Auzentech X-Fi Prelude Review

[JAG87]

Auzentech X-Fi Prelude




http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/3617/pict1020tk6.jpg
The retail box art. Very nice!



http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/4619/pict1026jo6.jpg
The card fresh out of it's plastic casing :shocked:



http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/5466/pict1056hy1.jpg
The booty shot. Take a look at the IO solder points, the PCB is nicely labeled :clap:



http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/8808/pict1072pj9.jpg
The perspective of good sound.





I/O Connections:

If you are used to Creative cards, this will be a huge change. At the back we find Optical/Coaxial SPDIF Input, Optical/Coaxial SPDIF Output,
MIC Input, LINE-IN Input, and 4 sets of stereo 3.5mm minijacks (Front LR, Center/SW, Surround LR, and Rear LR).




http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/1378/pict1096ov1.jpg
The card comes with a free TOSLINK cable, and 2 optical adapters. Nice!





Components:

Creative X-Fi CA20K audio processor
One AKM AK-5394 super high performance 96kHz 24-bit ADC for analog input
Four AKM AK-4396 96kHz 24-bit advanced multi-bit DAC for analog output
64Mbytes of memory for audio processing
High fidelity audio OPAMPs for analog input and output (TI OPA2134)
Front L/R output OPAMP is replaceable by end-user (National LM4562NA)
Dual mode S/PDIF receiver and transmitter




http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/9286/pict1041rx8.jpg
The 64MB of X-RAM. In case any of you memory freaks are wondering, those are MICRON ECC SDRAM ICs :yepp:



http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/9650/pict1046qn8.jpg
More X-RAM :banana::banana::banana::banana:ography :yepp:



http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/6564/pict1047fv3.jpg
The Texas Instruments OPA2134 op-amps and the AKM AK4396VF DACs :yepp:



http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/3780/pict1049nj0.jpg
The National LM4562NA high performance op-amp, with its interchangeable socket :clap:




Audio Performance:

Signal-to-Noise Ratio (20kHz Low-pass filter, A-Weighted)
Stereo Output : 120dB (part spec)
Front and Rear Channels : 120dB (part spec)
Center : 120dB (part spec)
Subwoofer and Side Channels : 120dB (part spec)
Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise at 1kHz (-3dBFS, A-weighted) : 0.001% - part spec
Frequency Response (+/-0.01dB, 24-bit/44.1kHz input ) : 20khz (part spec)
Frequency Response (+/-0.01dB, 24-bit/96kHz input ) : 43.5 khz (part spec)
16-bit to 24-bit recording sampling rates: 32, 44.1, 48 and 96kHz


To give you an idea, most Creative boards have a Stereo Output S/N ratio of 109 dB, while the Elite Pro is 116 dB.
The Total Harmonic Distortion is 0.004% while the Elite Pro is 0.0008%.






Drivers:


The only drivers available at the moment are the drivers that come with the CD. I have installed the Windows XP drivers, I have no idea how the Vista drivers behave.

In any case I wouldn't expect them to be much better than the Creative's Vista drivers everyone has "loved" so far.

The drivers are extremely easy to install, you just pop in the CD, and click the install drivers button. The routine installs the Auzentech Audio Console, and the Console Launcher.



http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/2253/ctlaunchervi6.jpg
The Auzentech Audio Console. Look familiar? :rolleyes:



http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/7267/consolelauncherrt0.jpg
The Console Launcher




If you are buying this card for its Dolby and DTS capabilities, you will be left with a sour tooth. With the current drivers the card has no Dolby/DTS decoding capabilities.
You can clearly see from the screenshots that there is no Dolby/DTS tab, and using SPDIF in programs will not work.

I have a feeling all Dolby and DTS features will come with the Q4 driver release.
This release should add all Dolby and DTS decoding features as well as encoding (Dolby Digital Live, DTS Interactive and DTS Neo).

Please check this link for more information
http://www.auzentech.com/data/prelude_driver_status_082807.pdf





Sound Testing:

The following tests were conducted with the sound card hooked up to a Technics Stereo Amplifier and a pair of JBL towers.
For headphone testing the Sennheiser HD280 Pro were used (wish I had 595 or 650s to test with)


DD 5.1 448 kb/s through PowerDVD Ultra (set to 2.0)
DD Plus 5.1 640 kb/s through PowerDVD Ultra (set to 2.0)
DD TrueHD through PowerDVD Ultra (set to 2.0)
MP3 @ 256 kb/s through iTunes
Battlefield 2 (all settings max)





The Dolby results:

To be honest, there is not much difference here between the Creative card, and the Auzentech card.
With the mode set to Audio Creation and the bit-matched playback enabled, the two cards sound nearly identical.

