Mainboard manufacturers always push the latest and greatest integrated devices, but onboard audio is often left behind. The generic “HD Audio Device” chip is king, supplying the very basic multi-channel options and sample rates — disregarding the infrastructure, component quality, and connectivity that makes a true audio device.

For consumers that don’t want to settle for lacking audio quality, finding a value product without making compromises is difficult.

Enter the ASUS Xonar U7

Luckily, ASUS’ Xonar U7 USB sound card is an on-point choice for sound performance, features, and simplicity, all for a under $100. As a 7.1-channel sound card, headphone amplifier, and DAC in one, the U7 is an integral member of the Xonar family. Everything fits into a compact chassis, great for computing on the go, or even as a low profile desktop unit.

Besides the golden color trim, the U7 is unassuming at first. But what lies inside the U7 is what really makes it shine. Let’s take a look:

A single dial on top controls the volume of all “Headphone”, “Speaker”, and “SPDIF” outputs, which are toggled through by pressing down on the dial. The same knob controls volume on every source independently, so switching from Speakers to Headphones doesn’t blow out your ears. The U7 can even detect when headphones are plugged in or unplugged, and immediately switch between outputs.

On the front sits a 3.5 mm Headphone port, bridged to an integrated amp suited for 32-150 Ohm impedance. This is crucial for headphones that require more power, to deliver accurate reproduction at higher volumes. It may not be able to properly drive, say, Sennheiser’s HD 600 and above (300 ohm impedance), but can still accommodate a wide variety of music, reference, and studio models.

Some enthusiasts would complain that the Xonar U7 does not have a dedicated, full-size 1/4″ port. But due to its compact size, there was most likely no space to comfortably fit the component. It may be a deal breaker for some, but this is easily solved by using a proper adapter.

Next door is a Mic/Line input jack, which supports any 3.5 mm computer microphone, and is useful for your gaming headphones’ mic too. There is a dedicated microphone volume control alongside the port, for easy adjustments without having to dive into Windows settings.

The same input can also detect line-level sources (192 kHz/24-bit) like music players or instruments, for recording and even for listening. Enable the “Listen” functionality for the Xonar U7 Line device, under Windows’ Sound Properties, and you can route your favorite music player directly to speakers.

Finally, the important I/O panel on the back. Starting from the left, R and L outputs (RCA), Side Surround (7.1), Center/LFE, and Rear Surround outputs. Because this is a USB device, these are not amplified outputs, so you’ll need powered speakers (more about that later).

Next is the SPDIF port, for both coaxial and optical connections, with an included TOSLINK adapter. The controller supplies PCM, Dolby Digital, and DTS standards to AV receivers and home theater systems, for up to 7.1 channels.

Finally, there is a Type-B USB 2.0 connector that plugs into your system. There is also switch on the bottom with a selector between “USB 1.0″ and “USB 2.0″. This should be already set to 2.0, and your system needs to provide a fully powered port for full functionality and performance. Why there is even a choice is anybody’s guess, but ASUS claims this backwards compatibility can still supply 7.1-channel playback up to 48 kHz/16 bit sampling.

A Quick look inside

The Xonar U7 uses the popular Cirrus Logic CS4398 stereo DAC for headphone output (120 dB SNR), a CS5361 chip for A/D input handling, and a CS4362 multi-channel DAC (114 dB SNR) for all other outputs — pretty impressive for its overall size. At 0.0006%, total harmonic distortion/noise (THD+N) is also kept to a minimum, keeping outputs as clean as possible.

Controlling it all is a C-Media 6632A Audio Processor, a Class 2 USB audio chip fueled by its own dedicated DSP and drivers. Combine these chips with all Japanese solid-state capacitors on top of a 4-layer grounded PCB, and you have a device that’s built to last.

All outputs are capable of sample rates up to 192 kHz/24 bit depth, expected from a current HD audio device. However, when it comes to sampling, keep in mind that there is very little 192 kHz content out there to appreciate (or even notice the difference). For ASUS Xonar, this is more about numbers marketing than actual benefits. Higher sampling is useful for capturing music, but even mastering-quality “true vinyl” rips are encoded at 96 kHz / 24-bit.

