If you’re looking to update your sound card but are thinking of switching brands, Asus would like to talk to you. Chances are that if you bought a sound card over the last 20 years, it was a Creative Soundblaster, Audigy, or X-Fi. They keep making new versions with questionable enhancements, and it seems to me that Asus, accomplished component maker and up-and-coming in other areas, might be a good alternative to sticking with the status quo. Thus: the Xonar line. And this new one sounds pretty sweet.

This one in particular is an audiophile’s sound card — if any true audiophiles out there actually use sound cards — mostly due to its impressive 107dB signal/noise ratio. It’ll support all the latest EAX features and has some voice communication utilities as well. Interestingly, it forgoes the HDMI-out for the old analog solution, with four 3.5mm audio jacks and one in. Ain’t nothing wrong with that.

The DS 7.1 is just coming out, so it’s not reflected on the Xonar site, but it’ll show up soon for those of you in the market.

[via Hot Hardware]