Sound Blaster X-Fi TM Titanium HD Testing Methodology & Results For RMAA v6.2.3

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1 Sound Blaster X-Fi TM Titanium HD Testing Methodology & Results For RMAA v6.2.3 Music Movies Gaming THE AUDIOPHILE S CHOICE - FEATURING THX TRUSTUDIO PC TECHNOLOGY

2 May 2010 Products furnished by Creative are believed to be accurate and reliable. However, Creative reserves the right to make changes at any time, in its sole discretion, to the products. CREATIVE DISCLAIMS ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES FOR THE PRODUCTS PROVIDED HEREUNDER, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NOR DOES IT MAKE ANY WARRANTY FOR ANY INFRINGEMENT OF PATENTS OR OTHER RIGHTS OF THIRD PARTIES WHICH MAY RESULT FROM THE PRODUCTS. Creative assumes no obligation to correct any errors contained in the products provided hereunder or to advise product users of any correction if such be made. Customers are advised to obtain the latest version of product specification, and Creative gives no assurance that Creative s products are appropriate for any application by any particular customer. Creative products are not intended for use in life support appliances, devices, or systems. Released by Product Business Dept. - Audio/VLSI Product Group, Creative Technology Ltd. Copyright 2010 Creative Technology Ltd. All rights reserved. The Creative logo, Sound Blaster, the Sound Blaster logo, Sound Blaster Live!, Sound Blaster Audigy, Sound Blaster X-Fi, Creative Inspire, Creative WaveStudio, Creative MediaSource, EAX, ADVANCED HD, EAX ADVANCED HD and the EAX ADVANCED HD logo, CMSS-3D, OpenAL and Smart Volume Management are trademarks or registered trademarks of Creative Technology Ltd. in the United States and/or other countries. E-MU and SoundFont are registered trademarks of E-MU Systems, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. NOMAD is a registered trademark of Aonix and is used by Creative Technology Ltd., and/or its affiliates under license. Dolby and the double-d symbol, Dolby Digital, Dolby Surround and MLP Lossless are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. DTS, DTS-ES Extended Surround and Neo:6 are trademarks of Digital Theater Systems, Inc. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademark and DirectSound 3D and Windows Media are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. THX is a registered trademark of THX Ltd. Advanced Resolution and the Advanced Resolution logo are trademarks of RIAA. The DVD-Audio logo is a trademark of DVD FLLC. Cubasis and WaveLab are trademarks of and VST is a registered trademark of Steinberg Media Technologies AG. MPEG Layer-3 audio compression technology licensed by Fraunhofer IIS and THOMSON multimedia. The Gracenote CDDB logo is a trademark of Gracenote. All other logos, brand or product names are trademarks of their respective holders. 1

3 Testing Methodology using RMAA v6.2.3 In this section, we will guide you through setting up your Sound Blaster X-Fi, for RMAA measurement in real-time 24-bit/96kHz Playback and Recording using the Analog Inputs and Outputs. Comparison charts for the 24-bit/48kHz, Audio Precision test results are also included. These Analog I/O tests prove that superb quality analog audio inputs and outputs are achieved from very high quality DAC, ADC and board design. Setting up Sound Blaster X-Fi for Analog Measurement Your Sound Blaster X-Fi has the unique property of using hardware digital signal processing to improve audio quality and listening experience. However, to a tool designed to test for audio precision, such processing would be considered distortion. So, in order to properly measure the Sound Blaster X-Fi s analog precision, you must first turn off all such processing. The recommended procedure for doing this is as follows. Goto Start Control Panel Sound Or from the Taskbar right click on the speaker volume control icon to bring up a dialog box, and select Playback Devices or Recording Devices. From the Sound panel window, select Playback Devices tab. Select and highlight Speakers, then click on Properties on the bottom right button. 2

4 This will bring up Speakers Properties dialog window, as shown below. Select Levels tab, and mute all others as follows. 3

5 Next, click on Sound Blaster tab, and ensure Disable Sound Blaster enhancements is selected or clicked. Then, click on the Settings button. This action will bring up a new dialog window Audio Control Panel, as shown here: 4

6 From the Sound panel window, select Playback Devices tab. Select and highlight Click on the Mode tab to select Audio Creation Mode. Click on the EAX Effects tab to unselect Enable EAX Effects. 5

7 Click on the Encoder tab to select Off. Click on the Bit-Matched tab to select Enable Bit-Matched Recording and Enable Bit- Matched Playback. 6

8 Now click CLOSE for these settings to take effect. And returning to Speakers Properties dialog window: Click on the Advanced tab, then click on option box to select the desired sample rate and bit depth, e.g. 24 bit, 96000Hz (Studio Quality), etc. 7

9 Now click OK or APPLY button for these settings to take effect. This will return you back to the Sound panel window. 8

Select Advanced tab, then click on option box to select the desired sample rate and bit depth, e.g.

