ASUS Xonar U7 USB Sound Card and Amp Review

ASUS Xonar U7 USB Soundcard and AMP

We got an early look at an upcoming affordable USB powered sound card from ASUS called the Xonar U7. Its compact form makes it easy to setup or use with laptops which normally cant have their audio solutions upgraded. At the same time, were expecting it to pack a big sound based on our very positive assessment of other ASUS Xonar cards. Clearly ASUS has remained confident in maintaining their audio products despite it being one of their smaller ventures within their varied portfolio.

Weve listed out the features and technical specifications of the Xonar U7 below. The card will be priced at $89.99 and will be available at Newegg and Amazon in a couple of weeks marking its North American launch.

ASUS Xonar U7 Features

• True 7.1-channel, 192kHz/24-bit high definition sound from a compact USB-powered device
• 114dB signal-to-analog ratio (SNR) ensures pure sound
• Integrated headphone amplifier pumps up every sound detail
• Latest Dolby Home Theater V4 delivers likelike surround via an intuitive interface
• Dedicated microphone volume control for instant adjustments right in the heat of gaming action

ASUS Xonar U7 Specifications

• Audio Performance
  • Output Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-Weighted): Up to 114dB
  • Input Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-Weighted): 110dB
  • Output Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise at 1 kHz (A-Weighted): Up to 0.0006% (104dB)
  • Input Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise at 1 kHz (A-Weighted) : Up to 0.001% (-100dB)
  • Frequency Response (-3dB, 24-bit/96kHz input): 10 Hz 46 KHz
  • Output/Input Full-Scale Voltage: Rear output (Speaker) 1Vrms (2.828 Vp-p)
  • (Headphone) 1.3Vrms (3.677 Vp-p)
  • Line in 1Vrms (3.677Vp-p)
• Bus Compatibility
  • USB audio class: USB Audio 2.0 for all functions / USB Audio 1.0 for playback
• Main Chipset
  • Audio Processor: Cmedia 6632A High-Performance Sound Processor (Max. 192KHz/24-bit)
  • D-A Converter of Digital Sources: Cirrus CS4398 (120dB SNR, Max. 192kHz/24-bit)
  • Cirrus CS4362 (114dB SNR, Max. 192kHz/24-bit)
  • A-D Converter for Analog Inputs: Cirrus CS5361 (114dB SNR, Max. 192kHz/24-bit)
• Sample Rate and Resolution
  • Analog Playback Sample Rate and Resolution: 44.1K/48K/88.2K/96K/172.4K/192KHz @ 16/24-bit
  • Analog Recording Sample Rate and Resolution: 44.1K/48K/88.2K/96K/172.4K/192KHz @ 16/24-bit
  • S/PDIF Digital Output: 44.1K/48K/88.2K/96K/172.4K/192KHz @ 16/24-bit
  • ASIO 2.0 Driver Support: 44.1K/48K/88.2K/96K/172.4K/192KHz @ 16/24-bit

The Xonar U7 comes with a multilanguage quick start guide, a driver CD, a USB cable, and a TOSLINK adapter. The sound card is itself has a number of connectivity options as will be shown on the next page.We’ve got quite a bit to share about the Xonar U7 including the experience of using it. Read on as we go into greater detail about what when on with this USB powered sound card.