Asus Xonar U7 USB sound card. New sound card Asus Xonar U7. Automation on headphones

І DACs, video cameras – Xonar series from Asus. Previously, serious Xonar Essence One and Xonar Essence One Plus Edition, and today we know something simpler and cheaper under the name Xonar U7. I would introduce the device to the wider gaming audience as a clear and direct replacement for the current sound solutions on both desktop computers and laptops. For serious audiophiles, this is a serious decision. The device runs on USB and outputs 7.1 sound. The main element of U7 is the chip Cirrus Logic CS4398 from relationships signal to noise 114 dB. What does the device include:

External appearance, equipment, roses and ceramics

The Xonar U7 comes in a very large (as I would have designed it for such a device) box, inside you can find: the sound card itself, a USB cable, an optical output adapter, a disk with a software package and instructions:

U7 is a small box made of black matte plastic with a gold edging and a control dial. There are no vital organs of the ceramics on the barrel panels.

On the top of the placement there are LED indicators of the active audio output and dial: Turn to adjust the volume, press to adjust the active audio output:

On the front panel there is a 3.5 mm headphone output, a microphone input and volume adjustment buttons for the microphone. You can do it manually and operate it manually with one hand without any problems:

All the sockets are located at the back: the front channels are RCA, then there are three 3.5 mm sockets for connecting speakers in multi-channel mode, a combination of coaxial/optical (via an adapter) output and a USB connector:

On the bottom panel there is a switch between USB 1.0 (Plug-and-Play) and 2.0 modes for additional functionality:

Asus Xonar U7 paired with my home device - Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB audio interface:

Control and clarity of sound

Installation is as simple as possible: connect to USB and install the software. The complete software of Xonar U7 Audio Center is as comprehensive as possible in control, including all the necessary adjustments. Unfortunately, due to the lack of a rich channel system, I was not able to demonstrate all the functionality.

Sound card supports Dolby Home Theater V4, on the display panel you can configure the equalizer, enable the bass preset, loudness, virtual surround sound and adjust dialogue clarity:

Harshness to sound. Based on the audio experience and the visual audio interface of the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, although the same is not entirely true due to the different type and price category of the devices. The Asus Xonar U7 sounds an order of magnitude better and cleaner than the original sound, which I have no doubt about. The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is oriented towards sound recording and monitoring in the home, with a lot going on, apparently, the detail and “truthfulness” are better here than in the U7. The Xonar U7 booster for documents will pump out headphones up to 150 ohms, 63 ohms Sony MDR-7506 was launched with a bang.

Have a dry surplus

The result is a more compact solution with a decent sound (priced at around $100). The map is manual, the placement of controls and switches was done manually. On the one hand, it would be a bad idea to remove serious audio outputs for speakers with excessive sound, but the class of the device would justify such a solution. The device can please those who are not bothered by the harsh sound of the motherboard of a computer (laptop) and gamers. For audiophiles, this is not a decision, they need to save up their pennies and get excited about more serious options.

Two USB audio cards with clear DACs

In today's material, we compare two sound cards: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD vs. Asus Xonar U7. These two are close in price and product capabilities, in which the emphasis is on the clear transformation. However, at the time of writing this article, the cards were on sale at a very low price, a little more than 3 thousand rubles.

The forum called the Asus Xonar U7 the “optimal choice” based on photographs and specifications. Many people forget about the need for direct alignment of sound devices. It is also impossible for most to correctly interpret the results of experiments.

Name

• Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD
• Asus Xonar U7

The Creative card is said to be different from the panel, because it is not related to the X-Fi cards and is not related to the Titanium HD card. As a result, the card output will become unmarked. This product is not known to anyone other than some computer audio enthusiasts.

Asus Xonar U7 also has a misleading name. Upgrade old cards U1 and U3 – for the budget version with the power of integrated sound. U7 is not closely related to the previous products in this series.

Price

• Creative: 3700 rub.
• Asus: 3100 rub.

The cards stand practically the same, the difference in absolute values ​​in the price is not serious. The most important thing is that such an affordable price makes them worthwhile for a large number of buyers. They have practically no competitors for USB cards!