The most difference is shown in the TrueHD soundtrack, where the Auzentech card seems to have more clarity and deeper bass.
But otherwise, the cards are both excellent. Liquid gold in, liquid gold out :up:





The MP3 results:

With a flat listening experience (bit-matched) the Auzentech card has a crisper, less veiled sound.
The Creative card has duller highs and bass. Still, it's not night and day, they are pretty evenly matched.
Where the Auzentech card really excells is the post processing. The Creative card just doesn't stand a chance.
Where before the Crystallizer was a hiss/bass distortion feature, it now becomes a fantastic feature.
The Crystallizer gives your flat MP3s a much needed extended bass and high range that is clean and crisp, not distorted and uncomfortable.
To measure this difference, I will show you an example with numbers.

With the Xtreme Music, as soon as you raise the Crystallizer level above 0% you can already start to hear bass distortion at high volumes.

With the Auzentech I find myself enjoying up to 50% Crystallizer at high volumes with absolutely pristine bass and highs. Clearly the better components on the card are paying off here.





The Battlefield 2 results:

This deserves a 10/10 for improvement, there is just no comparison. With the Crystallizer enabled now that its actually worth using, the sound is just insane.
If I even try to raise the Crystallizer above 0% with the Xtreme Music, the distortion is evident. With the Prelude the Crystallizer is everything it should be.

Im not sure I can portray with words the fact that when you fire a shell from your Abrahams tank, your ears ring.
It actually feels like your inside the tank, thats how amazing it is. Its not flat and dull, its punchy and crisp.




Wrapping things up:

This card shows clear improvement over the cheaper Creative cards, when the card is stressed to its limits.
These limits are reached by using the Crystallizer at high volume, because this feature enhances the bass and the highs so much
that if the components are not up the task the resulting sound is actually worse than the original pre-processed signal.





So who should purchase this card?


You should not be purchasing this card :down:

1) if your speakers or headphones are worth less than the card. Its as simple as that.
You will not notice the difference with sub 200 dollar speakers or cheap headphones, it just wont happen.

2) if you like low volumes. You need the right amount of sound pressure to hear the difference,
at low volumes the card does not sound 100 dollars better than the Xtreme Music or the Xtreme Gamer cards.





You should be purchasing this card :up:

1) if you have a nice set of speakers (like the Logitech Z5500s) and you frequently turn them up for good listening sessions or movie watching,
or if you connect your PC to a receiver/amplifier with good quality speakers.

2) if you have high-end headphones like HD595s, HD600, HD650, Beyerdynamic DT-880 and 990s, AKG K701s.
If you have an amp for your headphones you will enter PC-as-source audio nirvana.



I hope you enjoyed my review of the Auzentech X-Fi Prelude, if you have any questions please dont hesitate to ask! I will do my best to answer them. :up:

[leoftw]

thank you for your review

[NLight95]

Does the Prelude exhibit any high-pitch noise like the later X-FI cards?

Ref: http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs/board/message?board.id=soundblaster&message.id=76653

[JAG87]

I haven't had any problems at all.

I tried cs 1.6, source mods, COD2, BF2, MOH Airborne, Test Drive Unlimited, World In Conflict, and Pro Evolution Soccer. Nothing to report except amazing visceral sensational sound.

[YukonTrooper]

Could you test the microphone for us? I've heard some bad things about it.

[buffbiff21]

Good overview.


Could you test the microphone for us? I've heard some bad things about it.

Seconded.

Line in too, possibly? :)

Newegg's website says the sampling rate is 192KHz.... they had better change that to 96.

Also, does DD or DTS work via optical/coax out? I've been reading that digital out doesn't apply EQ or even EAX.

[WeeManFoo]

Would this be good for a Medusa 5.1 pro-gamer headset? I would like to spend as little as possible for a sound card.

[JAG87]

The bad things you guys heard about the microphone is that it's QUIET. Even with the 20 dB boost, its very quiet. Example: in ventrilo I have to keep outbound to +10 :eek: The quality is good though.

