The ASUS ROG Orion Pro Gaming Headset are a mid-range set of cans aimed at online gamers.  Meant for extended sessions of gaming, they offer very high build quality, light weight with generous padding that make them disappear on your head.  The Orion Pro produce very good sound quality, gripping bass and very clear treble, and the retractable microphone is respectable with some adjustment to volume.  The included Spitfire USB Audio dongle adds value, but was a mixed bag. Offering interesting features like virtual surround, FPS 'EQ', and an amp, but decreased the overall sound quality to my ears.  Besides that, the Orion Pro are one of the best headsets I've tested so far, and for $120US, are a pretty good deal to boot.  Highly recommended.

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We review the ASUS Xonar Phoebus 7.1 soundcard. Gamers are not quite as strict as the audiophile market place, we would still suggest they like to have great sound, after all a great game is just that much better with high quality surround sound or headphone based audio immersing you into the action.  We have been following the development of this product since the beginning and today we have a brand spanking new Phoebus 7.1 bundle in the Guru3D Audio Lab. Without any further delay, let’s pull this new audio card out and check it out.

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We test and review the Corsair Vengeance 2000 wireless headset. The Vengeance 2000 works through a USB transmitter powered surround-sound ogre headset and comes with nice big 50mm drivers and revised USB drivers that include surround sound, capable of offering 16-bit/48 KHz playback.

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The ASUS Essence 1 is easily one of the most anticipated products to come along in the PC audio community in quite some time as many seen it as ASUS moving out of the general audio market and taking a shot at entry into the true high end audio marketplace. Can this new product offer excellent sound quality, features demanded by the external audio market and all for a reasonable price?

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We review the all new Corsair Vengeance 1500 and 1100 Headsets, aimed at gamers that demand some headset queasily. Will Corsair live up to it's reputable reputation ? Let's find out.

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Recently, we reviewed the Axiom M3 v2 bookshelf speakers and found them to be great speaker for the price point but bookshelf speakers are only capable of reproducing the higher areas of the sonic spectrum. Bookshelf speaker based audio systems require a subwoofer to produce the lower frequency ranges that the bookshelf speakers cannot accurate reproduce. Axiom produces a subwoofer which is said to be an excellent match sonically for the M3 speakers.
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The audio market is constantly expanding and evolving with new products for the internal and external market places. We always do what we can to bring our readers the latest and greatest information on upcoming audio products for their audio systems. So without further delays, lets get to the good stuff shall we?
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Today in the Guru3D Audio Lab we have a new set of AXIOM M2 v3 bookshelf speakers to run through our lab. With the new flagship cards such as the Essence series, CL Titanium HD and the Auzentech offerings, putting out great sound, you also need great playback equipment for excellent sound. Your speakers are just as important as your sound source and as the saying goes; your chain is only as strong as your weakest link.
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ASUS ROG Vulcan ANC headsets are possibly the best noise-canceling headset you can buy. They combine ultimate gaming features with audiophile sound to make one kick-ass product.

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According to Firestone Audio, their Bravo Digital Processor can convert USB to S/Pdif and also cleans and reclocks the S/PDIF signal producing a superior signal for your analog to digital converter. We have been working with many different S/Pdif based products in the Guru3D Audio Lab for quite awhile now  so we are excited to have a look at the Bravo and use it for some testing. FSA also just released the second version of their popular Spitfire Digital to Analog Converter, known as the “MKII” version. So without any further delay, let’s have a look at the Bravo Digital Processor and the Spitfire MKII Digital to Analog converter.
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From time to time we hear of devices that are considered promising by other audio nuts. As the hobby of audio is more of a passion to many of us, we have to check out these devices to see or rather hear what all the fanfare is about. The PurePiper A-1 DAC is one such device that has been the topic of discussion around many of the audio circles recently. The PurePiper A-1 is said to offer excellent sound quality in comparison to the budget minded price of the device. Who is PurePiper you are probably wondering?
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Armed with a phat sub, two satellite speakers and a very dandy LCD control DSP unit we'll today have a look at that Corsair Gaming Audio SP2500 speaker kit. It definitely surprised us away in terms of audio quality.

