X-Fi has been around since 2005 and the powerful audio processor has been updated a couple of times to stay competitive and compatible with more formfactors, even integrated. Creative has now launched the successor Sound Core3D that is a multi-core architecture to succeed X-Fi.
Creative Sound Core3D will be available in two versions and also shows the development it has seen on the market over the last couple of years. Sound Core3D HD will target PCs and ppear in both Sound Blaster audio cards and integrated into motherboards, where Gigabyte has already shown its support for the new audio processor.
“We designed a sound and voice processor that will enable our OEM partners to deliver the highest quality Sound Blaster audio ever available for a motherboard while also bringing a new level of quality to sound and voice processing to consumer electronics products. With Sound Core3D we deliver a versatile chip that can deliver the highest performance voice processing and audio playback from a single chip,”
Creative has also developed a more eenrgy efficient model targeting embedded systems and retail electronics. Sound Core3D will be found in everything from headphones to USB audio cards and the goal is raise the audio quality with as many platforms as possible.
Sound Core3D will be the first of Creative’s selection to use a multi-core design where audio and voice processor house a number of powerful digital signal processor (DSP) cores and a high resolution audio codec on the same silicon.
Sound Core3D is engineered for low power consumption and high performance audio. It incorporates Creative’s innovative Quartet DSP with four independent processor cores, 6-channel 24-bit 102dB digital-to-analog converters, 4-channel 24-bits 101dB analog-to-digital converters, integrated headphone amplifier-out, digital microphone interface, S/PDIF inputs and outputs and general purpose inputs and outputs (GPIO) all in a compact 56-pin QFP package. Sound Core3D has been certified for Dolby Digital decode, which is available on a product-by-product basis depending upon specific customer implementation of the chip.
Creative uses the powerful circuits to power a variety of different DSP algorithms to improve audio quality. This includes a cooperation with THX where it has developed the THX TruStudio Pro suit of audio technologies.
CrystalVoice is another technology that will result in better voice quality in e.g. Skype and video conversations. Here we find hardware accelerated support for noise reduction, automatic volume control, voice distorsion and equalizer.
When the new audio circuit appears in retail products is uncertain, but Creative have already presented products sporting the new audio processor and should be within reach.
