Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1 sound card for sugg. $99 (with VIA Envy24HT)

[GetInMyFatBelly]

Not really a specific deal, but Audiotrak is soon distributing it's soundcards in the U.S. They have a Prodigy 7.1 soundcard with a VIA Envy24HT soundchip on it, suggested retail is $99. Same one as on the M-Audio Revolution 7.1 and the Terratec Aureon 7.1 Space. I think this card is the best of the 3. Has the necessary inputs (for me) like the CD/DVD ROM audio cable connectors, the digital one too. As well as the preferred (by me) coax digital (as opposed to the Terratec's fiber optic) input/output.
Check it out here:
www.audiotrak.net

Here are the features:
Experience High-Fidelity Surround Sound up to 7.1
Transfer up to 24-bit 96 kHz Pure Audio with Coaxial Digital Input and Output
Controllable Extended Input Connectors (Line, CD, Aux, and CD Digital) on Board
24-bit, 8 Channel 192 kHz Playback and 96 kHz Recording
Experience Stereo Audio Sources with Expanded 7.1 Channel Surround Sound
Emulate Multi-Channel Surround Sound with SRS TruSurround XT with Enhanced Bass and Dialog Clarity
Expand Audio Versatility with Advanced NSP featuring E-WDM and DirectWIRE
Plug In with Analog Inputs (2) and Outputs (8)
Independent Surround Sound Channel Volume Control
Enjoy High-Fidelity with Integrated Headphone Amp and Microphone
Pass Pure Audio Signals to Dolby Digital and DTS Decoders
Support Windows Media 9 with 24-bit, 96 kHz 6-Channel Audio
Support Game Surround Sound APIs such as EAX 2.0 and A3D

and the Specs.:
High-fidelity 24bit 192 kHz D/A converter; 106 dB Dynamic range
High-fidelity 24bit 96kHz A/D converter; 102dB Dynamic range
24bit 96 kHz Digital Coaxial Input and Output
Analog 2 In / 8 Out;
-10 dBV unbalanced 1/8" (3.5mm) mono and stereo input and
4 x stereo -10 dBV unbalanced 1/8" (3.5mm) output
2 channel recording and 8 channel playback at the same time
Supports multiple sampling rates : 44.1 kHz up to 192 kHz
Full Duplex - Simultaneous record/playback
Uses 32bit PCI slot: PCI bus-mastering support
Microphone preamp with +5V phantom power
Headphone amp
Supports the E-WDM driver:
WDM and ASIO 2.0
Direct KS support for SONAR
OS: Microsoft Windows XP/2000/ME/98SE

 

[render]

What codec does this card use?

Does it support ASIO 2.0 ?

 

[GetInMyFatBelly]

"Does it support ASIO 2.0 ?"

YES

 

[GetInMyFatBelly]

Some info about this card and company:

http://www.planetanalog.com/pressreleases/prnewswire/67923

From the M-Audio Revolution 7.1 thread:

It has the "VIA Envy24HT chip on it with true 24bit 192kHz. Same as the Terratec Aureon 7.1 Sky and Space and the Audiotrak Prodigy 192 (if you want optional MIDI) and 7.1 card I mentioned earlier." Read up on it here:
http://www.via.com.tw/en/multimedia/envy24ht.jsp

There should be review of this card up soon at www.extremetech.com

"Coming soon is a new entrant in sound card space named AudioTrak, and we'll be talking a look at their Prodigy 7.1 sound card that looks to have many interesting features.

We'll integrate the board into this story for comparative performance hopefully within the next week."

This is on their Three New Soundcards review (featuring the Envy24):
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,3973,995610,00.asp

Combine this card with the Dell deal on the Logitech Z680 speakers and you probably has some of the best sounds that can come from a computer.

 

[swNYC]

I saw these cards on sale already at CompUSA. I was going to buy the M-Audio Revolution 7.1, but they were OOS, and substituted with the Prodigy 7.1 and pricematched to $69.

 

[gunblade]

Originally posted by: swNYC
I saw these cards on sale already at CompUSA. I was going to buy the M-Audio Revolution 7.1, but they were OOS, and substituted with the Prodigy 7.1 and pricematched to $69.

Really? They substituted Prodigy 7.1 for you ? You are danm lucky...

 

[RadioactiveMagpies]

I'm going to have to check if my compusa has it out of stock too.


Edit: the closest out of stock place is 20 miles form me. You can check at the compusa website.

 

[epiv]

Does anybody know what audio-codec does the card use?

 

[Nebby]

Originally posted by: RadioactiveMagpies
I'm going to have to check if my compusa has it out of stock too.


Edit: the closest out of stock place is 20 miles form me. You can check at the compusa website.

I asked two out of stock places really nicely....they refused, and told me to go to another compusa that had it in stock :disgust:

 

[unclebud]

it's times like that -- cusa stinks...
that would have been so hot, i would have tried it.
but i know wednesday they had like 25/30 on the shelf here...

 

[EvilYoda]

man, I hate you for getting it PMed to the M-Audio...I had planned on hitting up CUSA tonight, but ended up having no time between work and going out with the family, so I had to miss that awesome deal...

Glad to know there are more cards coming out with the Envy chipset, I wonder if it'll be noticeable from my GTXP...but now where am I going to plug all my USB components...

 

[ivan2]

From the review they seems not so impress from the EnvyHT chip. Are they really that good about the sound quality? Also they seems have more noise in the signal than the Audigy, and in some other forum I've read that the Audigy's signal isn't as clean as GTXP already, does anyone agree with this?

 

[Nebby]

Originally posted by: ivan2
From the review they seems not so impress from the EnvyHT chip. Are they really that good about the sound quality? Also they seems have more noise in the signal than the Audigy, and in some other forum I've read that the Audigy's signal isn't as clean as GTXP already, does anyone agree with this?

from what i've read, the chip in the audigy is really just a sblive chip but upgraded. I've also read that internally, the chip proccess everything in 16bit; so it downsamples to 16, proccesses the stuff, then upsamples to 24. in effect, that would make you loose the extra quality available with the 24bit

 

[GetInMyFatBelly]

Anyone have any more input?

 

[Coca-cola Bear]

My bro just got a Revo that replaced his Fortissimo 3. The Revo hands down has clearer audio than the fortissimo. The Fort. should be simular to the GTXP. Still audio is very subjective so it might not be what you want. The revo seems to be very open and clear. The Fort. tends to be a little heavy on the bass for my own personal preference. Still overall I think the revo sounds better. If you are looking for features though the Fort has more stuff. Especially if you want optical connections. I'm really looking forward to the Prodigy since, I just like having the interal cd connections.

 

[ragazzo]

damn. i jumped onto the m-audio deal too soon. i was disappointed that it didn't have the port for the cd/dvd audio connector