Đánh giá card âm thanh asus sonal

I give Asus some serious style points on the drivers. Certainly, any change to the standard C-Media driver would be an improvement, but Asus went and made this:

Ooh! Shiny! Eye candy abounds! Here you get to change the major features of the card, volume, channels, and sample rate. The D2X currently supports 44.1, 48, 96, and 192 KHz sample rates. The 88.2 and 176.4 KHz modes, most used in professional recording studios, are not supported.

Some parts are a little less shiny, like the buttons on the menu flip which seem just a little odd. Much like Creates X-Fi driver, the D2X driver has some preset modes that enable or disable some of the functions, exibited by the group of five 'DSP Mode' buttons (four for XP, the GX isn't needed). The extra nice thing about these modes is the near instantaneous engagement of the feature. The X-Fi dont do it. Anyone who's changed from Entertainment mode to Music Creation mode on an X-Fi knows it too.

I'm switching to the XP drivers for the screenshots, as the Vista drivers don't have as much 'stuff' to them. This is the Playback Mixer control, and here's the record mixer:

One feature that Asus points out is that you can use the Xonar D2X for recording studio work. It's definitely doable with sound quality like the D2X has, and Asus does bundle the Xonar D2X with Abelton Live and Sonar LE, two powerful studio mixing programs. But, you'd need a little more information (like dB markings for one) than this control panel provides to work efficiently, in my opinion.

You also get a whole mess of DSP options, both reverb and equalizer. I never use either for music listening, but depending on what speakers you have, it could work well.

As long as they dont mess with the karaoke function, I wont go green monster on them. Speaking of which, its always fun to click on the monster button and have your voice change into the devil on voice-chat. Tons of fun right there. You can also change your voice to something lower, to convince the chicks playing WoW that you're older, or at least more manly. If you really want to mess with somebody's head, try the MagicVoice 'feminizer' on that horde guy who'll then think you're a hot chick. Always a riot. If your friends have a Xonar too, you can convince that horde guy your a hot lesbian chick. That'll have you and your friends roaring for weeks!

Everything has LFE controls these days. This feature allows you to fine-tune where your satellite speakers switch to the subwoofer for bass. Bass is supposed to be omnidirectional (which is why there's only one subwoofer), but up to a point, then your ears will locate the subwoofer. You'd adjust the LFE to let the satellites take more bass, thus improving the stereo image.

I wonder about this feature, actually. Most folks I know who voice chat use a headset, so there's very little echo to cancel. It's more feature for your money, I guess.

Vista

There seem to be quite a few differences between the D2Xs XP drivers and the Vista ones, as a direct consequence of Vista's audio changes. One is the extra drop-down box for speaker selection, visible on the first screenshot above, and the other is the balance slider under the volume knob which is missing in the Vista driver. You'll have to dig through three levels of Vista property menus to get to the balance control. Good luck.

Now the ultimate test of the D2X, does it have what it takes? Does it still have the karaoke function?

Of course it does. Some features are moved from the KARAOKE tab to a new VocalFX one. I'm OK with that. Not sure why it has to be a smaller button, but whatever.

All in all, the Xonar's driver is sweet. What's even better, we had not a single crash, malfunction, or BSoD.

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Choosing the right sound card for your system can be a daunting task since dozens of them exist. To help you, we've detailed some of the finest PC sound cards/amplifiers in the market.

Among these are PCIe-based options (best suited for desktops), such as ASUS Essence STX II, and USB-powered models (ideal for laptops and gaming consoles) like Creative Sound BlasterX G6.

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Amazon

What We Like

• Lots of connectivity options
• Integrated beamforming microphone

What We Don't Like

• Annoying red LED lighting

Offering many features at a reasonable price, Creative's Sound Blaster Z is easily among the best PC sound cards you can buy. It comes with a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 116dB and can output audio at 24-bit/192kHz, allowing you to enjoy high-resolution music in all its glory. It also has Audio Stream Input/Output (ASIO) support for reduced audio latency. The card's dedicated "Sound Core3D" audio processor enhances the overall sound/voice quality without taxing the computer's primary CPU.

As far as connectivity and I/O are concerned, the Sound Blaster Z sports a total of five gold-plated 3.5mm audio ports and two TOSLINK ports, so you can connect everything from headphones to home theater system(s) and enjoy high-fidelity immersive digital audio. The PCIe sound card also comes bundled with a beamforming microphone that suppresses outside noise and creates an acoustic zone, thus resulting in improved voice clarity.

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Amazon

What We Like

• Affordable price
• Low-profile bracket ideal for small cases

What We Don't Like

• No ASIO support

Not everyone can (or wants to) spend a fortune on top-tier computing hardware, and if that includes you, ASUS' Xonar SE is just what you need. This budget PC sound card features a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 116dB and supports high-resolution audio playback (5.1 channel) at up to 24-bit/192kHz. Its integrated 300ohm headphone amplifier creates an immersive sound output with well-defined bass.

