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A year on after sweeping 15 best-of-CES awards with its breakthrough Super X-Fi Headphone Holography, Creative Technology will be unveiling the all-new Super X-Fi Gen2 audio profile, which features key improvements to provide users with a more natural headphone audio experience than ever before.
Unprecedented Realism in Headphones
Super X-Fi recreates the soundstage of a high-end surround speaker system in headphones, and personalizes it with Artificial Intelligence (AI) for a natural listening experience. Since its worldwide launch at CES 2019, users and critics have been blown away by the realism of personalized audio, which is tailored according to their anthropometric profiles.
“At the beginning, our user profile base was in the range of tens of thousands. Over the past year, riding on the successful launch of Super X-Fi, we have accumulated hundreds of thousands of user profiles. This significant jump in real-world data has provided us with the capacity for more research, and importantly, it has enabled us to train the Super X-Fi AI engine to be even more accurate in personalizing the audio experience for our users. This was key in our development of the Super X-Fi Gen2 profile,” said Lee Teck Chee, vice president of technology at Creative, and inventor of Super X-Fi.
Super X-Fi Gen2 incorporates other important enhancements as well, including the preservation of more details in the surround sound configuration, along with higher positioning accuracy. Audio fidelity is improved, resulting in a clearer sound signature. This translates to more pristine audio across a broader range of content, and a much higher level of enjoyment for users overall. For movies, dialogue becomes clearer, and audio cue positioning is more precise, with an enhanced bass performance. This is also better across various genres of music, as the improved restoration of details moves users closer to a studio environment.
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Creative Technology today announced the release of Sound Blaster G3, a portable gaming USB DAC Amp that marks the latest addition to the Sound Blaster revolution ignited 30 years ago. Designed and built with game console users in mind, Sound Blaster G3 is the first Sound Blaster that works directly on PS4 and Nintendo Switch via a driverless plug-and-play format, and is also compatible with PC and Mac. Palm-sized and weighing in at a mere 32 grams, it boasts a great balance of the fabled Sound Blaster audio signature, on-the-go customization and other nifty gaming features at an attractive price tag.
Sound Blaster Signature
Backed by Creative's strong foundation built over three decades of innovation and expertise in audio innovations, Sound Blaster G3 is well-equipped to exceed the audio needs of gaming enthusiasts. Featuring hi-definition 24-bit audio at 100 dB DNR, it has the ability to drive studio-grade headphones of up to 300 ohms of impedance. When connected to a PC or Mac, it has the ability to handle discrete 7.1 channel input and offer up to 7.1 surround sound virtualization as well as the iconic Sound Blaster Acoustic Engine. Users can look forward to an elevated gaming audio experience that far surpasses the default audio standard on PC, Mac or gaming consoles.
Surge Ahead of the Game
Sound Blaster G3 also comes equipped with the latest GameVoice Mix feature, specially designed to make in-game chats seamless and hassle-free. This feature allows users to freely adjust the game audio and chat volume with a conveniently-located scroll wheel to achieve the perfect balance without disrupting the gameplay.
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GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, today announced the release of the world’s first USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 PCIe Expansion Card, GC-USB 3.2 GEN2X2. The new PCIe x4 expansion card supports USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 for both AMD and Intel platforms and delivers up to 20Gb/s transfer speeds, doubling that of the previous generation. With the USB Type-C port design and backward compatibility with USB 2.0/3.0/3.1, the new expansion card offers an affordable way for users to upgrade to the USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 specification without having to get a new motherboard.
USB-IF first announced the USB 3.2 specification with multi-lane operation in 2017. The new USB specification has been officially named USB 3.2 Gen 2x2. The upgraded specification has twice the bandwidth of the previous generation and delivers transfer speeds up to 20GBps. Motherboard manufacturers have responded by future-proofing their flagship motherboards with full compatibility for the new specification. This is especially convenient for users who are currently looking to upgrade their motherboard. However, users who recently upgraded their systems or are satisfied with their current setup are getting the short end of the stick having to buy a new motherboard to use USB 3.2 Gen 2x2.
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The EVGA NU Audio Card reintroduced the PC world to high-end audio, both stunning the audio world and making new fans along the way. The singular idea of producing Lifelike Audio and Gaming at an affordable price led to an exclusive partnership between one of the world’s most recognizable PC hardware manufacturers and one of the true icons of the audio world – Audio Note (UK).
Level Up Your Audio
The NU Audio Pro Cards change the game once again. The pursuit of audio perfection on a PC takes another step forward with the introduction of a 7.1 Surround solution by EVGA and Audio Note. We took the solid foundation of the NU Audio Card, improved the component selections throughout, and matched it to a secondary card to provide surround support. The result is an experience where critical listening sessions can yield to enjoyment, and where thinking will surrender to feeling.
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Creative Technology today announced the release of Sound Blaster X3, its latest addition to the illustrious Sound Blaster line-up of sound cards which ignited the PC audio revolution 30 years ago. A high-resolution USB DAC with multi-channel audio playback, it combines Creative's multiple award-winning technological breakthroughs – the famed Sound Blaster digital processing technology and game-changing Super X-Fi headphone holography – for a compelling solution which audio enthusiasts simply cannot ignore.