The line-in works great, I have no complains. Same as the Creative card. Maximum sampling rate is 96 kHz, not 192. Thats a mistake on Newegg.

As far as the optic/coax connections, I wish I could try them for you guys, but I don't have a receiver with digital inputs in my room, just analog stereo. Plus, I wouldn't be able to test multichannel streams, because like you have read AC3 and DTS pass through is broken in XP. For now at least.

[khellandros66]

:cool:

As soon as DD Live or DTS Connect is enabled I will pick one of these up and replace my Xplosion which is EAX2.0 (very dated IMO)

~Bobby

[Repoman]

So there won't be a big difference over my xtrememusic with Beyerdynamic DT-770?

[Zytek_Fan]

I'm definitely getting one :D Too bad the PCB is brown :(

[NapalmV5]

what shouldve come out from creative 2+ yrs ago.. :shakes:

sour tooth indeed,
no DTS connect
no 192KHz @ 7.1

cant blame auzen, the x-fi chip is just outdated pos

i really hope auzen develops their own sound chip

[YukonTrooper]

Well I am going to hold off on the Prelude because of the mic. Unfortunately in Source games you don't have the extra boost options like Vent does. I have the headphones to get the most out of this card and I am thinking about picking up a decent headphone amp but the mic is crucial. If they fix this issue with drivers then I'll pick one up for sure. By then there will be more retailers and there should be some lower prices to choose from.

[buffbiff21]

I'm definitely getting one :D Too bad the PCB is brown :(

PCB appears very unflattering due to camera flash. It's more black in real life. My X-Meridian looks black enough for me. ;)

[JAG87]

FYI the PCB is very dark brown. it looks black inside the case where there is low light, but like buffbiff said, it looks brown under the flash.

yukon, if you are that bonkers about the mic, you can always buy a nice condenser mic + a mic amplifier and connect it to the Line-in.

repoman, you will hear a difference with your DT-770s, but only at very high volumes, which is probably not a 24/7 comfortable listening level. I definitely hear the difference with my HD280 Pro connected to the headphone jack of the Technics receiver.

[Donnie27]

FYI the PCB is very dark brown. it looks black inside the case where there is low light, but like buffbiff said, it looks brown under the flash.

yukon, if you are that bonkers about the mic, you can always buy a nice condenser mic + a mic amplifier and connect it to the Line-in.

repoman, you will hear a difference with your DT-770s, but only at very high volumes, which is probably not a 24/7 comfortable listening level. I definitely hear the difference with my HD280 Pro connected to the headphone jack of the Technics receiver.

Thanks for the review Jag. :up:

I think I'll replace my Pioneer Receiver with a Harmon Kardon 247 and look at a Card later. Move the Pioneer down to the Den since my old Technics sucks and doesn't have Coax, just Optical. Newer DVD players have only Coax or HDMI. That delays my Card for about 7 months at least.

[Donnie27]

The bad things you guys heard about the microphone is that it's QUIET. Even with the 20 dB boost, its very quiet. Example: in ventrilo I have to keep outbound to +10 :eek: The quality is good though.

The line-in works great, I have no complains. Same as the Creative card. Maximum sampling rate is 96 kHz, not 192. Thats a mistake on Newegg.

As far as the optic/coax connections, I wish I could try them for you guys, but I don't have a receiver with digital inputs in my room, just analog stereo. Plus, I wouldn't be able to test multichannel streams, because like you have read AC3 and DTS pass through is broken in XP. For now at least.

Max rate is not depended on the DSP, but on the Hardware around it. It's only limited by the AD and DA Converters. I wondered how they'd separate the lines, now I know how LOL!

X-Fi can playback 24bit 192KHz Stereo. 96KHz recording is limited and if you want to record 24-192, the EMU 1212M can record 24-192 and unlike XMeridain, ships with the software to do it.

http://www.zzounds.com/item--EMU1212M

Please note this line?


Emu 1212M PCI 24-Bit/192kHz Balanced Interface (Windows)
Mastering-grade 24-bit, 192kHz converters. Flexible connectivity. E-DSP 32-bit Multi-effects Processor.

