Asus Xonar DGX PCI Express 5 1 channel Gaming Audio Card Xonar DGX User Manual

Xonar DGX  
PCIE 5.1 & Headphone Amp Audio  
Card  
User manual  
Contents  
iii  
Notices  
Federal Communications Commission Statement  
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the  
following two conditions:  
This device may not cause harmful interference, and  
This device must accept any interference received including interference that  
may cause undesired operation.  
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a  
Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are  
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a  
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio  
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with manufacturer’s  
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,  
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If  
this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception,  
which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is  
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following  
measures:  
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.  
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.  
Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the  
receiver is connected.  
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.  
Canadian Department of Communications Statement  
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions  
from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the  
Canadian Department of Communications.  
This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.  
Australia statement notice  
From 1 January 2012 updated warranties apply to all ASUS products, consistent  
with the Australian Consumer Law. For the latest product warranty details please  
excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or  
refund for a major failure and compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable  
loss or damage. You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the  
goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major  
failure.  
If you require assistance please call ASUS Customer Service 1300 2787 88 or visit  
iv  
 
Safety information  
Before installing the device on a motherboard, carefully read all the manuals  
that came with the package.  
To prevent electrical shock hazard or short circuits, switch off the power supply  
before installing the device on a motherboard or connecting any singal cables  
to the device.  
If the device is broken, do not try to fix it by yourself. Contact a qualified service  
technician or your retailer.  
Before using the product, make sure all cables are correctly connected. If you  
detect any damage, contact your dealer immediately.  
To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from  
connectors, sockets and circuitry.  
Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the product in  
any area where it may become wet.  
Place the product on a stable surface.  
If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualified  
service technician or your retailer.  
This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the product (electrical  
and electronic equipment) should not be placed in municipal waste. Check local  
regulations for disposal of electronic products.  
Trademarks  
Xonar and ASUS logo are trademarks of ASUSTek Computer Inc. “Dolby”  
and “Dolby Digital Live”, “Dolby Pro Logic IIx”, “Dolby Virtual Speaker”, “Dolby  
Headphone” are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. EAX and A3D are trademarks  
of Creative Technology Ltd. Microsoft, DirectSound3D, Windows are trademarks of  
Microsoft Corporation. Other company and product names may be trademarks of  
the respective companies with which they are associated. ASIO is a trademark and  
software of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH  
License  
Dolby Master Studio driver is manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories.  
v
 
vi  
1.  
Introduction  
1.1  
Package contents  
ASUS Xonar DGX PCIE audio card  
Low Profile Bracket x1  
Support CD x1  
Quick Start Guide x1  
1.2  
System requirements  
One PCIE 1.0 (or higher) compatible slot for the audio card  
Microsoft® Windows® 7 (32/64bit) / Vista (32/64bit) / XP (32/64bit) / MCE2005  
Intel® Pentium® 4 1.4 GHz or AMD® Athlon 1400 CPU or faster CPU  
256 MB (or above) DRAM system memory  
60 MB available HDD space for driver installation package  
CD-ROM drive (or DVD-ROM drive ) for software installation  
High-quality headphones or powered analog speakers to enjoy the ultra-high  
fidelity sound of the card  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
1
 
1.3  
Specifications summary  
Items  
Description  
Audio Performance  
105dB for 5.1CH  
100dB for Headphone-out@150ohm loading  
Output Signal�to�Noise Ratio A�eighted  
Input Signal�to�Noise Ratio A�eighted�  
103dB  
Output Total armonic Distortion Noise at 1k  
A�eighted�  
Up to 0.0025% (-92dB)  
Input Total armonic Distortion Noise at 1k�  
A�eighted�  
Up to 0.0022% (-93dB)  
Frequency Response �3dB, 24�bit/96kinput �  
<10Hz to 48kHz  
Output/Input Full�Scale oltage  
1Vrms (3Vp-p)  
eadphone Impedance  
Optimized for 32~150�  
Bus Compatibility  
PCIE  
PCIE bus compatible  
Main Chipset  
Audio Processor  
C-Media CMI8786 High-Definition Sound Processor (Max. 6Hz24bit)  
Cirrus Logic CS4245*1 (104dB DNR, Max. 12Hz24bit) Cirrus Logic  
CS4361*1 (103dB DNR, Max. 12Hz24bit)  
D�A Converter of Digital Sources�  
A�D Converter for Analog Inputs�  
Sample Rate and Resolution  
Analog Playback Sample Rate and Resolution  
Analog Recording Sample Rate and Resolution  
S/PDIF Digital Output  
Cirrus Logic CS4245*1 (104dB DNR, Max. 12Hz24bit)  
44.1486Hz @ 1624bit for all channels  
44.1486Hz @ 1624bit  
44.1486Hz @ 1624bit, Dolby Digital, DTS, WMA-Pro  
44.1486Hz @ 1624bit  
ASIO 2.0 Driver Support�  
I/O Ports  
Analog Output ack�  
3.50mm mini jack �3 (Front/Side/Center-Subwoofer)  
3.50mm mini jack �1 (Line-In/Mic-In)  
Analog Input ack�  
Other line�level analog input for CD�IN/TTunerAux-In (4-pin header on the card)  
High-bandwidth Optical Connector supports 6Hz24bit  
-additional SPDIF-out header for HDMI audio output  
Digital S/PDIF Output  
Supports headphone jack-detection, automatically switch audio output from  
back-panel to front  
Front�Panel Audio eader  
Driver Features  
Operation System  
Windows7/ Vista/XP(32/64bit)/MCE2005  
Dolby Headphone technology allows users to listen to music, watch  
movies, or play games with the dramatic 5.1-channel surround or realistic  
3D spacious effects through any set of stereo headphones.  
Dolby® eadphone  
DS3D GX 2.5.0 supports EAX gaming sound effects and DirectSound 3D  
hardware enhanced functions on Windows Vista. (DirectX/DirectSound 3D  
compatible)  
DirectSound3D Game Etensions 2.5 DS3D GX  
2.5/DirectX  
Normalizes thhe volummee of all auudio sourrces intoo a constaant levell and also  
enhances your 3D sound listening range and advantages in gaming  
Smart olume NormalierTM  
The latest vocal effect technologies for gaming and VoIP, including:  
- VoiceEX: produces vivid environmental reverberation for your voice in  
EAX games  
- ChatEX: emulates different background environment effects when you  
chat online  
ocalFXTM  
- Magic Voice: changes your voice pitch to different types (Monster/  
Cartoon) for disguising your real voice or just for fun in online  
chatting  
Music Pitch-Shifting, Vocal Cancellation, and Microphone Echo effects  
with Stereo Mix recording (Wave and Mic-in) for online Karaoke or online  
DJ applications  
Karaoke Functions  
FleBassTM  
Professional Bass Management/Enhancement system  
Adjustable virtual 7.1-speaker positioning  
Xear 3DTM irtual Speaker Shifter  
(continued on the next page)  
2
ASUS Xonar DGX  
 
