Aug 23, 2010 15:05 GMT  ·  By

ASUS may have been focusing on the laptop market lately, but it seems to have taken a bit of time off from it by unveiling a different sort of product, namely a new sound card from the Xonar family, known as the Xonar DG and designed with a low profile PCB.

As end-users know, practically all motherboards have their own, integrated sound solutions which, while not of the same quality all around, is usually enough for the casual consumer.

Nevertheless, when it comes to true multimedia enjoyment and, of course, gaming, end-users will always search for a better add-in board.

Knowing this, ASUS designed the Xonar DG, a sound card that has both the benefits of low space requirements, by virtue of its low profile PSB, and immersive audio.

The main asset of this newcomer is the GX 2.5 gaming audio engine, which is tasked with providing realistic 3D sound effects.

Another, fairly major advantage is the built-in headphone amplifier, which enhances immersion and precision when it comes to reproducing audio in movies and games.

ASUS also implemented Dolby Headphone, for the sensation of 5.1 surround imaging, as well as three different gain modes, each adjusted for a distinct usage scenario.

The three headphone AMP gain modes are VOIP, Pro-gaming and Exciter.

For those interested in exact specifications, the electronic is designed around a C-Media CM18786 processor.

This chip enables a maximum sound output SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio) of 105 dBA and a frequency response of <10Hz to 48kHz. In addition to this, 44.1K, 48K, 96KHz playback at 16/24bit is also supported.

Those interested in acquiring this product will have to wait a while yet, as actual shipments have not begun to be carried out. On the other hand, pre-orders can be set for £29.99, the equivalent of $46.6, by following this link.