Author:
th4t1guy
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Date:
3/27/2009 8:14:23 AM
Subject:
RE: Just installed the Auzentech forte soundcard..
Well, I've been using onboard sound for the past 6 years, so that's what I have to compare to. I'm also primarily using analogue output with Klipsch Promedia GMX 2.1 speakers. I haven't had time to mess around with the headphone amp yet, but I'll get to that later.
I'm running Vista 64bit Business Edition, which means if I want EAX, I have to use Alchemy (which is included in the whopping 200mb driver package). I'm still not sure if I'm even using it right either, as the interface for alchemy isn't very intuitive.
The biggest difference I noticed with this card is that it gives my audio a lot better direction. Sounds that comes from the front now sound like they really are in front of me, etc. You don't need 5.1/7.1/Surround etc. to get good positional audio, and IMO, most of the time it fucks the sound up a bit. Surround is really only good for larger rooms where you want to be able to hear positional audio in different parts of the room.
They give you a few options to let you mess around with the audio. The main ones are CMSS-3d and Crystalizer, and sometimes they work really well, and sometimes they make your audio sound like shit..it really depends on what you're listening to. CMSS-3d is some sort of surround sound emulation and the Crystalizer jacks up the treble a bit. I kinda get the feeling that they're preset EQs for idiots, but that's probably because they don't give you an EQ (wtf, auzentech?). The crystalizer brings out percussion a bit more, but I don't really think it improves the sound that much. CMSS-3d works pretty well on rock songs. It separates the instruments, percussion and vocals so you can get good staging for everything. These options do not work very well on music that is not as traditional, like say...Skinny Puppy for example.
I'll probably end up upgrading the op amps on this card in a bit, as it'll only cost me a few dollars. Keep in mind though, that this card is not worth buying if you're going to use digital out (unless you want DTS, etc.).
