Choosing the right sound card for your computer can be tricky. The type of sound card you purchase should be based on the different functions of your computer. People who play a lot of PC games should find a sound card designed for optimal gaming performance. Audiophiles, and people who listen to a ton of music on their computers, should look into a sound card made to play music at the highest quality. For most people, however, a good, all-around sound card will work best. This is where the ASUS Xonar DS 7.1 comes in. This sound card doesn't specialize in any one function, but performs great when playing sound from music, movies, and games. The sound card is available from newegg.com starting at $50.99.

'Features

The best feature of the ASUS Xonar DS 7.1 is its ability to adjust to meet the sound needs of just about any occasion. Gamers will be satisfied with the quality of Xonar's GX2.5 audio engine, making them feel as though they are inside the castle, dungeon, or post-apocalyptic world of the game. This sound card also allows gamers to enable the most current EAX gaming audio, and no additional software is needed to restore surround gaming with Windows Vista.

The ASUS Xonar DS also allows music connoisseurs to hear their favorite tracks at their highest quality without sacrificing sample rate. The sound card uses 192k/24bit playback support enabling great sound quality. Not only is the ASUS Xonar DS great for gamers and music lovers, this sound card also greatly improves the audio quality of movies played from the computer. This sound card integrates the cutting edge DTS Neo: PC and DTS Interactive technologies, allowing high-quality surround sound.

Specs

The Xonar DS 7.1 comes equipped with high quality audio processor. It uses the ASUS AV66 High-Performance Sound Processor, which maxes out at 192KHz/24bit. This sound card takes advantage of a few innovative features, such as the DTS Technologies, including the DTS Interactive Encoder/DTS Neo:PC technologies. Other special features include Karaoke Functions, FlexBass, Smart Volume Normalizer, 10 -band Equalizer, and 27 different Environmental Effects.

Reviews The Card Has Recieved

The Xonar DS sound card has received high praise from several online and print reviewers. Hjemme PC gave the card five out of six stars, and specifically mentioned the affordability of such a high-quality sound card. Tech Radar gave the ASUS Xonar DS card their Great Value and Recommended awards, also a testament to the equipment's low price. Tweak News recognized the card's excellence with its Tweak News Top Rank Award. The ASUS Xonar DS 7.1 was also awarded the coveted CES Innovation Award in 2011.

Among the heaps of praise for this sound card, were some reservations. A reviewer from vortez.net found some issues with the sound while playing Battlefield 2, as well as some limitations with the bundle. TechRadar.com also knocked the card for not being compatible with Dolby Digital. Other than that, the ASUS Xonar DS 7.1 is a great overall sound card.