Realtek Audio Codecs Not Rendering True EAX
In a rather stark claim, Analog Devices and Creative labs state that Realtek's high definition audio solutions do not render proper EAX and EAX2 effects correctly and in some cases not at all. Realtek audio solutions are quite popular among OEM motherbboard vendors as they provide low cost audio with reasonable results. Dailytech teamed up with Analog Devices and Creative to confirm the lack of EAX extensions through various listening tests. Competing HD audio solutions do not appear to have this problem and it is unclear if the DDL/DTS Connect solutions supported by C-Media based 8768 and 8778 based chips or chips produced prior to Realtek's acquisition of the company are affected.
Analog Devices and Creative Labs believe this to be a problem for gamers that use onboard audio and not getting the full EAX/EAX2 experience. There's also an issue with some motherboard reviews that use Rightmark 3D Sound for CPU utilization tests and award the onboard audio solution with the lowest utilization the superior solution when the onboard audio solution isn't fully rendering EAX/EAX2 audio. Analog Devices and Creative Labs testing show the Realtek high definition onboard audio showing very little CPU utilization in Rightmark 3D Sound's EAX2 CPU utilization test because it's not applying any EAX2 effects.
