Asus Xonar DX Offers 7.1 Channels, Low SNR

Asus claims its new enthusiast audio card offers sound 35 times cleaner than onboard audio thanks to a reduced signal-to-noise ratio.

While most people seem content with on-board audio on PCs for cranking out music through a cheap set of headphones or PC speakers, more serious audio enthusiasts look to better solutions to match their high-end systems, and Asus launched its own entry targeting this niche market on Thursday. The Xonar DX PCI Express Audio card offers 7.1 channels and a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) Asus claims is 35 times cleaner than onboard alternatives.

In terms of output, the board boasts an SNR of 116dB, while Asus says most onboard chipsets produce audio with an SNR of 85dB (decibels are logarithmic, explaining Asus’ “35 times cleaner” claim despite a seemingly small different between decibel SNR measurements). The board also produces lower total harmonics distortion.

Besides claims of quality, the Xonar DX also supports a range of Dolby’s audio technologies including Dolby Digital Live, Dolby Headphone, Dolby Virtual Speaker, and Dolby Pro Logic IIx, all of which aim at producing surround-sound experiences from sources that don’t include the right number of channels. Pro Logic IIx, for instance, converts more common 5.1-channel audio into 7.1-channel audio, while Dolby Digital Live spins ordinary game stereo sources in Dolby Digital 5.1-channel bitstreams.

Asus hasn’t yet attached a price or announced availability, although that information will probably come out at the upcoming CeBIT conference where it will debut.