We continue to investigate on the forthcoming audio solution from Creative Labs. We reported on Tuesday that Creative Labs may announce the so-called Audigy 2 sound-cards on the 23rd of September (see this news-story), but since then some of the mass-media sources said that the announcement will take place on the 9th of October. In addition, some also unveil pretty interesting information about the new Sound Blaster cards.

Apparently, Creative Technology held a marketing event in Spain, where certain details were revealed. They alluded that the upcoming sound cards will make use of the Audigy sound processor (or synthesiser chip, as Creative Labs likes to call it), launched in August 2001, but will provide better specifications. As far as I remember, Creative Labs launched another version of their EMU10K1 (Live!) sound processor in 1999 after the original was announced back in 1998. The only difference was in thinner manufacturing technology of the new EMU10K1 and reduced manufacturing expenses. The actual boards were not changed, except certain minor details. It seems that now Creative Labs may do the same, but also start to use more advanced components for their sound cards.

Here are the brief features of the forthcoming Sound Blaster audio solutions we managed to collect by now:

• Dolby Digital 6.1 or DVD-Audio Support;
• Maximum playback rate: 192KHz with 24-bit precision;
• Maximum recording rate: 96KHz with 24-bit precision;
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 106db (6db higher than that of the original Audigy);
• Frequency response: from 10Hz to 46KHz;

The specifications look extremely impressing compared to the current Audigy synthesiser chip, but, unfortunately, the information is still to be confirmed, so, take it with a grain of salt. For instance, maximum playback rate is unbelievably high: even Hi-Fi and professional equipment cannot boast with 192KHz playback rate, while the Audigy 2 is just another consumer’s sound card for personal computers.