Sound Blaster Enters New Dimension with Super X-Fi
Sound Blaster's audio revolution began with the creation of the first Sound Blaster 1.0 sound card in 1989, when it transformed PC audio forever. Since then, over 400 million Sound Blasters have been sold, with the brand etching several milestones in sound card development. Sound Blaster users have been fascinated over the past 30 years with innovation and technology benefits.
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Elgato, the leading provider of hardware and software for content creators, today announced the launch of HD60 S+, an external video capture card that lets content creators play high-fidelity console games in stunning 4K60 HDR10 while simultaneously streaming or recording gameplay in 1080p60 HDR10. It’s easy to get set up and streaming with HD60 S+ thanks to a simple USB 3.0 connection and full compatibility with today’s most prominent streaming applications including OBS Studio, Streamlabs OBS, and XSplit. Accompanied by powerful Elgato 4KCU recording software, HD60 S+ is ideal for content creators looking to grow audiences on Twitch, YouTube, and Mixer.
Building upon the original hugely popular HD60 S, HD60 S+ allows 4K60 HDR10 zero-lag passthrough, with onboard video downscaling to enable streaming to any platform in industry standard full HD 1080p60 quality and recording unlimited 1080p60 HDR10 footage to your hard drive. HD60 S+ also benefits from ultra-low latency Instant Gameview technology, keeping gameplay, mic, webcam, and other sources perfectly synched.
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USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the support organization for the advancement and adoption of USB technology, today announced the publication of the USB4 specification, a major update to deliver the next-generation USB architecture that complements and builds upon the existing USB 3.2 and USB 2.0 architectures. The USB4 architecture is based on the Thunderbolt protocol specification recently contributed by Intel Corporation to the USB Promoter Group. It doubles the maximum aggregate bandwidth of USB and enables multiple simultaneous data and display protocols.
The development of the USB4 specification was first announced in March 2019 by the USB Promoter Group. It is now officially published by USB-IF and available for download at www.usb.org.
Key characteristics of the USB4 solution include:
- Two-lane operation using existing USB Type-C cables and up to 40Gbps operation over 40Gbps certified cables
- Multiple data and display protocols that efficiently share the maximum aggregate bandwidth
- Backward compatibility with USB 3.2, USB 2.0 and Thunderbolt 3
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Elgato, the leading provider of hardware and software for content creators, today announced the launch of Elgato 4K60 Pro MK.2. Boasting the most advanced features in its class, 4K60 Pro MK.2 sports 4K60 HDR10 capture, ultra-low latency Instant Gameview technology, up to 240Hz passthrough, and more. Fitting easily into small form factor cases, this compact PCIe capture card is less than half the size of its predecessor, and with an MSRP of just $249.99, makes 4K content creation more accessible than ever.
Building upon the original acclaimed 4K60 Pro, 4K60 Pro MK.2 empowers content creators to capture gameplay in the highest resolution and dynamic range possible. 4K HDR10 capture at 60 fps (frames per second) lets you play high-fidelity games while simultaneously streaming to Twitch in 1080p at 60 fps and recording 4K60 HDR10 footage to your hard drive. Instant Gameview technology lets you monitor your capture feed with ultra-low latency, perfectly syncing your broadcast with your gameplay. Support for an impressive array of resolution and refresh rate combinations, such as 1080p 240Hz and 1440p 144Hz, enables high frame rate gameplay while capturing via a dual-PC setup.
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Creative Technology Ltd continues its legacy of revolutionizing audio with the launch of its most advanced PCI-e sound cards ever - the Sound Blaster AE-9 and Sound Blaster AE-7. Built with only the most premium components, and complemented with the latest technologies from Creative, these sound cards are designed to define a new performance standard in this class for the ultimate PC entertainment experience.
Sound Blaster: 30 Years of Revolutionizing Audio
Up till 1989, the only sounds coming out of the PC were mere beeps. The same year, Sound Blaster was born, and PC audio was transformed forever. Since then, over 400 million Sound Blasters have been sold; and the Sound Blaster brand has become synonymous with the term ‘sound card' and high-quality PC audio - first for gaming, and then movies and music. With experience and expertise refined over three decades of audio innovation, Sound Blaster has continued to reinvent itself with the development of digital audio processing technologies. Each new innovation served to redefine what the ultimate audio experience really means, such as when it evolved beyond the PC in the form of external sound cards for platforms like gaming and entertainment consoles.
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The USB Promoter Group today announced the pending release of the USB4 specification, a major update to deliver the next generation USB architecture that compliments and builds on the existing USB 3.2 and USB 2.0 architectures. The USB4 architecture is based on the Thunderbolt protocol specification recently contributed by Intel Corporation. It doubles the bandwidth of USB and enables multiple simultaneous data and display protocols.
The new USB4 architecture defines a method to share a single high-speed link with multiple end device types dynamically that best serves the transfer of data by type and application. As the USB Type-C™ connector has evolved into the role as the external display port of many host products, the USB4 specification provides the host the ability to optimally scale allocations for display data flow. Even as the USB4 specification introduces a new underlying protocol, compatibility with existing USB 3.2, USB 2.0 and Thunderbolt 3 hosts and devices is supported; the resulting connection scales to the best mutual capability of the devices being connected.
“The primary goal of USB is to deliver the best user experience combining data, display and power delivery over a user-friendly and robust cable and connector solution,” said Brad Saunders, USB Promoter Group Chairman. “The USB4 solution specifically tailors bus operation to further enhance this experience by optimizing the blend of data and display over a single connection and enabling the further doubling of performance.”
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