So, the Asus card showed up recently. Virobnik also reports that the Asus Xonar U7 Echelon Edition model will soon appear with an army-grade armored casing and more functional drivers.

Whole audience

• Creative: Masova, audiophiles
• Asus: Masova, home cinema

The Creative model has a card with full-size TRS connectors for headphones and microphone. What's great is that there is a Phono input for digitalizing vinyl from ground connections. It operates in the same mode as the line input. THX This other company processing is not programmatic. For movies there is an optical digital output for connecting a 5.1 receiver with a decoder.

To the Asus card you can connect 7.1 speakers behind the analogue minijack. The emphasis is on Dolby software in the kit. Digital output – mixed, optical/coaxial. Both cards have a linear input, but the Asus terminal has a linear input connected to the microphone, which is not easy to figure out.

There is no mystery, but it was necessary to obtain a clear solution for the offending cards with such a large number of functions and PZ. This inevitably expands the audience and increases the usefulness of the cards, and bright DAC. The whole solution is too much - practically in any sound map. In the description of sound cards and in the design of the boxes, it is called, “You can’t see the forest for the trees.” It is not clear that organizing a 7.1 cinema on a computer or laptop is not easy and is practically not required. Fortunately, the merchant does not overpay much for all these additional functions, since the price of the cards is even low.

Grip knob

• Creative: Miniature metal handle with elasticity and original finishing. The Mute function starts when you press the knob. It is not very easy to use a hand, because it is spread very close to the surface of the table: the fingers are moved in an unusual position and licked across the surface.
• Asus: The smooth handle is recessed into the body. Pressing the knob turns on the speakers on the headphones and back. It’s not easy to scratch with your hands: you have to make a deep sound, otherwise you’ll lick your finger. The groove under the finger is cut for beauty - it is much easier to adjust by pressing your finger there, there is no groove.

In both versions, Vikoristano has a digital regulator. The ergonomics of the regulators are very clever. Through the combined function of the regulator and button, the Asus regulator allows for a noticeable backlash. A lot of people would like to remove the button, otherwise there would be no backlash. The Asus regulator is also manual when transferring the sound interface. At the end of the episode, the decision looks stale.

Illumination

• Creative: blue LED on the top panel
• Asus: 3 signal LEDs on the top panel

The activity indicator on the Creative card glows brighter. By the way, for most people this will not be a problem. But we felt the need to seal it with duct tape so that it would not hurt our eyes and would not be constantly visible to the naked eye.

Roztashuvannya exit to headphones

• Creative: from the front
• Asus: from the front

Both cards have roses drawn by hand.

Filling

• Creative: DSP Creative CA0189-2AG, 2-channel DAC AKM AK4396 (123 dB), 2-channel ADC CS5361 (114 dB).
• Asus: DSP CM6632A, 2-channel DAC Cirrus Logic CS4398 (120 dB), 6-channel DAC Cirrus Logic CS4362A (114 dB), 2-channel ADC CS5361 (114 dB).

The filling of both cards is very simple. And this is the main feature of the cards, so you don’t have to bother anyone anymore. The Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC is ranked higher than the AKM AK4396.

All Creative USB sound cards have a CA0189-2AG RISC processor with a frequency of 100 MHz. In addition to the original DSP Creative, this chip does not have hardware audio processing. Its purpose is a flexible USB 2.0 controller and a rich-channel interface to high-grade I²S/I²C microcircuit converters, such as Cirrus Logic and AKM. Two crystal oscillators are soldered on the board.

Asus has a CM6632A chip that supports HDA codecs and I²S/I²C converters. Number of channels - 8+2 (analog + digital) output and 2+2 input. The frequency support is 192 kHz. The chip can be clocked at three generators, 12, 24.5 and 22.5 MHz, which the creators of the card used. It’s not a reasonable decision to throw pasta from one end of the DAC board to the other with connectors.

All processing in both cards will be carried out exclusively on the software level. The maximum data frequency of 96 kHz is not a big problem, since instead of a frequency of 192 kHz it is practically not necessary. Hi-Res doesn’t give anything to the average hobbyists and doesn’t appeal to the masses, but those who like Hi-End sound cards for $100 are unlikely to bother.

