HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect Sound Card<base href="http://www.atruereview.com/" /> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="http://www.atruereview.com/images/favicon.ico" /> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" /> <link href="http://www.atruereview.com/templates/rt_versatility_iii/css/template_css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <link href="http://www.atruereview.com/templates/rt_versatility_iii/css/style10.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <link href="http://www.atruereview.com/templates/rt_versatility_iii/slimbox/slimbox.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <link href="http://www.atruereview.com/templates/rt_versatility_iii/css/rokmoomenu.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />  <link rel="shortcut icon" href="http://www.atruereview.com/images/favicon.ico" /> <style type="text/css"> td.left div.moduletable, td.right div.moduletable, td.left div.moduletable-hilite1, td.right div.moduletable-hilite1, td.left div.moduletable-hilite2, td.right div.moduletable-hilite2, td.left div.moduletable-hilite3, td.right div.moduletable-hilite3, td.left div.moduletable-hilite4, td.right div.moduletable-hilite4, td.left div.moduletable-hilite5, td.right div.moduletable-hilite5, td.left div.moduletable-hilite6, td.right div.moduletable-hilite6, td.left div.moduletable-hilite7, td.right div.moduletable-hilite7, td.left div.moduletable-hilite8, td.right div.moduletable-hilite8 { width: 175px; } div.wrapper { margin: 0 auto; width: 868px;} </style> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.atruereview.com/templates/rt_versatility_iii/js/mootools.r462.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.atruereview.com/templates/rt_versatility_iii/js/roktools.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.atruereview.com/templates/rt_versatility_iii/js/mootools.bgiframe.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.atruereview.com/templates/rt_versatility_iii/js/rokmoomenu.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> window.addEvent('domready', function() { new rokmoomenu($E('ul.nav'), { bgiframe: false, delay: 500, animate: { props: ['opacity', 'width', 'height'], opts: { duration:400, fps: 100, transition: Fx.Transitions.sineOut } } }); }); </script> </head> <body id="page_bg" class="f-default"> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.atruereview.com/templates/rt_versatility_iii/js/slimbox.js"></script> <div id="fxContainer"> <div id="fxTarget"> <div id="fxPadding" class="wrapper"> </div> </div>  </div> <div id="template" class="wrapper"> <div id="header"> <a href="http://www.atruereview.com" class="nounder"><img src="http://www.atruereview.com/images/blank.png" style="border:0;" alt="" id="logo" /></a> <div id="banner"> <div class="padding"> <form action="index.php?option=com_search&Itemid=5" method="get"> <div class="searchroflmao"> <input name="searchword" id="mod_search_searchword" maxlength="20" alt="search" class="inputboxroflmao" type="text" size="20" value="search..." onblur="if(this.value=='') this.value='search...';" onfocus="if(this.value=='search...') this.value='';" /> </div> <input type="hidden" name="option" value="com_search" /> <input type="hidden" name="Itemid" value="5" /> </form> </div> </div> </div> <div id="horiz-menu" class="moomenu"> <ul class="nav"> <li><a href="http://www.atruereview.com/">Home</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.atruereview.com/search.html">Search</a></li> <li><a href="http://atruereview.com/oldrev.php">Old Reviews</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.atruereview.com/atruereview/articles.php">Old Articles</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.atruereview.com/contact/contact.html">Contact</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.atruereview.com/links/links.html">Links</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.atruereview.com/accessories/2.html">Reviews</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="top"> </div> <div class="clr" id="mainbody"> <table class="mainbody" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr valign="top"> <td class="left"> <div class="moduletable"> <h3> Main Menu </h3> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr align="left"><td><a href="http://www.atruereview.com/" class="mainlevel" >Home</a></td></tr> <tr align="left"><td><a