Gamers will love the premium audio quality of the STRIX RAID DLX that provides crystal clear music playback and rich immersive audio in game (a nod towards the impressive virtual surround mode). The included control box provides convenient access to the headphone/microphone ports and volume control while the RAID function allows for further on-the-fly audio adjustments. The Sonic Studio software too deserves a mention due to its convenient layout and instant access to all features at a glance.



ASUS tend to be particularly astute with their audio products and this shows when you consider the component selection made for the STRIX RAID DLX, though there are a few considerations that make us scratch our heads however. Firstly is the use of a USB audio processor and the PCIe - USB controller. This is undoubtedly linked to the interference we observed in some way. Despite that, the DT770 PRO 250 ohm didn't experience any background noise and proved how fantastic the ASUS STRIX RAID DLX could sound; with the minor problem that the STRIX RAID DLX didn't do the best job of driving them. This doesn't seem too great when ASUS tout that this soundcard is capable of driving 600 ohm headsets. There is not even a gain control to be seen within the Sonic Studio software. Arguably, this is a relatively insignificant point when you consider that the STRIX RAID DLX primarily targets gamers that are unlikely to pair it with top end audiophile headphones, so it will happily drive the majority of cans that it will be paired with. Then again, to counter this, one could ask why would they choose to use trusted audiophile grade components along with the highly acclaimed ESS SABRE 9016 chip if they make a butchers of the circuitry.

Another note would be that at £140-150, the STRIX RAID DLX is considerably more expensive than the STRIX RAID PRO by around £40-50. This is quite a steep incline when you consider that the primary difference is the ESS SABRE 9006A versus the ESS SABRE 9016. Then again the price difference is a whopping £70-80 over the SOAR which appears to be similar to the PRO, simply excluding the control box. Thus the STRIX RAID DLX seems to represent relatively poor value. This is especially true when you consider that it is sandwiched between the Phoebus Solo (£95) and the Creative SB ZxR (currently around £165). So the STRIX RAID DLX may struggle to find the gamer that will overlook other available options and fail to entice the gamer looking to upgrade.

In its own right, despite the previously mentioned considerations, the STRIX RAID DLX sounds epically good and users can be sure that this soundcard will deliver that powerful and immersive experience they seek.

Inside the STRIX RAID DLX, ASUS have wrapped up a collection of high quality audio components that ensure an excellent high fidelity experience in your games, movies and music.



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