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With a name like X-Meridian 2G, the guys at Auzentech have a tough act to follow, is the design up to the task?  Today in the Guru3D Audio Lab we have a brand new Auzentech X-Meridian 7.1 2G, so let's get to it and see if Auzentech can release a new version of a legendary audio card.
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The SoundBlaster X-Fi Titanium HD. This card has many aspects in common with existing X-FI designs and a few new features and modifications to appeal to the newer crop of demanding soundcards enthusiasts.

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Almost a necessity these days, a good headset can mean the difference between a win and a lose. Today we test a pair of headsets from Corsair and Sharkoon, the HS1 and the Xtatic SP. The Sharkoon are aimed at console players, nicely plush and padded, they kick out some serious bass. The HS1, however, are the best headset we've tested, plush and comfortable, they did everything a headset is supposed to do, and they did it very well.

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Asus recently announced that they have teamed up with Sennheiser, a proverbial powerhouse in the audiophile headphone market to bring audio lovers the Xonar Xense 7.1 soundcard bundle.

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Hailing from Taiwan, the Firestone audio company is starting to gain a lot of ground in the audio community in North America.  Looking through their current sonic line up we see audio components that seem to truly be designed for the desktop audio enthusiast offering big sound in a small footprint. The word in the audio community is these guys don’t play when it comes to audio.  Their component are built tough and above all else built to sound great. Today, in the Guru3D Audio Lab we have two new products we can review.  First we have the Mass Preamp and the Big Joe IV Class D Mono Blocks.  We are excited to have a listen to these new components so let’s get to the good stuff shall we?
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The ASUS CineVibe Rumble Feedback USB Gaming Headset are a mid-price headset that are actually pretty good and well worth the money. You can buy better headphones for more money, but that costs, well, more money. And these certainly have a lot of bass, so if you\'re into a lot of thump, the ASUS CineVibe will satisfy.
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We have an exclusive sneak preview of the Auzentech X-Meridian 7.1 2G soundcard. This card also marks a move back to the highly popular 8788 based chipset (at least for this model) that has been seen on some of the best sounding cards built to date. This card has many of the original ideas that made the XM 7.1 so popular but also has some changes that will appeal to different user types. The card is also aimed at a lower price point with a MSRP of $159.99 which appeals to a larger audience.
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We test and review the Xonar Essence ST Deluxe 7.1 soundcard. Yes, you read it right, the full deluxe model! ASUS has been relentless with its R&D and soundcard releases, putting out one high end card after another. The Essence models are considered the current undisputed kings of the Xonar series of soundcards. We are quite excited to see what the Essence ST offers over the STX and in general. So, let’s pull out the Xonar Essence ST Deluxe 7.1 and have a look and a listen.
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From time to time in the Guru3D Audio Lab we will be taking a look at some examples of external equipment for people interested in these areas of PC based audio. There is an entire market of high end external components that can be used with a PC, devices such as external speaker amps, headphone amps, DAC’s and high end S/Pdif sources. Today a new package arrived here at the G3D Audio Lab. Inside this package is a brand new Beresford TC-7520 24/96 Digital to Analog Converter unit partnered up with an AudioQuest VDM-Xi S/Pdif cable.
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Xonar Xense Soundcard Preview - There has been a lot of fanfare surrounding this card. Although it seems there are some pictures of a static model from a recent hardware show, the Guru3D Audio Lab wanted to wait until the design was solidified and we could have a listen and look over a working card ourselves.
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We test the Arctic Cooling Arctic Sound E352 Earbuds. The E352 in-ear buds tested today are advertised to offer sound quality, noise isolation and bass advantages over other offerings from the competition. As such they promise a higher quality than what is provided by your typical pair of earbuds. Let's have a look at the product and lend it an ear or two.
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A review and test on the Auzen X-Fi Bravura 7.1 We quite enjoyed the sound of this card; it has a very musical profile that makes you want to listen to the next song or play the next game.
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Based on Creative's PCIe X-Fi chipset, the Prodigy 7.1e keeps sound quality high and prices low for a superior value. It may be a no-frills sound card, it has features that a gamer would want like OpenAL and a stable driver, but also for audiophiles in upgradable opamps and a dedicated headphone out. Solid value.
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