Hi all,

We have just published a review of the *Asus Xonar DX PCI-Express sound
card*. If you could post a link on your site that would be very much
appreciated.

*Link:*
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2008/05/26/asus-xonar-dx-pci-express-soundcard/1


*Picture:*
http://images.bit-tech.net/content_images/2008/05/asus-xonar-dx-pci-express-soundcard/fp_img.jpg


*Quote:
*/"The Asus Xonar DX isn't the perfect product a spec sheet would lead
you to think -- its software interface might be appalling and we've had
to wait for a proper EAX driver to fix popular games like //BioShock and
//Half-Life 2: Episode Two, but at least it installed without issue on
various systems including boards based on Intel's P965, X48 and P45
chipsets, along with Nvidia nForce 780i SLI and AMD 690G-based
motherboards -- we even used an x8 slot instead of just an x1 and as
expected, it made no difference. The only problem we've heard is that
there are issues with it and the 790i Ultra SLI because of the PCI to
PCI-Express bridge chip.

The Xonar DX has a fantastic core feature set -- its sound quality is
largely indistinguishable compared to the Xonar D2X and it's
significantly better than on-board audio. What's more, the price to
feature ratio is what makes it very accessible to buy.

In games (where EAX is progressively becoming less of a key feature),
the quality was absolutely excellent, and now finally there are games
like //BioShock that benefit from the working GS3D 2.0 engine, but
that's not to say that future EAX games will though. However, Asus did
come through eventually and in only a few weeks, which is more than can
be said for Creative's driver tradition.

While we may harp on about Creative's record of support and bug fixing,
what would happen if someone reverse engineered Asus's software to
enable DTS effects on the DX? Or opened up the ALT for other use? Asus
has also yet to prove itself on how it supports its soundcard products
in the long term -- it's unclear whether in three years time, the D2X,
D2 and DX will have "Windows 7" support for example. Typically most of
Asus's products have a shorter shelf-life so, yes, there's probable
cause for concern, but an unproven track record is better than an
established one.

Essentially Asus may have cut the Xonar in half but it hasn't cut out
its soul -- if anything this lean, mean machine is a better product than
its full fat cousins. It's not a fully fledged alternative to Creative
still, but it does help solidify Asus's name in the soundcard market and
you won't be disappointed if you buy one for just a shade over 50 quid."/
*

*Cheers guys!

Tim Smalley
www.bit-tech.net