Asus Xonar DX PCIe 7.1 Sound CardItem#: A455-2621  |  Model#: XONAR-DX

Asus Xonar DX PCIe 7.1 Sound Card
Bring high-quality, clear sound performance at your desk with the Asus Xonar Sound Card. Now, you can enjoy hearing remarkable sound results from your games, calls, chats, videos, and many more. It features VocalFX to let your voice get into the realistic game landscape (VoiceEX) or to emulate the background scenes in online chat (ChatEX). In addition, this Xonar DX offers complete Dolby Home Theater technologies for games and other media. Upgrade your system’s sound performance with the Asus Xonar Sound Card!

What It Is And Why You Need It:

• Asus Xonar Sound Card; delivers a remarkable sound performance
• VocalFX; guarantees a realistic game landscape

Specifications

• Output Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-Weighted):
  - 116 dB for Front-out
  - 112dB for other channels
• Input Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-Weighted): 112dB
• Output Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise at 1kHz (-3dB): 0.00056% (-105dB) for Front-out
• Input Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise at 1kHz (-3dB): 0.0004% (-108dB) for Line-in
• Frequency Response (-3dB, 24-bit/96kHz format): Output/Input Full-Scale Voltage: 2 Vrms (5.65 Vp-p)
• PCI Express
  - PCI Express Rev.1.0a specification compatible
  - Max. full 2.5Gbps bandwidth per direction and optimized latency for high-definition audio processing
  - Compatible with X1, X4, X8, X16 PCI Express slots
• Audio Processor: ASUS AV100 High-Definition Sound Processor (Max. 192KHz/24bit)
• 24-bit D-A Converter of Digital Sources:
  - Cirrus-Logic CS4398*1 for Front-Out (120dB SNR, Max. 192kHz/24bit)
  - Cirrus-Logic CS4362A*1 for other 6 channels (114dB SNR, Max. 192kHz/24bit)
• 24-bit A-D Converter for Analog Inputs: Cirrus-Logic CS5361* 1 (114dB SNR, Max. 192kHz/24bit)
• Analog Playback Sample Rate and Resolution: 44.1K/48K/96K/192KHz @ 16/24bit
• Analog Recording Sample Rate and Resolution: 44.1K/48K/96K/192KHz @ 16/24bit
• S/PDIF Digital Output: 44.1K/48K/96K/192KHz @ 16/24bit, Dolby Digital, DTS
• Analog Output Jack: 3.50mm mini jack *4 (Front/Side/Center-Subwoofer/Back)
• Analog Input Jack: 3.50mm mini jack *1 (Shared by Line-In/Mic-In)
• Other line-level analog input (for TV Tuner or CD-ROM): Aux-In (4-pin header on the card)
• Digital S/PDIF Output: High-bandwidth TOS-Link optical transmitter (shared with Line-In/Mic-In jack) supports 192KHz/24bit
• Front Panel Header:
  - Headphone / Stereo Speaker Out
  - Microphone In
• Operation System: Windows Vista(32/64bit)/XP(32/64bit)/MCE2005
• Dolby® Digital Live: Dolby Digital Live encodes any audio signal on PC in real-time to Dolby Digital (AC3) 5.1 surround sounds to your home theater environment through one single S/PDIF connection
• Dolby® Headphone: Dolby Headphone technology allows users to listen to music, watch movies, or play games with the dramatic 5.1-channel surround or realistic 3D spacious effects through any set of stereo headphones.
• Dolby® Virtual Speaker: Dolby Virtual Speaker technology simulates a highly realistic 5.1-speaker surround sound listening environment from as few as two speakers.
• Dolby® Pro-Logic IIx: Dolby Pro-Logic II is the well-known technology to process any native stereo or 5.1-channel audio into a 6.1- or 7.1- channel output, creating a seamless, natural surround soundfield.
• DS3D GX 2.0: DS3D GX 1.0 supports EAX gaming sound effects and DirectSound 3D hardware enhanced functions on Windows Vista. (DirectX/DirectSound 3D compatible)
• VocalFX™: Xonar DX provides VocalFX, the latest vocal effect technologies for gaming and VoIP, including: -VoiceEX: produces vivid environmental reverberation for your voice in EAX games -ChatEX: emulates different background environment effects when you chat online -Magic Voice: changes your voice pitch to different types (Monster/Cartoon…) for disguising your real voice or just for fun in online chatting
• Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC): Provides advanced Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC, eliminates up-to-40dB speaker echo return) and noise suppression technologies for best voice communication quality in VOIP applications or online gaming
• Smart Volume Normalizer™: Normalizes the volume of all audio sources into a constant level and also enhances your 3D sound listening range and advantages in gaming
• Karaoke Functions: Music Key-Shifting and Microphone Echo effects like professional Karaoke machine
• FlexBass™: Professional Bass Management/Enhancement system
• Xear 3D™ Virtual Speaker Shifter: Virtual 7.1 speaker positioning
• Other Effects: 10-band Equalier/27 Environment Effects
• 3D Gaming Sound Engines/APIs: DirectSound3D® GX 2.0 & 1.0, EAX®2.0&1.0, DirectSound® HW, DirectSound SW, A3D®1.0, OpenAL generic modes, 128 3D sounds processing capability
• ASIO 2.0 Driver Support: Supports 44.1K/48K/96K/192KHz @16/24bit with very low latency
• Portable Music Processor Lite utility: Converts digital music content or CD audio into regular MP3/WMA files with Dolby Headphone, Dolby Virtual Speaker (w/ Pro-Logic II), and Smart Volume Normalization processing (Windows Media Player 10 or above is required)
• MCE Software Kit: Software kit with 10-ft GUI for Windows Media Center Edition
• RightMark Audio Analyzer 6.0.6: Easy but powerful software intended for testing the quality of audio equipments

