The ASUS Xonar HDAV 1.3 Slim, Big Sound Small Profile
Home Theater PC owners are a picky bunch. They expect performance and rich feature sets out if increasingly smaller computer parts. Their graphics needs are being well served by integrated graphics chips on their motherboards of choice but the audio factor is still an issue.
The Asus Xonar HDAV 1.3 Slim Sound Card solves the space issue by cramming some mighty fine audio components into a half-height form factor. Benchmark Reviews has a look:
Most sound cards sold today are advertised as 7.1 sound cards but that doesn’t mean they can decode the Dolby Digital TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio surround sound formats. Due to the bandwidth limitations of Toslink and coaxial digital cables, these new formats cannot be carried across those mediums. Instead they’re transported on the HDMI cable to the home receiver where the sound is then directed to each speaker. This sound card does have a coaxial output jack but it can only be used for Dolby Digital 5.1 output. You have to use the HDMI outputs in order to experience the Dolby Digital TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio surround sound formats. This sound card is basically identical in features to it’s older and bigger brother, the ASUS HDAV 1.3 with the exception of it being a slim profile thus making it more compatible with smaller HTPC cases.
Decoding those audio tracks for your high end audio setup is obviously this card’s strong suit, if you’re looking for a gaming sound card you may want a different product all together.
