OC3D Review: Auzentech X-Fi Forte Low Profile 7.1 PCI-E Sound Card

[JN]

"Claiming to be the worlds first soundcard for music, HTPC and gaming, the Forte makes big claims from a tiny card. Can it live up to our high standards? Read on..." - by Kempez

Auzentech X-Fi Forte Low Profile 7.1 PCI-E Sound Card

 

[monkey7]

DO WANT

At a 75% discount

What about putting PCI-e x1 as good in the conclusion? Most people have too many of those slots anyway and it has more future than the PCI standard.

 

[Rastalovich]

This sounds like a great card coming from the great review.

I'd have to limit my own conclusion to that of the Auzen Prelude. The card is great, but the Creative software on it is a real pita imo.

If u keep in touch with the Auzen site, they're upd8ing RCx of the drivers time after time. The initial ones ~werent too bad~, the following RC(s) seem to gain in some respects whilst taking away in others - and still u have the freaking Creative control console lurking over everything.

Seeing nothing to suggest otherwize, I'd view this card in the same way, if ur going to set it up to a single or perhaps one additional input, ur likely to do well with it.

Fancy being a bit "creative" - forget it. And I don't think Vista helps. Alchemy also being a bit hit and miss.

For whatever reason they decided to screw up the sound options that the pc had when going from xp->vista, even tho the theory in the vista control is a good idea imo, I would love them to try and get it mostly correct in Windows 7.

Let's pretty much hope that Creative born examples continue to work fine and without hackage in Windows 7 - they "should".

Great review. I do have reservations tho, especially when paying £122!

 

[FarFarAway]

PCI-e is becoming the standard nowaday, so whilst it is a plus - it's not a huge plus over the competition

 

[Rastalovich]

Just an FYI I got in the mail, sorry about the layout:

----------------

7.10.2009

X-Fi Forte Driver for Windows 7

Auzentech Releases X-Fi Forte 7.1 Multi-Driver for Windows 7, XP, and Vista

Santa Clara, CA: Auzentech, Inc (www.auzentech.com) announced today the immediate availability of the Multi-Driver for the X-Fi™ Forte 7.1 sound card. The multi-Driver is compatible with Windows® 7, XP, and Vista 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems.

The new driver must be a fresh install on a 32-bit or 64-bit edition of Windows® 7, XP or Vista. For details and downloads, visit the driver download page.

Download Driver:

http://www.auzentech.com/site/download/updates.php#xfiforte

Product Page:

http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-fi_forte.php

About X-Fi™ Forte

Officially released on January 19, 2009, the Auzen X-Fi™ Forte 7.1 is the first Low Profile native PCI Express® audio card that Auzentech has designed especially for gamers and audiophiles. Compared to the X-Fi™ chipset reference design, the Auzen X-Fi™ Forte 7.1 has improved circuitry and components. The Auzen X-Fi™ Forte 7.1 marks the first time the Creative X-Fi™ Native PCI Express® chipset has been available in a low-profile board, as well as the first time it has been available in a a third-party soundcard. X-Fi™ Forte ships with Dolby™ Digital Live. DTS Connect™ will be available as a driver download for Windows Vista®.

http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-fi_forte.php

About Auzentech, Inc.

AUZENTECH, Inc. is a provider of quality consumer electronics products, which is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA. AUZENTECH developed the World's first Dolby Digital Live Sound card (X-Mystique 7.1 Gold) and the World's first DTS Connect Sound Card (X-Plosion 7.1 DTS Connect) and continues to bring the most innovative audio products to the market.

http://www.auzentech.com/

Contact:

pr@auzentech.com

 

[MadErn]

I hope this card allows for a Mic boost

I just purchased one of these card and will receive it in a couple of days....

The reason I am curious about the mic boost is I have Vista 64 bit OS and have a Creative X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Sound Blaster Pro 7.1ch Gaming Official PCI Express Sound Card in it at the moment and There is no mic boost!!! Card sounds great, it's just a shame my team mates can not hear me... They can hear me but the volume is to low during game play.

I tried everything I can think of and then went to Creative forums to find out creative did not add a mic boost to this cards software for Vista!!!

Well thought I would check here to see if anyone has a problem not being heard with this card during gameing with their mates.

 

[ToeJam]

what client was you using, ts/vent?

 

[Rastalovich]

Can u not boost the gain using vista's sound options ?

That would be; right click on the speaker symble in the tray, select recording devices, and from the resulting window list, select the input ur using.

 

[MadErn]

Thanks for the help

I am using teamspeak, and yes I adjusted those settings also.

Vista 64 in all its wisdom does not supply a boost option, I have went to MS forums and researched that also. Have no intention of adding either from what I can figure out..... I guess with Windows 7 this close they are gambling everyone will upgrade and that will solve that problem....

TY MS for your thoughtfulness.....

 

[ToeJam]

ahh, you shud be fine on venty m8 as you can play with your output and input settings, people with ts usually get it free with a server etc because theyre easy to set up and take up no space at all.