As far as subjective audio results, I put this card to the test with the game BioShock. This game has an awesome soundtrack
with a creepy and huge palette of audio. It's great
to hear the enemies creeping up behind you. EAX sounds absolutely brilliant in this game.
The addition of the X-Fi Prelude made this experience truly disturbing.
Mode Switcher
I watched a couple of DVDs in Entertainment Mode. I couldn’t believe how good
it sounded, even better than my home system in my TV room. Very impressive.
Setting the driver to Audio Creation Mode allows the user to set various levels on the microphone and digital input, including EAX settings.
There are a few features that will be released with newer drivers. These features are Dolby Digital Live, DTS Interactive, DTS NEO:PC,
and Creative ALchemy. These features will allow for an even richer experience for audiophiles and gamers. The schedule for the release
of these drivers is available on the Auzentech website.
CONCLUSION
In my Auzentech X-Meridian review, I complained that the only features missing were the EAX 3-5 and OpenAL. Well, they removed a couple of features that I
loved (Dolby Headphone stands out and is missed the most by me), but they added the missing features, causing the X-Fi Prelude to be completely
worth your while.
Auzentech pulled it off. They stuck to their roots, making quality sound cards, while integrating the X-Fi chipset from Creative. This card outperformed
the X-Meridian in the synthetic test. More importantly for me, the Prelude beat the X-Meridian in the subjective listening tests. This card earns a Grand
Slam. Thanks to Stephane Bae from Auzentech for the sample.