SO please calm down NapalmV5 LOL! If you want the correct tool, please research and then buy it;) 1212 can be had at some spaces for about $110 or less.

http://www.alwayslowest.com/AL/index.cfm?fuseaction=shop.dspSpecs&part=1906755

[YukonTrooper]

yukon, if you are that bonkers about the mic, you can always buy a nice condenser mic + a mic amplifier and connect it to the Line-in.
I'm not bonkers about it, I just need to be heard well in the games I play. It's not worth it to buy all that stuff, especially considering it's probably fixable via drivers. I imagine enough people will complain that they will address the issue. Actually I am going to email both Creative and Auzentech right now. Maybe you guys could as well. Cheers.

[NapalmV5]

Max rate is not depended on the DSP, but on the Hardware around it. It's only limited by the AD and DA Converters. I wondered how they'd separate the lines, now I know how LOL!

X-Fi can playback 24bit 192KHz Stereo. 96KHz recording is limited and if you want to record 24-192, the EMU 1212M can record 24-192 and unlike XMeridain, ships with the software to do it.

http://www.zzounds.com/item--EMU1212M

Please note this line?



SO please calm down NapalmV5 LOL! If you want the correct tool, please research and then buy it;) 1212 can be had at some spaces for about $110 or less.

http://www.alwayslowest.com/AL/index.cfm?fuseaction=shop.dspSpecs&part=1906755

LOL.. i know it playsback 192khz stereo but not @ 7.1 thanx to the old x-fi chip

1212m/1616m 12/16 channels - nice sound.. but more towards recording

[Donnie27]

LOL.. i know it playsback 192khz stereo but not @ 7.1 thanx to the old x-fi chip

1212m/1616m 12/16 channels - nice sound.. but more towards recording

There is no 24-192 7.1 material or source to even worry about *last time I checked. Please, do you know of any? According to the specs at Auzen, Prelude is limited to 96KHz for playback and recording. I wonder if software can still perform 24bit-192KHz stereo playback?

Prelude;
http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-fi_prelude.php
Overview

24-bit Analog-to-Digital conversion of analog inputs at 96kHz sample rate
24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion of digital sources at 96kHz to analog 7.1 speaker output
24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion of stereo digital sources at 96kHz to stereo output
16-bit to 24-bit recording sampling rates:32, 44.1, 48 and 96kHz
ASIO 2.0 support at 16-bit/44.1kHz, 16-bit/48kHz, 24-bit/44.1kHz 24-bit/48kHz and 24-bit/96kHz with direct monitoring.
Enhanced SoundFont support of up to 24-bit resolution
64MB of X-RAM
Rear panel connectors for MIC, line input, channel line output, S/PDIF input and output
Front panel connectors for MIC input and headphone
On-board connectors for AUX and digital extension header
Swappable OPAMP Socket (Front L/R only)
Software and drivers

X-Fi
http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=15854&nav=technicalSpecifications

Technical Specs
24-bit Analog-to-Digital conversion of analog inputs at 96kHz sample rate
24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion of digital sources at 96kHz to analog 7.1 speaker output
24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion of stereo digital sources at 192kHz to stereo output 16-bit to 24-bit recording sampling rates: 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 and 96kHz
ASIO 2.0 support at 16-bit/44.1kHz, 16-bit/48kHz, 24-bit/44.1kHz 24-bit/48kHz and 24-bit/96kHz with direct monitoring

XMeridian
http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-meridian.php
Additional inputs available using the Auzen X-Tension DIN, sold separately
The C-Media Oxygen HD CMI8788 Audio Processor is the heart of the AUZEN X-MERIDIAN 7.1.
4 pcs 24-bit/192kHz AK4396VF (120dB-part spec.) DACs for 7.1channel output. (24-bit/192kHz in 7.1channel playback)
1 pc 24-bit/192kHz AK5385VF(114dB-part spec.) ADC input (24-bit/192kHz recording)
1 pc CMI9780 AC'97 2.3 CODEC for AUX input, CD input, MIC input (16bit/48kHz playback/recording)
Integrated up to 192k/24-bit S/PDIF transmitter for 44.1kHz,48kHz, 96kHz, 192kHz SPDIF output.
Supports onboard high grade special COAX+OPTIC combo type transmitter module for up to 192kHz SPDIF out.
Integrated up to 192k/24-bit S/PDIF receiver for 44.1kHz,48kHz, 96kHz, 192kHz SPDIF input.
Supports onboard high grade special COAX+OPTIC combo type receiver module for up to 192kHz SPDIF input.

