Xonar DS
Audio card
User manual
Notices
Federal Communications Commission Statement
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
•
•
This device may not cause harmful interference, and
This device must accept any interference received including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with manufacturer’s
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If
this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception,
which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:
•
•
•
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.
•
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Canadian Department of Communications Statement
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions
from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the
Canadian Department of Communications.
This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Australia statement notice
From 1 January 2012 updated warranties apply to allASUS products, consistent with
the Australian Consumer Law. For the latest product warranty details please visit
under theAustralian Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a
major failure and compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage.
You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of
acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure.
If you require assistance please call ASUS Customer Service 1300 2787 88 or visit
iv
Safety information
•
Before installing the device on a motherboard, carefully read all the manuals
that came with the package.
•
To prevent electrical shock hazard or short circuits, switch off the power supply
before installing the device on a motherboard or connecting any singal cables
to the device.
•
•
•
•
If the device is broken, do not try to fix it by yourself. Contact a qualified service
technician or your retailer.
Before using the product, make sure all cables are correctly connected. If you
detect any damage, contact your dealer immediately.
To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from
connectors, sockets and circuitry.
Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the product in
any area where it may become wet.
•
•
Place the product on a stable surface.
If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualified
service technician or your retailer.
This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the product (electrical
and electronic equipment) should not be placed in municipal waste. Check local
regulations for disposal of electronic products.
Trademarks
Xonar and ASUS logo are trademarks of ASUSTek Computer Inc. “Dolby”
and “Dolby Digital Live”, “Dolby Pro Logic IIx”, “Dolby Virtual Speaker”, “Dolby
Headphone” are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. EAX and A3D are trademarks
of Creative Technology Ltd. Microsoft, DirectSound3D, Windows are trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation. Other company and product names may be trademarks of
the respective companies with which they are associated. ASIO is a trademark and
software of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH
License
Dolby Master Studio driver is manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories.
v
1.
Introduction
1.1
Package contents
•
•
•
•
•
ASUS Xonar DS PCI audio card
S/PDIF TOSLINK optical adapter x1
Low Profile Bracket x1
Support CD
Quick Start Guide
1.2
System requirements
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
One PCI 2.2 (or higher) compatible slot for the audio card
Microsoft® Windows® Vista (32/64bit) / XP (32/64bit) / MCE2005
Intel® Pentium® 4 1.4 GHz or AMD® Athlon 1400 CPU or faster CPU
256 MB (or above) DRAM system memory
60 MB available HDD space for driver installation package
CD-ROM drive (or DVD-ROM drive ) for software installation
High-quality headphones, powered analog speakers, or a Dolby Digital or DTS
decoder, to enjoy the ultra-high fidelity sound of the card
ASUS Xonar DS
1
1.3
Specifications summary
Items
Description
Audio Performance
Output Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-Weighted):
Input Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-Weighted):
Up to 107dB
100 dB
Output Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise at
1kHz (A-Weighted) :
Input Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise at 1kHz
(A-Weighted) :
Frequency Response (-3dB, 24-bit/96kHz
input ):
Up to 0.0017% (-95dB)
Up to 0.0017% (-95dB)
<10Hz to 48kHz
Output/Input Full-Scale Voltage
1 Vrms (3Vp-p)
Almost lossless, high-fidelity floating-point filters, with:
-140dB THD+N (typical value for 44.1K->48KHz, 24bit)
145dB Dynamic Range (typical value for 44.1K->48KHz, 24bit)
Sample Rate Conversion Quality
Bus Compatibility
PCI
PCI v2.2 or above bus compatible
Main Chipset
ASUS
24bit)
A
A
V
V
2
6
0
6
0
High-Performance Sound Processor (Max. 192KHz/
Audio Processor
Wolfson WM8776* 1 (108dB SNR, Max. 192kHz/24bit)
D-A Converter of Digital Sources:
A-D Converter for Analog Inputs:
Wolfson WM8766*1 (103dB SNR, Max. 192kHz/24bit)
Wolfson WM8776* 1 (102dB SNR, Max. 96kHz/24bit)
Sample Rate and Resolution
Analog Playback Sample Rate and Resolution
Analog Recording Sample Rate and Resolution
44.1K/48K/96K/192KHz @ 16/24bit for all channels
44.1K/48K/96KHz @ 16/24bit
44.1K/48K/96K/192KHz @ 16/24bit, Dolby Digital, DTS, WMA-
Pro
S/PDIF Digital Output
ASIO 2.0 Driver Support:
44.1K/48K/96K/192KHz @ 16/24bit
I/O Ports
Analog Output Jack:
3.50mm mini jack *4 (Front/Side/Center-Subwoofer/Back)
3.50mm mini jack *1 (Line-In/Mic-In)
Analog Input Jack:
Other line-level analog input (for CD-IN/TV
Tuner):
Aux-In (4-pin header on the card)
