Auzentech X-Fi Forte Low Profile 7.1 PCI-E Sound Card
Introduction
Auzentech are a company well known for making excellent sound cards. Recently they have made a deal with Creative to produce cards based on Creative’s X-Fi technology, such as the OC3D favourite X-Fi Prelude. This time they are back at it and we’re taking a long look at the Auzentech X-Fi Forte.
The sound card we are looking at today is a low-profile version that isn’t aimed at one market at all. In fact, Auzentech boast that the X-Fi Forte is aimed at: Music, HTPC and Gaming. A big boast indeed and one that strikes me as a brave one.
Having said that, the specs are top-notch with a mix of components not seen on one card before. Op-amps and decent quality DACs are mixed with ‘X-RAM’ chips and a Creative X-Fi chip. This could make the card an interesting proposition for those not wanting to compromise in one area or the other. Before we check to see if Auzentech have bitten off more than they can chew, let’s hit up their website for some specifications…
Specifications
Dimensions
Board
- Length: 176.900 mm (6.964 inches)
- Height: 56.155 mm (2.211 inches)
Interface Core
Audio Processor
- Creative 20K2 PCI Express audio processor
- X-RAM 64M bytes of DDR-SDRAM for audio processing
PC Interface
- PCI Express 1.1 Compliant Interface
Supported audio
resolution and
sampling rate
resolution and
sampling rate
- 16/24-bit / up to 192kHz (Stereo playback)
- 16/24-bit / up to 96.0khz (Multi channel playback)
- 16/24-bit / up to 96kHz (Recording)
API Supports
- WDM, ASIO2.0
- EAX® 5.0, Direct Sound®, Direct Sound 3D®, OpenAL
Supported Operating
Systems
Systems
- Microsoft® Windows Vista™
- Microsoft® Windows XP™
Analog Audio
Level
- 3.0Vrms, +12.0dBu max, deviatio+/- 0.1dB
Dynamic Range
- 109.0 dB A-weighted (1kHz @ -60dBFS, 24-bit/48kHz) for Analog outputs
- 98.0 dB A-weighted (1kHz @ -60dBFS, 24-bit/48kHz) for Analog inputs
Total Harmonic
Distortion+ Noise
Distortion+ Noise
- 115.0 dB A-weighted (1kHz @ -60dBFS, 24-bit/48kHz) for Stereo analog outputs
- 109.0 dB A-weighted (1kHz @ -60dBFS, 24-bit/48kHz) for Multi channel analog outputs
Frequency Response
- 10Hz to 22kHz, +/- 0.02 dB @ 48kHz
- 10Hz to 42kHz, +/- 0.02 dB @ 96kHz
- 10Hz to 94kHz, +/- 3dB @ 192kHz, Stereo
Impedance
- Headphone load impedance 16Ω ~ 600Ω
- Line output impedance 330Ω
- Line/Aux input impedance 10KΩ
Microphone
- Support Stereo and Balanced Mode
Connectivity
Analog Multi I/O Cable
(D-SUB)
(D-SUB)
- 4 x 1/8″ Stereo mini phone jack for Line outputs
- 1 x 1/8″ TRS mini phone jack for MIC input
- 1 x 1/8″ Stereo mini phone jack for Line input
Headphone
- 1 x 1/8″ Stereo mini Phone jack for Headphone output
Front Audio
- 1 x 10-pin(5×2) Front audio header with Intel® HD Audio Compatible
Digital I/O
- 1 x RCA/TOSLINK Combo jack for S/PDIF transmission
- 1 x 2-piS/PDIF input connector
Extension
- Creative proprietary AND_EXT, DID_EXE connector for X-Fi I/O driver
Rear Panel
Rear Panel Brackets
The X-Fi™ Forte includes two rear panel brackets, a Standard bracket and a Low Profile bracket. Use the appropriate bracket for your PC.
Digital Output
RCA/TOSLINK Combo Jack: Can connect to external DAC, AV Receiver, and Decoder through a 75Ω Coaxial cable or optical mini cable. Can play S/PDIF Stereo PCM and Dolby Digital AC-3, DTS bit-stream content.