OK, see the difference? There were suggestions that Both Creative and Auzen would limit this card but no one knew how much or to what extent. This now brings into question the cost of the card. With all of that said and done, I wish I could fit one into my budget, I should get to sample on in a couple of days. A bud is getting one. I'm only nit-pickin' here, I still want the card:up:

[Donnie27]

Oh!


1212m/1616m 12/16 channels - nice sound.. but more towards recording

Please note, they sound damned good for Analog Playback as well.

[NLight95]

Personally I think Newegg's price is way too high right now ($199). They are charging the retail price of the card. I'm going to wait until the price comes down and a few more reviews before I venture a decision.

THANKS for the detailed review, Jag. I like to see forum reviews as they seem to be more objective than site reviews.

[JAG87]

Yup, thats the whole point. Web reviews focus too much on the technical aspects, I wanted to portray the actual difference in the sound that is heard.

Yukon, I doubt the mic can be fixed with drivers. Its most likely the different components on the card that output the lower volume, like the ADC for the mic.

But still, its not that bad. People can still hear me in CS, and my mic is way far on my desk. In vent I can just boost it to +10, and I sound great (unless my friends are lying lol).

[Miwo]

IMO, there was a lot of difference between my XtremeMusic and Prelude. Its difficult to objectively review a sound card when sound itself is extremely subjective. You could always do Rightmark analysis' but graphs don't always translate perfectly into sound quality, a common dilemma when reviewing speakers. Then you take into consideration that most of us have different audio setups, different audio tastes, etc. Its impossible to base your buying decision on one reviewer for this reason. Ideally, you want to hear the sound card for yourself, but not everyone has the money or time investment to do a detailed comparison.

Jag, I suspect that you would have heard more bass improvement than you already experienced if you had a dedicated subwoofer...since most Towers have at best 40Hz usable bass. I posted my review over at the General Hardware -> Audio Section on the forums if you want to take a look :). I did not use CMSS-3D or Crystallizer though because I really dislike what it does to 2CH music. Individual tastes for ya

[JAG87]

Hey Miwo, I dislike CMSS-3D in music too. I think that on a 2 channel system, music is meant to be heard in stereo, and we should keep it that way. But in games the CMSS-3D does add some depth to the sound. Especially in BF2 and in COD2 for example. Thats why my Game mode has crystallizer, EAX and CMSS turned on, while my Entertainment mode has just the crystallizer on, and everything else off.

About the speakers, with a sub the bass would probably be better, but honestly these JBLs have some 8 inch woofers at the bottom that vibrate very nicely.

[Miwo]

I have no doubt that your JBLs have some nice bass. To be honest I would have liked a Tower setup myself, but due to space restraints (my bedroom desk setup), I have settled on Bookshelves + Sub.

It depends on what type of speakers you have too. My Bostons are naturally on the bright side, so Crystallizer tends to push things over the edge of my ear's comfort. If you have warmer speakers like JBLs usually are, some added treble can certainly be more fun to listen to. All depends on your tastes

I am trying to run all these Rightmark tests and will try to get some results up soon :)

[Donnie27]

I have no doubt that your JBLs have some nice bass. To be honest I would have liked a Tower setup myself, but due to space restraints (my bedroom desk setup), I have settled on Bookshelves + Sub.

It depends on what type of speakers you have too. My Bostons are naturally on the bright side, so Crystallizer tends to push things over the edge of my ear's comfort. If you have warmer speakers like JBLs usually are, some added treble can certainly be more fun to listen to. All depends on your tastes

I am trying to run all these Rightmark tests and will try to get some results up soon :)

http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/7/19700170163.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=6012904)

These are Infinity Studio Monitor 120's, 32" tall and they still sound better off the floor. About to replace my Poineer so that it can replace the Technics downstairs in my Den. Difinately no Audiophile stuff but folks who's heard say it rocks!

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=91019

This guys says it best.


I had a pair. Frankly, they were NOT bad for rock. Too many "audiophiles" tend to dump a speaker system if it sounds crappy on jazz/classical, etc... My maggies are nice on jazz/classical/etc., but for taking The Ramones out by the pool, it was hard to beat my SM-120s... Plus the things are efficient enough that you can actually get some real volume out of them with a 30 watt receiver. (My girlfriend's sister now has mine, with a 50 watter...)

They're basically hybrid speaks... Part home speak, part pro speak... I'd get the woofs refoamed (Orange County can do it), and you can get new mids at Madisound.

