deepsky

Can you help me out? This card sounds great, but I've got an application that is a little different.

1. I want to send digital audio stored on the PC to the card, have it output analog stereo, then to an analog surround decoder (way better than the digital alternatives imho) then input the 4.0 back on its analog inputs, then use the card as a volume control preamp, then output to the amplifiers. Can the I do this?
2. In addition to digital files, I would like to use a tuner, input into the card on other analog inputs, then back out to the processor, and back in and out again. Possible?
3. Can I do bass management to 4.0 inputs so I can do all the bass handling in the PC as opposed to the outboard processor?
4. How about time delay for the 4 main channels?
5. How about room eq for the 4 main channels?
6. Is there a way to use a physical knob to control the volume assuming it can behave as a preamp?
7. What software would allow the above, or would the included software do much if not all of these things?

I'd really like to accomplish this. If this card won't do what I'm after, do you have any suggestions for me? Thanks, I'm eager to hear your progress.

RedGTiVR6

I'd check this thread: http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=979553

Sounds like you're wanting to do software tuning, correct?

Regarding volume control, I'm after that feature too. I haven't gotten to the point yet of researching that option. I'd like to be able to control volume enmasse in the analog spectrum if at all possible.

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RedGTiVR6

how many freebies do they give out?

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noxlord

Up to 5 samples of any ic they produce. Burr Brown belongs to Ti now, that's why they are available throught the Ti website. You need to register and take a few steps before you can order samples. Most major Ic manifacturers send free samples to they customers.

no_luggage

great review!

I use an older auzentech card in my htpc (x-plosion) and like it quite a bit for that purpose and was actively considering another for the car in the future.

Auzentechs have a bit of a following at the AVS forums so I thought I'd link 'em here for some more reading. I seem to remember someone did an comparision benchtest on one with stock and B/B opamps and there was quite a difference. If you need an analog out they're a worthy upgrade. I want to stay digital right to the decoder (reciever in the HTPCs case) so it's an irrelevant upgrade for me.

AVS forum is here

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/index.php?

happy new year!

RedGTiVR6

I've been posting on the AVS forums for a while now. the bit perfect thread is what got me started over there.

Im going to be building a HTPC here pretty soon as well...just wanted to get this CarPC project finished first...

excelent forum for anyone looking for a bit more detailed info.

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Iceman_jkh

How is your Auzentech card these days Red?
How are your mods going? Any audible difference?
Did the ASIO drivers get any better recently?

swordfishunter

Firstly the Auzentech's saving grace it's it's sound, using it unmodded, from 3.5mm splitter to rca's and then to a alpine H701 = 3 words HAWT DIGGETY DAAAAAAAAAAAMN!

Power, accuracy, clean (ABSOLUTELY NO NOISE) i had some problems with an x-fi preboot. but with this none.

Why analogue you ask? Well optical runs perfectly fine - except for an audible buzz between song changes in RR. Don't ask me why- i don't know, and well analogue doesn't have any. Decided not to be anal about it...

CONS-

Major Hibernation issues... especially for car pc's with 1 PCI Card - it does not like to share resources... and even after multiple bios configurations on the Via M10000- i got it to it's own IRQ - BUT it still won't hibernate.

CD drive control is also a bit screwy as is Line in - the volume jumps all over the place when adjusting it- I don't know why even though I've mapped everything to master volume - It's not an RR problem it happens in the mixer as well...

Workaround has been Devcon / hibernate trigger- disable and enable during hibernation and resume

Thankfully it keeps it's settings !!!

Also- it won't disable when winamp is playing so your script has to be modified to stop winamp, disable pci, hibernate... and enable pci, play winamp on hibernate

Like i said, the sound has been it's saving grace...
Is it worth it? 50-50... i can't be *#*$# to rip out the pc and look for new cards again... so yes... i'll stick with the workarounds for now.

I guess it's a driver problem which is still listed as Beta... the auzentech tech support has been great- telling me to run defrag and scan disk which won't be worth a damn, i need to tell them to rtf mp3car.com f.... cos their ****ty driver sucks....

Recomendations for
Audiophile with car pc - No - stick with externals or get an alpine 701.
Audiophiles with car pc and can be bothered to spend lots of time hacking - yes.
Non audiophiles - stick with onboard sound or whatever basic and Proven cards there are...

Iceman_jkh

Hopefully those issues will all be fixed in driver revisions! That card has awesome specs from hardware design.

Few things Ive learnt from my research into this area:
PXA analogue input is rubbish (in comparison to SQ) - MUCH better off coming straight out of the card into the amps. [SNR: ~70dB from PXA versus >110dB from the card.]
Digital input from PXA is quite good. SNR: >100dB
If you were going to use the digital input from the PXA, you could have used ANY cheap soundcard which does bit-perfect digital output. [eg: Reflashed Chaintech AV-710 (~$30USD)].