High-bandwidth Optical Connector supports 192KHz/24bit
(shared with Back surround output jack)
Digital S/PDIF Output
-additional SPDIF-out header for HDMI audio output
Intel HDA front-panel compatible and supports HP jack-detection
and automatically switch audio output from back-panel to front
Front-Panel Audio Header
Driver Features
Operation System
Windows Vista/XP(32/64bit)/MCE2005
ꢀ
DTS Connect (DTS Interactive Encoder and DTS Neo:PC) for
both XP and Vista
-DTS Interactive encodes any 3D gaming audio into true-to-live
5.1 DTS Digital Surround sound experience
-DTS Neo:PC could expand any stereo music to 7.1 surround
sounds
ꢀ
DTS Technologies
DS3D GX 2.5.0 supports EAX gaming sound effects and
DirectSound 3D hardware enhanced functions on Windows
Vista. (DirectX/DirectSound 3D compatible)
Normalizes the volume of all audio sources into a constant
level and also enhances your 3D sound listening range and
advantages in gaming
DirectSound3D Game EXtensions 2.5 (DS3D GX
2.5)/DirectX
Smart Volume NormalizerTM
The latest vocal effect technologies for gaming and VoIP,
including:
- VoiceEX: produces vivid environmental reverberation for
your voice in EAX games
- ChatEX: emulates different background environment
effects when you chat online
VocalFXTM
- Magic Voice: changes your voice pitch to different types
(Monster/Cartoon…) for disguising your real voice or just
for fun in online chatting
Music Pitch-Shifting, Vocal Cancellation, and Microphone
Echo effects with Stereo Mix recording (Wave and Mic-in) for
online Karaoke or online DJ applications
Karaoke Functions
(continued on the next page)
ASUS Xonar DS
2
FlexBassTM
Professional Bass Management/Enhancement system
Adjustable virtual 7.1-speaker positioning
10-band Equalier/27 Environment Effects
Xear 3DTM Virtual Speaker Shifter
Other Effects
ꢀ
ꢀ
ꢀ
Vista: DirectSound3D GX 2.5, EAX 2.0&1.0, DirectSound
ꢀ
HW, DirectSound SW, A3D 1.0, OpenAL generic
modes, 128 3D sounds processing capability
XP: DirectSound3D GX 2.5, EAX 2.0&1.0, DirectSound
3D Gaming Sound Engines/APIs
ꢀ
ꢀ
ꢀ
ꢀ
HW, DirectSound SW, A3D 1.0, OpenAL generic
modes, 128 3D sounds processing capability
Bundled Software
RMAA 6.0.6
RightMark Audio Analyzer utility for easily test the audio
quality of your sound card in PC
Accessories
Accessories
-Low-profile bracket
-S/PDIF TOSLINK optical adaptor
*Specifications are subject to change without notice.
ASUS Xonar DS
3
2.
Xonar DS card layout
7
8
6
1
2
3
4
5
Audio ports
1
2
3
4
5
ASUS Xonar DS
4
No Item
Description
1
Microphone In port
Connect your external PC microphone to this 3.5mm port for
voice input. Built-in high-quality Microphone pre-amplifier.
1
Line In port
Connect analog devices like MP3 players, CD players,
music synthesizers and other line-level sound sources to
this 3.5mm port for audio recording or processing. (Through
Ultra-high fidelity 102dB SNR A-D converter)
2
Headphone/Front
Out port
Connect your headphones or 2/2.1 channel speakers to this
3.5mm port. For multi-channel speaker systems, connects to
the front left/right input on the powered speakers.
3
4
5
5
Side Surround Out
port
Connects to the surround channel input on 4/4.1/5.1/6.1/7.1
powered analog speakers.
Center/Subwoofer
Out port
Connects to the center/subwoofer input on 5.1/6.1/7.1
powered analog speakers.
Rear/back Surround
Out port
Connects to the Back Surround input on 6.1/7.1 powered
analog speakers.
S/PDIF Out port
Optical TOSLINK digital output port. Connects to external
digital decoder or digital speaker systems, Home Theater
systems, AV receivers for outputting digital audio including
PCM, DTS Digital, DTS, WMA-Pro, etc.
6
7
Front panel audio
header
Intel HDA front-panel compatible and supports HP jack-
detection and automatically switch audio output from the
back panel to the front panel.
Supports both front-panel and sound card mic input mixing
Aux Input Header
S/PDIF Out header
Usually connects to the Analog Audio output of TV tuner card
or other sound source inside your PC system. (To monitor
your TV tuner card’s audio from this Aux-In, you must enable
the “monitor” function for Aux-In in the Xonar DS Audio
Center‘s recording mixer.)
8
Connects to the graphics card with HDMI support.
ASUS Xonar DS
5
3.
Installing the hardware
3.1
Installing the audio card
Before you proceed with the following installation steps, it’s recommended that
you disable your onboard audio device in your BIOS settings, or uninstall any
other audio cards on your PC. (For BIOS setting or uninstallation of other sound
cards, refer to the user manuals of your motherboard and audio card.)
Installing the Xonar DS card
1.
Power OFF the computer, the monitor, and all other peripheral devices
connected to your computer.
2.
3.
Unplug the computer power cord from your computer and power outlet.
Touch the metal back or side panel of the computer to avoid static electricity.
Remove the chassis cover.
4.
5.
Remove the metal bracket from an available PCI slot for the Xonar DS audio
card.
6.
Carefully insert the audio card into the PCI slot. Ensure the audio card sits
properly in place.
7.
8.
9.
Secure the audio card with screws and the metal bracket.
Put back the chassis cover.
Reconnect all cables.
10. Plug the power cord to the computer and to a power outlet.
11. Power ON the computer.
1
2
ASUS Xonar DS
6
3.2
Connecting to a TV tuner card
1. If you have a traditional PCI or PCI TV tuner card on your PC, you may need
to connect it to the Xonar DS card to send the tuner card’s sound to your PC
speakers.
2.
3.
Secure the PCI/PCI TV tuner card and screw it into the back-panel.
Connect the audio output header from the TV tuner card to the Aux-In header
of the Xonar DS card.