Other Effects  
10-band Equalizer27 Environment Effects  
7: DirectSound3D® GX 2.5, EAX®2.0&1.0, DirectSound® HW, DirectSound  
SW, A3D®1.0, OpenAL generic modes, 128 3D sounds  
processing capability  
Vista: DirectSound3D® GX 2.5, EAX®2.0&1.0, DirectSound® HW,  
DirectSound SW, A3D®1.0, OpenAL generic modes, 128 3D  
sounds processing capability  
3D Gaming Sound Engines/APIs  
XP: DirectSound3D® GX 2.5, EAX®2.0&1.0, DirectSound® HW, DirectSound  
SW, A3D®1.0, OpenAL generic modes, 128 3D sounds  
processing capability  
Accessories  
Accessories  
-Low-profile bracket  
*Specifications are subject to change without notice.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
3
4
ASUS Xonar DGX  
2.  
Xonar DGX card layout  
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
5
Audio ports  
1
2
3
4
5
ASUS Xonar DGX  
5
 
No Item  
Microphone In port  
Description  
Connect your external PC microphone to this 3.5mm port for  
voice input. Built-in high-quality Microphone pre-amplifier.  
1
Connect analog devices like MP3 players, CD players,  
music synthesizers and other line-level sound sources to this  
3.5mm port for audio recording or processing.  
Line In port  
Connect your headphones or 2/2.1 channel speakers to this  
3.5mm port. For multi-channel speaker systems, connects to  
the front left/right input on the powered speakers.  
eadphone/Front  
Out port  
2
Connects to the surround channel input on 4/4.1/5.1 powered  
analog speakers.  
Side Surround Out  
port  
3
4
Connects to the center/subwoofer input on 5.1 powered  
analog speakers.  
Center/Subwoofer  
Out port  
Optical TOSLINK digital output port. Connects to external  
digital decoder or digital speaker systems, Home Theater  
systems, AV receivers for outputting digital audio including  
PCM, DTS Digital, DTS, WMA-Pro, etc.  
5
6
S/PDIF Out port  
-pin Intel AC’7 HDA front-panel which supports audio  
jack-detection and audio FP Headphone selection for Analog  
Out on the Audio Center.  
Front panel audio  
header  
4-pin header. Usually connects to the Analog Audio output of  
TV tuner card or other sound source inside your PC system.  
(To monitor your TV tuner card’s audio from this Aux-In, you  
must enable the “monitor” function for Aux-In in the Xonar  
DGX Audio Center’s recording mixer.)  
7
8
AuInput eader  
S/PDIF Out header  
Connects to the supported graphics card with HDMI.  
6
ASUS Xonar DGX  
3.  
Installing the hardware  
3.1  
Installing the audio card  
Before you proceed with the following installation steps, it’s recommended that  
you disable your onboard audio device in your BIOS settings, or uninstall any  
other audio cards on your PC. (For BIOS setting or uninstallation of other sound  
cards, refer to the user manuals of your motherboard and audio card.)  
Installing the Xonar DGX card  
1.  
Power OFF the computer, the monitor, and all other peripheral devices  
connected to your computer.  
2.  
3.  
Unplug the computer power cord from your computer and power outlet.  
Touch the metal back or side panel of the computer to avoid static electricity.  
Remove the chassis cover.  
4.  
5.  
Remove the metal bracket from an available PCIE slot for the Xonar DGX  
audio card.  
6.  
Carefully insert the audio card into the PCIE slot. Ensure the audio card sits  
properly in place.  
7.  
8.  
9.  
Secure the audio card with screws and the metal bracket.  
Put back the chassis cover.  
Reconnect all cables.  
10. Plug the power cord to the computer and to a power outlet.  
11. Power ON the computer.  
2
ASUS Xonar DGX  
7
 
3.2  
Connecting to a Ttuner card  
1. If you have a PCIE TV tuner card on your PC, you may need to connect it to  
the Xonar DGX card to send the tuner card’s sound to your PC speakers.  
2.  
3.  
Secure the PCIE TV tuner card and screw it into the back-panel.  
Connect the audio output header from the TV tuner card to the Aux-In header  
of the Xonar DGX card.  
For optimum TV audio quality, Xonar DGX uses ADC recording to digitize the  
signal and loops it back to DAC playback. Select Aux-In as the recording source  
in the Xonar DGX Center’s recording mixer and enable the monitoring button  
to pass this signal to the audio output. Using this setup, you can even turn on  
sound effects such as Dolby Headphone to expand the stereo TV audio to 5.1  
channel surround sound in any set of headphones. TV audio on your PC will  
become even better than on your TV set.  
8
ASUS Xonar DGX  
 
