Nathan Davis19 March 2007, 6:08 AM
ASUS has dropped a bombshell. It's making a gaming sound card and it's doing so in direct competition with Creative.
At this year's CeBIT in Hannover, running from March 15th through 21st, ASUS has dropped somewhat of a bombshell. It's making a gaming sound card and it's doing so in direct competition with Creative.
Called the 'Xonar,' it is a 7.1 channel sound card that features, according to ASUS, "Ultra high fidelity sound quality."
Reportedly using a sound processor from Analogue Devices Inc., it sports a 118dB signal-to-noise ratio for playback and 115dB SNR when recording.
Not only is ASUS pumping out a sound card, but it's finally introducing some much needed progression in the audio arena. Namely, it has produced a x1 PCI-Express edition, so you can now make good use of that almost barren yet full-of-potential expansion slot.
ASUS is also creating a standard PCI edition, it calls the Xonar D2. Xonar D2K is the name of the PCI-E edition.
ASUS's Xonar will not support Creative's set of DSP audio presets -- namely, EAX -- and it will instead feature sound technologies from Dolby and DTS (Digital Theatre Systems).
You can see a photo of the new sound card at
Fudzilla.
Pricing isn't yet provided, but the Xonar is expected to be priced on par with Creative's high-end X-Fi gaming sound cards. They will apparently be available shortly after CeBIT.
Could this mark the end of the sound card monopoly that Creative controls? I believe it all depends on the quality of on-board sound, which has improved over the years, albeit quite slowly.
Considering ASUS makes motherboards, perhaps it'll converge the two and eradicate the need for a separate sound card, once and for all.
Whatever happens now, it's great to see someone finally grew some balls and stepped up to the podium. There's nothing like the sound of competition.