Asus intros colorful Xonar U1 external USB audio processor

Asus is busting out a new line of vivid external audio processors, presumably designed with laptopers in mind, that purportedly "eliminates electromagnetic interference (EMI) and noisy DC circuits inside the PC chassis." This USB device supports EAX and DirectSound HW acceleration, includes a built-in headphone amplifier and "comes with a complete set of technologies from Dolby Studio." Additionally, you'll notice a bundled Array Microphone, integrated noise canceling technology and 5.1-channel output via the S/PDIF jack. Sadly, there's no word on pricing or availability just yet.

[Via LaptopLogic]

[Matt B @ Oct 5th 2007 11:03AM]

Does is also double as a dog's dish?

[Boynamedsue @ Oct 5th 2007 11:07AM]

EX-TERM-IN-ATE!

[suv4x4 @ Oct 5th 2007 11:14AM]

Well, sadly what it does is total snake oil. It's practically vastly overpriced, vastly big and vastly ugly CD reader drive, that probably can't even read a data disk.

Shame on them.

[Fudge @ Oct 5th 2007 11:19AM]

CD reader? What are you talking about? Do you even know what this thing does?
Think before you post.

[andyo @ Oct 5th 2007 11:31AM]

This is just an USB sound card with some nice features. It is not by any chance snake oil. It takes the noise out because only the digital sound stream goes over the USB, and the D/A conversion takes place without as much interference as inside the computer going through all the mobo circuitry.

I have been looking at something like this for some time, it is nice. I have been using the similar Sondigo Callisto, which is great, but it doesn't have Dolby Headphone. Hopefully this one does.

[andyo @ Oct 5th 2007 11:35AM]

By the way, if you have super-sensitive earphones like the Shure E500's or SE530 (the same with different titles), the noise coming from the sound cards' amplifier, even good quality ones like Sondigo Inferno, is very noticeable. The Callisto I mentioned before, and I'm pretty sure this one too, will get rid of this noise. Pretty much in the same way that using the S/PDIF output to an external sound processor will do too.

[paccoast2010 @ Oct 6th 2007 3:25AM]

Thx for the explanation

[Tom @ Oct 5th 2007 12:23PM]

What are some good USB soundcards you can recommend?

[t-bone @ Oct 5th 2007 12:59PM]

I upgraded to Vista and suddenly my Soundblaster Extigy is only minimally functional. I hope these have a really good price.

[Truman @ Oct 5th 2007 1:09PM]

I hope that this doesn't go into the same potential vaporware as their external PCExpress graphics card for laptops which was promised to be released by Q3 2007.