Listening Tests

Listening Tests

Stereo:

• Headphones: HD595s
• Speakers: ELT525m Monitors
• Amplifier: TCA Gizmo Class D
• Cables: JPS Ultraconductor2

Multi-Channel:

• FR: ELT525m Monitors
• RE: Edifier S series
• CE: Edifier S series
• Sub: Edifier S series
• Amps: Class D for FR, CE, RE
• Cables: JPS Ultraconductor 2

Music
Players: Winamp 5, Foobar 2, J. River Media Player
Output plugin: ASIO

We found the XM 2G to have excellent clarity but the card still has a musical quality to it.  The bass is full and tight, offering articulation with no wash out or bloat.  The card also offers an excellent soundstage allowing the user to easily locate instruments and tracks within the mix.  The soundstage offering great separation but the card does an excellent job of keeping everything together and musical.  We really liked the bass response on this card as it gets your head a rocking.  This card reminds us of an analog amplifier with its glossy high range and big bass response.  The 5532 offer a very classic gritty tube type of sound quality while preserving clarity.

This card offers a native ASIO driver so we tested that and noticed nothing but excellent sound quality.

Gaming
The XM 2G was tested and used on a daily basis and used for playing whatever games we played during the review time.  Games we tested that stuck out in our mind offering excellent sound quality and cool in game effects were our current shooters, COD: Black Ops and Medal of Honor.  

These games sounded excellent on this card in both headphones mode using DH for surround imaging and using full surround sound speakers.  Directional cues were spot on, impressive weapon sounds, ear shattering explosions and in game environmental effects all helped with immersion.  Helicopters sounded phenomenal with some volume and bass, especially the Gunfighters chapter, extremely enjoyable with this card.

The new installment of Batman has some excellent environment effect and voice/reverb effects that are incredibly immersive and creepy.  All the effects from the bats arsenal come through clean and clear with no distortion.  During heavy battle scenes the sound becomes layered but does not mush together or wash out at all.

Although, not marketed for hardcore gaming, this card performed exceptionally in the games we were playing at the time of review.

Movies
We always reach for the obligatory Star Wars films for surround sound testing.  We always use such films and testing material to look for anomalies in the surround sound field. Transformers: Revenge of the fallen was also auditioned and sounded excellent on this card using our test system.  Explosions in the films were loud but didnt bottom out or wash out. Surround effects are spot on and accurate corresponding with the on screen action. 

Heavy actions scenes were quite loud and powerful but always remained layered and clear.  The card easily produced weapon sounds and explosions in every direction without confusion or muddiness.

We continued to watch the movies and forgot we were actually testing the audio source; indeed this card is very immersive for HT use.