Speakers used: Edifier S5.1 240 Watt 5.1 set
Headphones used: Generic audio monitoring Cans.

a. Music
Music has taken on new dynamic sounds which were missing prior to the introduction of the Prelude into my system. This is not saying my previous cards sounded bad per se; just not quite as good. There is some nice creamy reverb available for people who like that sort of effect or are looking to add some ambiance to their music. The EQ seems to modify “colors” of the sound and not so much frequency. In addition, the songs I have listened to for years have taken on a new fresh very dynamic presence. Listening to the music on my headphones is also a great treat since the LM4562 opamp produces a sound which is incredibly clear and a sound stage which is very wide. The CMSS3D upmix and headphone technology aids in pulling the sound “out of your head” giving an overall very pleasing sound while listening to music using 2 channel headphones. This card has very hot outputs common to Auzen’s latest offerings, so turning up the volume must be done carefully.
When testing this card with the Edifier S5.1 240 watt surround system, the card was able to output a very clear signal all the way up the scale. There was very clean bass without tubbiness, drop out or washout, in fact I found the bass very articulate and well defined. There was a nice mid presence without any “scratchiness”. I found there was also a high frequency extension that is heard on some songs.

b. Movies
I auditioned all of the “Standard” Movies to be tested when trying out an audio product and I can say, the Auzentech Prelude 7.1 did not disappoint. All of the tested DVD’s sounded amazing with this card installed. There was nice deep bass when it was needed and there was a presence and immersion which was just amazing. You will have to stop yourself from jacking up the volume and blowing out your windows if you have a high-quality 7.1 speaker system. Bravo.

Tested DVD scenes:
Saving Private Ryan - Omaha Landing sequences
Star Wars Revenge of the Sith – Intro flying sequences.
Twister – Any of the Tornado sequences
Ozzy Osbourne – Live at Budokan

c. Gaming
I opted to use games I play all the time in order to test out the new gaming features of this card. My existing games sounded more realistic, open and dynamic. The directional audio cues from EAX games were exact and help immensely with imaging and immersion. The tested games sound better using the Auzen X-fi Prelude then any existing gaming card I have ever heard and my games were also noticeably faster than with my previous cards. Using the CMSS3D headphone while gaming was exceptional and I am now shopping for new and better headphones to compliment the card! I noticed new subtle sounds in games I had not heard previously. The games I thought I knew so well now sounded totally different, more exciting and were on the whole a lot more immersive than I thought possible The gaming of course was overall very impressive.

Games tested were:
Call of Duty II
Call of Juarez
Thief 3: Deadly Shadows