*I only stated SNR, but dynamic range and channel separation are also better from the card than the PXA analogue input. The output on the PXA is quite good, its just the input that ruins it.


I have a prodigy 7.1 LT (which also has crappy drivers - but not as bad as yours). It sometimes gives me BSOD (which is embarassing) and the line-in 'mute' is not mapped into the windows mixer panel correctly, so I had to get an FM receiver with Audio-over-usb rather than line-in. My sound card output goes straight into my amps using custom 3.5mm-> RCA cables I made. Just had to set the gains correctly. Sound is excellent, but I want to upgrade to urs or a better card. The prodigy was purchased as a cheap alternative to test if this was all possible .. and it is

Try it without the PXA see if theres a difference (and reset your gains). If you have good enough equipment.. I think you should hear an improvement. Also, make sure to use a high quality disc - not top40 - use IASCA disc.. or something that professionals tune systems with. Crappy CD's will make it hard to differenciate a good from bad system. And make it nigh impossible to tell an amazing from a great system.

swordfishunter

Just tested in car, it now hibernates with no problem

with the help of hibernate trigger, devcon and auto it.

1st shut down winamp, disable card.. hibernate ...

on resume, power up card, start winamp.


Easy fix for some, PITA for me, but at least it's working now. BTW auzentech support asked me to RMA the card and they'll give me a new one.

but it's kind of too much of a bother to rip out the pc, and wait for a new sound card from the states.



UPDATE

This fix doesn't really work.. i've traced it to the asio plugin in winamp (both the dll one and the installer one) i believe even with 1 gb of ram, asio is very demanding on the processor. buffers need to be set above seven to prevent chops...

The card will not hibernate unless disabled: Furthermore---- Killing winamp with ASIO plugin and auzentech WONT WORK together--- the card will not disable when ASIO is used. btw ASIO plugin detects the auzentech as oxygen media - not auzentech...( guess it's the same driver)

My guess is a driver problem as the card wont shut down with anything inside it's buffer ( am i correct ? does this the card even have a buffer?)

I was testing this in car and if ASIO was not used, winamp could be shutdown, and hence the card....and proper hibernation can be carried out. If asio was used - hang, bluescreen core memory dump and lots of beeping...

So i redid my script on startup and shut down to disable / enable asio then kill winamp then disable car, then hibernate.. Used Auto IT's record function.

How do i know it's ASIO ? The card will shut down andl hibernate with media player, windows media player, and winamp with any other output plugin, just not with ASIO.

I doubt rma'ing the card will help... It's probably specific to my system, probably as i'm running too many usb devices that have waay too many IRQ's.

Anyway Auzentech if you're reading this - it's time to upgrate your bloody beta drivers.

Just to highlight
2 x 4 port usb-s
Port 1 -
Xenarc
Powermate
External DVD via 2 usb ports for power and data.

Port 2
Bluetooth
Wintv.
Wifi

Direct to PC USB -
GPS mouse.


Why am I not ripping this out of my car -???

It sounds so damn good.... What alternative do I have back to X-fi?... Would you have rather have a misbehaving wild and unpredictable Lindsay Lohan in bed ? Or Julia Roberts? Older and more stable and reliable....

I'm no audiophile - BUT if i went back to creative, I'd instantly become one because of the comparison of the 2 cards....

So you have been warned, these cards are not for novices.

blauhung

just curious, but how long is this card? I have a small mini-itx case and i want to see if it fits before i consider it.

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I have a Worklog, but I have to take pictures as it's completely out of date now.

RedGTiVR6

no idea.

It's in my car, in the case, so I can't exactly pull it out and measure it easily.

Perhaps someoe else can answer.

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jmelan

well based off a standard pci bracket length of 4.75", you can look at this picture off the auzentech website and figure the length at pretty close to 6.7". so, i guess that means it would not be much longer than a mini itx board at 6.69"

I am considering purchasing one of these cards in a few months when i get my carpc set up, and I was worried about the length as well. Hopefully the driver issues will be corrected by then.

swordfishunter

with pci cards i dont think it's the length that matters but more the height right? Anyway It's slimmer than an X-fi so should be no problems.

Red- May I ask if you are having any hibernation issues with this card? How many pci slots does your mobo have?

As for driver issues I wouldn't count on it, knowing auzentech, Nobody launches a product with BETA drivers for XP anymore... if they haven't got their **** together then, they won't now esp with XP.

What you can hope for is perhaps KX driver compatibility- Hopefully

blauhung

hehe, yeah, i pulled another PCI card out of a computer and did the fractions off the slot length and got the same.


and for me it was the length. I got a Travla C138 for my case, but the included power supply has a capacitor that pushes out almost on top of the mobo. Wanted to make sure that with the riser that is included i won't bump into anything.

It'll be a tight fit, but the CPU i got runs rather cool.

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(='.'=)
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I have a Worklog, but I have to take pictures as it's completely out of date now.