href="http://www.atruereview.com/search.html" class="mainlevel" >Search</a></td></tr> <tr align="left"><td><a href="http://atruereview.com/oldrev.php" class="mainlevel" >Old Reviews</a></td></tr> <tr align="left"><td><a href="http://www.atruereview.com/atruereview/articles.php" class="mainlevel" >Old Articles</a></td></tr> <tr align="left"><td><a href="http://www.atruereview.com/contact/contact.html" class="mainlevel" >Contact</a></td></tr> <tr align="left"><td><a href="http://www.atruereview.com/links/links.html" class="mainlevel" >Links</a></td></tr> <tr align="left"><td><a href="http://www.atruereview.com/accessories/2.html" class="mainlevel" >Reviews</a></td></tr> </table> </div> <div class="moduletable"> </div> </td> <td class="mainbody"> <table class="sections" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr valign="top"> <td class="section w99"> <div class="moduletable"> </div> </td> </tr> </table> <div class="padding"> <h1 align="center">HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect Sound Card</h1> <p align="left">Provided By: <a href="http://www.auzentech.com/">Auzentech</a><br> MSRP: $139.00 (<a href="http://atruereview.pricegrabber.com/search.php?topcat_id=1&form_keyword=Auzentech&Search=Go">find on PriceGrabber</a>)<br> Review Date: March 15th, 2006<br> Written By: Daniel W.</p> <p align="left">Some time ago, I reviewed the <a href="http://www.atruereview.com/bluegears/index.php">HDA Digital X-Mystique 7.1 Gold Sound Card</a>. With its Dolby Digital Live capability, the X-Mystique was the sound card of choice when building an HTPC. However, while Dolby Digital is the most widely used surround sound format, audiophiles and home theatre aficionados will argue that DTS is a better quality format.</p> <p align="left">With DTS becoming nearly as common in home theatre receivers as Dolby Digital, it was only a matter of time before the DTS equivalent of Dolby Digital Live became available in a sound card. Well, that card is here. It is the HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect – the world’s first Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect certified sound card – and the subject of this review.</p> <p align="center"><a href="atruereview/HDA_X_Plosion/01.jpg"><img src="atruereview/HDA_X_Plosion/01th.jpg" alt="HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect Sound Card" title="HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect Sound Card" width="250" height="170" border="0"></a><br> <font size="-1">Click on image for larger picture</font> </p> <p><strong>Packaging:</strong></p> <p align="left"> Auzentech's HDA Digital X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect sound card comes packaged in a full colored retail box. The front of the box features the name of the product, a profile shot of the sound card, and an icon list of its features including the Dolby Digital Live (DDL) and DTS Connect logos.</p> <p align="center"><a href="atruereview/HDA_X_Plosion/03.jpg"><img src="atruereview/HDA_X_Plosion/03th.jpg" alt="HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect Sound Card" title="HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect Sound Card" width="101" height="250" border="0"></a><a href="atruereview/HDA_X_Plosion/04.jpg"><img src="atruereview/HDA_X_Plosion/04th.jpg" alt="HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect Sound Card" title="HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect Sound Card" width="100" height="250" border="0"></a><br> <font size="-1">Click on image for larger picture</font></p> <p align="left">The left side of the box displays the X-Plosion's specifications while the right side of the box lists the system requirements. The back of the box gives a detailed description of the card’s main features.</p> <p align="center"><a href="atruereview/HDA_X_Plosion/02.jpg"><img src="atruereview/HDA_X_Plosion/02th.jpg" alt="HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect Sound Card" title="HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect Sound Card" width="250" height="170" border="0"></a><br> <font size="-1">Click on image for larger picture</font></p> <p align="left">Inside, the sound card is enclosed in an anti-static bag and rests in a cardboard bed with all of the accessories located below it.