Specification

As per Bluegears' b-Enspirer part which we reviewed just last week, Auzentech's X-Meridian has at its heart C-Media's latest 'Oxygen HD' CMI8788 audio processor, giving it the same basic feature set - That being a more powerful DSP than its predecessors, with support for 24-bit, 192kHz playback and ASIO for the professional musicians out there , together with real-time Dolby Digital and DTS encoding as well as other audio upmixing abilities such as DTS Neo:PC and Dolby ProLogic IIx.  Eight-channel audio output and other features such as Dolby Headphones and Virtual Speaker are also the order of the day, to give the part an unrivalled feature set.

Of course, for those of you have already read our b-Enspirer review, you may be asking yourself - What's the point of this article?  We already know what the CMI8788 can do, this board isn't going to behave any differently.

Well, you'd be wrong.  Although there are several boards floating around that make use of a reference design based around the CMI8788, of which the b-Enspirer is one, Auzentech have eschewed simply creating another clone of that particular design.  Instead, their team of engineers, experts in both digital and analogue audio, have set about creating their own board design around the Oxygen HD core, with the emphasis of their efforts squarely focused on sound quality.  While most reference-based designs use only a single-layer PCB, Auzentech have opted for a dual-layer design, due to the larger number of components used on the X-Meridian.  Auzentech argues that these additional components, when used correctly and of a suitable high quality, are required to enhance the analogue signal as it travels from the CMI8788 chip to your speakers, and prevent the normal degradation seen as sound travels along a circuit.

As well as this, the X-Meridian also offers some additional options not available on other CMI8788-based parts, which we'll look at later as we move on to examine the actual board itself.  In brief then, Auzentech's X-Meridian is aiming to bring together all of the impressive functionality of C-Media's Oxygen HD chip, but at the same time kicking up the audio quality of the device an additional notch.

You can find a brief summary of the X-Meridian's capabilities below:

• -  The C-Media Oxygen HD CMI8788 Audio Processor is the heart of the AUZEN X-MERIDIAN 7.1.
  - 4 pcs 24-bit/192kHz AK4396VF (120dB-part spec.) DACs for 7.1channel output. (24-bit/192kHz in 7.1channel playback)
  - 1 pc 24-bit/192kHz AK5385VF(114dB-part spec.) ADC input (24-bit/192kHz recording)
  - 1 pc CMI9780 AC'97 2.3 CODEC for AUX input, CD input, MIC input (16bit/48kHz playback/recording)
  - Integrated up to 192k/24-bit S/PDIF transmitter for 44.1kHz,48kHz, 96kHz, 192kHz SPDIF output.
  - Supports onboard high grade special COAX+OPTIC combo type transmitter module for up to 192kHz SPDIF out.
  - Integrated up to 192k/24-bit S/PDIF receiver for 44.1kHz,48kHz, 96kHz, 192kHz SPDIF input.
  - Supports onboard high grade special COAX+OPTIC combo type receiver module for up to 192kHz SPDIF input.
  - Standard 10PIN Front Panel Audio supports connectivity for stereo audio output and a microphone input from most new chassis. (All 7.1channel analog output muted by jack connection sense of front panel headphone out / Dual MIC input available by back panel mic input and front panel mic input)
  - DTS® Interactive - A real-time 5.1 channel encoder.
  - DTS® Neo:PC - An upmix matrix technology.
  - Dolby® Digital Live (DDL) - A real-time 5.1 channel encoding.
  - Dolby® ProLogic IIx surround processor spreading stereo audio into 7.1 channel surround sound.
  - Dolby® Headphone technology, conveying 5.1 surround and 3D gaming audio over stereo headphones.
  - Dolby® Virtual Speaker solution, bringing amazing virtual surround sound fields via general two speakers.
  - C-Media FlexBass™ - LFE channel crossover frequency setable from range 50 to 250Hz in Small speaker mode and Small/Large speaker selectable.
  - C-Media Magic Voice™, popular feature for disguising your tone in online chatting.
  - C-Media Xear 3D™ 7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter technology.
  - C-Media’s unique Karaoke functions: Microphone Echo, Key-shifting.
  - Individual 10-band EQ for each channel,.27 global reverberation environments.
  - Supports most industrial standards of 3D sound for PC gaming, including EAX™ 1.0 & 2.0, A3D™ 1.0, and DirectSound™.
  - Swappable DIP type OPAMP controlled preamp out circuit (4pcs output control OPAMP IC with DIY socket)
  - Surface mount type OPAMP controlled preamp input circuit (2pcs input control OPAMP for ADC and 1pc MIC input gain control)
  - 5Vrms (Differential DAC output with gain adjustment / approximately full swing from +/- 8V dual power supply)
  - Proper OPAMP control circuit (large capacity 1A +8V, -8V, dual power supply circuit) for high quality audio quality, prevent audio distortion at high volume level.
  - Upgrade Extension available (Extra 6.35mm MIC / Extra Digital I/O sold separately)
  - Supported operating systems: Microsoft Windows® 98SE / ME / 2000 Service Pack 3(SP3) / XP Service Pack 1(SP1) / Server 2003 SP1/ XP Media Center Edition 2005 (MCE) / XP x64 Edition.