For optimum TV audio quality, Xonar DS uses ADC recording to digitize the
signal and loops it back to DAC playback. Select Aux-In as the recording source
in the Xonar DS Center’s recording mixer and enable the monitoring button
to pass this signal to the audio output. Using this setup, you can even turn on
sound effects such as Pro-Logic IIx to expand the stereo TV audio to 5.1 or 7.1
channel surround sound. TV audio on your PC will become even better than on
your TV set.
ASUS Xonar DS
7
4.
Installing software
Installing the card driver
Ensure that you have installed the audio card driver before installing the Xonar
DS driver. Otherwise, driver installation error may occur.
1.
2.
3.
After you have installed the Xonar DS card, turn on your computer. Windows®
automatically detects the audio card and searches for device drivers. When
prompted for the drivers, click Cancel.
Insert the support CD into the optical drive. If Autorun is enabled in your
system, the setup starts automatically. If not, run setup.exe from your
support CD.
Follow the onscreen instructions to finish the installation.
The version and content of the support CD are subject to change without notice.
ASUS Xonar DS
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5.
Connecting speakers and peripherals
5.1
Connecting digital speaker systems (Home Theater)
The Xonar DS supports DTS Interactive technologies, which transcode any audio,
including games and music, into industry-standard DTS surround bit-streams.
This makes playback through your home theater system possible, creating an
immersive and impressive cinema surround sound experience. A single digital
cable connection can carry high-quality DTS digital audio from any of your PC
audio sources to any digital speakers or AV Receivers with DTS 5.1 decoding
capabilities.
1
SPDIF Out
2
No Item
Description
1
Optical adapter
Plug the optical TOSLINK adapter into the S/PDIF-Out
combo connector.
2
Optical cable
Connect your decoder’s S/PDIF-In port to the optical adapter
with the TOSLINK optical cable.
You can also use a coaxial cable for a S/PDIF connection. Just plug the coaxial
RCA male connector to the S/PDIF-Out combo jack and connect the other end
into the coaxial S/PDIF input on your decoder.
ASUS Xonar DS
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5.2
Connecting stereo headphones
Connecting Stereo Headphones
5.2.1
Headphone Out
No Item
Description
1
Front Out/Headphone
Jack
The Front Out jack has a built-in high-quality amplifier to
drive headphones. Connect your stereo headphones directly
to this jack.
ASUS Xonar DS
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5.2.2
Connecting 5.1 channel Headphones
1
2
3
No Item
Description
1
2
3
Front Out
Connect the front-channel 3.5mm plug of your 5.1
headphones into this jack.
Side Surround Out
Connect the surround-channel 3.5mm plug of your 5.1
headphone into this jack.
Center/Subwoofer Out
Connect the Center/Bass-channel 3.5mm plug of your 5.1
headphone into this jack.
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5.3
Connecting Analog Speaker Systems
5.3.1
Connecting Analog Power Amplifier
1
2
3
4
No Item
Description
1
2
3
4
Front Out
Connects to the “left front” and “right front” input ports of the
analog amplifier with the mini-jack to RCA cable.
Side Surround Out
Center/Subwoofer
Back Surround Out
Connects to the “left surround” and “right surround” input
ports of the analog amplifier with the mini-jack to RCA cable.
Connects to the “Center” and “subwoofer” input ports of the
analog amplifier with the mini-jack to RCA cable.
Connects to the “left back” and “right back” input ports of the
analog amplifier with the mini-jack to RCA cable.
ASUS Xonar DS
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5.3.2
Connecting 2/2.1 channel speakers
2 Speakers
1
2.1 Speakers
1
No Item
Description
1
Front Out/Headphone
Jack
Connect the 2/2.1 speaker set’s 3.5mm plug into this Front
Out jack.
ASUS Xonar DS
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5.3.3
Connecting 4/4.1 Channel Speakers
4 Speakers
1
2
4.1 Speakers
1
2
No Item
Description
1
Front Out
Connects to the Front input port of the 4/4.1 speakers with
the mini-jack cable.
2
Side Surround Out
Connects to the Surround input port of the 4/4.1 speakers
with the mini-jack cable.
ASUS Xonar DS
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5.3.4
Connecting 5.1 Channel Speakers
5.1 Speakers
1
2
3
No Item
Description
1
2
3
Front Out
Connects to the Front input port of the 5.1 speakers with the
mini-jack cable.
Side Surround Out
Center/Subwoofer
Connects to the Surround input port of the 5.1 speakers with
the mini-jack cable.
Connects to the Center/Subwoofer input port of the 5.1
speakers with the mini-jack cable..
5.3.5
Connecting 6.1/7.1 Channel Speakers
6.1 Speakers
1
2
3
4
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7.1 Speakers
1
2
3
4
No Item
Description
1
2
3
4
Front Out
Connects to the Front input port of the 6.1/7.1 speakers with
the mini-jack cable.
Side Surround Out
Center/Subwoofer
Back Surround Out
Connects to the Surround input port of the 6.1/7.1 speakers
with the mini-jack cable.
Connects to the Center/Subwoofer input port of the 6.1/7.1
speakers with the mini-jack cable.
Connects to the Back Surround input port of the 6.1/7.1
speakers with the mini-jack cable.
ASUS Xonar DS
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5.4
Connecting microphone
1
2
1
Mic In
1
2
Headphone Out
No Item
Description
1
Microphone Input
Jack
Connect the microphone’s 3.5mm plug into this Mic-In jack
for voice communication, recording, or karaoke.
2
Headphone Jack
The Front Out jack has a built-in high-quality amplifier to
drive headphones. Connect your stereo headphones directly
to this jack.