</p> <p align="center"><a href="atruereview/HDA_X_Plosion/05.jpg"><img src="atruereview/HDA_X_Plosion/05th.jpg" alt="HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect Sound Card" title="HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect Sound Card" width="250" height="169" border="0"></a><br> <font size="-1">Click on image for larger picture</font></p> <p align="left"><strong>Contents:</strong></p> <ul> <li> HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect audio card</li> <li> MPC to MPC (2pin-2pin) CD S/PDIF audio cable</li> <li> Owner's Manual—English</li> <li> TOSLINK fiber optic digital cable</li> <li> Drivers/Applications installation CD</li> </ul> <p align="center"><a href="atruereview/HDA_X_Plosion/06.jpg"><img src="atruereview/HDA_X_Plosion/06th.jpg" alt="HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect Sound Card" title="HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect Sound Card" width="227" height="250" border="0"></a><br> <font size="-1">Click on image for larger picture</font></p> <p align="left"><strong>Features:</strong></p> <p align="left">Features and Specifications for the HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect Sound Card can be seen on Auzentech's <a href="http://www.auzentech.com/products_xplosion.html">web site</a>.</p> <ul> <li> The world's first DTS Connect logo program certificated PCI audio board. </li> <li> DTS® Interactive: A real-time 5.1 encoder that takes any 2 or more channels and encodes them into DTS® bit stream. DTS® Interactive provides a single cable connection via S/PDIF digital audio output to a DTS® enabled surround sound system by encoding all audio into a DTS® compatible bit stream at 1.5Mbps.</li> <li> DTS® Neo:PC: An up-mixing matrix technology that turns any 2 channel audio into 7.1 surround sound. DTS® Neo:PC, based upon DTS® Neo:6 matrix surround technology, transforms any stereo content, such as MP3, WMA or CD audio, into a 7.1-channel surround sound experience. </li> <li> Dolby® Digital Live (DDL) Real-Time Content Encoder converts PC audio into a 5.1 channel Dolby® Digital bit stream. </li> </ul> <p><strong>Specifications:</strong></p> <ul> <li> Sound Processor <ul> <li> C-Media CMI8770 PCI chipset (8CH audio single chip with DTS® Connect and Dolby® Digital Live Real-Time Content Encoder) </li> <li> 8CH codec embedded PCI audio single chip </li> <li> Full-duplex 8CH 24bit/96kHz DAC / 2CH 16bit/48kHz ADC </li> <li> Integrated S/PDIF input/output supports 44.1kHz/48kHz/96kHz sample rate and 16/24bits resolution</li> </ul> </li> <li>System Interface <ul> <li> PCI Rev. 2.2 compliant with 32bit PCI bus mastering modes</li> <li> Onboard TOSLINK transmitter for up to 24bit/96kHz Optical digital output. Gold plated RCA connector for Coaxial digital output. Two S/PDIF input for CD_SPDIF input (S/PDIF-IN #1). Digital I/O (SPDIF_EXT) input (S/PDIF-IN #2)</li> <li> Built-in earphone buffer at Front Output (32 Ohm Loading)</li> <li> External EEPROM interface for sub-vender/sub-device ID using custom driver</li> <li>16 Pin MIDI_IO Header for supporting MPU-401 MIDI UART port</li> <li> Swappable dual DIP type OPAMP controlled preamp circuit (4pcs output control OPAMP IC with DIY socket, 2pcs MIC input control OPAMP IC with DIY socket) </li> <li> Max 2.8Vrms full swing analog output gain by unique preamp circuit / incredible powerful analog output, improve dynamic range / SNR </li> <li> Proper OPAMP control circuit (+8V, -8V dual power supply circuit) for high quality audio quality, prevent audio distortion at high volume level</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p><strong>System Requirements:</strong></p> <ul> <li> Genuine Intel Pentium III 800MHz CPU or equivalent, AMD Athlon 1GHz processor or faster</li> <li> Motherboard with above level CPU support</li> <li> At least 256MB of RAM</li> <li> Microsoft Windows 98SE/ME/2000 SP3/XP SP1/Server 2003</li> <li> One available PCI 2.1 or higher spec compliant PCI slot</li> <li> 1GB of free hard disk space</li> <li> Headphones or amplified 2ch/multi-channel speakers</li> <li> AV receiver with Dolby Digital/DTS decoding, DD/DTS external decoder, digital speaker system with DD/DTS decoding function for Dolby Digital Live experience</li> <li>CD-ROM/CD-RW or DVD-ROM drive required for software installation</li> </ul> <p align="right"><a href="atruereview/HDA_X_Plosion/soundcard.php"></a> <a href="HDA_X_Plosion/soundcard.php">Next (Description)</a></p> </div> </td> </tr> </table> </div> <div id="footer" class="clr"> <div class="rk-1"> <div class="rk-2"> <div id="the-footer">  </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </body> </html>