4.  
Installing software  
Installing the card driver  
Ensure that you have installed the audio card driver before installing the Xonar  
DGX driver. Otherwise, driver installation error may occur.  
1.  
2.  
3.  
After you have installed the Xonar DGX card, turn on your computer.  
Windows® automatically detects the audio card and searches for device  
drivers. When prompted for the drivers, click Cancel.  
Insert the support CD into the optical drive. If Autorun is enabled in your  
system, the setup starts automatically. If not, run setup.ee from your  
support CD.  
Follow the onscreen instructions to finish the installation.  
The version and content of the support CD are subject to change without notice.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
9
 
10  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
5.  
Connecting speakers and peripherals  
5.1  
Connecting digital speaker systems ome Theater  
The Xonar DGX makes playback through your home theater system possible,  
creating an immersive and impressive cinema surround sound experience. A single  
digital cable connection can carry high-quality digital audio from any of your PC  
audio sources to any digital speakers or AV Receivers.  
1
SPDIF Out  
No Item  
Optical cable  
Description  
1
Plug your decoder’s TOSLINoptical cable into the SPDIF-  
Out connector.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
11  
 
5.2  
Connecting stereo headphones  
5.2.1  
Connecting Stereo eadphones  
1
No Item  
Description  
1
Front Out/eadphone  
ack  
The Front Out jack has a built-in high-quality amplifier to  
drive headphones. Connect your stereo headphones directly  
to this jack.  
12  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
 
5.2.2  
Connecting 5.1 channel eadphones  
1
2
3
No Item  
Description  
1
2
3
Front Out  
Connect the front-channel 3.5mm plug of your 5.1  
headphone into this jack.  
Side Surround Out  
Connect the surround-channel 3.5mm plug of your 5.1  
headphone into this jack.  
Center/Subwoofer Out  
Connect the Center/Bass-channel 3.5mm plug of your 5.1  
headphone into this jack.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
13  
5.3  
Connecting Analog Speaker Systems  
5.3.1  
Connecting Analog Power Amplifier  
1
2
3
No Item  
Description  
1
2
3
Front Out  
Connects to the “left front” and “right front” input ports of the  
analog amplifier with the mini-jack to RCA cable.  
Side Surround Out  
Center/Subwoofer  
Connects to the “left surround” and “right surround” input  
ports of the analog amplifier with the mini-jack to RCA cable.  
Connects to the “Center” and “subwoofer” input ports of the  
analog amplifier with the mini-jack to RCA cable.  
14  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
 
5.3.2  
Connecting 2/2.1 channel speakers  
2 Speakers  
1
2.1 Speakers  
1
No Item  
Description  
1
Front Out/eadphone  
ack  
Connect the 22.1 speaker set’s 3.5mm plug into this Front  
Out jack.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
15  
5.3.3  
Connecting 4/4.1 Channel Speakers  
4 Speakers  
1
2
4.1 Speakers  
1
2
No Item  
Description  
1
Front Out  
Connects to the Front input port of the 4/4.1 speakers with  
the mini-jack cable.  
2
Side Surround Out  
Connects to the Surround input port of the 4/4.1 speakers  
with the mini-jack cable.  
16  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
5.3.4  
Connecting 5.1 Channel Speakers  
5.1 Speakers  
1
2
3
No Item  
Description  
1
2
3
Front Out  
Connects to the Front input port of the 5.1 speakers with the  
mini-jack cable.  
Side Surround Out  
Center/Subwoofer  
Connects to the Surround input port of the 5.1 speakers with  
the mini-jack cable.  
Connects to the Center/Subwoofer input port of the 5.1  
speakers with the mini-jack cable.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
17  
5.4  
Connecting microphone  
1
2
1
Mic In  
1
2
eadphone Out  
No Item  
Description  
1
Microphone Input  
ack  
Connect the microphone’s 3.5mm plug into this Mic-In jack  
for voice communication, recording, or karaoke.  
2
eadphone ack  
The Front Out jack has a built-in high-quality amplifier to  
drive headphones. Connect your stereo headphones directly  
to this jack.  
18  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
 
5.5  
Connecting Line�In audio sources  
1
Line In  
No Item  
Line Input ack  
Description  
1
Connect the 3.5mm plug of the CD/MP3 Player or any other  
Line level analog audio sources into this Line-In jack for  
sound recording (See the “Mixer” section of the driver guide).  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
19  
 
20  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
6.  
Xonar Audio Center  
6.1  
Xonar Audio Center GUI  
1.  
After the driver installation is complete and  
your computer has been rebooted, you will  
find the Xonar Audio Center’s icon in the  
system tray on the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Double click this  
icon to open the Xonar Audio Center utility.  
If the icon could not be found in the system tray, launch the Xonar Audio Center  
from the Windows desktop by clicking Start > All Programs > ASUS Xonar  
DGX Audio > Xonar DGX Audio Center.  
2.  
The Xonar Audio Center is the Graphic User Interface (GUI) for the Xonar  
DGX driver. You can control the functions and features of the Xonar DGX  
driver on the Xonar Audio Center. The following picture shows a basic  
overview of the Xonar Audio Center. The following sections of this manual will  
describe its functions in more detail.  
8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
ASUS Xonar DGX  
21  
 