ASUS Xonar DS
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5.5
Connecting Line-In audio sources
1
Line In
No Item
Line Input Jack
Description
1
Connect the 3.5mm plug of the CD/MP3 Player or any
other Line level analog audio sources into this Line-In jack
for sound recording or real-time Dolby sound processing
through the Monitoring path (See the “Mixer” section of the
driver guide).
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6.
Xonar Audio Center
6.1
Xonar Audio Center GUI
1.
After the driver installation is complete
and your computer has been rebooted,
you will find the Xonar Audio Center’s
icon in the system tray on the bottom
right-hand corner of the screen. Double
click this icon to open the Xonar Audio Center utility.
If the icon could not be found in the system tray, launch the Xonar Audio Center
from the Windows desktop by clicking Start > All Programs > ASUS Xonar DS
Audio > Xonar DS Audio Center.
2.
The Xonar Audio Center is the Graphic User Interface (GUI) for the Xonar DS
driver. You can control the functions and features of the Xonar DS driver on
the Xonar Audio Center. The following picture shows a basic overview of the
Xonar Audio Center. The following sections of this manual will describe its
functions in more detail.
4
Minimize button
Close button
1
2
5
6
7
8
3
9
ASUS Xonar DS
19
No Item
Description
1
2
Support link
Clicking this button will lead you to the ASUS official website.
Display Area
This display area shows the 10-band signal meter, volume
level, and the status of the Dolby/DTS technologies, EQ, and
DSP modes. Note: this area just displays information, but is
not used to alter settings.
3
Setting Menu Panel
This panel gives access to setting tabs, including Main
Settings, Mixer/volume, Effects, Karaoke, FlexBass, and
VocalFX.
4
5
Information icon
Menu Open/Close
Clicking this icon will pop up driver’s Information window.
Clicking this button will move the display area and reveal
the configuration area below. Clicking it again will move the
display area back down.
6
7
8
Master Volume
Mute Button
SVN Button
This rotary knob controls the master playback volume. Drag
the small circle inside it to change the volume level.
Click this button to mute audio playback; it will display a red
light when playback is muted.
Click this button to enable the “Smart Volume Normalization”
feature for constant volume from all playback sources. It will
display a blue light when enabled.
9
DSP Mode
These 2 buttons give access to quick gaming surround
sound effect (GX2.5) and effect-free (Hi-Fi) modes.
ASUS Xonar DS
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6.2
Main Setting
Sample Rate
6.2.1
The sample rate determines the number of audio samples per second that the
Digital-to-Analog Converters (DAC) and S/PDIF digital interface will output.
The Xonar DS card can support sample rates up to 192KHz (44.1K, 48K, 96K,
192KHz). Usually audio CDs and MP3 files are 44.1KHz; DVD-Video uses 48KHz;
DVD-Audio or other HD media may contain 96KHz or 192KHz high-definition
audio content. Please select the corresponding sample rate for your playback
sources to get the best audio fidelity. Even if your setting differs from the audio
source’s sample rate, the Xonar DS engine will do super high fidelity sample-rate-
conversion with a double floating-point filter, which can reduce total harmonic
distortion (THD+N) by -140dB.
1
No Item
Sample Rate
Description
1
Select the sample rate that corresponds to (or exceeds that
of) your playback sources, for optimal audio fidelity. The
Xonar DS card supports sample rates up to 192KHz (44.1K,
48K, 96K, 192KHz). Typical values:
-Audio CD, MP3, WMA, Wave files are 44.1KHz;
-The audio of DVD-Video is 48KHz;
-DVD-Audio or other HD media may contain 96KHz or
192KHz high-definition audio content.
ASUS Xonar DS
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6.2.2
Analog Out mode
1
2
3
No Item
Description
1
Analog Out
The Analog Out setting is used to match your actual
speaker setting, such as headphones, 2 speakers (or 2.1), 4
speakers (or 4.1), 5.1 speakers, 7.1 speakers, Front Panel
Headphone and Front Panel 2 speakers (or 2.1). Xonar
DS will play the channels and do the proper 3D/DTS sound
processing accordingly. Select the correct speaker type for
your connected speakers.
2
3
Speaker Test
Click this button to show the speaker test window in the right
pane. Click the “play” button to test each speaker one by one
or click each speaker manually to test.
HP Advanced Setting
Clicking this button will pop up an advanced setting window
to allow you to:
– Swap center/bass outputs for 5.1/7.1-speaker set ups
– Swap Side/Back Surroud outputs for 7.1-speaker set ups
Check the box if your speakers are outputting the incorrect
channel. Otherwise, leave them blank.
ASUS Xonar DS
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6.2.3
SPDIF Out / DTS Interactive
Xonar DS is capable of outputting DTS Interactive, which are real-time encoders
that transcode any audio, including games and music, into industry-standard DTS
Digital bit-streams on-the-fly. This is ideal for playback through a home theater
system, creating an immersive and impressive cinema surround sound experience.
It enables a single digital connection to carry high quality DTS surround audio from
your PC to digital speakers and AV Receivers.
2
1
No Item
Description
1
S/PDIF Out enable/
disable
Click this check box to enable S/PDIF output.
2
S/PDIF Output
Formats/Functions
This pull-down menu allows you to select one of the following
four formats:
-PCM (Pulse Code Modulation, which is a typical raw audio
data format.)