As for the screecher, hey, the things have dual lpads... You can somewhat dial in to taste...

[afireinside]

So there won't be a big difference over my xtrememusic with Beyerdynamic DT-770?

What amp do you run? With a decent amp and decent ears you should be able to tell a difference.

[Donnie27]

I'll go on record with the others and say I don't like CMSS-3D for music either. I like mine in stereo and bitmatched.

[NapalmV5]

I'll go on rerecord with the others and say I don't like CMSS-3D for music either. I like mine in stereo and bitmatched.

have u tried dts connect?

stereo @ 7.1 :D

[Meffy]

Hello there,i bought an X-FI fatality for about a year ago with a front bay drive which im very happy with (Front bay drive).Now my question is: Does anyone knows if i can connect my present Front bay drive(X-FI fatality) to the Auzentech X-Fi Prelude?I'm thinking of gettin me one but i would like to know if Prelude support/can connect the bay drive i already have.
Thx

[Donnie27]

have u tried dts connect?

stereo @ 7.1 :D

Yes, I've tried DTS connect and it wasn't bad at all. What I'd really like is EAX 5 in its full glory being sent via HDMI to even a sound system like the one I have.

I think you've confused what 24bit-192KHz is. The reason I said stereo is because there isn't any 24bit-192KHz 5.1. 6.1 or 7.1 Material last time I checked. That doesn't mean there will never be, but just not now or known about.

The bit width and sample rate has NOTHING to do with 7.1 as you're presenting it. All you need for 7.1 is 24-96KHz or even a lower grade 24bit-48KHz. There are many different formats and a few are almost dead because folks didn't get it:( DVD-Audio, SACD, DTS-DVD and etc... just to name a few. Then these Discs ship with 2 or 3 formats on each Disc as well.

I bring this up because I took my Hotel California DVD-Audio Disc to a Bud's place and we listened to it in 24bit-192KHz STEREO, not 7.1. I can't wait to hear it on a Prelude.

[Donnie27]

Hello there,i bought an X-FI fatality for about a year ago with a front bay drive which im very happy with (Front bay drive).Now my question is: Does anyone knows if i can connect my present Front bay drive(X-FI fatality) to the Auzentech X-Fi Prelude?I'm thinking of gettin me one but i would like to know if Prelude support/can connect the bay drive i already have.
Thx

So far they're saying it is not compatible. If true, that's too bad I like mine as well. This kind of put me off. I don't want to use two cards. I use my Drive a lot. I plug in Mics, My Guitar-->sweet sound effects, Bass, Headphones and volum control, lite recording via RCA, Digital transfers and etc. As I said in the Case forum thin Cases like my Lian Li 7B and the paper thin Motherboard tray. It sucks if you have to connect and disconnect to the card a lot because the card works itself loose too easily. If I get a Prelude, I have to get, $200 card, another case$?, Extension $58 add-on and loose my I/O Drive, not good:(

[NapalmV5]

Yes, I've tried DTS connect and it wasn't bad at all. What I'd really like is EAX 5 in its full glory being sent via HDMI to even a sound system like the one I have.

I think you've confused what 24bit-192KHz is. The reason I said stereo is because there isn't any 24bit-192KHz 5.1. 6.1 or 7.1 Material last time I checked. That doesn't mean there will never be, but just not now or known about.

The bit width and sample rate has NOTHING to do with 7.1 as you're presenting it. All you need for 7.1 is 24-96KHz or even a lower grade 24bit-48KHz. There are many different formats and a few are almost dead because folks didn't get it:( DVD-Audio, SACD, DTS-DVD and etc... just to name a few. Then these Discs ship with 2 or 3 formats on each Disc as well.

I bring this up because I took my Hotel California DVD-Audio Disc to a Bud's place and we listened to it in 24bit-192KHz STEREO, not 7.1. I can't wait to hear it on a Prelude.

my understanding of the xmeridian specs, no matter the input the analog output is 24bit 192khz @ 7.1

[Donnie27]

my understanding of the xmeridian specs, no matter the input the analog output is 24bit 192khz @ 7.1

