[Elecraft] Does a K4 need an external sound card for FT8?

[Dennis Dinga]

This question keeps coming up but, but the answers are either 
incomplete or confusing.  Courtney KD6X asked it again on Jan 3 and 
has not received an answer.

Here's the way I'd like to ask it:  I use a West Mountain RIGblaster 
advantage instead of the sound card in my computer.  Why?  So that I 
have the convenience of adjusting TX and RX levels with physical 
knobs instead of using sliders on a monitor.  So how do you set 
levels with the K4?  Does it require fiddling with menus and going 
through several steps?  And like Courtney asked, is there anything 
else to gained by using an external 24 bit card?

-Dennis N6DD

++++++++++++++++++

Here is the way that Courtney KD6X put it:

"Any value in using a Microkeyer III with a K3S or K4D?

I have a K3... the best radio I've ever owed in my 50+ year ham 
life.  I'm currently using a US Interface Navigator with it for 
digital modes.  This is now sold as the Time Wave Navigator and has 
worked really well for me for many years.

My understanding is that the K3S and now the incoming K4's have sound 
cards built-in via the USB port.  So perhaps I won't need the 
Navigator anymore when my K4 eventually arrives.  But my question is 
whether there is still something to be gained using a newer 
transceiver interface with the K3S or K4?  I've been looking at the 
Microkeyer III with its 24 bit audio processing.  Does anyone have 
any hands-on experience with the Microkeyer III with Elecraft 
radios?  I'm particularly interested if it has a lower noise floor or 
other features that might not be found in the stock K3S or K4.

Thanks for any input or feedback!

   -- Courtney  KD6X"