For a product that only runs on 5V / 500 mW of USB power, the U7 packs a bigger punch than most discreet audio solutions, while also removed from the EMI-noisy environment inside a computer. The components inside aren’t the best in the market, but definitely a bargain for the U7’s price point.

Getting the Xonar U7 up and running is simple…

…but there may be a few bumps on the road.

After connecting it to your system, you need to install drivers from an included CD. Those who don’t have an optical drive need to download it from the ASUS support site. Instead of a standard .ZIP file, ASUS provides a .RAR archive for download, which isn’t native to Windows, and needs third-party software to access.

The U7 is compatible with Windows 8.1 64-bit down to XP. While there are no official drivers for Mac, it can still run off generic USB Audio protocol on OSX 10.6+, at least as a headphone DAC/amp up with full sampling.

From there, you have a variety of output connectivity to choose from. Stereo headphones, 5.1 headphones, 2 channel analog speakers, 4-7.1 channel surround — the choice is yours. However, keep in mind that all of the rear-panel analog outputs are passive, and you may also need RCA adapters to plug in the L & R speakers.

So if you have an existing system for your desktop, like a Logitech surround set, you’ll still need to use its power control and therefore, gain stage two different knobs to set your levels. The same is true for reference studio monitors, which need to be powered and tuned properly for accurate mixing. I recommend playing a song, setting the U7 volume to ~90%, then slowly increase the speaker control to its highest comfortable volume without distortion, then only adjust the U7 from then on.

This is probably the only downside of the Xonar U7, but only because of USB power limitations. As a mobile DAC and headphone amplifier, there are less potential headaches.

Packaged with the drivers two different DSP suites – Xonar and Dolby. The “U7 Suite” controls settings for every source individually, including speaker setup, sample rates, and your usually unnecessary “environmental effects”. While in Headphone mode, you can adjust the U7’s built-in amp gain from -12 to 0 dB, depending on your headphone impedance.

The “Dolby Home Theater v4″ suite is loaded with profiles of different EQ curves, volume leveling, and surround visualizations. The “Volume Leveler” setting has a similar feeling to the “Crystalizer” effect heard on Creative audio cards. This compression/excitation effect could give your music and games an extra oomph, but when reference listening and mixing audio, all effects can be disabled by accessing the Dolby taskbar quick menu.

Music, gaming, studio monitoring, and more

The Xonar U7 has you covered.

Being able to at least hear clean, properly driven 24-bit sound is worth the price tag alone. Audiophiles may have more discerning requirements, but this could also make a great gift for friends who haven’t yet experienced the difference. Enthusiasts will pay hundreds, if not thousands on graphics and computing hardware – why leave audio behind?

Music, no matter which output you choose, sounds great on the U7. Without all the DSP effects, you can still enjoy clean, unbiased digital audio. It may not be able to properly drive audiophile-class headphones or passive monitors, but it can improve most consumer or prosumer setups. Even the Line-in passthrough has independent A/D conversion, so I can route content off of portable FLAC players, like the Astell&Kern AK100, with minimal information loss.

As mentioned before, you may need to experiment with speaker gain staging, because all rear analog outputs on the U7 are passive. Regardless, all genres of music shine with the U7, it just comes down to your headphone or speaker choice.

Gaming audio is also improved, especially if surround speakers are in play.  Surround channels are usually not provided as much power as other channels on discreet solutions, to discourage EMI. With an external device like the U7, there are much stronger signals to the surround L & R channels.

For headphones, the U7 can handle your favorite stereo pair, or even true hardware surround models, and provide a clean digital source. Most current games, especially FPS titles, already use upmix algorithms that provide virtual surround stages for stereo headphones. So using the C-Media Xear or Dolby effects in the included suites, which realistically only adds the “room” back into the mix, is unnecessary.

This product isn’t marketed for studio or reference accurate listening, but it’s still an option for those getting started. RCA connections (front left and right speakers) are unbalanced, but this is rarely an issue for short distance cabling. The U7 could properly send signal to a pair of Yamaha HS8 powered studio monitors, without distortion or a noticeable noise floor at comfortable volumes.

