The machine used for this review is the same as our last audio card review, the HDA X-Plosion 7.1.  Only WinXP and driver updates have been added since the last time. 

The specifics are below:

• AMD X2 3800+ @2010MHz
• ASUS A8N-SLI Premium (6.86 nForce4 driver)
• 2Gb DDR SDRAM
• 120Gb Seagate 7200.7 SATA drive
• nVidia GeForce 7800GT @470MHz/1.1GHZ (93.71 ForceWare)
• nForce 4 Audio ALC850 (4.65 driver)
• Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic (2.09.0007 driver)
• Auzentech HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS-Connect (1.8.17.8-BETA)
• Windows XP Pro SP2
• DirectX 9.0c

Software used in this little exhibition:

For Playback

• VLC
• WMP 11
• Foobar2000 0.9.2 with kernel-streaming and crossfeed plug-ins
• Various DVD, DVD-A, MP3, WAV, and the odd internet radio station

Utilities

• RMAA 5.5
• RM3D 2.3
• FRAPS 2.8.1 build 6405
• EVEREST 3.51.761 (thanks Stephane)

Games

• Battlefield 2142 v1.1
• F.E.A.R. (1.08)
• Half Life 2 Episode One (with less zombies)

Each test was performed with FRAPS at least 5 times for 60 seconds each and the results averaged, unless where noted.