  A Closer Look

  

  

  Features

  • Dolby Digital Live
    Real-time 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound encoders
  • Dolby Pro-Logic IIx
    Converts stereo or 5.1 sounds to seamless 7.1 surround soundfield
  • Dolby Headphone
    Delivers a realistic and spacious 2-to-5.1 surround or 3D positional soundfield over any set of stereo headphones
  • Dolby Virtual Speaker
    Simulates a highly realistic 5.1-speaker surround sound listening environment from as few as two speakers.

  Minimum System Requirements

  • One PCI Express 1.0 (or higher) compatible slot for the audio card
  • One available 4-pin power cable from PC’s power supply unit
  • Microsoft® Windows® Vista(32/64bit)/XP(32/64bit)/MCE2005
  • Intel® Pentium®4 1.4GHz or AMD Athlon 1400 CPU or faster CPU
  • >256 MB DRAM system memory
  • >60 MB available HDD space for driver installation package
  • CD-ROM drive (or DVD-ROM drive) for software installation
  • High-quality headphones, powered analog speakers, or a Dolby Digital or DTS decoder, to enjoy the ultra-high fidelity sounds of the card

  

  Asus Xonar DX PCIe 7.1 Sound Card Reviewed By Our Editors The Asus Xonar DX PCIe 7.1 Sound Card provides a loud bang in your computer gaming experience. It provides impressive sound quality that is strikingly top-notch for its price. The sound card is equipped with the innovative home theater technology from Dolby which brings you realistic and mind blowing audio and sound. You can hear every detail such as footsteps and explosions with this soundcard installed in your system. It is abundant with features, each of which uniquely enhances the sound quality your computer produces, through whatever medium. One of its features, the Dolby Digital Live formats any audio signal on the personal computer in real-time to Dolby Digital (AC3) 5.1 surround sounds to your home theater environment using only one single S/PDIF connection. You and your friends will definitely love the clear and remarkable sound your home theater will produce. Well, if you’re not up to sharing the music with everybody else, you can let yourself lose with the Dolby® Headphone technology. This allows you to listen to music, enjoy an action movie or play exciting computer games with the dramatic 5.1-channel surround or realistic 3D spacious effects through any set of stereo headphones. Put the headphones on and forget about the outside world. With Asus Xonar DX PCIe 7.1 Sound Card, the amazing sound quality will not change even between different sound sources. Ok, your computer system only comes with two speakers, and you fear that you will not experience the same sound quality as that of a home theater. With Dolby® Virtual Speaker, of course you can. This is another cool feature of Asus Xonar DX PCIe 7.1 Sound Card which produces a highly realistic 5.1-speaker surround sound listening environment even if you have as few as two speakers. How about a seamless, natural surround sound field? Dolby Pro-Logic IIx is responsible for creating those accurate and convincing sounds. This processes any native stereo or 5.1-channel audio into a 6.1- or 7.1- channel output to produce sensational sounds. It seems like the Asus Xonar DX PCIe 7.1 Sound Card is specially designed to be used by computer gamers. It has the DirectSound 3D GX 2.0 which supports environmental audio extension (EAX) gaming sound effects and DirectSound 3D hardware enhanced functions on Windows Vista. This is also DirectX/DirectSound 3D compatible, so you are assured of high-quality sound, especially on your gaming action. The VocalFX technology also adds spice to your gaming experience. This is the latest vocal effect technology for gaming and Voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP). This has the VoiceEX, which produces life-filled environmental reverberation for your voice in EAX games. Communicate with your online allies with spunk and style, thanks to ChatEX. This emulates different background environment effects when you chat online. But Magic Voice is probably the coolest feature. It can change your voice pitch to different types for disguising your real voice or just for fun in online chatting! You can talk as a scary monster or a cute little bunny. The fun is virtually limitless! Hardware-wise, the front panel audio connectors are a great advantage. They allow users to easily connect headphones and desktop microphones to the front of the case. Now, you don’t need to reach behind the PC to connect headphones or microphones. And for a sound card on its price range, the Asus Xonar DX PCIe 7.1 is definitely a gem. You get hard-core gaming sound effects, thanks to this sound card’s impressive features and stunning sound quality. For more product Reviews and Insight click here