As a DAC, the U7 is also ASIO (Audio Stream I/O) compliant, providing low-latency interaction with sound/music editing applications. Users can choose between 16 and 24-bit, and as low as 4 ms latency.

Verdict

When we add up its rich audio processing, connectivity, features, and compact size, the Xonar U7 has exceeded our expectations, especially at a MSRP of $89.99. At a fraction of how much you would invest in quality graphics, there is practically no reason why you should settle for onboard audio today.

And for that, BSN* is awarding the Xonar U7 with our Editors Choice Award.

The post ASUS Xonar U7: An Audio Upgrade for All appeared first on VR World.

Futuremark, a privately held Finnish company, was acquired by UL (Underwriters Laboratories). The strategic move by UL into the software development industry gives it a leg up in meeting increased demand for performance data.

Futuremark bench marking company is now part of Underwriters Laboratories.

We are accustomed to looking for the assurance of the UL label on anything that uses electricity or supplies power. Now the integrity of that company will stand behind the efforts of Futuremark.

The UL symbol assures us that our Christmas tree won’t catch on fire.

Stephen Kirk, VP and GM of UL Consumer Technology Division said: “Software quality is a significant driver of product safety and performance and we believe that benchmarking is an important way to help our customers to improve the performance of their products.”

Global competition to improve product performance and the need to differentiate products has driven market demand for benchmarking services. Futuremark has built its reputation for quality testing of desktop computers, notebooks, tablets, and smart phones over the past 17 years. UL has been around for 120 years and has become a premier global safety science company.

The UL symbol promises your refrigerator won’t short out and allow your food to spoil.

UL plans to expand the range and depth of Futuremark’s benchmark offerings by investment in the company’s product development. Partnering with UL will allow Futuremark to offer its products and services in the Asian market. Asus headquartered in Taiwan and Beijing-based Lenovo are already involved in their program.

Asian made products seek UL approval. Futuremark hopes UL will encourage more Asian manufacturers to utilize its benchmarking software.

Jukka Mäkinen, Futuremark CEO, said that the company has seen its software adopted by the European Commission as well as national governments. Many of the world’s leading technology companies have joined their Benchmark Development Program. Although proud of what Futuremark has done on its own, Mäkinen said, “With UL, we’re in an even better position to achieve our goals.”

UL and Futuremark pride themselves on not being influenced by third parties. “Both UL and Futuremark have a longstanding tradition of neutrality and independence,” Kirk at UL professed. “I think this common cultural trait makes the two companies a great fit for each other, our employees and our customers.”

Mäkinen said, “We will be able to create more benchmarks with more features for more platforms. Our benchmarks will also benefit from UL’s labs, quality assurance, and marketing. But most important of all, we will continue making benchmarks with integrity within an organization that values neutrality as highly as we do.”

UL backs up their concern for consumer safety with a survey. In The Product Mindset 2013, the company found that 92 percent of the surveyed manufacturers and 73 percent of the surveyed consumers agree that product safety is a priority that is becoming more important. However, 58 percent of the consumers believe that manufacturers need to improve product safety.

Concern for safety is indicated by our use of surge protectors – ones that have the UL certification.

UL hosted a seminar at the WTconference 2014 in Taipei on Wearable Technologies featuring product testing and certification saying since wearable devices use a variety of wireless and mobile communication technologies, this also forms a key factor in product differentiation. UL proposed three main keys for successful wearable device suppliers. Maxi Tsai, business development manager for UL’s Consumer Technology Division said: “Manufacturers should have a well-planned strategy for the three aspects including the compliance of national regulatory requirements, the delivery of exceptional product quality and performance, as well as the creation of the most delightful user experience,”

Benchmarking wearables only increases the impact of Futuremark on the industry. The company cooperates with many of the world’s leading technology companies to develop industry standard benchmarks that are relevant, accurate and impartial. Results submitted by millions of users are stored in the world’s largest and most comprehensive hardware performance database which is maintained by Futuremark. This information helps consumers make informed purchasing decisions.

We wouldn’t want to operate most of our devices – cameras, smartphones, or laptops – without UL certification.

