Razer Barracuda AC-1 Sound Card

[PAGETITLE=Introduction] One of the top contenders for â€&oelig;Most Underappreciated PC Componentâ€ definitely has to be the sound card. When it comes to spending money on upgrading our rigs, pristine sound quality typically takes a back seat to dazzling, high-definition graphics performance. However, apart from the improvement in sound quality that a discrete sound card provides, the sound card you choose for your machine can actually affect your machineâ€™s overall performance (believe it or not). This is because different audio chipsets put varying degrees of load on your machineâ€™s CPU based on the methods they use for things like signal processing algorithms. You certainly wonâ€™t hamstring your PCâ€™s performance by choosing a less-than-optimal sound card, but the impact that a sound card can have on 3D framerates (for example) should not be discounted. The more processor power a particular audio chipset requires from your CPU, the less it has available to devote to things like physics calculations and AI processing, and that can take a bite out of your machineâ€™s maximum performance. Who knew? Performance ramifications aside, music-lovers and home theater aficionados wonâ€™t have a hard time making the decision to jump from their motherboardâ€™s onboard audio chipset to a discrete sound card. When choosing ancillary components to build into their motherboards, motherboard manufacturers typically focus on cost, not audio quality, and as a result these chipsets typically deliver middling sound quality at best. Whatâ€™s more, locating the audio cardâ€™s analog signal traces directly beside data and power traces on the motherboard can cause electrical interference to enter the sound cardâ€™s preamplifier circuitry, adding unwanted noise and absolutely killing the overall signal-to-noise ratio. That means youâ€™ll have to crank up your sound cardâ€™s output even further to overcome the noise floor, and reduce the gain on your external amplifier or powered speakers to compensate. A low-quality audio chipset can also inject intermodulation and harmonic distortion products, and can suffer from poor definition and lackluster bass. Itâ€™s easy to see why quality sound is important to audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts, but is there any reason for PC gamers to obsess over audio quality? One company that wants to make the case for good sound to gamers in particular is Razer, most widely known for their line of gaming input devices. According to Razer, if youâ€™ve got great visuals but not great audio, youâ€™re missing half the picture. Modern games incorporate positional 3D audio and multichannel soundtracks. The former can make the difference in your ability to hear and respond to nearby opponents; the latter simply affects your overall immersion in the experience of the game. Companies like Creative and AuzenTech have marketed their audio cards based on what improved audio fidelity can bring to your media experiences, but Razer has developed the Barracuda Gaming Audio System specifically for the needs of gamers. The Barracuda Gaming Audio System isnâ€™t â€&tilde;justâ€™ a sound card, nor is it â€&tilde;justâ€™ a set of headphones. Instead, the two products (AC-1 7.1 sound card and HP-1 5.1 headphones) are designed to work together with a set of special software drivers to address the specific needs of gamers, though as youâ€™ll see, theyâ€™ve managed to deliver up an audio solution thatâ€™s a solid all-around performer, whether you use it with the matching headphones or not, and regardless of if your primary passion in life is PC gaming. At CES 2007, Razer unveiled the next stage in their quest for leadership in PC peripherals in general, and PC audio in particular: high-quality powered speakers. The Mako 2.1 loudspeakers feature engineering by THX, Ltd., one of the foremost authorities in quality sound and video. While THX has focused mainly on testing and certifying gear by other manufacturers in the past, Chief Scientist Laurie Fincham (of KEF fame) and his team of engineers have turned their attention toward providing engineering and design consulting services to loudspeaker manufacturers in order to push the envelope of audio performance and innovation. With Razerâ€™s matchless attention to detail, combined with THXâ€™s years of know-how and experience with the worldâ€™s finest audio systems, itâ€™s no wonder the industry press is abuzz with anticipation over Mako. When the Mako speakers finally become available this summer (weâ€™re told), itâ€™s likely that users will want to pair them with Razerâ€™s Barracuda AC-1 sound card, so I feel this review provides a fitting prelude to the Makoâ€™s eagerly awaited introduction. [PAGEBREAK] [PAGETITLE=Packaging; Specifications] In my experience, one of the defining characteristics of a Razer product is meticulous attention to detail in all aspects of the productâ€™s design, including the packaging. The Barracuda AC-1â€™s product box incorporates design characteristics that are common to