Creative announced the Creative Inspire T3300 and the Creative Inspire T6300 speaker systems that are built for great audio performance. These two latest additions to the Creative Inspire line of multi-channel speaker systems stay true to Creative's long held audio heritage of providing the best possible sound quality at great value. New innovative design techniques and enhanced design features enable these high performance speakers to deliver superb audio quality at very high decibels, yet with minimal distortion. They are Creative Inspire line's 'loudest' speakers yet, capable of delivering full spectrum audio playback with impressive loudness and robust bass.

Yum ! Pioneer has unveiled the DDJ-SX DJ controller for the newly released Serato DJ Software. The DJ controller provides a complete system that includes the controller, a new Serato DJ software, a four deck sampler function, dual deck control, slip mode, FX mode and more. Pioneer will release the DDJ-SX DJ controller later this month for $1,199. The first 10,000 buyers will receive a free license for the Serato Video plug-in.

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.

Check the review here.

Entry by the Republic of Gamers into the dedicated sound product arena brings PC enthusiasts ROG Xonar Phoebus, a high fidelity audio component that directly addresses the needs and concerns of contemporary gamers. The Xonar Phoebus features the exclusive ROG Command technology which reduces up to 50% of ambient noise thus providing authoritative voice quality during online multiplayer gaming sessions. And with its clear 118 dB SNR, and a powerful 600 ohm headphone amplifier, the Xonar Phoebus delivers precise positioning and lifelike immersion audio for a distinctly impactful gaming environment. Its dedicated control box extends convenience and puts more intuitive functions within easy reach for a more ergonomic desktop gaming environment.

Exclusive ROG Command technology for clean, seamless in-game communication

Gamers often face noisy conditions that drown out voices during online multiplayer gaming. This creates lack of clarity and confusion within squads, leading to lower win ratios. Exclusive ROG Command technology offers the world's first design to specifically bring noise cancellation to a gaming soundcard set, as designed by the Xonar team. Intelligent sound detection algorithms and array microphones (two on the dedicated control box) enable up to 50% ambient noise reduction, effectively turning loud locations such as LAN parties into something as quiet as a lab. The technology works equally well whether using an external microphone or the microphones embedded into the ROG Xonar Phoebus control box. Gamers benefit from being able to communicate and coordinate with team members clearly and with greater precision, adding to enjoyment and win ratios.

Finest components and design for superior sound

ROG Xonar Phoebus utilizes a stylish and effective EMI shield and ASUS exclusive Hyper Grounding technology to ensure reduced electromagnetic interference. Based on the experience of Xonar professionals, Hyper Grounding technology brings ASUS motherboard expertise to audio products with a multi-layer PCB that helps block noise from nearby components and the power supply to render more lifelike and extra clear sound. The PCM1796 digital-to-analog converter on ROG Xonar Phoebus delivers clear and crisp 118 dB SNR high fidelity audio. The new soundcard's SNR profile therefore outperforms competing gaming audio products by a factor of four, and onboard audio by an impressive 32 times. It excels in total harmonic distortion (THD) performance, with a miniscule 0.00039% of sound output experiencing distortion.

Power for headphone users

Since many gamers choose headphones to refrain from disturbing others while insisting on the best sound quality and privacy, ROG and Xonar teams integrated the top-flight TPA6120A2 headphone amplifier on ROG Xonar Phoebus, driving up to 600 ohm impedance for genuinely impactful headphone output.

Dedicated control box

Clad in the trademark ROG red and black color scheme, the ROG Xonar Phoebus control box offers gamers improved response and convenience. Connected to the card via the back I/O, the control box can be placed on the desk so it remains within easy reach. Gamers can then adjust volume and mute quickly without bringing up game or operating system menus, or having to hunt around for display remote controls. The control box further offers microphone and headphone connectors, making connections easier.

The latest audio technologies

ROG Xonar Phoebus includes one-click activation of Dolby Home Theater V4, helping enhance audio through complete compatibility with new sound processing technologies. The latest standard offers greatly improved surround, with smart sound enhancement and a more user-friendly approach to high end audio. The exclusive ASUS GX 3.0 game audio engine has also been integrated, offering EAX compatibility to ensure boosted game sound, a wider range of simultaneous sound effects, and overall clearer sonic performance in every PC game.

Product crossover benefits consumers

ROG Xonar Phoebus presents the first soundcard set from ROG, the ASUS division entirely devoted to gaming as a lifestyle and branch of pioneering technology. This launch coincides with ROG's fifth anniversary, and delivers the results of cooperation between ROG gaming philosophy and innovative Xonar PC audio experts. As such, ROG Xonar Phoebus offers gamers enhanced sound custom-tailored to improving in-game experiences.