No Item  
Description  
1
Display Area  
This display area shows the 10-band signal meter, volume  
level, and the status of the Dolby/DTS technologies, EQ, and  
DSP modes.  
Note: This area just displays information, but is not used to  
alter settings.  
2
Menu Open/Close  
Clicking this button will move the display area and reveal  
the configuration area below. Clicking it again will move the  
display area back down.  
3
4
Master olume  
This rotary knob controls the master playback volume. Drag  
the small circle inside it to change the volume level.  
SN Button  
Click this button to enable the “Smart Volume Normalization”  
feature for constant volume from all playback sources. It will  
display a blue light when enabled.  
5
6
7
Mute Button  
Click this button to mute audio playback; it will display a red  
light when playback is muted.  
DSP Mode  
These 2 buttons give access to quick gaming surround  
sound effect (GX2.5) and effect-free (Hi-Fi) modes.  
Setting Menu Panel  
This panel gives access to setting tabs, including Main  
Settings, Mixer/volume, Effects, Karaoke, FlexBass, and  
VocalFX.  
8
Information icon  
Clicking this icon will pop up driver’s Information window.  
22  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
6.2  
Main Setting  
Sample Rate  
6.2.1  
The Sample rate determines the number of audio samples per second that the  
Digital-to-Analog Converters (DAC) and S/PDIF digital interface will output. The  
Xonar DGX audio card can support sample rates up to 6Hz (44.1, 48,  
6Hz). Usually audio CDG and MP3 files are 44.1Hz; DVD-Video uses 48Hz;  
DVD-Audio or other HD media may contain 6Hz high-definition audio content.  
Please select the corresponding sample rate for your playback sources to get the  
best audio fidelity.  
1
No Item  
Sample Rate  
Description  
1
Select the sample rate that corresponds to (or exceeds that  
of) your playback sources, for optimal audio fidelity. The  
Xonar DGX card supports sample rates up to 6Hz (44.1,  
48K, 96K). Typical values:  
-Audio CD, MP3, WMA, Wave files are 44.1Hz;  
-The audio of DVD-Video is 48Hz;  
-DVD-Audio or other HD media may contain 6Hz high-  
definition audio content.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
23  
 
6.2.2  
Analog Out mode  
eadphone  
1
2
3
4
No Item  
Description  
1
Analog Out  
The Analog Out setting is used to match your actual  
speaker setting, such as headphones, 2 speakers (or 2.1),  
4 speakers (or 4.1), 5.1 speakers, Front Panel Headphone  
and Front Panel 2 speakers (or 2.1). Xonar DGX will play the  
channels and do the proper 3D surround sound processing  
accordingly. Select the correct speaker type for your  
connected speakers.  
2
3
Speaker Test  
Click this button to show the speaker test window in the right  
pane. Click the “play” button to test each speaker one by one  
or click each speaker manually to test.  
P Advanced Setting  
Clicking this button allows you to select the gain tuning  
according to your usage scenario or matching headphone  
impedance. The setting is also available for FP Headphone.  
Usage scenario or eadphone impedance  
DAC setting  
Exciter Mode or for >64ohms headsets  
16 dB boost  
Pro-gaming Mode or for 32~64ohms headsets 9 dB boost  
VOIP Mode or for <32ohms headsets 0 dB boost  
4
Dolby eadphone  
enable/disable  
Tick this checkbox to enable Dolby Headphone. Click the  
textbar to switch the right window to Dolby Headphone page  
for manual adjusting.  
� 7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter can be selected only when  
Dolby Headphone is enabled.  
24  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
2 Speakers & 4 Speakers  
1
2
No Item  
1 Analog Out  
Description  
The Analog Out setting is used to match your actual  
speaker setting, such as headphones, 2 speakers (or 2.1),  
4 speakers (or 4.1), 5.1 speakers, Front Panel Headphone  
and Front Panel 2 speakers (or 2.1). Xonar DGX will play the  
channels and do the proper 3D surround sound processing  
accordingly. Select the correct speaker type for your  
connected speakers.  
2
Speaker Test  
Click this button to show the speaker test window in the right  
pane. Click the “play” button to test each speaker one by one  
or click each speaker manually to test.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
25  
5.1 Speakers  
1
2
3
No Item  
Description  
1
Analog Out  
The Analog Out setting is used to match your actual  
speaker setting, such as headphones, 2 speakers (or 2.1),  
4 speakers (or 4.1), 5.1 speakers, Front Panel Headphone  
and Front Panel 2 speakers (or 2.1). Xonar DGX will play the  
channels and do the proper 3D surround sound processing  
accordingly. Select the correct speaker type for your  
connected speakers.  
2
3
Speaker Test  
Click this button to show the speaker test window in the right  
pane. Click the “play” button to test each speaker one by one  
or click each speaker manually to test.  
Speaker Swap  
Clicking this button will pop up an advanced setting window  
to allow you to:  
– Swap center/bass outputs for 5.1-speaker set ups  
Check the box if your speakers are outputting the incorrect  
channel. Otherwise, leave them blank.  
26  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
6.2.3  
SPDIF Out  
It enables a single digital connection to carry high quality audio from your PC to  
digital speakers and AV Receivers.  
1
2
No Item  
Description  
1
S/PDIF Out enable/  
disable  
Click this check box to enable S/PDIF output.  
2
S/PDIF Output  
Formats/Functions  
PCM (Pulse Code Modulation, which is a typical raw audio  
data format.)  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
27  
6.2.4  
Audio Channels For ista only  
This setting only appears in Windows Vista. Vista will deliver the audio channels  
to the audio driver according to this setting, no matter what the original audio  
content is or how many channels they have. Therefore, you need to set this in  
accordance with your audio content before you play it. Please note that this setting  
is synchronized with Vista’s system speaker configuration and changing the  
setting during playback will cease the audio playback program. You may have to  
restart the program after the change. It’s recommended that you close all playing  
programs before you change the setting.  
1
No Item  
Audio Channels  
Description  
1
Here are some typical suggestions:  
-MP3, WMA, AAC, CD, VCD, 2D games => 2 channels  
-DVD-Video with Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1 => 6 channels  
-DVD-Video with Dolby Digital EX or DTS ES => 8 channels  
-3D games => 8 channels  
28  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
6.2.5  
7.1 irtual Speaker Shifter  
The 7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter has the following major features:  
Expanding/upmixing audio to 7.1-channel surround sound  
Virtualizing 7.1 surround sound over any set of speakers  
Shiftable virtual speaker positioning allows you to adjust the best sound field  
easily without moving physical speakers and wires  
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
No Item  
Description  
1
Shifter enable/disable  
Click this check box to enable the 7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter.  
Clicking the text bar will switch the right window to the  
Speaker Shifter page for manual adjustments.  
2
Drag speaker or  
listener  
You can drag each speaker or listener to a different relative  
position “virtually” using only your mouse. The Xonar DGX  
card will process it and virtualize each speaker position in  
real-time. The Subwoofer has no directional sounds, and  
hence can be moved only closer or further away.  
3
4
Reset  
Reset all Speaker Shifter settings to the defaults.  
Increase/decrease  
volume  
Click + to increase volume (move speakers closer); click – to  
decrease volume (move speakers further away)  
5
Counter�clockwise  
Make all speakers (except Subwoofer) rotate counter-  
clockwise  
6
7
8
Clockwise  
Make all speakers (except Subwoofer) rotate clockwise  
Manually drag and rotate all speakers (except Subwoofer)  
Manual Rotation  
Manual Drag Mode  
This is the default mode that allows you to manually drag  
each speaker or the listener with your mouse.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
29  
6.2.6  
Dolby eadphone  
2
3
4
1
No Item  
Description  
1
Dolby eadphone  
enable/disable  
Tick this checkbox to enable Dolby Headphone. Click the  
textbar to switch the right window to Dolby Headphone page  
for manual adjusting.  
� 7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter and Dolby Pro-Logic IIx can be  
selected only when Dolby Headphone is enabled.  
2
D1  
Dolby Headphone (DH) provides three room filters that may  
be used with any type of audio. They differ in the sense of  
the “spatial dimension” they impart.  
DH1—Reference Room: Small, acoustically damped room.  
DH2—Livelier Room: More acoustically live than DH1  
3
4
D2  
D3  
DH3—Larger Room: Larger room than DH1; more distant  
and diffused effect.  
30  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
6.3  
Mier/olume  
The mixer page is designed to control the volume for playback and recording on  
the Xonar DGX. In addition, the Xonar DGX also provides a high-quality digital  
monitoring function for hearing the recorded audio from the speakers.  
6.3.1  
Playback olume  
1
6
5
4
3
2
No Item  
Description  
1
2
Playback volume tab  
Click this button to show the playback volume page.  
Source / path name  
This shows the source name for each volume control slider,  
including:  
- WAVE: All digital audio sources except MIDI files  
- SW: Software Synthesizer; control the playback volume of  
the MIDI files  
- CD: CD-ROM digital playback (CD-DA) volume control  
- LEFT, RIGHT: the volume control for each speaker/  
channel  
NOTE: Windows® Vista does not support WAVE, Synthesizer  
and CD-In volume controls.  
3
4
Mute button  
Click this button to mute the audio channel; click this button  
again to restore the audio output.  
olume slider  
Drag this slider down to decrease the volume; drag it up to  
increase the volume. The tool-tip reveals the percentage  
number from 1 to 100 in terms of the full scale level.  
5
6
Left/Right balance  
Reset  
The horizontal slider controls the volume between the left  
and right channels. (On Windows XP only)  
Reset all volume controls to the default settings.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
31  
 
