Category: audio

Face it, PCI- and PCI-Express-based soundcards don't always cut it for professional-quality recording. Despite offering digital, optical, line-ins, and microphrone inputs, soundcards simply can't accommodate every piece of high-end audio equipment. Many companies have solved this issue by building external break-out boxes with a variety of additional inputs and outputs, but these boxes lack mobility. Where are the break-out boxes for laptop recording studios?

Creative is known for making hardware-accelerated soundcards that rely on a computer's CPU for very little, taking the strain off. Creative launched the X-Fi Series of soundcards in 2005 to replace the Audigy as Creative's Flagship soundcard. Right in time for 2007's Holiday Season, Creative launched their first PCI-Express X-Fi card, the XtremeAudio. It promises better features than the Audigy line while being an entry-level card, and we're going to look at how the two stack up.

Saitek was founded in 1979, and entered the PC gaming controller market in 1993. All these products are designed by gamers for gamers, to help them get the best out of their favorite PC games. A few days ago, we looked at their Obsidian Wireless Mouse, and today we're looking at one of its latest products: the Cyborg 5.1 Headset. The Cyborg range is the latest in their gamer-centric product line, using the slogan "the ultimate man/machine interface".