User reactions to the acquisition of Futuremark by UL have been positive including this one with a plug and for, and opinion on, Futuremark’s product: “Congratulations! I hope this means existing FM staff remain and have more time to focus on improvements upon 3DMark, it’s great but it could be even better.”

That user can rest assured. UL has stated that all employees will remain at Futuremark as a part of Underwriters Laboratories.

The post Futuremark Acquired by Underwriters Laboratories appeared first on VR World.

Pepcom, a popular CES venue, held their ghoulish-holiday-themed show at Moscone Center in San Francisco this week. The horror of it all was that the event was not well attended.

Journalists usually flock to see the big name vendors up close and personal along with some newer companies all lined up booth-to-booth in one room. Not this time.

Free booze and tables of diet-destroying hors d’oeurves didn’t even draw a crowd. When the show closed, the leftovers could have gone into doggie bags for everyone who did attend.

Open bar on the left didn’t guarantee attendees.

Vendors had their wares spread out on 4×8 tables to draw everyone’s attention. We’ll briefly talk about a few things before doing more in depth coverage of those items that caught our interest.

Lenevo’s Yoga 2 tablet comes with an f2.2 8MP rear camera with Auto focus and glare reducing glass. There is also a 1.6M HD front camera. The tablet runs the Intel Atom Processor Z3745 (2M cache, 4 cores, up to 1.86 GHZ) and Android 4.4 KitKat. Sound projects from twin large chamber front facing Dolby Audio speakers. The Yoga 2 claims a battery life of 18 hours on a single charge.

Aimed at the business world, Lenovo’s ThinkPad Helix for business comes with Windows 8.1 (64 bit) and runs an Intel Core M processor. It has a digitizer pen and optional finger print security.

For both business and play, take a look at the Horizon 2s, an all-in-one tabletop PC at 15mm thin. It has an Aura multi-user interface and Android compatible multi-device sharing. Plus, it comes with more than 40 multi-user gaming and education applications.

Plantronics’  Voyager Legend UC headset can be used with multiple devices: PC, smartphone or tablet. The voice command menu lets you vocalize commands, such as answering calls, checking battery level, and redialing. Noise cancellation is accomplished with enhanced DSP (Digital Signal Processing).

Creative’s Sound Blaster is always a favorite for gamers and audiophiles. The Inferno and X7 were on hand for inspection. The Muvo mini was shown in four colors. It is a wireless, portable, and water proof speaker that passes IP66 standards for weather conditions.

LifeTrak  wearables include the Brite R450 featuring light exposure monitoring, advanced sleep monitoring, ECG heart rate, and fitness tracking. Its claim to fame is that the device needs no recharging and is waterproof. The light exposure reading is important as it checks exposure to overall and blue light levels, letting you know if you need more or less natural light which can enhance your mood and energy levels during the day as well as prepare you for a good rest at night.

Charlotte Johs, Logitech global vice president of computer peripherals, said of their wireless mouse M320: “We used a handcrafted process … and this design technique allowed us to achieve a dynamic, curved shape with a soft rubber grip that is naturally comfortable for the hand.” It efficiently puts itself to sleep automatically when not used to preserve battery time.

If mousing is getting to you, the Logitech Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480 can be used with your computer, smartphone and tablet via its Easy-Switch dial. The universal keyboard connects to three different Bluetooth wireless devices simultaneously. They can be a Windows, Mac or Chrome OS computer and an Android or iOS tablet or smartphone.

Escort is for those bad boys who try to beat the system. Their Passport radar detectors strive to be a stay-out-of-jail device with English and Spanish voice alerts to help you hit the brakes in a timely manner. The sticky-cup, windshield-mount detectors are designed around the company’s DSP patent and promise fewer false alerts. Their latest model the Max2 retails for $599.95.

A smart camera with Wi-Fi video keeps tabs on Tabby, but only alerts you if there is human – or zombie? – encroachment. Face detection technology eliminates movements of pets, cars, trees, and other non-human forms from its alert system. Simplicam streams live video to your smartphone from the Closeli Cloud and alerts you of any human movement entering our home. Images are saved in the Closeli Cloud for one, 11, or 21 days depending on the yearly subscription you prefer with rates of $49.99 to $229.99. Peace of mind, priceless. The video shows how it works.