6.3.2  
Recording/Monitoring olume  
1
8
2
3
4
5
6
7
No Item  
Description  
1
2
Recording olume Tab  
Click this button to show the recording volume page.  
Left/Right balance  
The horizontal slider controls the volume between the left  
and right channels.  
3
Recording volume  
slider  
Drag this slider down to decrease the recording volume; drag  
up to increase the recording volume. The tool-tip reveals the  
percentage number from 1 to 100 in terms of the full scale  
level.  
4
Recording Selector  
button  
Click this button to select the path/source you are going  
to record. Note that the recording function on Windows is  
a one-path selector. So, you can select only one default  
recording source at a time. You may have to restart the  
recorder program if you switch to a different source. (Note:  
On Vista, some application programs may allow you to  
select the recording device/path in the recording programs  
themselves.)  
5
Microphone�In  
Click this button  
Microphone-In:  
to open the advanced settings for the  
Advanced Setting  
Enabling “Microphone Boost” will increase a volume gain  
to boost microphone input signals. For typical low-cost PC  
microphone, it’s recommended to enable this function. You  
can check with “Front Mic” to enable microphone of front  
panel.  
(continued on the next page)  
32  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
6
7
Monitoring button  
Click this button to monitor and loopback recording audio to  
outputs (PC speakers). Therefore, the recording volume will  
influence the monitoring signals from speaker outputs. The  
audio will be mixed into the streams you are playing out from  
your PC and all DGP effects will be applied to the source,  
too.  
Source / path name  
This shows the source name for each volume control slider,  
including:  
Mix: Stereo Mix which will record analog inputs (MIC and  
Aux) and digital wave audio (Wave) you are playing on  
PC  
MIC: recording from MIC jack  
Aux: recording from Aux-In for typically TV-tuner card audio  
or other sound sources  
Line-In: recording from Line-in jack for external audio devices  
WAVE: recording from digital wave audio you are playing on  
PC  
8
Reset  
Click to reset all volume controls to the default settings.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
33  
6.4  
Effects  
6.4.1  
Environment Effects  
Environment effects can be used to create realistic listening experiences that  
mimic different environments. There are a total of 27 environment options, which  
can be applied to all 2D sound sources, like music.  
1
2
3
No Item  
Description  
1
Default environments  
These four buttons activate Bathroom, Concert hall,  
Underwater, and Music Pub environments, respectively.  
2
More options  
Clicking this button will apply the environment effect that you  
select from the pull-down menu on the right side. There are  
another 23 options in this menu.  
3
Environment sie  
There are three size settings for each environment: Large,  
Medium, and Small.  
34  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
 