Automation on headphones

• Creative:є
• Asus:є

When plugged into the headphone jack, the speakers are turned on. This feature was first implemented in integrated sound as part of the AC'97 and HDA standard. Initially, headphone connections were based on impedance and a mechanical sensor. External cards with good transducers do not compromise the integrated sound of your device. However, in practice this can cause problems.

Complete PZ

• Creative: on the disk there is a set of software, on the website of the driver update manufacturer
• Asus: However, the new installation kit is on CD and on the manufacturer’s website

The PP disc is similar to all other Creative products.

The new look and feel of the Entertainment Console of the X-Fi card has already been described several times in our materials. The Audio Control Panel is included in the package and allows you to adjust everything without the hassle of a graphical menu, behind the scenes of an equalizer. Creative Volume Panel is an unsurprisingly needed program that is supplied for the range. The importance of drivers for XP: you can select the frequency and bit depth directly from the Entertainment Console. Frequency range: 48 - 96 kHz, regardless of OS. This selection is standard for all Creative USB cards.

The Asus card panel is really amazingly covered. Parameters can only be selected through the context menu with the right mouse button!

The following parameter is used to set the headphone output volume limit.

In fact, Asus has an additional option – Dolby Home Theater v4, which seems to surpass the number of “colorizers” of Creative cards.

44 kHz boost

• Creative: neither
• Asus:є

The Creative card combines two crystal oscillators, and also supports 44 kHz at the same level as the DSP. However, drivers neither for Windows XP nor for Windows 7/8 do not support the robot in 44 kHz mode: when configured, the device can be set to either 48 kHz or 96 kHz. The card for audiophiles should indicate either the inadequacy or the continued incompetence of the distributors. For listening to music, 99.9% of the episodes use a frequency of 44 kHz. It’s worth checking out the comments from the card distributors themselves.

The Asus card supports all frequencies: 44, 48, 88, 96, 192 kHz.

Availability of ASIO driver

• Creative: neither
• Asus:є

The availability of the ASIO driver for Creative cards is beyond our understanding. The best listening option for a Creative card is the WASAPI interface and software resampling on the player. Converting from 44 kHz to 48 or 96 will always be necessary to switch off the Windows sound engine, or in the media player select conversion to bit. For example, for the player foobar 2000:

Sound from the speakers

Listening was carried out on active monitors Adam S2.5A and Adam ARTist 5. For comparison, we also received audio from the E-MU 1616M (CS4398) and E-MU 0204 USB (AK4396) sound cards.

First surprise: all cards play differently! In the first place behind the sound box there is an E-MU 1616M card, in the second place there is an E-MU 0204 USB, in the third place there is a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD, in the fourth place there is an Asus Xonar U7.

The sound of the Asus card is less similar to the E-MU 1616M (we will install the same DAC, however). This is due to problems with Asus, since we know for sure that the implementation of the analog output of the 1616M card is not perfect. This is a 120 dB signal/noise reduction, and a 0.0003% reduction, excellent clear sound beyond that. The 1616M does not sacrifice much for sound to the best implementations of rack studio devices, similar to Pro Tools HD and Lynx Aurora, so we happily choose the sound of the 1616M as the standard for devices in the category up to $150. E-MU 0204 USB sacrifices very little. X-Fi HD sounds brighter and has an emphasis on high frequencies, which, while still effective, is a fraction away from the original sound. The Xonar U7 really disappointed us with its meager highs and its crappy sound. It is possible that this problem is caused by flashing the drivers; We will definitely clarify the food at the virobnik. Anyone who suffers from a 0.01% stupor is not to blame. Both the digital and analog parts of the map are larger.

Thanks to Creative for its use of the 44 kHz mode. It’s just mindless, nonsense! How can I create an audiophile card, install two crystal oscillators and protect it at 44 kHz? Can't you install a custom ASIO driver that bypasses Windows? This is simply the extreme incompetence of the distributors. The E-MU 0204 USB - a device for the same pennies - has no trace of such problems! It seems that one of the Creative company's offspring is mercilessly competing with another: it easily dismantles a bicycle with square wheels, if in the living room a racing sports car has long been dismantled and tested.

