Audio Processor

• The DX and D1 sound cards from the Xonar series both use the Asus AV100 High Definition sound processor. This processor supports 24-bit sound up to 192 kilohertz. This processor has a signal-to-noise ratio of 120 decibels for digital output on the front audio port and 114 decibels for all other output. This measurement defines the loudness of audio output compared to the amount of line noise this card produces.
  
  

Interfaces

• One of the major differences between the DX and D1 models is the type of interfaces they use. The DX is designed for the PCI Express x1 expansion card interface. The D1 is designed for motherboards with a PCI expansion card interface. The D1 also supports digital audio output for graphics cards using the HDMI multimedia port using an internal S/PDIF header that connects to the graphics card.
  
  

Ports

• The DX and D1 cards support a total of five 3.5 mm audio ports that include a combination headphone and front speaker output, side surround output for additional speakers, a front center and sub-woofer output and a rear surround output. These cards also support a fifth port that combines a line-in, microphone-in and S/PDIF digital output port. Digital output on this port is accommodated with an adapter included with both cards. The DX and D1 also provide support for computer cases with front-mounted audio jacks and a 4-pin auxiliary audio input header designed for TV Tuner cards.
  
  

Requirements

• The system requirements of the DX and D1 are very similar. These cards require a minimum Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon processor with an operating frequency of at least 1.4 gigahertz, 256 megabytes of RAM, a CD-ROM and 60 megabytes of available hard drive space. The DX and D1 are compatible with 32 and 64-bit versions of Windows including XP, Vista and 7. The only difference between the requirements for these cards is that the DX requires a 4-pin ATX power supply cable in order to function properly.