6.4.2  
10�Band Equalier  
The equalizer can modify the audio output for different frequencies, and be used  
to compensate for deficiencies in your speakerssystems. There are 12 default  
patterns and you can also make your own settings.  
1
3
2
4
5
6
No Item  
Description  
1
Default equalier  
options  
There are 12 available equalizer patterns. Click one to apply  
it.  
2
User Defined  
You can click this button to apply your own defined  
parameters saved in the pull-down menu.  
3
4
5
Equalier slider  
Save name  
Add / save  
Adjust the gain for each band (30~16Hz)  
ey in a name for your own “User Defined” equalizer setting  
Click this “+” button to save the parameters into User Defined  
list  
6
Delete  
Click this “–” button to delete the parameters from User  
Defined list  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
35  
6.5  
Karaoke  
The Xonar DGX provides powerful features for Karaoke, including Key-Shifting,  
Vocal Cancellation, and Microphone Echo. Microphone Echo can generate natural  
echo effects on your singing voice just like a karaoke machine. Key-Shifting can  
change the pitch of Karaoke background music, and Vocal Cancellation can  
reduce the original vocal in songs and keep the music and symphony for karaoke.  
5
1
2
3
4
No Item  
Description  
1
2
On/Off  
Click the switch to turn on or off the functions on this page.  
Key�Shifting  
Check the box to enable or disable the key shifting feature  
for music playback from 4 semitones below, to 4 semitones  
above.  
3
ocal Cancellation  
Check the box to enable or disable the vocal cancellation  
function and adjust the voice cancellation level from 0 to  
+100. +100 will eliminate most original vocals (default value  
is 50).  
4
5
Mic Echo  
Reset  
Select the Mic Echo function and adjust the gain for echo  
signals (30~16Hz)  
Reset all settings to the default.  
36  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
 
The following message appears when Mic Echo is selected:  
This message implies that the recording device will be set according to your  
requirement. With Mic, you will only record audio source from microphone with  
echo effects; but you are able to record all audio sources from Wave, Aux, and  
Mic with microphone echo effect. Click OK to accept it or Cancel if you want  
to enable it later. Checking Don’t remind me again and this message will not  
show up again.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
37  
6.6  
FleBass  
FlexBass, an advanced bass management and enhancement mechanism, allows  
you to select each satellite speaker’s type for optimal sound performance from the  
speakers. (Small: common speaker that cannot produce low frequencies; Large:  
wide-band speakers that can produce low frequencies well). It comes with an  
adjustable crossover frequency for the boundary of the bass signals. FlexBass will  
filter out the bass signals from small speaker channels and redirect them all to the  
subwoofer or Large speakers.  
4
1
2
3
No Item  
Description  
1
On/Off  
Click this switch to turn on or off all functions on this  
FlexBass page.  
2
Small / Large speaker  
option  
Select the speaker type that you connected. If your speaker  
type cannot perform low-frequency signals (bass), select  
“Small” speaker type and Xonar DGX will filter out the bass  
signals and send them to the subwoofer channel. If those  
speakers are full-range, you can select the “Large” speaker  
type.  
Note: Usually, low-cost PC’s 2-channel speakers are  
small-type speakers. Refer to the speaker’s specification.  
If you have any questions, consult your speaker vendor.  
However, common 2.1 speakers with a subwoofer should  
be categorized as Large speakers because the subwoofer  
can redirect the bass signals inside the two channels to the  
subwoofer speaker automatically.  
3
4
Picture for Small/  
Large speaker  
Colors for small/large speakers are different.  
Orange: large speakers  
Green: small speakers  
LFE Crossover  
Frequency  
Adjusts the cut-off frequency (50~250Hz) for LFE (low-  
frequency effects) signals. Xonar DGX will filter out the bass  
signals below the crossover frequency from small speaker  
channels and forward them to the subwoofer. The higher  
the crossover frequency, the more bass signals will be  
subtracted.  
38  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
 
6.7  
AEC Acoustic Echo Cancellation�  
Xonar DGX provides advanced Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC) for best voice  
communication quality over your speakers. AEC technology can eliminate up-to-  
40dB speaker echo return and suppress noises into your microphone for easier  
conversation experience. AEC is an innovative feature to make Xonar DGX the  
best sound card choice for online chatting in VOIP applications (Skype, MSN,  
Google, QQ, etc.) or online gaming. AEC provides the following benefits to you:  
Reduce the voice acoustic echoes like speakerphone devices when others talk  
to you on line  
Minimize the playback sound echoes into your microphone during gaming or  
music playback  
Effectively suppress background or system noises into your microphone  
32-bit floating point algorithm providing precisely adaptive echo cancellation  
performance up to 40dB  
Supports all VOIP applications and online games  
To achieve the best performance of AEC function, the ideal system requirements  
are as follows:  
1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
Speakers and microphone are low distortion (max. THD < 2%)  
Flat frequency response between 300~4Hz  
Use omni-direction electret microphone with >=40dB sensitivity  
The microphone is more than 30cm far from PC’s speakers (fix the distance)  
and do NOT turn your speakers too loud  
5.  
Put your microphone 20~30cm away from you (fix the distance) and do NOT  
speak too close or too loud into the microphone to avoid signal clipping and  
distortion. Enable “microphone boost” on Xonar DGX audio center mixer to  
get proper input signal level.  
6.  
It’s suggested to disable original AEC function residing in some of the  
softphones or voice communication programs to get best performance from  
Xonar DGX audio card.  
AEC function will be only suitable for bi-direction voice communication  
applications. The speaker type will be set as 2 speakers and special voice  
processing mode while AEC is applied (all audio effects will be suspended and  
those controls on audio center will be frozen.). After you finish the voice-over-  
IP applications, please remember to turn it off for normal high-fidelity audio  
playback mode.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
39  
 