Yes, that's true but that's also for future formats and etc..., not current ones. 24bit-192KHz Stereo is a Format that's out now and been around at least 6 years or so. Damned shame these techs didn't catch on:( The XMeridian's software can't do anything with 24/192 input or output;)

http://www.highfidelityreview.com/reviews/review.asp?reviewnumber=571395


Although the disc does contain a top-notch 192kHz 24-bit two-channel mix, it sounds rather flat and two-dimensional after one has experienced the delights of the 3/2.1 alternative. For purists the presence of a stereo presentation is a welcome addition, and it has not been re-mixed at all, just copied from the original two-channel master tapes. What isn’t clear from the disc itself is just how the 192kHz 24-bit data has been created, since in the ‘Production Notes’ video with Bill Szymczyk, he explains how the original master tapes were sampled at 96kHz. I originally thought some undocumented upsampling may have been employed, but thanks to information from Elliot Scheiner himself, I now know that not to be the case. See our 31st March news story for more information…

http://www.highfidelityreview.com/news/news.asp?newsnumber=578589


Ted Jensen created the two-channel version by converting the original analogue two-track master to digital at 192kHz without any creative changes. This means the source material for the two-channel DVD-Audio version is exactly the same as that for the countless 44.1kHz Compact Disc versions produced over the years and can therefore be used when subjectively comparing the merits of the two.

In simple words, this kicks @$$ compact disc's ahole. I like the surround sound but love the Stereo 24/192. The SACD with the correct a high-end sound system is even better.

Don't believe everything you're told by Creative Labs bashers. As one well known basher posted "Creative's junk player sucks" and another posted 52MB of Bloat. Why is it so large? It can Convert almost any file and do analog recording of almost any format including to 24bit 96KHz 5.1 WAVE files. I got 5GB of them to prove it.

[NapalmV5]

Donnie,

do you know do e-mu have any plans for a swappable opamp audio system cause id be all over it..

ive seen users of 1212/1616 mod to LT1364 opamps but not that easy of a mod for me..

[Donnie27]

Donnie,

do you know do e-mu have any plans for a swappable opamp audio system cause id be all over it..

ive seen users of 1212/1616 mod to LT1364 opamps but not that easy of a mod for me..


AFAIK, NO! But stranger things have happened so I'd never say they never will. Please also be forewarned, these cards offer ZERO HW gaming support. From only a few days I spent with them, 0404 and 1212, they don't need a Mod for my ears but that feature would be nice:)

[ROBSCIX]

Hello there,i bought an X-FI fatality for about a year ago with a front bay drive which im very happy with (Front bay drive).Now my question is: Does anyone knows if i can connect my present Front bay drive(X-FI fatality) to the Auzentech X-Fi Prelude?I'm thinking of gettin me one but i would like to know if Prelude support/can connect the bay drive i already have.
Thx

Sorry. The are NOT compatible at all. The header on the Prelude looks similar but the pin_out is Auzentechs own signal set. Not compatible with existing Creative Labs drive bays. The Prelude does contain a normal Front Audio header for cases that have these connections. Auzen may have plans to make their own devices, the options are certainly there. The X-Tension DIN board is compatible with the Prelude. The HDMI 1.3 board is said to be coming very soon. Hope this Helps;)

[Bigchrome]

Auzentech X-Fi Prelude





You should be purchasing this card :up:

1) if you have a nice set of speakers (like the Logitech Z5500s) and you frequently turn them up for good listening sessions or movie watching,
or if you connect your PC to a receiver/amplifier with good quality speakers.


I hope you enjoyed my review of the Auzentech X-Fi Prelude, if you have any questions please dont hesitate to ask! I will do my best to answer them.[/COLOR][/SIZE] :up:





Z5500s=not good speakers.

[christopher3393]

Would someone please post the physical dimensions of this card? I can't find them anywhere online. Thx.

And thanks for review and great closeup pics!

[psik0.k1m]

Z5500s=not good speakers.


Pretty positive comment that adds to the value of the thread bigchrome !!!! Nice!:clap:



:up: I think those speakers are just fine for a 5:1 setup !! They sound great.. not everyone has like 500-1,000 dollars to spend on 7:1 top of the line stuff..:shrug:

This prelude looks to be a pretty awesome card. Def excited to see where sound goes with vista and all the soon to be compatibility(Hopefully !!)

[psik0.k1m]

Would someone please post the physical dimensions of this card? I can't find them anywhere online. Thx.

And thanks for review and great closeup pics!


Hey maybe you can use this pic, and take the lenght of the pci connections to kinda make a scale and covert it for your self based off this image ?

