Auzentech Auzen X-Fi Prelude

Verdict: It's an X-Fi, but not as we know it.

Creative has a reputation for defending its intellectual property with the ferocity of an angry velociraptor, so Auzentech's announcement in April that it would be licensing X-Fi technology for its own cards raised quite a few eyebrows. It's taken a while for the product to arrive, but it's finally here in the shape of the Auzen X-Fi Prelude 7.1.

At first glance, the Auzen's PCB appears to be similar to the PCB found in a regular Creative X-Fi, but there are significant differences. Although the X-Fi CA20K chip is located in the same place, as are some key headers, the Auzen has a few extra chips, including one that's reminiscent of a motherboard BIOS chip. The PCB design is the principal aspect in which the card differs from the Creative - as the rear of the box takes great pains to point out.

For a start, the Auzen matches the 64MB X-RAM found on top-end X-Fis, so it supports every available EAX Advanced HD 5 feature. However, it also uses extremely high-quality digital-to-analogue converters (DACs) and analogue-to-digital converters (ADCs). A single AKM AK-5394 ADC provides 24-bit 96kHz sampling of analogue stereo inputs, and four AKM AK-4396 DACs handle eight channels of 24-bit 96kHz analogue output.

Best of all, these chips offer significantly higher signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) than Creative's products. Whereas the £200 X-Fi Elite Pro is capable of 116dB SNR, the Prelude features 120dB output across all eight channels, and 123dB when recording. As a result, it will pick up subtler nuances than even Creative's top-end card. Auzentech is proud of the OPAMPs it uses with the Prelude too, which also contribute to the high SNR.

You can remove the National LM4562 OPAMP used for the front left and right outputs, and replace it with an even higher-end one, so if you fancy performing some sound card modding (and can find anything higher-quality), the Prelude is ready and willing. The Prelude is also compatible with Auzentech's X-Tension add-ons, such as the DIN card, which adds extra connectivity.

However, only the MIDI input and output, and S/PDIF output of the DIN will work with the Prelude. The microphone and S/PDIF inputs aren't compatible.

Auzentech also promises a host of new features with forthcoming driver releases, including Dolby Digital Live, DTS Interactive and DTS NEO: PC. These are key features, and Asus hopes that they'll give its Xonar D2 sound card (see Issue 49, p59) the edge over Creative's X-Fi with future games ported over to the PC from current-generation consoles. Assuming that Auzentech delivers on its promise, the Prelude will give you the best of both worlds - full compatibility with games developed for DirectSound and EAX, plus titles ported from the Xbox360 or PlayStation 3.

Aside from the usual microphone and line mini-jack inputs, and the quartet of outputs for 7.1 sound, the Prelude also has clever digital connectors similar to those on the Asus Xonar D2; these can double as either coaxial or optical S/PDIF, with one each for input and output. Auzentech claims these are connected to circuitry capable of 25Mb/sec for full DTS HD and Dolby True HD support.

For comparison, we installed the Prelude in a PC previously equipped with a Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic. This is a dual-boot system with Windows XP and Windows Vista installed, so we could ensure compatibility with both. The Prelude behaved similarly to a Creative X-Fi. There are three modes from which to choose: Entertainment, Game and Audio Creation, with CMSS-3D not available in the latter mode. The X-Fi Crystalizer, which improves low-quality audio by resampling it at 24-bit, can also be turned on within the drivers.

We played several games under Windows XP and Vista, including older EAX-enhanced titles such as Far Cry, as well as games that are able to take full advantage of high-end X-Fi features, such as Quake 4 and Battlefield 2. We found no significant differences in compatibility or performance between the Prelude and the Creative X-Fi. We also listened to MP3s and higher-quality CD audio WAV rips, with and without the 24-bit Crystalizer. The Prelude sounded better than the Creative X-Fi Elite Pro in a different test system.

The Prelude is supposed to run ALchemy, the wrapper that translates EAX into OpenAL, providing surround-sound support under Windows Vista. Version 1.007 of ALchemy didn't find the Prelude, but when we upgraded to version 1.3 of ALchemy from Auzentech's website, everything snapped into place. F.E.A.R., Far Cry and Oblivion all had their rich EAX sound effects reinstated, allowing us to enjoy gaming in both Windows Vista and Windows XP.

Conclusion

Creative has grown to dominate the PC audio market, with competitors mopping up the budget end of the scale where possible, or aiming at professional niches. However, with the Asus Xonar D2 and now Auzentech's Auzen X-Fi Prelude 7.1, premium PC audio competitors are making a comeback. Although Creative is paid whether or not Auzentech wins, the Auzen X-Fi Prelude 7.1 has bags of potential. Costing less than £90, Creative's Auzen X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Fatal1ty Professional is better value for money, although it offers inferior SNR.

However, if Auzentech delivers on its promise of Dolby Digital Live and DTS NEO:PC, the Prelude could turn the tables. With these extra features, it would be the only premium sound card to offer cross-compatibility with every past and future game, and it provides professional-grade sound quality to match.