-DTS Interactive, real-time 5.1ch encoding
ASUS Xonar DS
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6.2.4
Audio Channels (For Vista only)
This setting only appears in Windows Vista. Vista will deliver the audio channels
to the audio driver according to this setting, no matter what the original audio
content is or how many channels they have. Therefore, you need to set this in
accordance with your audio content before you play it. Please note that this setting
is synchronized with Vista’s system speaker configuration and changing the
setting during playback will cease the audio playback program. You may have to
restart the program after the change. It’s recommended that you close all playing
programs before you change the setting.
1
No Item
Audio Channels
Description
1
Here are some typical suggestions:
-MP3, WMA, AAC, CD, VCD, 2D games => 2 channels
-DVD-Video with Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1 => 6 channels
-DVD-Video with Dolby Digital EX or DTS ES => 8 channels
-3D games => 8 channels
ASUS Xonar DS
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6.2.5
7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter
The 7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter has the following major features:
•
•
•
Expanding/upmixing audio to 7.1-channel surround sound
Virtualizing 7.1 surround sound over any set of speakers
Shiftable virtual speaker positioning allows you to adjust the best sound field
easily without moving physical speakers and wires
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
No Item
Description
1
Shifter enable/disable
Click this check box to enable the 7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter.
Clicking the text bar will switch the right window to the
Speaker Shifter page for manual adjustments.
Note: The setting will remain when a different Analog Output
is selected.
2
Drag speaker or
listener
You can drag each speaker or listener to a different relative
position “virtually” using only your mouse. The Xonar DS
card will process it and virtualize each speaker position in
real-time. The Subwoofer has no directional sounds, and
hence can be moved only closer or further away.
3
4
Reset
Reset all Speaker Shifter settings to the defaults.
Increase/decrease
volume
Click + to increase volume (move speakers closer); click – to
decrease volume (move speakers further away)
5
Counter-clockwise
Make all speakers (except Subwoofer) rotate counter-
clockwise
6
7
8
Clockwise
Make all speakers (except Subwoofer) rotate clockwise
Manually drag and rotate all speakers (except Subwoofer)
Manual Rotation
Manual Drag Mode
This is the default mode that allows you to manually drag
each speaker or the listener with your mouse.
ASUS Xonar DS
25
6.2.6
DTS Neo:PC
DTS Neo:PC is a 7.1 surround upmixing technology and is widely used in home
theater systems, TVs, game consoles, and car audio systems. It can expand
stereo audio, such as MP3, CD, and TV programs into immersive 5.1 or
7.1-channel surround.
2
3
4
5
6
1
No Item
Description
1
DTS Neo:PC
enable/disable
Click this check box to enable DTS Neo:PC. Clicking the text
bar will switch the right window to the Pro-Logic IIx page for
manual adjustments.
2
Center Width
This parameter is used to set the spread of the center, mainly
for the vocal signals of songs and music. Drag the scroll bar
to the left to centralize the vocal signal. Drag to the right side
to widen the vocal sound range.
3
4
Reset
Reset all settings to the defaults.
Dimension
The dimension parameter fades sounds to the front or rear
of the listener.
5
6
Music Mode
Movie Mode
Music mode is the default mode for regular music playback.
In this mode, you can adjust the Center Width and
Dimension parameters.
Movie mode is a preset optimized for movie audio.
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6.3
Mixer/Volume
The mixer page is designed to control the volume for playback and recording
on the Xonar DS. In addition, the Xonar DS also provides a high-quality digital
monitoring function for hearing the recorded audio from the speakers. You can also
process the input signals with all playback sound effects such as DTS technology.
6.3.1
Playback Volume
1
5
2
3
4
No Item
Description
1
2
Playback volume tab
Click this button to show the playback volume page.
Volume slider
Drag this slider down to decrease the volume; drag it up to
increase the volume. The tool-tip reveals the percentage
number from 1 to 100 in terms of the full scale level.
3
4
Mute button
Click this button to mute the audio channel; click this button
again to restore the audio output.
Source / path name
This shows the source name for each volume control slider,
including:
- WAVE: All digital audio sources except MIDI files
- SW: Software Synthesizer; control the playback volume of
the MIDI files
- CD: CD-ROM digital playback (CD-DA) volume control
- LEFT, RIGHT…: the volume control for each speaker/
channel
NOTE: Windows® Vista does not support WAVE, Synthesizer
and CD-In volume controls.
5
Reset
Reset all volume controls to the default settings
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6.3.2
Recording/Monitoring Volume
1
7
2
3
4
5
6
No Item
Description
1
2
Recording Volume Tab
Click this button to show the recording volume page.
Recording volume
slider
Drag this slider down to decrease the recording volume; drag
up to increase the recording volume. The tool-tip reveals the
percentage number from 1 to 100 in terms of the full scale
level.
3
Recording Selector
button
Click this button to select the path/source you are going
to record. Note that the recording function on Windows is
a one-path selector. So, you can select only one default
recording source at a time. You may have to restart the
recorder program if you switch to a different source. (Note:
On Vista, some application programs may allow you to
select the recording device/path in the recording programs
themselves.)
4
Microphone-In
Click this button
Microphone-In:
to open the advanced settings for the
Advanced Setting
Enabling “Microphone Boost” will increase a volume gain
to boost microphone input signals. If you connect your
microphone to the front panel audio module, enable “Front
Panel Microphone”. For typical low-cost PC microphone, it’s
recommended to enable this function.
(continued on the next page)
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5
Monitoring button
Click this button to monitor and loopback recording audio
to outputs (PC speakers). Therefore, the recording volume
will influence the monitoring signals from speaker outputs.