10 Then click on the Recording tab as following. Select and highlight Auxiliary, then click on Properties on the bottom right button. This will bring up Auxiliary Properties dialog window, as shown below. Select Advanced tab, then click on option box to select the desired sample rate and bit depth, e.g. 24 bit, 96000Hz (Studio Quality), etc. (Note: Playback and Recording sample rate and bit depth should be the same.) Now click OK or APPLY button for these settings to take effect. This will return you back to the Sound panel window. 9

11 Switch to Audio Creation Mode Audio Creation Mode is the mode of operation we designed specifically for precision recording applications. As a result, it is already configured to turn much of this signal processing off. So, it is the ideal place to start. Sound Blaster X-Fi Mode Switcher Configure Creation Mode Mixer At this point, you should see the Audio Creation Mode Mixer. The first thing you should do is pull down the Snapshot combo box and select Default, just to be sure all previous settings are reset. 10

12 Sound Blaster X-Fi Audio Creation Mode Mixer Click on the Snapshot pull down option to reveal the different RMAA settings, and select the correct option. Then, click on the Settings button. This action will bring up a new dialog box, as shown here: 11

Sound Blaster X-Fi Audio Creation Mode Mixer Settings First, ensure Master Sampling Rate is to match the test performed by setting to the desired rating for testing, e.g. 96kHz, 48kHz, 44kHz, etc.

13 Sound Blaster X-Fi Audio Creation Mode Mixer Settings First, ensure Master Sampling Rate is to match the test performed by setting to the desired rating for testing, e.g. 96kHz, 48kHz, 44kHz, etc. Then enable Bit Matched Playback from the Bit-Matched tab option. Next step is to disable most of the remaining effects in the Encoder tab option, including CMSS-3D, EAX, 24-Bit Crystalizer, Graphic Equalizer, THX Setup. It also guarantees that no digital sample rate conversion happens in the playback path or recording path. Now click CLOSE for these settings to take effect. Verify or Adjust Creation Mode Mixer Settings: Now, in the Creation Mode Mixer, confirm that all the following settings are in effect, or adjust them as necessary: - Master Sampling Rate: Matched to the test performed e.g. 96kHz - Speaker Mode is 2/2.1 Speakers - Wave: 100% - All Line Inputs: 0% and Muted or -144dB level - Record Source: 50% (no record gain, i.e. 0dB) - All visible Effects Returns: Muted 12

Sound Blaster X-Fi Audio Creation Mode Mixer Your Sound Blaster X-Fi is now properly set up for Analog measurement. Now, we move to RMAA Setup. Setting Up RMAA for Analog Measurement: Launch RMAA v6.

14 Sound Blaster X-Fi Audio Creation Mode Mixer Your Sound Blaster X-Fi is now properly set up for Analog measurement. Now, we move to RMAA Setup. Setting Up RMAA for Analog Measurement: Launch RMAA v6.2.3 This latest version of the RMAA can be downloaded from the following web site: Select the bit depth and sampling rate you which to test. Note that Sound Blaster X-Fi max playback sampling rate is 192kHz, but the max recording sampling rate is 96kHz. Therefore the resolution must be set to 24-bit, 96kHz (or lower) for the test to work. 13

15 - Click on Click on Test Options, Display and select Display full frequency range (up to Fs/2). 14

16 An audio loopback cable connection: Connect a RCA cable from RCA Line Out to RCA Line In located at the soundcard back panel. Establishing playback and recording levels: Click Adjust I/O Levels, 15

17 Now you can begin your tests by clicking on the Run tests panel. Click on Results are presented in plots and are also tabulated. 16