Just an idea:D

Thats exactly how i did the measurements when i dremeld my antec900 case, just use something in the pic that you know for sure the length of(this case, the pci connectors) And then kinda go from there ! Maybe it wont be to the exact CM or MM but it will be darn close enough to figure out if your clearance issues will remain just that, issues!

http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/5466/pict1056hy1.jpg

[JAG87]

Z5500s=not good speakers.

ok, good PC speakers. you happy now?

christ...

[RubberDuck]

Thx for the Review :up: I have been on the watch for that card for a while. Sounds like a kick ass gaming card :yepp:

[JargonGR]

Well I bought this card and replaced my Audigy 2ZS Platinum Pro EX and although I was not expecting much I have to say that the difference is noticeable both in games and MP3 playing.

The speakers I use are the Gigaworks 7.1 from Creative and ESPECIALLY when I play loud the difference is much bigger.

Now I also own the X-Meridian but this is hooked to my central entertainment system and the speakers there cost 4000 dollars and ofc there is no comparison between the two when playing music. However, it is unfair to compare them like that so when I have time I will hook up the Prelude to my HTPC and do a direct comparison between the two.

Also both cards run on stock opamps but I plan on replacing the X-meridian ones with whatever is best and available.

In my opinion the Prelude is perfect for a gaming PC but as it stands right now I prefer the X-meridian in my HTPC because Prologic II and DD Live and DTS connect are so nice with music. Finally the Prelude does not support 7.1 192Khz/24bit that the X-meridian has for it although I have no material of this quality to test it yet.

Regarding the drivers I am 100% satisfied and have zero problems. I finally got rid of the crackling of my Audigy and that was one of the reasons I got pissed and bought another sound card.

[mondocool]

When I had this sound card it sounded worse than my audigy 2 zs and no matter what I did it wouldn't produce 5.1... a defect maybe? incompatibility with my horrible 680i board maybe :down:

[pRS317]

When I had this sound card it sounded worse than my audigy 2 zs and no matter what I did it wouldn't produce 5.1... a defect maybe? incompatibility with my horrible 680i board maybe :down:

okay, i was almost sold on this card...anyone else have this issue?

[disruptfam]

i got my prelude with my audio technica ad900's awesome combo!!!

[smsmasters]

Is it worth getting this from a x-fi xtrememusic sound card?

[disruptfam]

if u have the cash yes....

[gs274]

Got mine yesterday, installed the drivers from the downloads page, patch and alchemy. Nice static and pops in it and the mic doesn't work. Sweeeeet. For a $200 card you'd think that at least the freaking mic would work.

[ROBSCIX]

It seems ASUS mobo's have been the source of much difficulty for people with PCI soundcards. They seem to have compatibility issues with many different types of soundcards especially so with the SLI chipset boards. I thought they had BIOS updates to fix the issue with soundcards. Try normal troubleshooting techniques. Changes slots, Mute recording inputs your not using. etc. You bought the Prelude to replace your Fatality CE? Good Luck.

[gs274]

actually, the word from the hardforum is that the mic doesn't work period...as for the scb, seems the best way to cure that is to reinstall the os with the card installed. I'm going back to the fatality card...if they have a "audiophile" soundcard that's been out for this long and can't get the mic to work?! get real.

[Miwo]

actually, the word from the hardforum is that the mic doesn't work period...as for the scb, seems the best way to cure that is to reinstall the os with the card installed. I'm going back to the fatality card...if they have a "audiophile" soundcard that's been out for this long and can't get the mic to work?! get real.

The Mic works, though the output is very low. With the right settings/setup, it can be worked around. I use my mic on a daily basis in Source Games, Teamspeak, and Ventrilo, and people can hear me just fine. I am using the mic from my Sen. PC160 headset and speaking fairly close to the mic (a few milimeters). This is at 100% mic recording volume and +20db boost option.

[eToh]

How does this card compare to the x-fi elite in terms of sound quality?

[YukonTrooper]

How does this card compare to the x-fi elite in terms of sound quality?
Better DAC's, better op amps, better capacitors all add to better quality and a lower noise floor. With your studio monitors you would be able to notice the difference. If you have an Elite already though and you feel safe soldering or know someone who can do it, you can pick up some LM4562 op amp samples for free from National Semiconductor and mod the card. You can also go a step further and replace the power filter capacitor but the modded op amps will show the most increase in sound quality. These are the same op amps that the Prelude use.