Introduction

The combination of Creative chip and Auzentech PCB magic was been a success before with the likes of the X-Fi Prelude 7.1. That card fitted a normal PCI slot but today we have its successor which slots into the PCI-e instead. I give you the Auzentech X-Fi Forte 7.1; can this card carry on the success of its predecessor and even go further in terms of sound quality and performance? Time to find out.

Features

• Low Profile Audio Card
• Developed around Creative X-Fi Native PCI Express audio processor
• Support for Dolby Digital Live for Windows XP and Vista
• Support for DTS Neo: PC & DTS Interactive for Vista (DTS™ for Vista Available via Downloads)
• Low-profile and standard-profile brackets included.

Specification

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:
• 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:

• Microsoft® Windows Vista™
• Microsoft® Windows XP™

Analog Audio

Level:

• 3.0Vrms, +12.0dBu max, déviation+/- 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:

• 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):

• 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(5x2) 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