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The history of
the audio card industry can be summed up by saying there
has always been Creative Lab's SoundBlaster line, and then
there have been the "others". When Aureal
disappeared from the picture in 2000, it seemed to spell
the end of any true competition for the audio giant.
Other companies just couldn't risk going up against
Creative's "beat 'em or buy 'em" strategy. On one
hand, that might not have really been too much of a bad
thing. I mean, after all, many games or applications
were designed on and for SoundBlaster cards. In
fact, many system requirements would have the ubiquitous
"SoundBlaster-compatible sound card" listing as a
necessity. But, times change, and not always
necessarily for the better. It's still safe to say
the Creative Lab's holds a large part of the audio card
market share, but there have been a handful of cards that
have been produced in the last couple of years that pose a
question; are Creative Labs cards really the best solution
any more?
We've had a
look in the past at a few of
Hercules' audio cards, and have been mostly impressed.
Today, we have our first taste from M-Audio, a company
well known for providing high-end audio solutions for
professionals and consumers alike. While M-Audio has
produced a few other audio cards in the past, they look
ready to hit "prime-time" with the production of their
latest, the Revolution 7.1. The Revolution 7.1
is positioned as a card that will provide a great
experience when listening to MP3s. watching DVDs, or
playing games. Combining 24-bit/192kHz fidelity with 8
speaker support, M-Audio has produced what could be the
best sounding audio card to hit the market. Let's
take a deeper look into what makes this card rock.
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Specifications / Features of the M-Audio
Revolution 7.1 |
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Full Featured Audio |
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CLICK ANY IMAGE FOR AN
ENLARGED VIEW
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Technical
Specifications
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Data Transfer
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Chipset |
- VIA Envy 24HT
8 channel controller
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Audio Quality
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- 24-bit/192kHz
audio playback on all output channels
- Analog line-in
and mic-in supporting recording
up to 24-bit/96kHz
- Dynamic Range:
106 dB (typical, -60 dB input, a-weighted)
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Signal-to-Noise Ratio (digital to analog): 107
dB
(typical, a-weighted)
- THD+N: 0.003%
or -90 dB (typical)
- Frequency
Response: +0.0/-3.0, 80Hz to 17kHz
- Crosstalk:
-120 dB
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Gaming Support
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- Supports all
of the following: EAX 1.0 and 2.0,
Sensaura, DirectSound,
DirectSound3D, A3D, EnvironmentFX, MultiDrive,
MacroFX, I3DL2, ZoomFX
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Audio Compatibility
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- Supports Dolby
Digital 5.1 (AC3)?, Dolby Pro Logic?, DTS?,
and other multi-channel formats.
- SRS
TruSurround XT? Technology delivering 5.1
virtual surround sound over stereo speakers,
deep bass and dialog enchancement
- Advanced
Circle Surround II technology - creates true
multichannel surround sound from stereo CDs
and MP3s
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External Connectors
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- 4 x 1/8"
stereo mini jacks providing 8 discrete
channels
- S/PDIF digital
coaxial RCA output - linear PCM or AC-3
- Stereo 1/8"
mini analog line-in
- Mono 1/8" mini
analog mic-in
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Internal Connectors |
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Minimum System
Requirements |
- Windows
ME/2000/XP
- Without CSII -
P200MMX, 64MB RAM
- With CSII
(5.1) - PIII 500MHz, 64MB RAM
- With CSII
(7.1) - PIII 700MHz, 128MB RAM
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The Bundle:
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M-Audio Revolution 7.1 audio card
Revolution 7.1 User Guide
Quick Start Guide
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 (full version)
"M-Powered" Artists CD sampler
Applications CD
Drivers CD
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| At first
glance, the silver and blue box exudes a certain
sexiness, as if by marketing forces alone we will be
in for a good time. Once inside, we found two
manuals and four CDs. The Quick Start Guide is
good for those who just want to plug the card in and
go, while the User Guide covers audio basics and setup
more thoroughly. It really is a good read, and
we recommend flipping through the pages as you will
get the most out of the card this way. The
Drivers CD is just that, drivers for installing the
Revolution 7.1 and Control Panel. The
Applications CD comes filled with various audio
programs, some full versions and others in trial mode.
A CD sampler is included that showcase some of the
artists who use M-Audio's products, and gives you a
chance to hear their tunes. An odd choice, perhaps,
was the addition of Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3, especially
a full version. While we would never find fault
in including a game in a bundle, Tony Hawk 3 does
little to showcase the Revolution 7.1's strengths.
Instead, we might have preferred something more audio
specific. For example, a nRCA cable to be used
with the S/PDIF port to connect with a mixer or
receiver, is conspicuously missing from the bundle.
Still, the bundle offers a little taste of everything
to test out your new audio card.
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Installation
and Drivers
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