2
1
No Item  
Description  
1
2
AEC  
Click AEC function page.  
Enable AEC  
Click the checkbox to enable AEC function. A alert message  
will pop up:  
This message implies the speaker configuration will be set to  
2 speakers and all sound effect processors will suspended  
except AEC function. Click “O” to accept it; Click “Cancel”  
if you want to enable it later. Check “Don’t remind me again”  
will not show this message again.  
40  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
6.8  
Smart olume Normaliation  
Smart Volume NormalizationTM (SVN) automatically keeps all music or videoTV  
audio output at a constant level to reduce manual adjustment hassles inherent  
with sound sources of different loudness. It allows you to listen to various content,  
like MP3, TV program, DVD video and even games with consistent sound level.  
The following graph shows how different signals 1 & 2 will become the same level  
(for example, 10dB below full scale) after you turn on SVN. Please note that for  
lower volume music 2, it will become louder when you turn on SVN; and for higher  
volume music 1, it will become quieter.  
0dB (Full-scale)  
Music 1  
T
-10 dB  
Music 2  
SVN Off  
SVN On  
-  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
41  
 
2
3
1
No Item  
Description  
1
SN On/Off  
Click this button to enable SVN. This button is outlined blue  
when active.  
2
SN display  
When SVN is enabled, “Smart Volume” will be lit up at the  
bottom of the volume meter and the volume meter will show  
the level.  
3
SN blue light  
When SVN is enabled, the master volume knob will be  
illuminated by a blue light. It will be lit red if the volume is  
muted.  
42  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
6.9  
DS3D GX and DSP Modes  
Xonar DGX is introducing an innovative technology –DirectSound 3D Game  
Extensions v2.5 (DS3D GX 2.5)- to restore DirectSound 3D Hardware acceleration  
mode and its subsidiary EAX effects on Windows Vista for 3D games. Unlike some  
proprietary API like OpenAL, DS3D GX doesn’t require games to support OpenAL  
API. All existing games compatible with Microsoft DirectX and DirectSound 2D/3D  
will be supported with DS3D GX technology. Before you start EAX and DS3D HW  
games, enable DS3D GX on the Xonar Audio Center, and disable the function after  
the games.  
In addition, Xonar DGX also offers a Hi-Fi mode for hi-fidelity playback without any  
effect processing to keep the original audio fidelity. Every time you turn on Hi-Fi  
mode, Xonar DGX will clear all sound effects. It’s also recommended to use Hi-Fi  
mode for audio quality tests (using RMAA software or another machine-based  
measurement). Use the DSP mode button as the quick setup if you don’t wish to  
know the details of the effect setup.  
No sound effects will be applied to high-definition 6Hz12Hz content.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
43  
 
1
2
No Item  
Description  
1
GX Mode  
DirectSound 3D Game Extensions mode to support EAX and  
DirectSound 3D Hardware extensions for lots of DirectX/  
DirectSound3D games on Windows 7 / Vista / XP.  
2
i�Fi Mode  
This mode is set for Hi-Fidelity playback, where all effects will  
be cleared to keep the original digital data and analog output  
quality as high as possible.  
44  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
6.10  
ocalFX  
VocalFX is an innovative voice processing technology to let your voice get into  
the realistic game landscape (VoiceEX) or to emulate the background scenes in  
online chat (ChatEX). It also allows you to change your voice pitch to disguise  
who you are (Magic Voice). These features dramatically increase the fun for voice  
communication on PC.  
5
4
3
1
2
No Item  
Description  
1
oiceEX  
It produces realistic and dynamic environmental  
reverberation for your voice in 3D gaming communication.  
2
Local oiceEX  
It produces realistic and dynamic environmental  
reverberation for your voice in 3D gaming communication.  
(You can hear your voice form speakers)  
3
4
App List  
ChatEX  
You can add VOIP application into VOIP application List.  
It emulates different background environment effects when  
you chat online.  
5
Magic oice  
Changes your voice pitch to different types for disguising  
your real voice or just for fun in online chatting.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
45  
 