The card is manufactured using exclusive "Hyper Grounding" fabrication technology, which ASUS claims reduces distortion/interference and ensures better signal insulation.

For connectivity and I/O options, the Xonar SE includes four 3.5mm audio ports, one S/PDIF port (with TOSLINK), and a front audio header. A Cmedia 6620A audio processor powers the PCIe sound card and comes with a low-profile bracket that allows it to be installed in smaller cases without any issues. Its audio parameters can be easily configured via the companion app.

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Amazon

What We Like

• Handy controller unit with audio ports
• Individual amplification for each channel

What We Don't Like

• Unintuitive software

Hands down one of the most potent PC sound cards available, Creative's Sound Blaster AE-7 boasts a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 127dB and supports 32-bit/384kHz audio playback. It also has an integrated 600ohm headphone amplifier, working alongside the ESS SABRE-class 9018 Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) to output rich (5.1 channel for speakers and 7.1 channel for headphones) surround sound.

However, the card's best feature is its companion "Audio Control Module" unit, which allows you to adjust the volume level using a convenient knob. It also has a built-in microphone array, two 3.5mm audio ports, and two 6.3mm audio ports for hassle-free I/O and connectivity.

The Sound Blaster AE-7 has five 3.5mm audio ports and a TOSLINK port. The PCIe sound card is powered by a dedicated "Sound Core3D" audio processor. You can adjust settings (e.g., recording resolution, encoding format) via its companion software utility.

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Amazon

What We Like

• Works with a multitude of devices
• Special gaming-oriented mode

What We Don't Like

• Disappointing mic input

Even though internal sound cards work great, they are limited to PCs because of their PCIe expansion bus interface. However, that's not an issue with Creative's Sound BlasterX G6, as it's powered via USB. This means that, besides laptops and desktops, you can hook it up to gaming consoles like Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. Featuring an integrated Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) and a Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) of 130dB, it supports 32-bit/384kHz high-fidelity audio.

The external sound card also includes a discrete 600ohm headphone amplifier, which amplifies both audio channels individually. For connectivity and I/O options, the Sound BlasterX G6 comes with two 3.5mm audio ports, two Optical TOSLINK ports, and a micro USB port. You get a single side-mounted dial to easily control gameplay audio and mic volume. The companion app can adjust everything, including Dolby Digital effects and noise reduction settings.

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Amazon

What We Like

• Lightweight yet premium design
• One-click Bass boost

What We Don't Like

• Questionable long-term reliability

Measuring around 3.14 x 1.93 x 0.82 inches and weighing just 2.75 ounces, FiiO's E10K is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. It's worth mentioning here that it's not a sound card but a portable Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) that can decode 24-bit/96kHz high-resolution audio without breaking a sweat. This is made possible by its new PCM5102 chip, which enhances the internal digital filter's linearity for superior sound output.

You also get a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 108dB, while the new LMH6643 op-amp inside turns the unit into a 150-ohm headphone amplifier. As far as I/O and connectivity go, the E10K comes with two 3.5mm audio ports, a coaxial audio port, and a MicroUSB port. Some other noteworthy features include a convenient volume control dial and a slim aluminum case with a brushed metal finish.

What to Look for in a PC Sound Card

Audio quality - The overall audio quality of a sound card is a complicated equation that depends on the signal-to-noise ratio, frequency response, and total harmonic distortion. You generally want a sound card with a signal-to-noise ratio over 100dB, but the best sound cards are in the 124dB range, which is a significant improvement.

Channels - Many decent, budget-friendly sound cards typically support 5.1 channel audio, but you can spend a little more to get one that can handle 7.1 surround sound. Some can even up-mix 5.1 channel audio to 7.1, which is excellent if your headphones support 7.1 channels and your audio sources don’t.

Connectivity - Look for a sound card with the jacks you need to plug in your equipment. Basic sound cards have 3.5mm jacks that work fine with most headphones and headsets but look for one with RCA jacks or a TOSLINK optical connection if you’re hooking up to audio equipment that requires them.

FAQ

• Why does my PC need a sound card? Nearly all computers (desktops and laptops) available in the market feature integrated (on the motherboard) audio functionality, which ensures that both built-in (e.g., speakers) and external (e.g., earphones) work as intended. If you want to use your PC with high-end gear like studio headphones and home theater systems, you need a sound card capable of driving all this additional hardware. It's also crucial if you want to enjoy high-resolution lossless music.
• Should I go for an internal or an external sound card? Generally speaking, internal sound cards are more powerful. They plug directly into your desktop PC's motherboard, offering features like switchable op-amp chips and many connectivity ports. However, external sound cards are the way to go if your target device is a laptop PC (or a gaming console).

Can I install/set up the sound card myself?

Installing most internal sound cards isn't hard since you simply plug them into your motherboard's expansion slot. External sound cards are easier to set up since they usually get powered via a USB port. In both cases, you must configure the associated drivers (if any) to get things up and running.