ASRock worked together with Creative to introduce the Game Blaster, a new audio card with Broadcom Gigabit LAN. It's a proprietary product though, it's only supported by ASRock's X79 based motherboards. Pricing and availability is unknown.
World's top 3 motherboard manufacturer, ASRock Inc., specially partners with Creative Technology Ltd, the worldwide leader in digital entertainment products for the personal computer, to introduce the most trusted sound card in mobo industry - Game Blaster!

Gamers need so much more from their rigs. ASRock Game Blaster was designed to exceed the expectations of even the most dedicated gamer. It is the first sound card coming with both Creative 7.1 CH HD Sound Core3D Audio and Broadcom Gigabit LAN in the world.

Creative Sound Core3D 7.1 CH HD Audio
Powered by Sound Core3D

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?

So, let

Well, ehm Enermax is releasing the DreamBass AP001, a new USB device that seeks to improve the audio capabilities of your laptop. It's only for headphones and microphones though, it won't do anything for your internal speakers.

It's based on a VIA VT1620A USB 2.0 2-channel HD audio CODEC for stereo output with 24-bit resolution and 96 kHz sample-rate. It has a signal-noise ratio of 80~90 dBA, which is not much of a departure from most laptops' HDA CODECs, if it isn't for the MOSFET-based amplifier circuit packed into the DreamBass AP001, that's capable of 80Hz/+6dB Bass.

It has a 3.5 mm stereo jack and mic input. Enermax also has a variant called the AP001E, which includes earphones that have 10 mm drivers, 95 dBA SNR, and 32 ohm impedance. The DreamBass AP001 is priced at 3,280 JPY (US $43); the AP001E goes for 3,980 ($52.2).

ASUS is working on a new soundcard as it seems, the ASUS's new ROG Xonar Pheobus sound card, which is a PCIe 118db SNR standalone offering. Also on display was the ROG 'ThunderFX' USB powered audio breakout box (sequel to the R3E-Black Edition's Thunderbolt), to be bundled with a planned special edition of the ROG Rampage IV Formula.

The primary DAC for headphone/front-out channel of the ROG Phoebus is TI-BB PCM1792A. The ROG Xonar Pheobus (god of music and light) is a standalone product rated at 118db SNR at its regular outputs and has a dedicated amplifier for driving up to 300ohm headphones. Also included in the package is a volume control/wire extender for gaming headsets

High quality gold plated jacks are used at the I/O panel - Over at the bottom right, you can see the C-Media DSP which is normally used on the other high end boards like Xonar STX. On the board a Realtek ALC889 codec is used though, which we guess handles the headphone output and microphone input.

Also spot a 6-pin PCIe power connector. The card is covered up with a EMI shield. This card won't be cheap alright.

The successful Enermax Modu87+ has found a worthy successor: Revolution87+ continues the outstanding power supply series. It carries over the main advantages of its predecessor such as the forward-looking, highly efficient Dynamic Hybrid Transformer Topology or the leading fan speed control that ensures a silent operation. On the other hand, Revolution87+ profits by the technological progress of Enermax engineering. Partially, the new power supplies already follow the path-breaking technology of the Enermax flagship series Platimax ensuring an extremely high efficiency and rock stable voltages.

Golden Efficiency
Enermax engineers have refined the proved Dynamic Hybrid Transformer Topology of the Modu87+ series and come out with fabulous 87 to 93 percent efficiency at 20 to 100 percent load beating even some Platinum models in the market. Revolution87+ has been tested by the international 80 PLUS

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?

Today, from the Guru3D Audio Lab we have our latest exclusive sneak peek of the Auzentech Cappuccino EX external USB 2.0 audio interface.

Read the preview here.

Creative announced the ZEN X-Fi, a portable media player, this item actually is smaller than the majority of consumer electronics out there.

It has a 2-inch LCD and support many file formats, not just audio (like FLAX, AAC, MP3, WMA, Audible, etc.) but also video ( MPEG-4, WMV9, DivX), which can be kept on its 8 GB or 16 GB of built-in storage.