The audio will be mixed into the streams you are playing
out from your PC and all DSP effects will be applied to the
source, too. A typical benefit is to apply DTS Neo:PC 7.1-ch
spreading for your TV audio, CD, MP3, or stereo game
console audio from Wii, Xbox, PS2/PS3/PSP, etc.
6
Source / path name
This shows the source name for each volume control slider,
including:
S/PDIF-In: S/PDIF digital input source
MIC: recording from MIC jack
Mix: Stereo Mix which will record MIC, AUX, and digital
WAVE audio you are playing on PC
Aux: recording from Aux-In for typically TV-tuner card audio
or other sound sources
Line-In: recording from Line-in jack for external audio
devices
WAVE: recording from digital wave audio you are playing on
PC
7
Reset
Click to reset all volume controls to the default settings.
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6.4
Effects
6.4.1
Environment Effects
Environment effects can be used to create realistic listening experiences that
mimic different environments. There are a total of 27 environment options, which
can be applied to all 2D sound sources, like music.
3
1
2
No Item
Description
1
Default environments
These four buttons activate Bathroom, Concert hall,
Underwater, and Music Pub environments, respectively.
2
More options
Clicking this button will apply the environment effect that you
select from the pull-down menu on the right side. There are
another 23 options in this menu.
3
Environment size
There are three size settings for each environment: Large,
Medium, and Small.
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6.4.2
10-Band Equalizer
The equalizer can modify the audio output for different frequencies, and be used
to compensate for deficiencies in your speakers/systems. There are 12 default
patterns and you can also make your own settings.
1
2
3
4
5
6
No Item
Description
1
Default equalizer
options
There are 12 available equalizer patterns. Click one to apply
it.
2
3
Equalier slider
Adjust the gain for each band (30~16KHz)
User Defined
You can click this button to apply your own defined
parameters saved in the pull-down menu.
4
5
Save name
Add / save
Key in a name for your own “User Defined” equalizer setting
Click this “+” button to save the parameters into User Defined
list
6
Delete
Click this “–” button to delete the parameters from User
Defined list
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6.5
Karaoke
The Xonar DS provides powerful features for Karaoke, including Key-Shifting,
Vocal Cancellation, and Microphone Echo. Microphone Echo can generate natural
echo effects on your singing voice just like a karaoke machine. Key-Shifting can
change the pitch of Karaoke background music, and Vocal Cancellation can
reduce the original vocal in songs and keep the music and symphony for karaoke.
5
1
2
3
4
No Item
Description
1
2
On/Off
Click the switch to turn on or off the functions on this page.
Key-Shifting
Check the box to enable or disable the key shifting feature
for music playback from 4 semitones below, to 4 semitones
above.
3
Vocal Cancellation
Check the box to enable or disable the vocal cancellation
function and adjust the voice cancellation level from 0 to
+100. +100 will eliminate most original vocals (default value
is 50).
4
5
Mic Echo
Reset
Select the Mic Echo function and adjust the gain for echo
signals (30~16KHz)
Reset all settings to the default.
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The following message appears when Mic Echo is selected:
This message implies that the recording device will be set according to your
requirement. With Mic, you will only record audio source from microphone with
echo effects; but you are able to record all audio sources from Wave, Aux, and
Mic with microphone echo effect. Click OK to accept it or Cancel if you want
to enable it later. Checking Don’t remind me again and this message will not
show up again.
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6.6
FlexBass
FlexBass, an advanced bass management and enhancement mechanism, allows
you to select each satellite speaker’s type for optimal sound performance from the
speakers. (Small: common speaker that cannot produce low frequencies; Large:
wide-band speakers that can produce low frequencies well). It comes with an
adjustable crossover frequency for the boundary of the bass signals. FlexBass will
filter out the bass signals from small speaker channels and redirect them all to the
subwoofer or Large speakers.
4
1
2
3
No Item
Description
1
On/Off
Click this switch to turn on or off all functions on this
FlexBass page.
2
Small / Large speaker
option
Select the speaker type that you connected. If your speaker
type cannot perform low-frequency signals (bass), select
“Small” speaker type and Xonar DS will filter out the bass
signals and send them to the subwoofer channel. If those
speakers are full-range, you can select the “Large” speaker
type.
Note: Usually, low-cost PC’s 2-channel speakers are
small-type speakers. Refer to the speaker’s specification.
If you have any questions, consult your speaker vendor.
However, common 2.1 speakers with a subwoofer should
be categorized as Large speakers because the subwoofer
can redirect the bass signals inside the two channels to the
subwoofer speaker automatically.
3
Picture for Small/
Large speaker
Colors for small/large speakers are different.
Orange: large speakers
Green: small speakers
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4
LFE Crossover
Frequency
Adjusts the cut-off frequency (50~250Hz) for LFE (low-
frequency effects) signals. Xonar DS will filter out the bass
signals below the crossover frequency from small speaker
channels and forward them to the subwoofer. The higher
the crossover frequency, the more bass signals will be
subtracted.
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6.7
Smart Volume Normalization
Smart Volume NormalizationTM (SVN) automatically keeps all music or video/TV
audio output at a constant level to reduce manual adjustment hassles inherent
with sound sources of different loudness. It allows you to listen to various content,
like MP3, TV program, DVD video and even games with consistent sound level.
The following graph shows how different signals 1 & 2 will become the same level
(for example, 10dB below full scale) after you turn on SVN. Please note that for
lower volume music 2, it will become louder when you turn on SVN; and for higher
volume music 1, it will become quieter.
0dB (Full-scale)
Music 1
T
-10 dB
Music 2
SVN Off
SVN On
- ꢀ
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3
2
1
No Item
Description
1
SVN On/Off
Click this button to enable SVN. This button is outlined blue
when active.
