Review: Auzentech X-Meridian 7.1 2G

The setting is a windows thing and is present on most cards. The top one, is for the input channel # and the other is for the output #...
Do you have a front panel jack, connect it up and use that.
If you have 5.1 set both for 6 channels.

 

I just found it strange that they had 2 different values for the ammount of channels rather than just 1. I think in the Creative software when you change it there it automaticly also change it in Windows but I see here that you have to do it seperately on both places. That's what I though to set it to (6 Chanels) everything but it's good to be 100% sure now, thanks!

Hmm so I would have to connect my headphone through the front jack instead.. I see. I wonder however if the sound will be quite worse than when I had the amplified jack on the Forte since obviously the front jack won't be amplified for my headphone (AKG K702). Otherwise I could plug it into my receiver but it prolly won't be better so I'll stick with the idea of the front jack even though I'm pissed that a "flagship" product removed one of the most important feature of their card then dare to say it's the best audiophile card for music and movies.. yea right.

Someday I'll have to look into the opamp upgrade options as those on Auzentech seems to be overpriced but then if I trust Ebay's sellers.. not so much and if I buy on a big electronic website it won't come with any adapter so I won't be able to install it even if I get it for much cheaper :bang: Do you know Rob which version Auzen is now using for the 4-5 opamp on the X-Meridian 2G?

 

They use 5532 opamps....Generic but have been used in high end audio for a long time. They produce a very warm analog flavor.

 

Hmm, so pretty much the sound quality in analog should be no different at all than the Auzentech Forte I had and I just got "ripped off" by going from that to the X-Meridian 2G since I'll gain 0% of sound quality?

Does that also mean the latest Creative Titanium HD which unfortunately can't do 5.1 over analog, will have a better sound because it use higher-grade opamps?

Other than the fact I can now switch all opamp someday for a lot of money, I lose the headphone amp, X-Ram in OpenAL games, Crystalizer and nicer software so what's the whole point for anyone to get this card over the Forte??? :3eyes:

 

The muiti channel op-amp switching. If your using muiti channel speakers or a HT setup you have The option for changing all op-amps for each channel. Instead of just one channel.

Op-amps dont cost that much, you can find them cheap etc.

 

I said the opamps are generic because they have been around for quite awhile and have been put in everything from pro audio mixers to HT receivers. You also have to consider that many will replace the opamps anyway so it is a balancing act between price and performance. They want the card to have a classic sound but keep the price down for the end user.

What's the point? People have different needs and wants and not every card is a perfect match for them.

 

Well why did you get it if you lose features you wanted on the Forte? Headphone amps aren't a standard feature, if you want a card with one your limited to STX, ST, Bravura and Forte (at least that's all i can think of). Personally i would take the Forte over the X-Meridian 2G for gaming, X-Meridian 2G is a music/movie card best used with good speakers or a home theater system imo.

 

Well I do have a very good home theater system so that's also why I thought I'd get better sound quality on the X-Meridian 2G. I'd seriously like to know why they say that this card is better for music/movies if it uses the SAME opamps and if they don't have an headphone amp meaning it's gonna sound worse for music & movies while using an headphone.

For gaming I know EAX is dead since Vista so I don't care not having 5.0 and I know X-Ram only works in OpenAL games and will only give me +5fps at most so we can't say that the Meridian would be much worse than a Forte for gaming imo. What matters the most and by far to me, is the analog sound quality on a 5.1 so I must know in very precise details why it is suppose to be better in music/movies than the Forte and how do they compare on sound quality.

 

Who is they? Just because a source doesn't have a headphone amplifier doesn't mean it will sound worse for music and movies using headphones.
Not all headphones require an amplifier. This card does not use the same opamps as the Forte if that is what you are saying.
On the XM 2G Most will replace the amplifiers which is why they chose a version with a good price to performance ratio. If not then they still have descent sounding opamps.

Do you not have both cards? Test them out and decide for yourself. If you do not like the XM 2G then send it back.

One thing that sticks out to me is you can change all opamps on this card which give it a decided advantage over the Forte for surround sound.
BTW, EAX is not dead in Vista only direct sound. OpenAL can still produce hardware accelerated EAX effects no problem.

 

Personally,I'd have just stuck with the forte'.. It's as good as anything out there..

 

Sure the Forte isn't a bad card, I'd even consider it as the 2nd best card but if I get to upgrade for almost nothing (~20$) because I make money off the card I sell after buying a new one, I'll do it for sure.

Hmm so if the opamps on the X-Meridian 2G aren't the same as the ones on the Forte, I guess Auzen used higher grade opamps for the stock one on the card? I'll upgrade them for sure the day I get to know how to do it and where I can buy opamps without going bankrupt because I'm pretty much sure that it's at least 2x more expensive when you get them directly from Auzentech's store.

So games using OpenAL instead of a software engine like many new games (almost no more new games use directsound3d for obvious reasons) are all gonna use the features of EAX 5.0 or the game have to be programmed to make advantage of it? I though EAX would only work in DS3D, not in OpenAL so that in OpenAL you'd see no difference from a card using EAX 2.0 or 5.0

Question:
- My headphone is a (AKG K702) which gains from being amplified even though it's not night & day difference but at worse I could just hook my headphone to my portable amplifier (PA2V2) then from this little amp to my front headphone jack on the Corsair 800D case. What I'm wondering though is that when you use the front output of the soundcard, which Opamp is it using on the 4 on the card? 0_o Will it be using the Front L/R channel's opamp from the card?

I finaly received my 1.5ft 3.5mm extension so I got to try a little bit today before going to work the X-Meridian 2G in analog instead of optical and so far it already seems to be better than using the receiver's DAC. Now I'll have to do more music testing and try Bad Company 2 to notice if it sounds even better than the Forte or pretty much the same

 

I wouldn't go that far, there are a few cards with higher end components then the Forte.

 

What's the deal with Azuentech anyhow? Where can you even buy their products? It seems like they are about to close the doors..

 

I think the Front op-amp is used when you use the front panel case, I know When I tested it, it was used on my Xonar wel all 3 op-amps.

 

..about to close their doors? They just released a new soundcard.:nerd:

 

Yea I dont know why newegg delist them, but give it time they will be in more stores. I totally forgot about the X-merdian 2g yet I posting in the thread.

 

so is there anyway to use one of those I/O ports that you get with the creative cards or anything you can do so you get a real headphone jack that will be amplified so you can use headphones that have a higher impedance and not have to unplug your analogs in the back to get your phones working and visa versa?
Having a I/O slot in a 5.25" bay at the front is one of the greatest things ever.

 

YOu can connect up the front panel audio connector. That would allow you to swicth between ther rear speakers outputs or the front headphone output however, if there is no amplifier then there is no amp. The only way to get one is to add an external unit. There is also the x-tension DIN that is compatible with this card that adds a 1/4 phone jack...IIRC, it does nothave a head amp though just re-routes the front panel header to an externsion card.

 

What does that matter? How many new games come out and the dev's close the doors or get laid off? You can even find these cards anywhere.. They are backordered on Azuen's website.. I never trust buying directly from company,if you have issues 9 times out of 10 your screwed. I'd rather go thru newegg or amazon..

 

LOL, they are not going anywhere. There were similar issues with the release of all of their cards...delays..etc They are a rather small company and sometimes they are at the mercy of distributors. They always bring their cards to market though...

There are a few guys around here that have them...so they can't be that hard to find. Auzentechs cards always come out in mid size lots and sell out just as fast.