The Xonar U5 is fully plug and play capable out the box, but to get the most of out it, ASUS have included their pretty and comprehensive Sonic Studio that features various audio enhancement and microphone noise cancelling technologies. There is also an equaliser, option to use virtual surround and direct access to adjust the bit depth and sample resolution. The application is attractive, seamless and easy to use, and if you have an ASUS headset, there may be an included profile for you to use too.