2
SVN blue light
SVN display
When SVN is enabled, the master volume knob will be
illuminated by a blue light. It will be lit red if the volume is
muted.
3
When SVN is enabled, “Smart Volume” will be lit up at the
bottom of the volume meter and the volume meter will show
the level.
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6.8
DS3D GX and DSP Modes
Xonar DS is introducing an innovative technology –DirectSound 3D Game
Extensions v2.5 (DS3D GX 2.5)- to restore DirectSound 3D Hardware acceleration
mode and its subsidiary EAX effects on Windows Vista for 3D games. Unlike some
proprietary API like OpenAL, DS3D GX doesn’t require games to support OpenAL
API. All existing games compatible with Microsoft DirectX and DirectSound 2D/3D
will be supported with DS3D GX technology. Before you start EAX and DS3D HW
games, enable DS3D GX on the Xonar Audio Center, and disable the function after
the games.
In addition, Xonar DS also offers a Hi-Fi mode for hi-fidelity playback without any
effect processing to keep the original audio fidelity. Every time you turn on Hi-Fi
mode, Xonar DS will clear all sound effects. It’s also recommended to use Hi-Fi
mode for audio quality tests (using RMAA software or another machine-based
measurement). Use the DSP mode button as the quick setup if you don’t wish to
know the details of the effect setup.
No sound effects will be applied to high-definition 96KHz/192KHz content.
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1
2
No Item
Description
1
GX Mode
DirectSound 3D Game Extensions mode to support EAX and
DirectSound 3D Hardware extensions for lots of DirectX/
DirectSound3D games on Windows Vista and XP.
2
Hi-Fi Mode
This mode is set for Hi-Fidelity playback, where all effects will
be cleared to keep the original digital data and analog output
quality as high as possible.
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6.9
VocalFX
VocalFX is an innovative voice processing technology to let your voice get into
the realistic game landscape (VoiceEX) or to emulate the background scenes in
online chat (ChatEX). It also allows you to change your voice pitch to disguise
who you are (Magic Voice). These features dramatically increase the fun for voice
communication on PC.
3
4
5
1
2
No Item
Description
1
VoiceEX
It produces realistic and dynamic environmental
reverberation for your voice in 3D gaming communication.
2
Local VoiceEX
It produces realistic and dynamic environmental
reverberation for your voice in 3D gaming communication.
(You can hear your voice form speakers)
3
4
5
ChatEX
It emulates different background environment effects when
you chat online.
Magic Voice
App List
Changes your voice pitch to different types for disguising
your real voice or just for fun in online chatting.
You can add VOIP application into VOIP application List.
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For 3D Games
1.
2.
Check the check box of VoiceEX and Local VoiceEX.
Make sure you and your team member can talk to each other in the game.
For VOIP
1.
2.
Press App List
If you don’t see the VOIP application of yours in the list, press Add.(Make
sure the Skype and MSN Messenger are the latest version)
3.
Look for the application’s location and Open it.
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4.
Your VOIP application has been added into list.
5.
6.
Check the check box of ChatEX and Magic Voice.
You can use ChatEX and Magic Voice when you chat online.
Click the checkbox to enable VocalFX function, then a prompt message will pop
up:
This message implies the record device will be set to microphone. Make sure
the GX function is enabled. Click “OK” to accept it, or “Cancel” if you want to
enable it later. Check “Don’t remind me again” if you don’t want to see this
message pop up next time.
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7.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
[Troubleshooting]
The audio card driver could not be installed on my PC.
Instructions:
1.
Make sure that you have properly plugged the audio card in the PCI slot on
your motherboard.
2.
Check that the Windows hardware device manager has discovered a
multimedia audio device. If no device is found, please try scanning for new
hardware.
3.
4.
Try soft reboot (restart) your Windows.
Remove the card, plug it into another PCI slot, and try again.
I cannot find the Xonar DS Audio Center
Instructions:
1.
2.
Make sure you have installed the driver
Locate the Xonar DS Audio Center icon in the system tray on the bottom
right-hand corner of the screen. Double-click the icon to open the Xonar DS
Audio Center utility.
3.
4.
If the icon could not be found in the system tray, go to the Windows Control
Panel and double click the “Xonar DS Audio Center” icon to make it visible in
the system tray again.
After the driver installation is complete, it’s recommended that you reboot
your computer to complete the setup. If the icon still doesn’t appear, please
try installing the driver package again.
I cannot hear any sound from my analog speakers
Instructions:
1.
Xonar DS card needs the power cable to supply addition power in addition
to the basic PCI bus power. Double check you have plugged the small 4-pin
power plug onto Xonar DS power connector. If you did not plug the internal
power, Xonar DS Audio Center will remind you a warning message and will
not allow your operation when you double-click Xonar DS Audio Center icon
in the system tray.
2.
3.
Ensure that you have connected speakers properly and have powered on
your speakers.
Ensure that the device master volume or the software player has NOT been
muted on the Xonar DS Audio Center.
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4.
5.
If you are using DTS encoder through the S/PDIF output, the analog output
will be muted to get rid of the interference between your digital speaker
system and analog speakers or headphones. Check if this is the case.
Go to the sound and audio device of Windows Control Panel to check if the
playback default device is set to Xonar DS Audio Device, instead of other
onboard AC97 or HDA codec device. If it’s not, please set it to Xonar DS
Audio Device and restart your applications.
6.
Try restarting your Windows.
I cannot hear any sound from the S/PDIF output
Instructions:
1.
