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Introduction:::…
Creative
has been at the cradle of computer audio ever since the
late 80’s and early 90’s. They
had created a new soundcard dubbed SoundBlaster, which brought
sound to the Personal Computer.
Surely
but steadily the sound cards grew technologically bigger
and better; they even created a standard within sound card
compatibility.
Each
new card has been adding more and better features than the
one before it, the cards adapting to new technologies to
meet demands driven primarily by the gaming market.
Just
recently Creative has released a new SoundBlaster, named
the Audigy 4.
They
seem to have skipped the Audigy 3 and gone straight for
the Audigy 4., though when I asked why they skipped the
Audigy 3 Creative answered that they consider the SB Audigy
2 ZS Platinum the real Audigy 3.
In
essence this card is the same as the Audigy 2 ZS, except
that the software bundle. The software itself and the drivers
are refreshed. Oh yeah and it has 2 new Digital Audio Converters
(or DAC’s).
So
what does this Audigy card have to offer over then previous
version?
The
new DAC’s offer a better signal to noise ratio and this
card has a nice breakout box bundled with it.
Couple
that to the refreshed software and drivers and you have
something new.
But
is it enough?
Let’s
have a look and find out.
Features:::…
Here
are the features as listed on the Creative website.
Audigy 4 Pro Processor
- Advanced hardware accelerated digital
effects processing
- 32-bit digital processing, which maintains
a theoretical 192 dB of dynamic range
- Patented 8-point interpolation that reduces
distortion to inaudible levels
- 64-voice hardware Wavetable synthesizer
- Professional quality digital mixing and
equalization
High Definition Audio Quality for Playback and Recording
- Playback of 64 audio channels, each at
an arbitrary sample rate
- 24-bit Analog-to-Digital conversion of
analog inputs at 96 kHz sample rate
- 24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion of
digital sources at 96 kHz to analog 7.1 speaker output
- 24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion of
stereo digital sources at 192 kHz to stereo output
- 16-bit to 24-bit recording sampling rates:
8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 and 96 kHz.
- Supports Sony/Philips Digital Interface
(SPDIF) format of up to 24-bit/96 kHz quality. Selectable
sampling rate of 44.1, 48 or 96 kHz
- Low latency multitrack recording with
ASIO 2.0 support at 16-bit, 48 kHz and 24-bit, 96 kHz
resolution.
*(Latency
performance may vary based on system configuration)
FireWire® (IEEE®
1394) Connectivity
- Compliant with IEEE 1394a specification
- Supports data rates of 100, 200, and
400 Mbps
- Supports up to 63 FireWire (IEEE 1394)
compatible devices in a daisy-chain configuration
- Supplies up to 3 Watts to FireWire (IEEE
1394) compatible devices
Sound Blaster Audigy 4 Pro On-Board Connectors
- Line level out (Front / Side / Rear /
Center / Subwoofer)
- Digital CD Audio in
- Aux Audio in
- AD Link 1 and AD Link 2 connectors to
connect with external I/O hub.
- Power connector
Sound Blaster Audigy 4 Pro External I/O Hub Front / Rear
Panel Connectors
- Headphone Out (1/4" Stereo Jack)
- Line In 1 (1/4" Stereo Jack , shared
with Mic In with Gain Control)
- Line In 2 (1/4" Stereo Jack)
- Line In 3 (2x RCA Jack)
- Optical SPDIF In/Out
- Coaxial SPDIF In/Out
- Digital Out for 5.1 support (6-channel
SPDIF Output to Creative digital speakers)
- 2x FireWire® (IEEE® 1394) ports
- MIDI In / Out
- Infra-red Receiver to communicate with
Remote Control
- AD Link 1 and AD Link 2 connectors to
connect with Audigy 4 Pro
Audio Performance:
Signal-to-Noise
Ratio (AES17, A-Weighted)
Output Voltage @ 2Vrms
Stereo Output 113dB
Front and Rear Channels 113dB
Center, Subwoofer and Side Channels 113dB
Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise at 1kHz (AES17) = 0.003%
(2V Rated Output) Frequency Response +/-3dB: 10Hz to 46kHz
Works with the Following Standards:
- Windows® XP and 2K
- Sound Blaster MIDI and General MIDI
- Plug and Play
- Sound Blaster PCI
- EAX, EAX ADVANCED HD
- Microsoft® DirectSound® , DirectSound
3D & derivatives
- OpenAL™
- PCI 2.3 compliant
- AC '97
- Dolby Digital
- Dolby Digital EX
- DTS Digital Surround®
- DTS-ES Surround™
- Meridian Lossless Packing
- ASIO 2.0
- Sound Font 2.1
- DVD-Audio
- Windows Media® Audio 9
Now
that’s a whole mouth full, plenty of support there.
Let’s
unpack the card.
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