Stay tuned to BSN* for more Pepcom coverage.

The post The Horror of Pepcom appeared first on VR World.

Gigabyte is well-known for its motherboards, but the manufacturer also makes peripherals like mice and keyboards. Today, the hardware vendor has launched its latest offering in this segment, the Aire M93 Ice wireless mouse. Weird naming convention aside, the mouse is the first to use Gigabyte’s Ice technology, which gives you the ability to use the mouse on any high-gloss surface, including glass, leather, stone, wood, and cloth.

Hardware-wise, the mouse features a four-direction tilt wheel, a free scrolling key that lets you navigates websites with ease, customizable buttons, on-the-fly DPI adjustment, and a micro-USB port that allows you to charge the batteries by plugging in a micro-USB cable. You wouldn’t have to do so frequently, as Gigabyte claims a three month battery life on the 2100 mAh battery. To change button configurations, you would need to use Gigabyte’s software, which works on all Windows versions after Windows XP.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a mouse that tracks on glass. Logitech has debuted a similar sensor technology called Darkfield, which allows the mouse to work on any surface. Logitech has many mice that can track on glass, but the one that stands out the most is the Wireless MX Performance, which is considered to be the best wireless mouse around. For all its ergonomic advantages, the Wireless MX is a large mouse, but Gigabyte’s offering is considerably smaller, with dimensions of 113 x 71 x 42 mm versus the 128.3 x 83.5 x x 47 mm sported by the Wireless MX.

Gigabyte’s Aire M93 looks like a great offering for users seeking a wireless mouse that can track on any surface, but the lack of software drivers for Mac is a bit of a letdown. Considering that this is being branded as a mainstream mouse and not something catered to the gaming segment, software compatibility with the Mac operating system would have been a valuable addition.

Pricing isn’t detailed yet, but the mouse is slated for worldwide availability later this month. 

The post Gigabyte’s Aire M93 Wireless Mouse Works On Any Surface appeared first on VR World.

What makes this mouse unique is that it has what Logitech calls Darkfield Laser Tracking. This feature enables it to track on glass. How often someone mouses on their windshield is uncertain, however.
The mouse is advertised to work anywhere, on anything, and with anything. Anywhere MX works with old and new systems from Windows XP through Vista – if anyone is still using this failed operating system – to Windows 7, 8 and RT. Mac compatibility wasn’t overlooked in the design either. The Unifying receiver connects up to 6 compatible devices.

Logitech offers several wireless Unifying mouse choices from $29.99 to the top Performance MX at $99.99. They have eight Unifying keyboards in various configurations including solar powered, touch, and illuminated.

Anywhere MX mouse moves smoothly on this rubber-based cat – uh mouse – pad.

The mouse glides across my cat-n-mouse pad and the scroll wheel moves like silk rolling the image quickly and smoothly. Here, the documentation is helpful. The wheel works as a toggle, pressing it down changes the scrolling from a smooth rolling action to a slower, jerky page up/down movement. If you have good coordination, you can press the wheel left or right within the web page to scroll the screen in those directions. It is not necessary to position the cursor on the horizontal scroll bar to do so.

The left click button is solid and effective for selecting items from a list and positioning the cursor within a document. Right click immediately displays the appropriate menu listing. Navigating forward and back between web pages is controlled by buttons beneath your thumb if you run the mouse right handed. The buttons are slightly stiff, but you can apply appropriate pressure without interference from buttons on the opposite side of the mouse since there are none.

Symbols beside the scroll wheel and on the side buttons indicate directional movement.

A little green light on top of the mouse comes on when you set the Darkfield slider at the bottom of the mouse to On. There is also a button above the Darkfield label which led me to think they functioned in tandem. However, the identifier in the documentation indicates the Middle button’s function varies by application.

The back-to-back, single page of documentation provides mostly graphic images rather than text. For example, Item 1 points to what are described as left and right buttons. Item 7 indicates back and forward buttons. It obviously is assumed the user has mouse experience and knows what these left/right, back/forward buttons do. Yes, there are still people out there who are computer novices and could use a little more guidance. I suppose it could be argued that they shouldn’t buy a computer until they’ve attended a few classes, but who does?