2.
3.
Ensure that you have enabled S/PDIF output in the Audio Center GUI (Main
page).
Ensure that you are connecting the correct S/PDIF output jack on the card to
the decoder’s (AV receiver) S/PDIF input jack.
You may need to select the correct input and mode of your decoder or AV
receiver. For DTS output, you may have to double check that the AV receiver
is in that decoding mode.
4.
If you are using 192KHz PCM output, please make sure your decoder can
support 192KHz decoding. Try changing it to 44.1K or 48KHz first.
I cannot hear audio input (Mic, Line-in, AUX, etc.) from my speakers
Instructions:
1.
Go to the mixer recording page in the Audio Center and select the correct
input as the recording source. If you are using Windows Vista, also go to
system audio control panel to see the current default recording/input device is
right.
2.
Remember to turn on the digital monitoring button for that recording source.
I cannot hear the TV tuner audio from my speakers
Instructions:
1.
2.
3.
If you are using a traditional TV tuner card which has analog audio output,
please connect it to the Aux-In header on the audio card
Select Aux-In as the recording source and remember to turn on the digital
monitoring button on the recording mixer page
If you are using a TV tuner card which has digital audio output instead of
analog, check that the sound is not muted and whether other applications can
play sound out. If you still have problem, read the TV tuner card’s software
user guide.
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[FAQ]
Q1: Does the Xonar DS support Windows Vista?
Answer:
Yes, the Xonar DS driver package does support Windows Vista 32/64 bit and most
key features are available. In addition, Xonar DS supports unique DS3D GX on
Windows Vista, which can recover DirectSound 3D hardware and EAX gaming
sound effects on Vista for a lot of existing DirectX games.
Q2: Why does the Xonar DS support DTS technology?
Answer:
DTS is the well-known brand and technology recognized by the CE industry and
available on a wide range of audio equipment. Moreover, DTS Digital Surround 5.1
audio could deliver more high-quality sound even than Dolby Digital does. Xonar
includes these features to make your PC a powerful media and entertainment
center.
Q3: Why is Xonar DS the best audio card for HTPC and multi-channel
speakers?
Answer:
The Xonar DS supports DTS Interactive, which allow a single digital connection to
your AV receiver to carry DTS Digtial Surround audio. In addition, Xonar DS also
provides DTS Neo:PC to upmix TV and other music to multi-channel surround
sound in Home Theater environments. Xonar DS also has High Fidelity SNR
at 192K/24bit, which is the only high quality consumer audio card in the world.
Therefore, it’s also the best card to deliver the high quality audio through an analog
connection to your home theater system or high-end multi-channel speakers.
Q4: Does the Xonar DS support EAX on Vista?
Answer:
Yes, Xonar DS can support EAX2.0 not only on Windows XP but also on Vista
through innovative DirectSound3D Game EXtensions v2.5 (DS3D GX 2.5)
technology.
Q5: Why do I need DTS for PC games?
Answer:
DTS Interactive and Neo:PC are available on the latest game consoles, like
XBOX360, and PS3. DTS can provide the best gaming sound experience and
compatibility with home theater or TV systems.
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Q6: What is the most important benefit of the Xonar DS for musicians?
Answer:
1.
2.
3.
Ultimate Fidelity: Xonar DS has the highest quality of audio in/out for the
cleanest sound production.
Duplex HD: Supports audio sampling rates up to 24bit/192KHz for outputs
and 24bit/96KHz for inputs.
ASIO 2.0: Xonar DS includes an ASIO 2.0 driver for low-latency, low-
distortion music creation application.
Q7: Will PCM sound output through S/PDIF be just 2 channels even with
different analog output channels?
Answer:
The S/PDIF protocol specification (IEC-60958) can only carry 2-channel PCM
data or non-PCM AC3/DTS data. So, when a user selects PCM output for S/PDIF,
the Xonar sound card will always deliver 2 channel PCM data through the S/PDIF
output port. For attaining 5.1 channel surround sounds, you can select DTS
Interactive encoding output from the S/PDIF out menu, which will allow the Xonar
DS to deliver upto 7.1 surround sound for games, DVD movies, and even stereo
music.
Q8: Why can I hear and record sound from other recording devices when
Wave/Digital is selected in Record on Vista?
Answer:
Different from Windows XP, Vista has a multiple devices/streams concept in audio
structure, in which the concept can be categorized into Digital Input and Analog
Input. In other words, multiple recording devices can be used and working at the
same time. In this case, Wave In or SPDIF-In, considered as a Digital Input, is
an independent recording device from Analog Devices such as Mic In, Line In,
or Aux In. Therefore, if you have analog inputs other than Wave In and set to be
monitored, you are able to hear and even record sound from those analog devices
even Wave In / SPDIF-In is selected as the default recording device.
If you don’t want to hear the analog input sounds at that situation, simply turn off
“monitoring” function on other analog input devices.
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Q9: Why do I found no sound effects when playing 96K or 192KHz sound
sources.
Answer:
Currently Xonar DS effects including DTS support common 44.1K, 48KHz sound
sources processing and will assure high-definition audio (96K/192KHz) in hi-fidelity
playback. This is also usually the behavior that professional audiophiles and
musicians prefer.
If you still want to have the effects, you can use some editing software (Ableton
Live, Cakewalk, CoolEdit, Soundforge, etc.) to convert the sounds into 48KHz files.
Please note that the frequency meter on Xonar DS Audio Center panel will not take
effect either when the playback source is 96KHz or 192KHz sample rate to prevent
any processing distortion.
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