It might not be better, provided a good enough sound card & other hardware is used. But then again, this device already has all that. The guy built it, put everything together into a nice appliance package, tested everything to make sure everything plays well together, programmed the interface so it’s simple & nothing more.... a talented guy could do all that, but in the end still won’t be free. So that accounts for something. Maybe you could build your own for only 1/2 the price. On the other hand, life’s too short. I think I’ll just buy the cheap one, if I can save up for one. Should only take 2-3 years