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It is difficult to argue that the STRIX Soar is anything but a good-looking sound card. Call it redundant because it is going to sit at an angle in your case that means you are likely to never see it, but it does look cool.
As pretty as the shroud is though, it is not there to funnel airflow like a graphics card's would. Instead it offers some EMI protection and also gives physical cover to some of the more sensitive internal components like the capacitors.
This being a contemporary sound card, the PCI slots are long gone. This one comes with a PCIE x1 interface, but will work in everything up to x16 if needed.
Note that this sound card does require a 6pin PCIExpress power connector, so if your PSU only comes equipped with two for a single graphics card, make sure you have a molex converter cable handy.
ASUS has done a good job of keeping this card streamlined. If you have a chunky graphics card cooler taking up extra slots, the last thing you need is a an add-in card taking up even more space.
I/O PCI bracket includes:
- Mic/Line In.
- Headphone.
- Box Link (Black).
- Front.
- Rear.
- Centre.
- Side+SPDIF Out.
This is identical to the RAID version of the same sound card, but the Box Link connector is unlikely to be used here, as it is for the volume control that is not bundled with the Soar version.
With the shroud removed, we can see that the PCB itself is a busy one, with a large number of electrolytic capacitors. Those who have been keeping up with our previous reviews will notice that this board has the exact same layout as the RAID version of the card.
All of the capacitors are Nichicon branded, which should help keep the standard for audio quality particularly high.
The headphone amplifier is the TI TPA6120A2, which should work well with a wide variety of headphones. While there are no doubt some audio enthusiasts among you who may prefer a specific amplifier to pair well with your favourite headphones, considering the price range of this sound-card, this seems like the most viable option.
The ESS SABRE9006A is a digital/analog converter chip which can handle up to 116dBA of dynamic range/resolution.
The CM6632AX is the digital audio processor and supports up to 192kHz/24bit sound. It is paired off with the well hidden CS5361 analog/digital converter, which has a 114dBa dynamic range.
As mentioned on the packaging, ASUS went to great lengths to separate the analog and digital sound components on the PCB, even using two additional layers of ground in its design. Power is said to be independently supplied and regulated to reduce noise and ensure stable power.