The sound of the headphones

We tested high-impedance headphones Sennheiser HD600 (300 Ohm) and Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro (250 Ohm).

There is enough capacity in both versions, but the Asus card has practically no reserve. Creative has greeted us once again. In terms of sound quality, the places were divided in the following order: the first place was E-MU 1616M, the second place was Sound Blaster X-Fi HD, the third place was E-MU 0204 USB, and the fourth place was Asus Xonar U7. The professional interface E-MU 0204 USB, in principle, performed poorly, while the X-Fi HD seemed to be a clear favorite and had a significantly larger margin of flexibility. The Asus Xonar U7 card is itself quiet, but its noise increases sharply when processing is turned on. Possibly, everything has been carefully designed to become the headroom for Dolby technologies and other auto-equalizers. Thus, the Asus card is best suited for simply listening to music; its emphasis is on the effectiveness of the processing. The sights and hootings of card fans will be deprived of us completely unreasonably.

Vimiryuvannya in RMAA

Tests at the RMAA rated it “Excellent.” This means that there are no door jambs of devices. It doesn't mean anything anymore. (If only piecemeal intelligence is required to develop an unnecessary analysis of human extinction, we will be the first to tell you about it!)

The damaged cards were tested through the power path, and the fragments ended up in the high-quality ADC CS5361.

In terms of noise, it's a little better than Asus, and in terms of noise - Creative. We were surprised by the appearance of the Asus graphics in the intermodulation test with a floating tone: the anomalies in this test indicate frequency distortion or any other digital processing. We checked our adjustments several times. The results will not change. We conducted additional tests on installations of Windows XP and Windows 7. The remaining drivers and firmware were installed. There is only one bag: the Asus card has approximately 10 times more noise at high frequencies.

There is still a great shortage of inexpensive external sound cards on top-end microcircuits and the appearance of the ASUS U7 model with CS4398 deserves great respect.

So ASUS is pleased with the release of not only the latest Essence STU DAC, but also the budget U7 card for $100.

Key features of the U7 include a CS4398 front output, rich 7.1 channel output, ASIO support, and 192 kHz high-sampling frequency support via USB. And all this in a lightweight, compact case with a live USB connection. In fact, the ideal companion for mobile use with a laptop.

External look of ASUS U7

The U7 case is plastic, which is why the card is even lighter. On the top panel there is a volume control, which ensures switching between output modes: headphones and line output.

On the front panel there are mini-jack connectors with a headphone output and a line/microphone input. The push-button regulator regulates the level of input volume. Select mode: line or microphone – available on the U7 driver panel.

On the rear panel there are multiple analog outputs, a combination of SPDIF output (electrical coaxial and optical mini TOSLINK) and a USB connector. Front analogue audio output on RCA connectors, minijacks (to save space).

On the bottom panel there is a USB 1.0/2.0 jumper.

The U7 is just a little larger, the lower player is the Colorfly C4 Pro and a new 2.5-inch hard drive.

The transfer plan has an alternative option - the space takes up little space, the effort is minimal.

For systems based on tablets and laptops - ASUS U7.

In the middle ASUS U7

In the middle we can be careful not to complete the montage.

Everything is divided carefully.

Velike photo >>

In terms of selected elements, the card is closest to the ASUS Xonar DX, and even more advanced through a series of different generators for frequencies of 44 and 48 kHz. Particularly purebred elements on the board are not soldered, so from the side baked audiophiles there will inevitably be criticism that the potential is not fully developed and that only after handing in a soldering iron the sound will be good - similar to the Creative X-Fi HD USB.

Velike photo >>

The board is actively covered with elements on both sides.

The CM6632A is responsible for connecting to USB, while the CM6631A (located in the STU) has a rich channel capacity, since there are only two inputs and two outputs, whereas the 6632A has several channels per input and 10 per ihid. Another feature is support for DSD stream, which is not included in the U7, but may appear in future products. CM6632A supports SPDIF output.

For multiple frequencies of 44 and 48 kHz, you can use different generators.