"With Creative, you will always get best value performance when it comes to portable media players,

With most modern audio signals stored in digital format, the ASUS Xonar team has catered to audiophiles

Dolby Labs reports that Microsoft has decided not to include Dolby technology in the upcoming release of Windows 8. This is a surprising move on Microsoft's part considering Dolby is included in Windows 7. Dolby shares fell 18% on Friday on the news. The absence of Dolby technologies in current Windows 8 builds does not inherently imply that the OS will not support DVD playback or digital surround sound. It is possible that Microsoft will choose to license these technologies from another provider. Check out what neowin had to say about it:

" So news from Dolby Laboratories

Cooler Master released the CM Storm Sirus 5.1 surround sound gaming headset. This product is aimed at hardcore gamers, it will start shipping in mid-August for 119.99EUR.

Boosting no less than 8 speakers (4 on each side) Sirus delivers powerful, immersive 5.1 surround sound and marks the beginning of a new range of CM Storm audio gear for gamers and audiophiles alike.

Immense Sound
Sending shockwaves throughout the industry, Sirus delivers real 5.1 surround sound with a dedicated extra large 40mm sub driver for explosive bass sound. Thanks to no less than 6 additional 30mm drivers, each fed by a discrete audio channel, Sirus produces precise and crisp directional sounds. Combine all channels and pair it with the bundled Tactical Mixing Console and you get full 5.1 channel-adjustable, real-time 360 degree audio. In addition, Sirus is coupled with a uni-directional microphone with background noise cancellation that enables crystal clear communications with teammates to coordinate strikes or mock your enemy

Psyko Audio Labs unleashed their Psyko Carbon and Psyko Krypton, two new gaming headsets that use the company's 5.1 surround technology. These headsets are available on the company's website for $199 and $149, respectively.

Both new products are based on Psyko

Corsair announced the Enthusiast Series TX V2 power supplies.

The Enthusiast Series TX V2 is the successor to the award-winning Enthusiast Series TX power supplies, which have won dozens of awards worldwide and received widespread critical and customer acclaim. The TX V2 PSUs offer improved energy efficiency, with 80 PLUS

For a true theater experience at home, the Samsung Blu-ray AV Receiver-HW-D7000 is the world

Auzentech announced the immediate availability of the Auzen X-Meridian 7.1 2G, the second generation of the Auzen X-Meridian 7.1. The original Auzen X-Meridian 7.1 was a game-changing high-performance audio card which marked the dividing line between audio that sounds great, and audio that sounds perfect. It was the world's first custom-designed audio card based on C-Media CMI 8788 chipset, and received rave reviews for its audio quality. Now, the award winning Auzentech audio development team and chipset manufacturer C-Media have teamed up again.

With the X-Meridian 7.1 2G, Auzentech has taken what many consider the greatest sound card of all time and updated it with the best of today's technology, making the X-Meridian 7.1 2G more than simply the must-have PC Audio solution for audiophiles

Hercules has unveiled a new DJ console for professional DJs that have some cool features. The new console is called the DJ Console 4-Mx and it will ship on November 22 for $449.99. The console has many features for the money with a pair of large jog wheels and a lot more.

Those jog wheels are 4.7-inches in diameter and

Creative presents two new gaming headsets with THX TruStudio Pro technology.
Creative, a worldwide leader in digital entertainment products, today announced the new line of Tactic 3D

ASUS rolls out the Xonar DG 5.1, a new basic sound card for gamers on a small budget. The low-profile card features the C-Media CMI8786 Oxygen HD chipset, it offers 5.1 channel sound and supports HD (24-bit/96kHz) output with HDCP compliance. Pricing in the UK is under

Creative Technology Ltd. today announced the Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2 software suite - a powerful audio platform equipped with cutting-edge audio technologies designed to enhance ordinary PC systems limited by only basic onboard audio. The Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2 software suite builds on the success of the original Sound Blaster X-Fi MB, bringing enhancement of onboard PC audio to even greater echelons. Through THX TruStudio Pro audio technology and the latest Creative EAX Advanced HD 5.0, users get to enjoy premium audio quality, effects and features on their PC systems.

Gamers can anticipate being blown away by the amazing realism from the unrivalled headphone surround and gaming sound enhancement technologies delivered by the Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2. Creative EAX Advanced HD 5.0 features state-of-the-art multi-environment rendering and reverb modelling, delivering an ultra-realistic and incredibly immersive 3D gaming experience for powering the next generation of cutting-edge PC games. The additional audio cues provided by EAX can also give gamers a competitive advantage in early detection of enemies.

"We are extremely excited to see the Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2 software going into ASUS Republic of Gamers motherboards, with ASUS being the top manufacturer of motherboards in the world and constantly committed to delivering the most innovative and best performing PC solutions to enhance the gaming experience of power users. Our partnership will continue to push the boundaries of PC gaming audio, providing the much-needed realism and immersion in game-play that modern PC games demand," said Steve Erickson, Vice President and General Manager for Audio and Video at Creative.

