech because I had luck with their products in the past. This external sound card is more expensive than the cheap Chinese ones on eBay and it supports 7.1 as well as 5.1. I did NOT have to use the driver CD. I have Windows 10 1809 and it recognized the card immediately. It shows up in the Device Manager as “USB Sound Device.” Don’t be alarmed if you check the properties and see a message under the “Events” tab claiming "Device requires further installation." If you look at the list, you will see that even though the entry in the list of Events might be the top one, the Timestamp is older than the entries below. This means that this message is normal and has no significant meaning at all, even though it can be confusing and previous Windows versions did not show something similar. Configuring the sound card for 5.1 (or 7.1) audio is simple. Go to the Control Panel and select Sound. Under the Playback tab, click on the “Speakers” for the USB Sound Device and click on the Configure button. Choose 5.1 and click the Test button to make sure everything is connected properly. Click Next. Make sure all optional speakers are selected. Click Next. If you have a satellite speaker system with a subwoofer like me, you do NOT have full-range speakers. You can verify this by plugging in the green plug into a 2.0 stereo source and listen to the sound quality. If it’s sorely missing bass, then they are NOT full-range speakers. Uncheck these options. (BTW, sometimes the front speakers are full-range, but the rear speakers are not. If the rear speakers are smaller than the fronts, uncheck the rear speakers only.) Click Finish. Another option I could have tried would have been to use a device that converts the digital audio supplied over HDMI to analog. desertcart sells such a device: SKSL HDMI Digital Audio Converter. However, I would have needed to buy a DisplayPort to HDMI cable. Also, I would have to get RCA to 3.5mm adapters, too. And, that option costs a lot more. UPDATE 2019-05-15: Just wanted to say the sound quality has been superb!

## Features

- 7.1 USB SOUND CARD: This External Sound Card adds up to 7.1 channels of audio through a single USB port to your computer; This sound card supports 7.1, 5.1 and 2 channel output using 3.5mm jacks, a headphone port, line-in and stereo microphone inputs
- UPGRADE YOUR PC SOUND: With support for analog and digital audio output for stereo to 7.1 channel audio applications, the bus-powered audio to USB adapter upgrades the existing integrated audio on a desktop or laptop computer; 1m USB Cable Included
- QUALITY AUDIO: Supports 44.1KHz and 48KHz sampling rates for analog playback and recording; SPDIF Digital output only supports 48KHz audio playback; SPDIF optical input passthrough supports up to two-channel audio at 48KHz
- EASY INSTALLATION: The digital audio adapter is easy to install with plug and play support in Windows 7/8.1/10; The external sound card features easy-to-use volume controls and mute buttons; The audio outputs are selectable via the included software

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN | B002LM0U2S |
| Batteries | 1 AAAA batteries required. |
| Best Sellers Rank | #14 in External Sound Cards |
| Customer Reviews | 4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars (1,920) |
| Date First Available | February 28, 2012 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Item Weight | 3.17 ounces |
| Item model number | ICUSBAUDIO7D |
| Language | English |
| Manufacturer | StarTech.com |
| Product Dimensions | 3.9 x 1 x 2.4 inches |

## Product Details

- **Audio Output Mode:** Surround
- **Brand:** StarTech.com
- **Compatible Devices:** Desktop, Laptop
- **Hardware Interface:** USB
- **Platform:** Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Vista, Windows XP

## Images

![7.1 USB Sound Card - External Sound Card for Laptop with SPDIF Digital Audio - Sound Card for PC - Silver (ICUSBAUDIO7D) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/616-h4ESzBL.jpg)

## Questions & Answers

**Q: does i work in ubuntu?**
A: Yes it works with Linux including Ubuntu

**Q: does this work with linux?  Is there linux support from the open source community?**
A: Yes it works with Linux. Tested with Ubuntu. Thanks to all of the open source free developers out there who developed a generic driver for USB audio devices.

**Q: Is it compatible with windows 8 OS?**
A: Yes, it is, just plug it in and Windows 10 or previous versions will install drivers for it. Best sound for me! If you wish you can install the drivers in Startech site and work flawlessly in Windows 10. Best sound with any Windows drivers, configure 5.1 in Control Panel and then double click on the icon/rigth click/enhancements and then speaker fill, you have 5.1 sound.

