After the Asus Xonar HDAV1.3 announced last month, Auzentech has unveiled its PCI-Express sound card with native HDMI 1.3 output and HDCP support. The Auzen X-Fi HomeTheater 7.1 accepts video from either an internal or external connection, mixes it with digital audio, and outputs the combined video and lossless multichannel audio via a single HDMI 1.3 port.

The sound card has been designed around the latest Creative PCI Express X-Fi audio processor and supports Dolby Digital, DTS as well as EAX 5.0 audio. The release of the Auzentech X-Fi HomeTheater 7.1 is planned for Sept. of 2008, but pricing is still unknown.

ASUS has recently announced the world´s first HDMI 1.3a compliant audio/video enhancement combo card, the Xonar HDAV1.3. Capable of outputting uncompressed multichannel high definition audio from Blu-ray movies, the Xonar HDAV1.3 also enhances video with an onboard Splendid HD processor providing ultimate multimedia enjoyment.

The sound card is Protected Audio Playback Systems (PAPS) and full Advanced Access Content System (AACS) certified to take full advantage of lossless digital audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, and DTS-HD Master Audio high-fidelity sounds at 24bit, 96-192Khz through HDMI v1.3a. The PCI Express based Xonar HDAV1.3 is equipped with a proprietary AV200 audio processor coupled with a 24-bit DAC (TI Burr-Brown PCM1796) and 24-bit ADC (Cirrus-Logic CS5381), providing 120dB SNR and 0.0004% low distortion.

The Xonar HDAV1.3 also comes with the well renowned DS3D GX 2.0 API, which revives EAX 5.0 and 3D gaming audio in Vista. In addition to the this card, the Xonar HDAV1.3 Deluxe packs the HDAV H6 surround channel expansion card which offers swappable opamps on each channel and 8x RCA outputs.

The basic model will go for $89 while the Deluxe model will go for over $100.

Creative has introduced a couple of new PCI Express sound cards, the Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series and Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Champion Series. What a short product name, must be easy to remember...

Anyway, the cheapest model, the Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series, priced at $149, features 7.1-channel output, EAX 5.0 support, Dolby Digital Live encoding with digital optical I/O, Dolby Digital EX and DTS-ES decoding, X-Fi Crystalizer technology, X-Fi CMSS-3D technology, to create virtual surround sound through speakers or headphones in games or music. The Champion Series is priced at $199 and comes with an additional I/O panel that can fit either a 3 ½" or 5 ¼" drive bay.

Both models are THX and Vista certified and will be available worldwide this month.

Auzentech has announced the launch of the world's first Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect logo certified sound card for PC, called Auzen X-Plosion 7.1 Cinema. This PCI sound card is equipped with a C-Media CMI8770 chipset, swappable OPAMPS, 7.-channel output with gold-plated connectors as well as analog and digital optical outputs.

The Auzen X-Plosion 7.1 Cinema will be available next month for about $100.

NuForce unveiled the Icon its newest amplifier featuring 12W per-channel output (26Hz-50kHz @ 4ohm load), a 3.5-mm stereo input for connecting an iPod or other digital audio players, a USB cable for operation with a PC or Mac, and standard RCA inputs. There is also an amplified headphone output for the headphones enthusiasts and a USB D/A converter (32-48kHz, 16-bit) bring together into a convenient pocket sized format.

The NuForce Icon will be available for sale at Amazon.com for $249.

Creative unveiled in Japan the new Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 external sound card delivering true 5.1-channel surround sound via a single USB connection. The model, SB-SR51-XFI, will feature Creative's X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer and X-Fi CMSS-3D Surround technology as well as Dolby Digital/DTS decoding with pass-through 24-bit/96kHz outputs. There will also be Directsound, EAX and Open AL API support.

It will be available during the second week of May for a price expected to be less than $90.

On April 18th, Logicool (aka Logitech) will launch new computer speaker systems including the LS11, a basic 2.0-channel stereo speaker kit and the LS21 (pictured), which adds a subwoofer. Both models employ the same satellite speakers with 50mm fullrange drivers self-powered by a 1.5W per channel amplifier and the subwoofer includes in the LS21 utilizes a 95mm woofer. Also the LS21 model includes a wired remote with volume control, power switch and a headphone output.

Prices are about $40 for the LS21 and $20 the LS11, respectively.

The Audioengine W1 is a wireless audio adapter that lets you transfer music wirelessly from any audio device or computer to any powered speakers or receivers. The adapter provides a lossless audio transmission in a full 48KHz PCM digital stereo support over Wifi (802.11) within a range of up to 30m.

The AW1 system consists of 2 parts powered by USB, the transmitter which plugs into the headphone/line-out jack on your computer or digital audio player and the receiver which plugs into the input on your powered speakers or stereo receiver.

The Audioengine W1 wireless adapter is available for immediate delivery at an MSRP of $149.

The Sony's SRS-ZX1 speakers will finally reached the rest of the world this April. Released in October 2007 in Japan, these multimedia speakers made in aluminum feature a unique duct design called "Mobius" that reduces the wind noise to deliver deceptively large, crisp sound from speakers so small, according to Sony. The SRS-ZX1 delivers 2x 20W and includes a digital signal processor which shifts bass sounds in the inaudible frequency range to the audible range, resulting in an enriched bass sound.

Price is $400, that's maybe a bit expensive for stereo computer speakers only.

Onkyo and SOTEC partnered up on the new APX-2 HD-audio computer with built-in amplifier. The APX-2 comes preinstalled with Windows Vista Home Premium and equipped by a Core 2 Duo T5500 @ 1.66GHz, 1GB of RAM and 500GB of hard drive storage capacity puts inside a "Super Floating HDD unit" to reduce operation noise and vibration (up to -22dB). The built-in stereo digital amplifier can deliver 2x 100W RMS of power into 4Ω.

Also Onkyo bypassed Vista's volume mixer function and installed PDAP (Pure Direct Audio Path) in order to prevent HD Audio loss along with hardware 24-Bit 192kHz D/A converters (PCM1792).

The Onkyo APX-2 will be available in Japan on February 29th at a MSRP of 250,000 yen.