Auzentech Prelude 7.1 details

Although most people don't need sound cards anymore because integrated audio solutions fulfill all their needs, it looks like the sound card market is making a small comeback.

Earlier this week I reported about the Asus Xonar and today DailyTech gives us some info about the upcoming Auzentech Prelude 7.1 audio card. This card is based on the Creative Labs X-Fi and will feature multi-channel EAX 5.0 positional audio without connecting four sets of audio cables.

Auzentech licenses Dolby Digital Live multi-channel audio encoding technology to provide users single-cable convenience over S/PDIF.

The new Prelude 7.1 mates features previously found on the Auzentech X-Meridian with the Creative Labs X-Fi sound processor. Auzentech equips the Prelude 7.1 with a removable OPAmp on the front channels output of the sound card, unlike the X-Meridian’s four removable OPAmps. A LM4562NA is the default installed OPAmp on the Prelude 7.1.

Auzentech pairs the Creative Labs X-Fi sound processor with two memory chips for 64MB of memory. AKM digital-to-analog convertors are installed on all eight audio channels, a step up from the Cirrus Logic DACs employed by Creative Labs. Other notable features of the Prelude 7.1 include audio headers, although it is unknown if they meet Creative Labs’ specifications.