The Asus Xonar U3 USB surround sound card with a built-in headphone amplifier is perfect for those who use their notebooks as personal entertainment centers. Weighing at just 25 grams, the device enhances treble and bass while driving high fidelity headphones with impedance up to 150-Ohm. The Xonar U3 adopts the company’s exclusive hyper-grounding technology, which works like a watershed to separate audio signals from noise to provide clean and clear sound. What’s more, the device offers a wide range of Dolby Home Theater Technology such as Dolby Headphone, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, Dolby Digital Virtual Speaker and Dolby Digital Live. The Xonar U3 is also ideal for gamers, with built-in GX 2.5 Gaming Audio Engine which is compatible with EAX 5.0 audio signals. Installation is easy and with multiple pre-set equalizer settings and modes for gaming, music, movies and headphone use, upgrading notebook sound is quick and simple. No word on pricing at this time. [Softpedia]
Onkyo has launched the new WAVIO audio card (SE-300PCIE) that adopts the Creative X-Fi technology. This high-end 7.1 PCI express sound card features the 20K2 X-Fi embedded technology with EAX Advanced HD 5.0 on Onkyo’s Original DIDRC circuitry (Dynamic Inter-modulation Distortion Reduction Circuitry). The SE-300PCIE also provides a 120dB of S/N Ratio (Signal to Nose Ratio). The Onkyo WAVIO audio card (SE-300PCIE) will be available in Japan later this month for 34,800 Yen ($400). [Onkyo]
The Xonar Essence STX PCI-express is the latest sound card from Asus that is claimed to provide high quality audio performance. Its integrated headphone amplifier produces less than 0.001% distortion to accompany its industry-leading 124dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). The sound cards also boast Hyper-ground technology, EMI Shield design, AV100 high-definition sound processor, 24-bit Burr Brown PCM 1792A D-A converters, Nichicon Fine Gold capacitors, Optical digital output, Two pairs of RCA jacks and Input and output 6.3mm stereo jacks. The new Asus Xonar Essence STX PCI-express is also perfect for gaming and entertainment PCs since it supports ASIO 2.0, Dolby Digital Live, Headphone, Virtual Speaker, Pro-Logic II home theater sound technologies, and DS3D GX2.5 3D gaming engines. Unfortunately, there is no word on pricing at this time. [Electronista]
