Konklusion
Vi står her med et lydkort der er tiltænkt gameren, men det mest 'gaming-orienterede' jeg kan finde er et stykke software der fuldstændigt ødelægger lydbilledet (DTS Ultra PC2, Xear Surround HP). Lydkortet spiller fantastisk hvis man slår alt software fra, og det er denne rene nydelse de fleste lydenthusiaster vil kunne nikke genkendende til. Hovedtelefonsforstærkeren er meget velkommen, og vi ser gerne at dette bliver en standard på markedet.
Dette kort er altså mere et reelt lydkort til den gængse lytter, end det som sådan er 'gaming grej'. Købere af dette kort vil dog ikke blive skuffet da det spiller utroligt godt. Vi ser dog dette kort, rent specifikationsmæssigt, overgået af ASUS' egne Essence kort til samme pris, hvilket sætter dette kort i en lidt akavet position på markedet.
Innovation/Teknologi - 4
Bord-enhedens støjreducerende egenskaber er gode at have, og en hovedtelefonsforstærker er en feature vi gerne ser blive standard på markedet.
Bundle - 2
Manual, driver CD, SP/DIF minijack til TOSLINK converter og en 2x molex til 6-pin PCI-E strømadapter blev det til. For et 'gaming' lydkort i denne prisklasse kunne man godt forvente lidt mere.
Software - 2
Softwaren gør hvad den skal - får lydkortet til at fungere. Alt hvad jeg kan lave i den inkluderede software, udover Dolby HT4, kan jeg også lave i Windows' egen enhedsstyring. Jeg er ikke en fan af alle de lydmæssigt destruktive indstillinger man kan foretage, og det meste af Xear suiten, 'Miljøeffekter' og DTS Ultra PC2 ødelægger langt mere end det gavner. EAX emulering, kaldet GX, er tiltænkt spil fra år 2000, og er altså ved at være temmeligt ligegyldigt.
Ydelse - 4
Bundsolid ydelse er hvad dette kort har der taler for sig. Det er et smadder godt lydkort der gengiver selv de mest intense lydscenarier med finesse og detalje. Der er ingen tvivl om at dette kort er et rigtigt godt lydkort.
Pris - 2
1250 Kr er en tand for meget. Det er et par kroner dyrere end Asus' egne Essence kort, som i princippet yder bedre og også har hovedtelefonsforstærker. Bordenheden gør ikke op for dette prisleje, da Creative har lavet noget lignende til 950 Kr med deres SoundBlaster Zx. Kortet ligger altså i et prisleje hvor det bliver overgået af produkter lavet af samme producent, hvilket gør hele situationen lidt akavet.
UK summary
In the end, we're standing here with a sound card that caters towards gamers, with the most 'gaming oriented' feature being a piece of software that completely destroys the sound stage and quality (DTS Ultra PC2, Xear Surround HP). The sound card in itself is great if you turn off all the software trying to modify the sound signature, making a joy of every sound coming from the system. The headphone amplifier is a really welcome feature, and we would like this to become a market-wide standard.
In conclusion, this card is a much more standard sound card than it is 'gaming gear'. On the other hand, buyers will definitely not be disappointed by this card, as it plays incredibly well. However, we observe that this card, purely regarding specifications, is surpassed by ASUS' own Essence cards at the exact same price point, which puts this card in a somewhat awkward position in the market.
Innovation/Technology - 4
The table units noise reducing features are good to have, and a headphone amplifier is a very welcome feature that we would love to see become a market standard.
Bundle/Accessories - 2
A manual, driver CD, SP/DIF minijack to TOSLINK converter an a 2x molex to 6-pin PCI-E power adapter is all you get. For a 'gaming grade' sound card in this price range, one might expect a tiny bit more in the bundle.
Software - 2
The included software does what it should - making the sound card work. Everything else you can do in the software, besides Dolby HT4, you can do just as well with Windows' own sound manager. I'm not a fan of the sonically destructive changes and settings available, and most of the Xear suite, the 'Environmental Effects' and DTS Ultra PC2 destroys the sound more than it makes it any better. EAX emulation, called GX, is intended for games of early 2000, and thus is pretty indifferent today.
Performance - 4
Rock solid performance is what makes this card so great. It's a surprisingly good sound card that renders even the most intense sound scenarios with finesse and detail. There is no doubt about this card being a really good sound card.
Price - 2
1250 DKK is a bit too much to ask. It is a few dollars more expensive than ASUS' own Essence line of sound cards which provides better sound quality and also has a headphone amplifier. The table-unit does not make up for the price either, as Creative has demonstrated this being included in the 950 DKK range with their Sound Blaster Zx. This card is thus in a price range where it is surpassed by products made by the same manufacturer, which makes the whole situation a little awkward.
Test: Asus Xonar Phoebus
Innovation / Teknologi | 4 |
Bundle - Tilbehør | 2 |
Software - BIOS | 2 |
Ydelse | 4 |
Pris | 2 |
| |
Samlet | 56% |
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