18 17

19 Results from RMAA v6.2.3 Tests Summary results for Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD (Model Number SB1270) Testing chain: External loopback (line-out - line-in) Sampling mode: 24-bit, 96 khz Frequency response (from 40 Hz to 15 khz), db: +0.02, Excellent Noise level, db (A): Excellent Dynamic range, db (A): Excellent THD, %: Excellent THD + Noise, db (A) Excellent IMD + Noise, %: Excellent Stereo crosstalk, db: Excellent IMD at 10 khz, %: Excellent General performance: Very Good Full results (Sampling mode: 24-bit, 96 khz) Frequency response Frequency range Response From 20 Hz to 20 khz, db -0.22, From 40 Hz to 15 khz, db -0.12,

20 Noise level Parameter Left Right RMS power, db: RMS power (A-weighted), db: Peak level, db FS: DC offset, %: Dynamic range Parameter Left Right 19

21 Dynamic range, db: Dynamic range (A-weighted), db: DC offset, %: THD + Noise (at -3 db FS) Parameter Left Right THD, %: THD + Noise, %: THD + Noise (A-weighted), %:

22 Intermodulation distortion Parameter Left Right IMD + Noise, %: IMD + Noise (A-weighted), %: Stereo crosstalk Parameter L <- R L -> R 21

Crosstalk at 100 Hz, db: -109-108 Crosstalk at 1 khz, db: -114-113 Crosstalk at 10 khz, db: -113-113 IMD (swept tones) Parameter

23 Crosstalk at 100 Hz, db: Crosstalk at 1 khz, db: Crosstalk at 10 khz, db: IMD (swept tones) Parameter Left Right IMD + Noise at 5 khz, %: IMD + Noise at 10 khz, %: IMD + Noise at 15 khz, %:

24 Comparison of: 16-bit/44.1kHz, 16-bit/48kHz, 24-bit/48kHz and 24-bit/96 khz Test Frequency response (from 40 Hz to 15 khz), db: Titanium HD [24/96] Titanium HD [24/48] Titanium HD [16/48] Titanium HD [16/44.1] +0.02, , , , Noise level, db (A): Dynamic range, db (A): THD, %: IMD + Noise, %: Stereo crosstalk, db: Frequency response 23

25 Noise level Dynamic range 24

26 THD + Noise (at -3 db FS) Intermodulation distortion 25

27 Stereo crosstalk Graphs were generated by RightMark Audio Analyzer

28 ANNEX - Audio Precision AP2700 results 1kHz 27

29 Audio Precision FFT22 AMP1(dBV) vs FREQ(Hz) 12/30/09 13:43: dx= khz dy= db d B V d B V k 2k 4k 6k 8k 10k 12k 14k 16k 18k 20k 22k Hz

30 Silent 29

31 Audio Precision FFT22 AMP1(dBV) vs FREQ(Hz) 12/30/09 13:46: dx= khz dy= db d B V d B V k 3.92k 4k 6k 8k 10k 11.24k 12k 14k 16k 18k 20k 22k Hz

32 Frequency Response 31

33 Audio Precision A-A FREQUENCY RESPONSE 12/30/09 15:58:53 +5 dx= khz dy= db d B r A k 2k 5k 10k 20k k 40k 46k Hz 32

34 Phase vs Input Freq Sweep 33

35 Audio Precision A-A RELATIVE (Interchannel) PHASE vs 12/30/09 13:41:03 FREQUENCY +1 dx= khz dy=-0.02 deg d e g k 1k 2k 5k 10k 20k Hz THD vs Input Freq Sweep 34

36 35

37 Audio Precision 12/30/09 13:31: dx= khz dy= % T % k 1k 2k 5k 10k k 20k Hz THD vs Input Voltage Sweep 36

38 37

39 Audio Precision 12/30/09 13:48:57 60 dx= mvrms dy= % % m 20m 50m 100m 200m 324.7m 500m 751.2m Vrms THD vs Output Voltage Sweep 38

40 39

41 Audio Precision 12/30/09 13:53:56 60 dx= mv dy= % % m 20m 50m 100m 200m 310.2m 500m 760.2m V 40

Summary Product Contents Specifications System Requirements Product Photography. Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro

Summary Product Contents Specifications System Requirements Product Photography. Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro Recording and production excellence for the home-studio. The is the ultimate 7.1 studio solution for musicians and audio enthusiasts. It supports ASIO 2.0 and SoundFont 2.1 and can record up to 6 simultaneous