ASUS Xonar DX2 Sound Card Review

Usage & Testing

Testing Tools

  • Avatar (Blu-Ray)
  • 2012 (Blu-Ray)
  • Battlefield Bad Company 2 ( Game)
  • Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2
  • Random Mp3’s
  • Frap’s To monitor FPS in games.

We are going to start the testing off with Some Game testing. While in Battlefield Bad Company 2 upon first getting into a new single player game I was able to notice a big fps difference, Along with the sound being a big improvement over the onboard sound. While playing the game I felt almost like I was in the action with having more bass and better directional sound being able to pinpoint enemies. At this point I didn’t want to stop playing. Here is a FPS chart Difference from Onboard and The Xonar D2X.

Game Battlefield Bad Company 2
Game Mode: Single Player
Onboard:              37 FPS
Xonar D2X:           51 FPS

Now while playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. I noticed a very little difference in sound quality, the sound was just crisper then it was on onboard. But yet again it yielded a tiny bit more improvement or FPS. The bass was being picked up more and the directional was just a tad bit better then the onboard sound. Here is the chart for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2.

Game Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2
Game Mode: Single Player
Onboard:              46 FPS
Xonar D2X:           54 FPS

Now going to watch a movie with the ASUS Xonar D2X. Starting with Avatar. While watching the movie I was able to pick up sounds I was unable to hear on my onboard sound card or from HDMI. Making the End battle of the movie pretty wicked on my home stereo setup while watching in 5.1 surround. The soundcard made the movie stand out more than it did at the movies. While watching 2012 I was able to tell a huge difference in sound in the scene where they are fleeing California since its falling off into the ocean and pure pandemonium going on as there plane is taking off was just a sound buffet of ear bliss going on and offering that much more detail to the movie. I was far more impressed with the sound in 2012 then I was with Avatar.

With testing Mp3’s I am Using Winamp and ITunes to test out the music playback with the Xonar D2X. The music sounds more crisp with being able to hear parts in a song you haven’t be able to hear before. Almost like a step into the recording studio while they were recording the track. The sound was far superior then the onboard sound while using the Xonar D2X.