For 3D Games  
1.  
2.  
Check the check box of VoiceEX and Local VoiceEX.  
Make sure you and your team member can talk to each other in the game.  
For OIP  
1.  
Press App List  
2.  
If you don’t see the VOIP application of yours in the list, press Add.(Make  
sure the Skype and MSN Messenger are the latest version)  
3.  
Look for the application’s location and Open it.  
46  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
4.  
Your VOIP application has been added into list.  
5.  
6.  
Check the check box of ChatEX and Magic Voice.  
You can use ChatEX and Magic Voice when you chat online.  
Click the checkbox to enable VocalFX function, then a prompt message will  
pop up:  
This message implies the record device will be set to microphone. Make  
sure the GX function is enabled. Click “OK” to accept it, or “Cancel” if you  
want to enable it later. Check “Don’t remind me again” if you don’t want to  
see this message pop up next time.  
Microphone input source must be selected from advanced setting under  
MIC volume control slider in Mixer page.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
47  
48  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
7.  
Troubleshooting and FAQs  
[Troubleshooting]  
The audio card driver could not be installed on my PC.  
Instructions  
1.  
Make sure that you have properly plugged the audio card in the PCIE slot on  
your motherboard.  
2.  
Check that the Windows hardware device manager has discovered a  
multimedia audio device. If no device is found, please try scanning for new  
hardware.  
3.  
4.  
Try soft reboot (restart) your Windows.  
Remove the card, plug it into another PCIE slot, and try again.  
I cannot find the Xonar DGX Audio Center  
Instructions�  
1.  
2.  
Make sure you have installed the driver  
Locate the Xonar DGX Audio Center icon in the system tray on the bottom  
right-hand corner of the screen. Double-click the icon to open the Xonar DGX  
Audio Center utility.  
3.  
If the icon could not be found in the system tray, go to the Windows Control  
Panel and double click the “Xonar DGX Audio Center” icon to make it visible  
in the system tray again.  
4.  
After the driver installation is complete, it’s recommended that you reboot  
your computer to complete the setup. If the icon still doesn’t appear, please  
try installing the driver package again.  
I cannot hear any sound from my analog speakers  
Instructions�  
1.  
2.  
3.  
Ensure that you have connected speakers properly and have powered on  
your speakers.  
Ensure that the device master volume or the software player has NOT been  
muted on the Xonar DGX Audio Center.  
Go to the sound and audio device of Windows Control Panel to check if the  
playback default device is set to Xonar DGX Audio Device, instead of other  
onboard AC7 or HDA codec device. If it’s not, please set it to Xonar DGX  
Audio Device and restart your applications.  
4.  
Try restarting your Windows.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
49  
 
I cannot hear any sound from the S/PDIF output  
Instructions�  
1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
Ensure that you have enabled S/PDIF output in the Audio Center GUI (Main  
page).  
Ensure that you are connecting the correct S/PDIF output jack on the card to  
the decoder’s (AV receiver) SPDIF input jack.  
You may need to select the correct input and mode of your decoder or AV  
receiver.  
If you are using 6Hz PCM output, please make sure your decoder can  
support 6Hz decoding. Try changing it to 44.1or 48Hz first.  
I cannot hear audio input Mic, Line�in, AUX, etc.from my speakers  
Instructions�  
1.  
Go to the mixer recording page in the Audio Center and select the correct  
input as the recording source. If you are using Windows Vista, also go to  
system audio control panel to see the current default recording/input device is  
right.  
2.  
Remember to turn on the digital monitoring button for that recording source.  
I cannot hear the Ttuner audio from my speakers  
Instructions�  
1.  
2.  
3.  
If you are using a traditional TV tuner card which has analog audio output,  
please connect it to the Aux-In header on the audio card  
Select Aux-In as the recording source and remember to turn on the digital  
monitoring button on the recording mixer page  
If you are using a TV tuner card which has digital audio output instead of  
analog, check that the sound is not muted and whether other applications can  
play sound out. If you still have problem, read the TV tuner card’s software  
user guide.  
[FAQ]  
Q1Does the Xonar DGX support indows 7/ista?  
Answer�  
Yes, the Xonar DGX driver package does support Windows 7/Vista 32/64 bit and  
most key features are available. In addition, Xonar DGX supports unique DS3D  
GX on Windows 7/Vista, which can recover DirectSound 3D hardware and EAX  
gaming sound effects on Windows 7/Vista for a lot of existing DirectX games.  
50  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
Q2hy does the Xonar DGX support Dolby® eadphone?  
Answer�  
Dolby is the ONLY brand and technology recognized by the CE industry and  
available on a wide range of audio equipment. Xonar DGX includes the feature to  
make your PC a powerful media and entertainment center.  
Q3Does the Xonar DGX support EAX on ista?  
Answer�  
Yes, Xonar DGX can support the latest EAX on Windows 7/ Vista /XP through  
innovative DirectSound3D Game EXtensions v2.5 (DG3D GX 2.5) technology.  
Q4hy do I need Dolby eadpone for PC games?  
Answer�  
Dolby Headphone is the best 3D sound positioning, spatial modeling and 5.1-  
channel virtualization technology for regular stereo headphones and speaker  
headphones.  
Q5: What is the most important benefit of the Xonar DGX for gamers?  
Answer�  
1.  
2.  
3.  
Headphone amplifier: Enables accurate sound positioning in superb quality  
for unparalleled gaming experience.  
Dolby headphone: Delivers a realistic and spacious 2-to-5.1 surround and  
3D positional sound field over any set of stereo headphones.  
GX 2.5: Enables the latest EAX gaming audio and restore surround gaming  
in Windows Vista/7 without additional software.  
Q6: Will PCM sound output through S/PDIF be just 2 channels even with  
different analog output channels?  
Answer�  
The SPDIF protocol specification (IEC-6058) can only carry 2-channel PCM  
data or non-PCM AC3/DTS data. So, when a user selects PCM output for S/PDIF,  
the Xonar sound card will always deliver 2 channel PCM data through the S/PDIF  
output port.  
ASUS Xonar DGX  
51  
Q7hy can I hear and record sound from other recording devices when  
ave/Digital is selected in Record on ista?  
Answer�  
Different from Windows XP, Vista has a multiple devices/streams concept in audio  
structure, in which the concept can be categorized into Digital Input and Analog  
Input. In other words, multiple recording devices can be used and working at the  
same time. In this case, Wave In or SPDIF-In, considered as a Digital Input, is  
an independent recording device from Analog Devices such as Mic In, Line In,  
or Aux In. Therefore, if you have analog inputs other than Wave In and set to be  
monitored, you are able to hear and even record sound from those analog devices  
even Wave In / SPDIF-In is selected as the default recording device.  
If you don’t want to hear the analog input sounds at that situation, simply turn off  
“monitoring” function on other analog input devices.  
52  
ASUS Xonar DGX  

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