The front channels are served by the CS4398 and are featured in cards such as the E-MU m series (1212m/1616m/1820m), LynxTwo, as well as the ASUS Xonar DX and Colorfly C4 Pro. Currently it is the flagship of Cirrius Logic. The main characteristics of the CS4398 are signal noise 120 dB, harmonic noise level - 107 dB (0.0003%).

The recording is confirmed by the CS5361 with parameters of 114 dB noise signal and a harmonic level of 105 dB (0.0006%).

The channel range is represented by a six-channel CS4362 with parameters of 114 dB signal/noise and a harmonic rejection level of -100 dB (0.001%). With low-cost, high-channel acoustics, such a DAC is much less sufficient.

ASUS Xonar U7 Front & Rear >> E-MU1616m

The value is adjusted to a value of 0.0005% when switching through the E-MU1616 for the front output. Technically, this is an excellent result and a garne of the potential of CS4398. Other channels show simply good results - differences up to 0.0038%.

RMAA Report:

ASUS Xonar U7 Front >> E-MU1616m

Harmonious creations
ASUS Xonar U7 Line

Harmonic equalization at 0.0 dBFS @ 1 kHz, dB

Harmony coefficient at 0.0 dBFS @ 1 kHz, %

Harmonic equalization at -3.0 dBFS @ 1 kHz, dB

Harmony coefficient at -3.0 dBFS @ 1 kHz, %

Level of harmonics when feeding 1 kHz 0 dBFS
ASUS Xonar U7 Line

Harmonics, order

Harmonic level, dB

Harmonics, order

Harmonic level, dB

Level of harmonics when feeding 1 kHz -3 dBFS
ASUS Xonar U7 Line

Harmonics, order

Harmonic level, dB

Harmonics, order

Harmonic level, dB

The test was carried out both in RMAA and in ARTA with RAA analysis on trival signals at a high value of the gate window with a large average result. This gives slightly different results and more information. On trivial signals, spurious noise is better filtered, which gives more accurate detection of uncorrelated noise and, consequently, the level of jitter. The level of the noise police in RMAA (and with the adjusted size of the BFP 4x) becomes -144 dB, the same as for ARTA-RAA - 150 dB. This allows for confusion at lower levels and more accurately improves the result of wide-range jitter. At the end of U7, neither low-frequency nor high-frequency jitter is visible; behind this parameter, U7 overrides the older One and STU. Regardless of the signal-to-noise ratio of 110-113 dB, on a trival signal the level of noise police is similar to the results of such cards as the E-MU1616m.

RAA Report:
RAA Report:

ASUS Xonar U7 Front >> E-MU1616m

E-MU1616m >> ASUS Xonar U7

ASUS is not too keen on reaching out to computer music lovers because of its power in the market and its dynamics, and it is distributing a wide range of sound cards for a variety of tastes and pleasures.

ASUS Xonar U7 - price 3100 rub.
The rest of the time, the acoustics makers turned their faces to silence, choosing the computer as the main source of sound. There are more and more active near-field monitors, more progressive in all respects, lower-end computers made of plastic; There are no headphones either - for a very reasonable price you can already get a pair close to professional models. Nowadays, the sound system of basic PCs, especially laptops, is no longer insured and requires an upgrade.

Although it is customary in the industry to distinguish between the terms “external audio card” and “USB-DAC”, they are actually the same. It’s just that the first one expects to be equipped with a wide range of functions, and the other one is minimalist, but rather designed more for audiophiles and audiophiles. However, no one cares about the difference in the first phase from the clear elemental base in the other. The result is a universal product that can instantly provide a rich channel circuit, improved sound recording capabilities, as well as wonderful musicality and true sounding.

The new ASUS Xonar U7 sound adapter is a very compact box with two controls and a set of ports. On the front there is a headphone jack and a microphone in a standard mini-jack format, on the back there is a USB input and low-level terminals for acoustics. The front pair of speakers (or speakers in stereo modes) are connected to two additional RCA connectors, which makes it possible to use decent cables. Multi-channel audio can be sent to the receiver or home theater set via the S/PDIF digital interface or through an eight-channel analog output. The clarity of the rest allows you to create a superb sound system simply from active acoustics without any additional ones. Apart from this, there is no need for life here, I’ll add enough pressure to be downloaded via USB.

