Auzentech Announces Market Availability of X-Meridian 7.1 2G Sound Card

[btarunr]

Auzentech, Inc., announced the immediate availability of the Auzen X-Meridian 7.1 2G, the second generation of the Auzen X-Meridian 7.1. The original Auzen X-Meridian 7.1 was a game-changing high-performance audio card which marked the dividing line between audio that sounds great, and audio that sounds perfect. It was the world's first custom-designed audio card based on C-Media CMI 8788 chipset, and received rave reviews for its audio quality. Now, the award winning Auzentech audio development team and chipset manufacturer C-Media have teamed up again.

With the X-Meridian 7.1 2G, Auzentech has taken what many consider the greatest sound card of all time and updated it with the best of today's technology, making the X-Meridian 7.1 2G more than simply the must-have PC Audio solution for audiophiles—it's a feast for the ears. Under the hood, the new X-Meridian 7.1 2G has been upgraded with new Advanced Driver Software Architecture (ADSA) for the C-Media CMI8788 Oxygen HD PCI Audio Processor. Features include Dolby Digital Live Real-Time Content Encoder, DTS CONNECT and Xear3D sound technology.



The X-Meridian 7.1 2G key features are:

• CMI8788 - High quality PCI 32-bit multi-channel audio processor
• Pure electrical connections via gold plated PCB, jacks and metal bracket
• 24bit/192kHz high definition 7.1 channel analog playback
• Signal-to-noise ratio greater than 115dB
• 120dB dynamic range
• Do-it-yourself upgrade for ultimate analog sound quality and color (all channels have swappable OPAMPs)
• Complete Dolby Home Theater technologies: Dolby Digital Live, Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby Virtual Speaker, Dolby Headphone
• DTS Connect, DTS Interactive, and DTS Neo:PC
• Shift between Coaxial and Optical Output and Input, with combo adaptor
• Proprietary Auzentech Pointing Ground Design shares one point for the DAC, OPAMP, Power Supply and Output Jack, cutting noise and distortion
• 7.1 Virtual speaker shifter supporting virtual surround over two channel speaker and headphone
• C-Media FlexBass: Advanced bass management allowing a variety of speaker types and combinations. Large, small speaker setting available for all channels. LFE channel crossover frequency configurable in small speaker mode (from 50Hz to 250Hz).
• Support for the Auzen X-Tension DIN connection

The Auzen X-Meridian 7.1 2G is priced at $159.99 and is available from NCIX, Canada Computers, Memory Express and online stores, as well as the X-Meridian 7.1 2G Product Page.

[The Witcher]

It seems like the Xonar Essence ST is still a better sound card.

[Grings]

Nice, but i was hoping there would be a newer chip than the 8788 out by now, preferably a native pci-e one...

[claylomax]

I like that uses the good old pci slot.

[Grings]

I'd rather use this than a card using a plx bridge to convert it to pci-e (like all asus variations on this chip do)

I just hope we see a newer c-media chip one day, preferably native pci-e, and support for the newer lossless multi channel formats like dts-hd

This card looks great. I don't know what to say about it thou...We need a detailed comparison test between this, Xonars, X-Fi, etc.

[FreedomEclipse]

too bad Auzentech havent fixed their distribution problems in Europe UK

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

Love their cards, their top quality, and shocker their drivers aren't so bad they crash every ten mins ( taking notes yet creative?), IMO Auzentech is the only serious competition to ASUS in the audio card market.

[Mussels]

these have been for sale here in Au for a while, i'd get one but my current auzen card works flawlessly.


my only beef is the lack of optical out.

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

Originally Posted by Mussels

these have been for sale here in Au for a while, i'd get one but my current auzen card works flawlessly.


my only beef is the lack of optical out.

Would you really use it ?

SPIDIF and such are dead in all but the $1,000+ sound system range.

Granted if you payed 150 + dollars for your sound card I'd be griping to but if you payed 70'ish no surprise IMO.

[Mussels]

i certainly do use it, since i've got Z5500's


if i bought a new sound system it would use HDMI, and this card would be pointless :P

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

Originally Posted by Mussels

i certainly do use it, since i've got Z5500's


if i bought a new sound system it would use HDMI, and this card would be pointless :P

If you used HDMI yes this card would be pointless, given you have a 5870, and ATI support audio over HDMI (THOUGH it works rather poorly because the drivers are crap).

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by [H]@RD5TUFF

If you used HDMI yes this card would be pointless, given you have a 5870, and ATI support audio over HDMI (THOUGH it works rather poorly because the drivers are crap).

i already use it, but without a receiver i can only get stereo sound.


HDMI audio itself is a pretty crap standard (for usability, not audio quality), but thats not ATI's fault.

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

Originally Posted by Mussels

i already use it, but without a receiver i can only get stereo sound.


