It used to be that you’d need a day-pass to a professional recording studio if you really wanted to do justice to your Human League tribute album, but these days you can do it all in your bedroom. VIA’s latest – the VIA Envy VT1730 USB 2.0 Audio Controller – takes things to the next level, offering 8 channels of 24-bit/192kHz recording or playback with a single USB 2.0 hookup to your host computer.
VIA and DTS have joined forces to integrate the latter’s Surround Sensation Ultra PC plus Head Tracker headphone technology into the former’s Vinyl VT1610 Audio Codec chip. Together, they offer mobile 3D surround sound, with motion-sensitive DTS headphones used to dynamically adjust surround sound EQ depending on where the listener is facing.
Video demo after the cut
MSI have announced a new video card range, the R4600 HDMI series, which as the name would suggest all support native HDMI. The MSI R4600 HDMI cards output full 1080 high-definition together with 7.1 surround sound, as well as supporting Unified Video Decoder 2.0 to offset digital decoding from the main system CPU.
French audio firm Focal have announced a new iPod dock and speaker set, the Focal XS, intended to bring studio-monitor level sound quality to your desktop. The Focal XS 2.1 Premium setup consists of the company’s slender-necked stereo speakers and a 70W subwoofer.
Audio-specialists Alesis have released their latest combination audio interface and control surface, ideal for musicians looking to incorporate real-life instruments with computer-based synths and mixing software. The MasterControl connects via FireWire and offers 44.1 to 192kHz recording via multiple inputs, as well as dozens of assignable controls including nine 100mm motorized faders, a jog-wheel, and eight 360-degree pots.
ASUS have announced a new sound card, the Xonar Essence STX, with a Burr-Brown PCM 1792A Digital-to-Analog Convertor (DAC), integrated headphone amplifier with under 0.001-percent distortion rate, and 124dB SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio). Intended for audiophiles, the Essence STX is also capable of driving home theater setups with Dolby Digital Live technology.
If you’re more reliant on your computer for your digital music than Numark’s standalone DJ products would allow, the company has three new control surfaces to offer. The MixMeister, OMNI CONTROL and NS7 all offer varying degrees of hands-on tweaking for use in both studio and live situations. The MixMeister Control is a USB-powered surface that comes with MixMeister’s Fusion software; all 94 knobs and buttons correspond exactly with those on-screen, with Fusion handling the technical side of beat-matching, setting cue points and re-pitching. Power and connectivity is handled by a single USB cable.
Creative is expected to be showing off their new Creative X-Fi Go! Mobile sound card this week at IFA. The card is an update to the companies Soundblaster Play! and offers users a sound card that they can port between computers and take with them on the go.
Seeing graphics cards which can take on the strain of decoding high-definition video is quite usual, but ASUS have turned the tables slightly with their Xonar HDAV1.3 sound-card. HDMI 1.3a compliant, the card takes on decoding surround-sound lossless audio from high-definition media, as well as including an integrated Splendid HD video processor. It’s based on ASUS’ own AV200 codec chip, which includes dedicated digital to analog convertors.
Asus is well-known for a lot of things, their soundcards not among them, but that might be about to change. They just recently started manufacturing these little buggers, and I don’t know personally how they sound, but specs wise they seem fairly on par with most of Creative’s offerings.
SlashGear JP
