No sticky on PC specs recommendation

So how exactly is a discrete soundcard better than the sound module on the mainboard?

On a Mac, the Apple Core Audio is deemed to be sufficiently good quality to use with Hauptwerk.
Windows Direct Sound (the default on-board sound on Windows PC motherboards), is not.
Therefore it is recommended to have a separate pro/semi-pro-standard audio interface when using Windows.
A separate interface is also necessary on a Mac if you want to use more than one pair of speakers or headphones.

Now I'm getting confused, sound card and adio interface are seperate things.
My PC has a sound module on the motherboard. On top of that I have a USB audio interface, which lets me connect the stereo loudspeakers to the PC.
The question is whether a separate soundcard, a Creative Soundblaster, for example, makes any difference.

Now I'm getting confused, sound card and adio interface are seperate things.
My PC has a sound module on the motherboard. On top of that I have a USB audio interface, which lets me connect the stereo loudspeakers to the PC.
The question is whether a separate soundcard, a Creative Soundblaster, for example, makes any difference.

Sorry if I confused you. Audio interfaces are sometimes still referred to as "soundcards", even though most of them nowadays are *external* boxes rather than PCI cards on the motherboard (which most of them used to be, years ago).
If you have a USB audio interface, that is good. Make sure you use its own native ASIO driver - not DirectSound.
You don't need another "soundcard", and I think I'm right in saying that Creative Soundblaster cards are NOT recommended for Hauptwerk. (Martin or François can please correct me if I'm wrong about that.)

A pro AMD comment - I built my machine in 4Q2019, with Video Editing & Hauptwerk as my heavy-lifting use-cases. Wanted to be 128GB memory capable (deployed 2x32GB on first build), with lots of CPU cores. Chose a Ryzen 3900x over the comparable Intel of the day, after having been an Intel guy for a generation. X570 MOBO, M.2 NVME SSD for primary storage, a SATA SSD I had laying around for secondary, HDDs for archival and backup. No special cooling beyond AMD's included CPU fan, until recently when I upgraded to a better fan due to running at 100% CPU & GPU 24x7. No heat issues. No special CPU tweaking in the BIOS, though I did play with tightening up the timings on my memory (DDR4-3200) just to play around. Lots of memory choices available on AMD's compatibility list.

I run Windows 10 Pro, latest general-availability patch levels. I make none of the classic concessions/Window's tweaks to manage latency - my PC is Internet connected full-time, with commercial AV/AM software, internal backups, Internet offsite backup in real time, no disabling of pre-fetch, Windows update enabled, all default stuff plus my favorite utilities loaded and running, and so forth. This is a full general-use PC. I shutdown/change nothing when running Hauptwerk. Never had a hint of a glitch, neither Hauptwerk functional error nor audio.

I ran the HW Polyphony-test organ for 4GB memory, all 500 ranks loaded. Setting it to maximum polyphony (500 pipes/key), I used two sticks to depress all 60 keys at once - reached 50% cpu for the 30,000 pipes.

In March, I started running Fold-at-Home modelling 24x7, at full priority. It is continuously running 22 of 24 CPU threads at 100%, and my NVIDIA 2070 Super GPU at 100%. Can easily play the Pipeloops Notre-Dame Schyven de Laeken or my Friesach without compromise at the same time.

Simply no complaints from me regarding the modern AMD chips.

And some folks like Fords while other's like Chevys. My fav is a car that gets me to where I'm going with the least amount of problems. :

Minor issue solved, some ATX mobos use 8 pin cpu power cables and some power supplies only provide a 4 pin. Solution:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4Pin-to-8Pin-Convert-Extension-Cable-Converter-Adapter-Cable-For-Power-Supply/193415639540?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Rgds,
Ed