HDMI audio itself is a pretty crap standard (for usability, not audio quality), but thats not ATI's fault.

I have 2 TV's that do HDMI audio, from the reciver, and they work flawlessly, their are syncing issues, when you change channels too fast, but that is the fault of the crap DVR time warner provides. I have a HTPC that uses HDMI audio from a 5770, and it doesn't work well at all, the audio randomly cuts out and the drivers crash, and I loose audio all together.

In my experience ATI doesn't execute HDMI audio well at all, though I have order an Asus GTS 430, which support HDMI audio, and well see how they compare.

[btarunr]

I used the first-gen X-Meridian for a month, borrowed from a cousin a couple of years ago. I had originally borrowed it for a week, but kept avoiding my cousin just so I could keep the card longer. I had to finally give it back because it was creating a rift between us. It was that awesome.

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

Originally Posted by btarunr

I used the first-gen X-Meridian for a month, borrowed from a cousin a couple of years ago. I had originally borrowed it for a week, but kept avoiding my cousin just so I could keep the card longer. I had to finally give it back because it was creating a rift between us. It was that awesome.

Gotta love sweet hardware.

[micropage7]

Originally Posted by FreedomEclipse

too bad Auzentech havent fixed their distribution problems in Europe UK

yea, on here too
it easier to find xonar than auzentech

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by micropage7

yea, on here too
it easier to find xonar than auzentech

that makes me sad.


iirc, they were sold under bluegears in some countries for a while - try looking for that?

[FreedomEclipse]

Originally Posted by Mussels

that makes me sad.


iirc, they were sold under bluegears in some countries for a while - try looking for that?

I came across a forum where a guy was so desperate to get an auzentech card he literally phoned every UK supplier listed on their website - none of them had any and almost all of them dont have an ETA on new stock - however - other retailers out side the UK seem to have no trouble getting stock - the guy eventually had to import the card from germany because one shop had about 20units.

---

I dont know if they deliberately decided to stop distro to the uk - I dont know WHY they did it and continue to do it.

but for a short period of time between 2004-2007 im guessing they were fairly easy to get as I remember reading new reviews on UK based websites but they could have imported the card in for the review as well.

after that the Auzentech brand seems to have completely vanished from the UK.

and i have asked around the shops that did use to sell them but most of them wont give me an answer as to why they no longer stock them. - Maybe Auzentech never emailed or called them back reguarding new stock.

but what are the chances that almost EVERY UK based hardware (both online and offline) retailer have been completely out of stock with no ETA for the last 3-5 or maybe even more years?

Maybe I should call Auzentech up and ask

[LAN_deRf_HA]

Well good luck with that. I'v found with auzen like many brands lately that support is nonexistent. And in NA I see their cards running out of stock all the time, takes months to get them back in. I don't get it because there's certainly a demand.

[Dent1]

Auzentech's cards are hard to find because Creative Labs told Auzentech to stop distributing their card's because it was going against their own conflict of interest with their Auzen X-Fi range which was arguably wasn't as a good stability wise. Auzentech gave in to Creative’s demands and told the public that C-Media stopped supplying them with chipsets. Which was a obvious lie as other sound card manufacturers had no problems getting access to C-Media chips.

[FreedomEclipse]

Originally Posted by Dent1

Auzentech's cards are hard to find because Creative Labs told Auzentech to stop distributing their card's because it was going against their own conflict of interest with their Auzen X-Fi range which was arguably wasn't as a good stability wise. Auzentech gave in to Creative’s demands and told the public that C-Media stopped supplying them with chipsets. Which was a obvious lie as other sound card manufacturers had no problems getting access to C-Media chips.

I find that a little hard to believe as Auzentech have already payed licensing for use of creatives XFi DSP - and as far as i can tell the card is like 120% easier to get in the states. and most US E-tailers seem to have loads of stock. which could be they either cant make enough cards to meet the demands or they give most of their stock to retailers that meet some sort of anally selective criteria - hence bad distro

[Dent1]

Originally Posted by FreedomEclipse

I find that a little hard to believe as Auzentech have already payed licensing for use of creatives XFi DSP - and as far as i can tell the card is like 120% easier to get in the states. and most US E-tailers seem to have loads of stock. which could be they either cant make enough cards to meet the demands or they give most of their stock to retailers that meet some sort of anally selective criteria - hence bad distro

No. Auzentech already announced years ago it was due to the lack of Cmedia chipsets. Which is BS considering that other companies was still getting the same Cmedia chips after Auzentechs announcement. Google for 10mins and you'll see that its true. It was the fake issue with the lack of Cmedia chips which gave Auzentech a fake reason to EOSL the original X-Meridian and X-Plosion a couple of years back.

[WarEagleAU]

Looks pretty good and affordable. For some reason I was under the impression that this was an X-Fi variant. I know better now.