Creative EAX Advanced HD 5.0 allows greater detail and speed in gaming audio and adds a dedicated bass feed for 128 voices, so gaming audio becomes more cinematic. Developers can also add interactive music to games, where the music can change based on actions during game-play.

Additional features of Creative EAX Advanced HD 5.0 include EAX Voice, EAX PurePath and EAX MacroFX. EAX Voice allows gamers to literally become part of the game by speaking and hearing their own voices with the same effects as the environment their character is in. EAX PurePath delivers the most accurate and cinematic surround sound ever experienced by allowing developers total control over Low Frequency Enhancement (LFE) and which speaker(s) gaming audio is played through, while EAX MacroFX recreates close-up audio so accurately that bullets would never have sounded more frightening as they zip past players' heads only centimetres away.
THX TruStudio Pro provides the latest groundbreaking technologies that are products of years of collective experience and research by Creative and THX. THX TruStudio Pro creates unprecedented levels of audio realism, adds dynamics and punch to every gunshot, explosion and gaming sound; and includes stunning surround effects, producing an incredibly realistic surround sound experience even from just a pair of stereo headphones. The THX TruStudio Pro suite of technologies features THX TruStudio Pro Surround, THX TruStudio Pro Crystalizer, THX TruStudio Pro Speaker, THX TruStudio Pro Dialog Plus and THX TruStudio Pro Smart Volume.

Other audio technologies such as EAX reverbs and a 10-band graphic equalizer allow users to enhance their music even more. These essential audio effects and controls are conveniently placed in a central and intuitive Sound Blaster Console. In addition, a suite of cool players are included to enhance the PC music listening experience, giving users full control over their music streaming and integrating seamlessly with iTunes and Windows Media libraries.

Key Features of Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2:

• THX TruStudio Pro audio technology creates unprecedented levels of audio realism, adds dynamics and punch to every gunshot, explosion and gaming sound; and includes stunning surround effects, producing an incredibly realistic surround sound experience even from just a pair of stereo headphones
• Creative EAX Advanced HD 5.0 features state-of-the-art multi-environment rendering and reverb modelling, delivering an amazingly realistic and immersive 3D gaming experience
• Creative VoiceFX technology allows users to morph their voices into other personas to help players stay in character and add flair to their online role-playing experiences
• Creative ALchemy is a powerful tool that restores EAX effects and 3D surround audio for legacy, DirectSound 3D game titles running on Windows Vista and Windows 7, re-enabling that same great gaming experience
• Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2 comes with native OpenAL support, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of PC games developed with OpenAL for an incredible 3D audio experience

For more information can be found at this page.

ASUS and Sennheiser announced their Xonar Xense One Premium Sound Card paired with PC 350 Xense headphone. The result of this cooperation couldn

Pioneer has introduced no less than six AV receivers for home theater fans including the new Elite SC-37, VSX-30, VSX-31, and VSX-32 units. The line has some lower priced units as well as the high-end SC-37 flagship receiver.

The VSX-30 and VSX-31 are prices at $550 and $650 respectively and have iPhone and iPod touch control with Bluetooth streaming audio capability with an optional adapter. The receivers also support HDMI 1.4a for 3D content. The high-end SC-37 receiver sells for $2200.

The receiver has a Home Media Gallery feature that lets the user access photos and music files from a computer on a local network and it supports satellite radio and Rhapsody. The VSX-32 has the same features as the other VSX receivers and adds Marvell Qdeo video processing technology.

Japanese cooling specialist Scythe extends its audio accessory portfolio by a brand-new Class D amplifier. New Kama Bay AMP 2000 is equipped with new features and functions which are fitted into a compact chassis to allow it to be mounted into a 5.25" bay inside a PC.

Thanks to the classy design, new Kama Bay AMP 2000 can be used individually and fits perfectly into almost every environment. Users have the choice of either silver or black version as a color. In order to allow high connectivity, Kama Bay AMP 2000 is equipped with 3 RCA inputs on the rear side as well as one 3.5 mm Stereo Jack input and one USB connector in the front. Therefore, it is possible to use mp3 player, computer, game consoles as well as audio and video equipment as the input source. USB connector located in the front gives the possibility to charge mp3 players. Knobs in the front allow switching among the 4 sources as well as individual adjustment of bass and treble separately. Overall design is completed by the two analog meters which are illuminated in blue backlight [via TPU].