**Q: Does this work in linux?**
A: Yes, it did for me.  I put it in a machine that was running Linux Mint.

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Adds missing stereo inputs to your laptop/computer
*by D***4 on December 9, 2025*

I have a periodic need to record from an analog stereo source (line/headphone jack). Most (nearly all) new laptops lack a stereo mic/line input so a passive adapter wouldn't work. This device provides the connectivity I needed and works great with audacity in Windows. I have not tried it with Linux, but the advertised Linux compatibility was a factor in choosing this particular device as I will be migrating in a year or so. The star tech brand was a factor too. I've had good experiences with many of their devices over the years. I am very happy with the audio quality that I'm getting on my recordings, and have no intention of using the outputs, but you never know what you'll need to hook up in the future and this device seems to have some staying power support-wise and I've had good luck with Star tech equipment and adapters in the past (but they will eventually drop support because they are a business not a charity). I've had this about a year now and expect it to last and continue to function well.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Laptop needs to be connected to 5.1 analog speakers? Get this!
*by G***E on June 8, 2019*

I bought an HP EliteBook 755 G5 with a docking station and wanted to connect it to my existing Logitech 5.1 analog speakers. These speakers have three 3.5mm stereo jacks: Front speakers (green), Rear speakers (black), and Center/Subwoofer (orange). The laptop contains two built-in sound cards. One is only capable of 2.0 stereo and works through the 3.5" audio jacks. The other built-in sound card works only through the DisplayPort connection. For example, if you connect the laptop to a TV with audio capability or to an A/V receiver, that sound card handles that audio output. Since I have a monitor with no audio jacks or processing, I cannot take advantage of that built-in device. (There is another kind of product that could. I’ll talk about it at the end of this review.) I chose StarTech because I had luck with their products in the past. This external sound card is more expensive than the cheap Chinese ones on eBay and it supports 7.1 as well as 5.1. I did NOT have to use the driver CD. I have Windows 10 1809 and it recognized the card immediately. It shows up in the Device Manager as “USB Sound Device.” Don’t be alarmed if you check the properties and see a message under the “Events” tab claiming "Device requires further installation." If you look at the list, you will see that even though the entry in the list of Events might be the top one, the Timestamp is older than the entries below. This means that this message is normal and has no significant meaning at all, even though it can be confusing and previous Windows versions did not show something similar. Configuring the sound card for 5.1 (or 7.1) audio is simple. Go to the Control Panel and select Sound. Under the Playback tab, click on the “Speakers” for the USB Sound Device and click on the Configure button. Choose 5.1 and click the Test button to make sure everything is connected properly. Click Next. Make sure all optional speakers are selected. Click Next. If you have a satellite speaker system with a subwoofer like me, you do NOT have full-range speakers. You can verify this by plugging in the green plug into a 2.0 stereo source and listen to the sound quality. If it’s sorely missing bass, then they are NOT full-range speakers. Uncheck these options. (BTW, sometimes the front speakers are full-range, but the rear speakers are not. If the rear speakers are smaller than the fronts, uncheck the rear speakers only.) Click Finish. Another option I could have tried would have been to use a device that converts the digital audio supplied over HDMI to analog. Amazon sells such a device: SKSL HDMI Digital Audio Converter. However, I would have needed to buy a DisplayPort to HDMI cable. Also, I would have to get RCA to 3.5mm adapters, too. And, that option costs a lot more. UPDATE 2019-05-15: Just wanted to say the sound quality has been superb!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good option for 5.1 analog speaker hookup to laptop
*by A***Y on May 6, 2020*

Overall, a good device. It has all the right inputs/outputs. Worked out of the box with Windows 10 (don't bother with the old drivers on disk or at the web site). It works well with my powered analog 5.1 speakers. It only lost a star because its volume range is very limited. If I adjust my volume control at the speakers to get the 100% windows volume level loud enough, then the 1% windows volume level is too loud. On the other hand, if I adjust the volume control at the speakers so that the 1% windows volume level is quiet enough, then the 100% windows volume level isn't loud enough. The windows volume level stops getting louder at about 30%, which seems to be a limitation of the device since it is USB bus powered and probably just uses the on-chip amp, which can only put out so much. If the device could put out a wider range of volume levels, then maybe the 1% volume level would be quiet enough *and* the 100% volume level would be loud enough. It's only a minor annoyance that I occasionally have to fiddle with the volume knob on my speakers.

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*Product available on Desertcart United States of America*
*Store origin: US*
*Last updated: 2026-03-08*