Portability in this way does not compromise anything, and as an accessory to a laptop, this model looks especially attractive. The main mystery lies in the separate control of acoustics volume and microphone sensitivity. In e-sports or online games, you often have to pause and delve into software settings, but here everything is at your fingertips, easy and manually adjustable just on the fly. The digital-to-analog converter is based on the Cirrus Logic CS4398 microcircuit, which is often used in expensive Hi-Fi components. The circuit design also conforms to all canons, with fire-insulated analogue and digital circuits. The sound is produced at a high frequency - 24 bit / 192 kHz; Not every audiophile device can access such displays via USB. The signal-to-noise ratio is stated at 114 dB, which is clearly higher than tired standards for computer audio. The booster for headphones is rated for a support range of up to 150 Ohms, which is why ASUS Xonar U7 headphones offer a wide selection of current monitor-type headsets.

Connections and setup are made easily, almost without the participation of a user. A software package of performances using Dolby Home Theater V4, which will provide sufficient adjustment to suit the system according to the acoustics of the room. This is necessary for reliable reproduction of the multi-channel sound picture of films.

For materials see Hi-Fi.ru

20.10.2014 15:44

Having re-imagined the famous phrase, and conveyed it more clearly and objectively to the reader, let us now take a look at the sound itself and the sound of ASUS itself.

ASUS Xonar U7 and Xonar U5 cannot be called top-end devices, because they stink in the price segment up to $100.

It is no secret that the Taiwanese company occupies a leading position in the IT industry, palmetto palm. A new leather product from a Taiwanese brand is eye-catching for footwear. And new items are still unsatisfactory, and most often the stench does not disappoint the same shamans.

What is the matter with today's subsistence people, these products are still needed by those who know why nature has a stink. Moreover, in this segment there are not so many competitors, which allows ASUS to be among the leaders in the number of sales of sound devices.

Unfortunately, the latest sound cards are related to the Xonar family. ASUS Xonar U7 and Xonar U5 cannot be called top-end devices, because they stink in the price segment up to $100. The middle peasants are better suited to sound. And the axis on which the buildings are mediocre, we understand today.

Yak test stand vikoristano nastupne obladnannya:

- HP ProBook 5330m laptop
- Vintage booster from the 70s of the last century Denon PMA-255
- Vintage acoustics of the 80s rocks of the last century Saba 50K

To equalize the sound, you will need a Denon 1500MK2 CD player, as well as an ESI U46 XL sound card. The equipment is not stagnant, the stench has long served us as a standard source of sound, which means the ear has rung to the skin nuances of creation that we need and need.

ASUS - as richly in this sound for the Russian heart was angry, as richly in this sound was heard.

It's no secret that today's widest and most valuable carrier of musical content is the CD. Well, CD-burners are also relevant, as well as a lot of reasons for that. And music lovers with experience and absolutely nothing else, they don’t recognize CDs (even though they have analogue sounds, but that’s another story).

However, recently, clear sound cards have appeared on the market, with many people thinking about how to use CDs and store the entire music library on a computer that connects to a home audio system.

Wait, this is a completely logical move, the handiness is obvious. However, it is the nutrition itself that is to blame, and how clearly this option sounds. It is not enough to simply copy the entire CD to your computer. It is also necessary to competently, and also without expenses, forward music from PC to audio system. And here sound cards (in this case external ones) come to the rescue.

We are important plus

An external sound card is a universal tool that can be connected to any computer that has USB. Moreover, such an interface device may also include various types of guidance, and other negative influences on the sound, such as internal sound cards.

ASUS Xonar U7 has a few serious technical characteristics (all other support for multi-channel sound format 7.1 for the young ASUS Xonar U5 – 5.1 ).

In this review, the main emphasis is on the analysis of stereo sound itself, since multi-channel production is often not as difficult as dual-channel. Buying a new sound card, people always look for clear Stereo and incredible Surround Sound, isn’t that right?

We are important plus Both cards have a clear booster for headphones. ASUS emphasizes this particular respect.