all Razer packaging, among them eye-catching foil lettering, dark metallic hues, matte-finish black accents, and a big, clear photo of the product itself. More importantly, however, the design is distinctively Razer, with the characteristic distressed visual elements Razer incorporates into almost all their graphic design. Itâ€™s a box design that definitely appeals to the gamer in me. The back of the carton lists the sound cardâ€™s features and technical specifications in ten different languages, and provides a detail view of the sound card along with numbered points that identify some notable features. Lifting the top reveals Razerâ€™s enigmatic three-serpent logo and even more inky black blackness; this is one of the most tastefully-packaged sound cards I think Iâ€™ve ever encountered. Even the inside of the box is black â€“ itâ€™s great. Lifting away this second layer of cardboard reveals the boxâ€™s contents, neatly packed in their respective wells of a pressed cellulose-fiber tray. I find that these trays are becoming more commonplace in product packaging as manufacturers turn to more environmentally-conscious alternatives to Styrofoam. The AC-1 card itself is wrapped in an anti-static bag and nestled in one of the wells of the internal tray. The card itself features a striking black powder-coated rear cover, black PCB, and a large metal enclosure that covers most of the card. Iâ€™ll explain more about this later. The Razer Fidelity chipset is exposed, however. Also included with the Barracuda AC-1 is a dongle that plugs into the back of the card and offers full 7.1 connectivity. Youâ€™ll need this if you arenâ€™t using Razerâ€™s matching Barracuda HP-1 headphones. A CD with drivers is provided, and Razer also supplies a quick-start guide and a more detailed â€&oelig;Masterâ€ guide. Specifications Conspicuously absent on Razerâ€™s web site are any technical specifications. The â€&tilde;specsâ€™ page is actually a â€&oelig;features and benefitsâ€ affair, without much that can be included here. In this section, I typically try to bring you some numbers, but they arenâ€™t to be found, which is a disappointment. I hope Razer will come to understand that gamers care about image, but PC enthusiasts also care about numbers. These specifications were taken from Newegg.com and my own research. Spec Comments Model Barracuda AC-1 The Razer Barracuda gaming audio system is comprised of two components, a multichannel sound card and a multichannel headphone system. Audio Core Razer Fidelity (CMI8788) This is the same chipset that is used on the Auzentech X-Meridian and the Sondigo Inferno. Channels 7.1 This sound card is capable of handling the most demanding multichannel formats available today; still, this is becoming industry standard for high-end audio cards. Sample Rate 192kHz This high sample rate ensures that this card wonâ€™t add artifacts when playing material that samples at 44.1kHz, like audio CDs. Digital Resolution 24-bit 24-bit audio is the same resolution thatâ€™s used by the DVD audio specification, so this card will have no trouble getting the most out of a 24-bit format digital recording. Signal-to-noise ratio 117dB This is the signal-to-noise ratio associated with the CMI8788 audio processor, but it isnâ€™t necessarily the final SNR at the cardâ€™s output. Interface PCI My motherboard has two PCI slots and three PCIe 1x slots. Where, oh where are the PCIe sound cards? Oh well, at least itâ€™s backwards-compatible with much older motherboards. Ports Toslink SPDIF In Toslink SPDIF Out HD-DAI Connector Iâ€™m happy to see that Toslink optical connectors were used here, so that a Toslink-to-Toslink optical cable is all thatâ€™s required to connect this card to my multichannel receiver. The HD-DAI connector is good news to some and bad news to others, for different reasons. [PAGEBREAK] [PAGETITLE=Barracuda AC-1 Features Overview] Up until recently, Razer hasnâ€™t been a company thatâ€™s known for their audio products. They are, however, well-known for doing their homework when it comes to the development of a new product, and the Barracuda AC-1 serves up a bevy of features that gamers, HTPC enthusiasts, and music lovers alike can get excited about. The front of the Razer Barracuda is dominated by a large metal box, which covers most of the card. The box is meant to function as a shield against electromagnetic interference (EMI) from the other devices in the case. An operating PC can generate significant EMI, which can leak into the analog portion of the signal chain (part of the reason why onboard sound cards usually have such a low signal-to-noise ratio, or SNR). This shield conducts any magnetic fields away from the sensitive analog components (opamps and the like) which are underneath, helping keep the analog output of the sound card as pure as possible. The EMI shield is removable, revealing whatâ€™s underneath: a maze of analog and digital circuitry. In addition to plenty of tiny capacitors...

Razer Barracuda AC-1 Sound Card

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