Headphone Output
3.5mm(1/8 ”) stereo mini-phone jack: Includes an independent Headphone amp and can activate an impedance 16Ω ~ 600Ω headphone or earphone. Also, can be used, when configuring a Stereo system, not using the Analog I/O cable, as an Front Line Output.
Note If you connect a Passive Speaker (with lower than 16Ω) to this Headphone output, it can cause this audio card to not function correctly.
Analog I/O Multi Connector
D-SUB 15 pin connector: Connect the Analog I/O cable bundled in this package and use for Mic input, Line input and 8-channel line output Jack.
Analog I/O Cable
MIC input connector
3.5mm(1/8”) mini phone jack (Pink color label: ‘MIC IN’): Connect Stereo/mono unbalanced condenser microphone and input, record audio from the MIC through the audio card. Also, connect to Balanced Dynamic Microphone through the jumper setting of this audio board.
3.5mm(1/8”) mini phone jack (Pink color label: ‘MIC IN’): Connect Stereo/mono unbalanced condenser microphone and input, record audio from the MIC through the audio card. Also, connect to Balanced Dynamic Microphone through the jumper setting of this audio board.
Line input connector
3.5mm(1/8”) stereo mini-phone jack (Blue color label: ‘LINE IN’): Connect CD player, MP3 player from their headphone output or line output, and input/record audio through this audio card.
3.5mm(1/8”) stereo mini-phone jack (Blue color label: ‘LINE IN’): Connect CD player, MP3 player from their headphone output or line output, and input/record audio through this audio card.
Front Line output connector
3.5mm (1/8”) stereo mini-phone jack (Lime color label: ‘FRONT’): Connect Active multichannel speaker or AV Amplifier’s “Front”.
3.5mm (1/8”) stereo mini-phone jack (Lime color label: ‘FRONT’): Connect Active multichannel speaker or AV Amplifier’s “Front”.
Rear output connector
3.5mm(1/8”) stereo mini-phone jack (Black color label: ‘REAR’): Connect Active multichannel speaker or AV Amplifier’s Rear. Connectiowheabove 4-channel system is needed.
3.5mm(1/8”) stereo mini-phone jack (Black color label: ‘REAR’): Connect Active multichannel speaker or AV Amplifier’s Rear. Connectiowheabove 4-channel system is needed.
Center/Woofer output connector
3.5mm(1/8”) stereo mini-phone jack (Orange color label: ‘C/SW’): Connect Active multichannel speaker or AV Amplifier’s Center/Woofer. Connectiowheabove 5.1 channel system is needed.
3.5mm(1/8”) stereo mini-phone jack (Orange color label: ‘C/SW’): Connect Active multichannel speaker or AV Amplifier’s Center/Woofer. Connectiowheabove 5.1 channel system is needed.
Side output connector
3.5mm(1/8”) stereo mini-phone jack (Gray color label: ‘SIDE’): Connect Active multichannel speaker or AV Amplifier’ Side. Connection to 7.1 channel system is needed.
3.5mm(1/8”) stereo mini-phone jack (Gray color label: ‘SIDE’): Connect Active multichannel speaker or AV Amplifier’ Side. Connection to 7.1 channel system is needed.
Package Contents
- AUZEN X-Fi™ FORTE 7.1 Board
- Quick Start Guide
- 1 x Optical TOSLINK to TOSLINK cable, (6.6 feet / 2 meter)
- 1 x Analog Multi I/O cable (D-Sub)
- 1 x Optical adaptor
- 1 x Full size bracket
- Installation CD
- Sound Font Bank Manager
- Creative MediaSource 5 Organizer
- Creative MediaSource 5 Player
Specificatons subject to change without notice.
Before we move on to looking at the card in all it’s glory, it’s worth noting that there is no mention in the specification of the new high definition formats of Dolby True HD or DTS-HD Master Audio which is a little disappointing as this is aimed at the HTPC market, in which Blu Ray is fast becoming the king.