ASUS Xonar U5

The interface to the device is pinkish in different dimensions of the body. Here you can find a mini-jack, S/PDIF in the shape of a tulip, and a volumetric volume control at the top. It is digital and rotates endlessly either to the right or to the left. There were indicators showing the operating mode: headphones, speakers (analog output) or S/PDIF. Everything just became clearer. Nothing fancy.

Another marvelous USB1.1 – USB 2.0 remixer. The usefulness of such a solution is even doubtful, but it is likely that older PCs that are not equipped with USB 2.0 ports are still in use.

After installing the driver for ASUS Xonar U5 and programs with a proprietary graphic shell, a picture appears to the buyer.

There is no sense in describing this program panel, since the interface of the PZ is as simple as possible, and the number of adjustments has been reduced to a possible minimum, so there is absolutely no need to talk about any interconnections with the functionality of the device. Let the music-lover-ear of corn sort out the cinnamon utility.

ASUS Xonar U7

The sound card is available in three sound modes:

linear exit (stench of tulips);
digital output S/PDIF;
output to headphones (among the people jack 3.5).

At the top there is an output voltage, which indicates which switching mode is currently on.

Before speaking, if you press the volume control wheel, the mode of sound output from the speakers to the headphones changes. A very quick and easy way.

After installing the drivers and the HOME THEATER v4 heating panel, the user interface opens in front of us.

By going through the various menu items of this equipment, you can find all the needs (and not needed) for sound adjustment. Particularly significant is the presence on board the ASUS Xonar U7 of a headphone booster that is ready to pump out to your existing head monitors.

Obviously, you need a motherboard sound It’s difficult to cope with such fashionable formats as Dolby Digital, Dolby Surrond, etc. ASUS Xonar U7 and Xonar U5 are not innocent. Obvi cards are completely clearly indicated in the robot in multi-channel modes. And the axis to stereo sound in 2014 is hanging even more than ever.

For musical content, we have reviewed a number of well-known files in the FLAC format. Instead, such compositions were specially selected so that both vocals and different frequency musical instruments could be heard. Nothing killer or important.

The panel of visual sound cards has complete sound adjustments: equalizer, bass boost and other sound effects.

First of all, please rushed at the woo After the first rounds of listening, the creation of content is even quieter. Moreover, all three current sound cards demonstrated a relatively weak output signal (don’t forget that we also have a third card in our arsenal called ESI U46 XL). It’s unlikely that such a turn can be called a significant minus, since the tension knob on the Denon PMA-255 booster had to be turned to a very serious level.

The panel has a wide range of sound cards that completely adjust the sound: equalizer, bass enhancement and other sound effects, but we obviously haven’t started to go into detail yet painters, Bo “the most accurate equalizer – yogo vіdsutnіst”.

With vocal parts, all cards scored a solid “four” plus, but there are still more details on the vintage Denon 1500MK2 CD-reader.

Rock on ASUS Xonar U7 and Xonar U5 sound chewy and light. There, de demand drive, vin buv. However, at some point we realized that there were not enough low frequencies. The control knob did not control the situation. I still had a chance to go into silence painters add bass to the sound according to the program. After this manipulation, the sound changes.

Classics do not sound as bright as I would like. It’s not good, it’s not bad enough. Having twisted the equalizer controls, I managed to correct the dirty picture, but still the sound was not ideal.

What I was most pleased with was the brightness of the electronic music created, but it should be said that electronic samples cannot be called a sound standard. An almost instrumental sound stage, live drums, a violin or a harp, an artist’s voice or a choir – that’s all that’s valuable. And in such a situation, a clear approach is needed.

What I was most pleased with was the brightness of the electronic music created, but it should be said that electronic samples cannot be called a sound standard.

A little surprise came to us when the headphones were connected. In this mode, ASUS Xonar U7 and Xonar U5 showed all their beauty. Clean, booming and volumetric sound, without distortion.

Why is one card better for another? Completely reasonable nutrition. Even though we take into account the fact that the ASUS Xonar U7 has greater capabilities in terms of switching and support for 7.1 sound, we would conclude that the cards are still good. So, the very good ones, no more and no less, and with their own pennies resent the decision to stand without reproach.

And for those who value everything about sound, we recommend that you pay attention to high-class devices, for example, ASUS Xonar Essence One and ASUS Xonar Essence STX.