The Anywhere MX package includes two AA batteries, however documentation which is written in four languages – English, French, Spanish and Portuguese – claims it runs on either one or two batteries.

Get the picture? Can’t get more concise than this.

Step 2 of the documentation has a great graphic that indicates you can slide the Darkfield button On or Off, but oddly, it doesn’t explain what the Darkfield function is. Don’t throw the box away. That’s where you’ll find the explanation which as I mentioned earlier says you can use the mouse on glass.

The graphic in Step 3 indicates where the USB is inserted into a laptop and contains the most information of any step. It tips Mac OS X users that if the Keyboard Setup Assistant appears they need to close the window.
Step 4 directs you to the Logitech website to download the most recent software and review other configurations and features. Finally they ask you to go to the “ithink” website to tell them, well, what you think.

If the mouse is not working, a very brief Troubleshooting paragraph asks: Is the mouse turned on? Yes, the fundamental first “duh” question asked by every support department. Maybe the problem is related to the USB port, maybe the battery is in upside down or the mouse is too near a metallic object. Other than those tips, you must go to their support website for help. Phone numbers for the US, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Latin America and Mexico are listed. We can only assume they are direct lines to the support department and not the corporate president.

I’ve always been happy with mice from Logitech, but the assumptions evident in the documentation only makes one wonder what other assumptions might have gone into its design and operation. We all know what ASS-U-ME stands for.

The Important Information, read CYA, insert is more comprehensive and in smaller print than the quick start instruction page. It warns of potential carpal tunnel damage from repetitive mousing, although it doesn’t mention the disability by name. Keep the mouse away from water and heat. Now isn’t this one piece of information they could assume the user would already be aware of?
Radiation is mentioned as a concern – BTW, did they ever decide if cell phones caused brain cancer or not? Misuse of or using the wrong batteries can be harmful to you and/or the device. You are warned to keep the batteries [and fireworks] out of the reach of children. Just how dumbed down has the general public become?

Oh, did I mention they warned of possible interference with your TV or radio? A couple paragraphs regarding compliance with FCC and International Standards for laser products rounds out the Important Information insert.

This mouse comes with a 3 year limited hardware warranty. That could be a good thing because several user comments around the web since 2009 indicated they needed to replace the Anywhere mouse or fix its left click button. The mouse received 3.5 out of 5 stars and 70 percent said they’d recommend the device. I haven’t had their latest version long enough to vouch for the viability of the model I received, but so far so good.

The post Thoughts on Logitech’s Anywhere MX Mouse appeared first on VR World.

More interesting number is just how fast the computer industry developed – between 1985 and 1996, Logitech shipped 100 million mice. In 12 years between 1996 and 2008, Logitech shipped another 900 million. Out of these 900 million, roughly 500 million were shipped in the last five years.

This number is also a testament at what rate the company is expanding, and it is no wonder that a lot of companies ended up squeezed out from the market. Microsoft and Logitech are battling for lion share of the market, and as a consequence – high quality products appeared from other smaller companies, while the crap products of yesteryear perished.

Yet, a lot of new companies appeared with niche products and survived – Razer, for instance. As a small bonus, I added a gallery into this news, showing some products that never left the labs… and a small comment on the OEM/ODM side of business.

The post Logitech ships one billion rats appeared first on VR World.

Logitech replaced all of these... but is that replacement the very reason for the fight?

Seeing these results made me laugh, since regardless of where I lived in Europe, that being Zagreb/Sisak in Croatia, Duesseldorf in Germany or London in UK, my friends were always saying that Americans are “couch potatoes”, that “americans argue over the TV remote” and so on and so fort. This sort of European hipocracy came to life in this survey, since it turns out that only 9% of Europeans don’t give a rat’s arse over the TV remote, me being one of them.

Given the fact that this research was ordered by Logitech, “leading manufacturer of universal remotes”, I wonder is their “function unification” the reason for the struggle?

As far as yours truly is considered, I don’t watch TV. Period. My 24″ screen is currently showing work, and Fallout 3

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