Sound Card Driver
Q: How much can a new sound card driver improve my audio?
A: Sometimes you can get by with updating the sound card driver. Other times, you need an upgrade. This article will help you decide.
The top of the line digital audio technology today is DTS. DTS is popular in movies and new music disks, and is capable of 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1 channel sound. But if the soundcard in your computer is only capable of stereo, the audio is resampled down. To hear all the audio encoded with DTS® technology, a simple sound card driver update is not the answer.
You may have a surround sound system that includes a DTS encoder. But to feed the complete bitstream to it, you need a DTS-enabled sound card. This is not a sound card driver issue; DTS encoding is software-based, but deliverable digital output is dependent upon your sound card's hardware capabilities.
Recently, Auzentech has released soundcards that support the top of the line digital audio technologies: the X-Mystique and the X-Plosion.
The X-Mystique was the first PCI soundcard to encode Dolby® Digital 5.1 for full Dolby® Digital Live (DDL) audio. When you use DTS with this card it is down-sampled to Dolby® Live 5.1 channel output. The results are very good.
The X-Plosion is the first Dolby® Digital Live and DTS Connect logo certified PCI soundcard. With this card, you can listen to full DDL 5.1 channel sound, and DTS 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1 channel audio. Your listening options include simulation of DTS through stereo speakers, direct connection to powered mult-channel speakers, and digital optical or coaxial connection to a surround sound system. Whatever your situation, the X-Plosion adapts to it.
Both cards have had occasional sound card driver updates released since product introduction; if you purchase the X-Plosion or X-Mystique, be sure to update the sound card driver for the best audio.
Conclusion
A sound card driver update can help audio quality, but no sound card driver update can make a card into something it is not. For the best audio, check out the X-Mystique and the X-Plosion, Auzentech's award-winning PCI sound cards that support the leading digital surround sound technologies.
Explore the links below to learn more.
Category: Soundcards. Date published: Apr 26, 06
