Review: Hercules Game Theater XP (Page 4/8)

Posted: March 12, 2001
Written by: Tuan "Solace" Nguyen

Sensaura (cont.)

The rest of the other features that are part of the Sensaura feature list are: EnvironmentFX, ZoomFX and Virtual Ear. EnvironmentFX effects are reverb schemes that add “environment” sounds according to the area that one is playing at inside a game. For example, with EFX, a cave would sound like a cave, producing echoes and reflected sounds from the stone or dirt walls. ZoomFX enables sounds that are created from large objects to seem “large” and envelop you. Finally, when you turn down the lights to play a game at night you can use Virtual Ear to tune your headphones to the optimal HRTF settings to suit your ears and your listening preference.

Along with the Sensaura features, the GTXP also fully supports DirectSound3D, I3DL2, EAX 1.0 and 2.0 and A3D 1.0, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Headphone. This is definitely the most features packed sound card I’ve seen.

Functionality and elegance, I can’t ask for more. (Shades not included)

Audio Fidelity

Audio aficionados will come to immediately realize the quality of sound that the GTXP produces. I used a set of Klipsch’s ProMedia v.2 400’s, Sennheiser HD470 headphones, and Sony’s MDR EX70 ear buds to scrutinize the audio fidelity of the GTXP. At first glance, one might conclude that the signal traveling from the soundcard to the breakout box is a digital one; this is not the case. This is the reason why Hercules has used a very thick cable to shield the signal from interference. Had the signal been a digital one, a very thin wire would have been used. I also used a SoundBlaster Live! Value to try to compare the clarity and caliber of audio between it and the GTXP.

Subjectively, I think the audio quality that the GTXP produces is superb. Signal line noise was kept to a minimal thanks to the thick shielding around the interface cable that connects from the card to the breakout box. We tested signal noise by connecting the Klipsch’s and turning up the volume high to evaluate the white noise. Between the Live! and the GTXP, the GTXP definitely produced a cleaner signal despite the longer signal travel distance.

Although the difference was small, it was still audible, and a cleaner does help the enjoyment of subtle music. The GTXP has gone this far to offer a great deal more than the competition so striving to have a cleaner signal should be standard. One thing to mention is that all the connectors on the GTXP are gold platted for maximum electrical conductivity. This shows that Hercules is serious about having the cleanest signal possible.

Clean bass reproduction was also a forte on the GTXP. I used Sony’s MDR EX70 ear buds in conjunction with the ProMedia’s to test for clean bass. With the MDR, all other sounds were really hard to hear because they totally close off your ears from outside sound and they have excellent bass response down to 21Hz and don’t distort until extremely high volumes. The MDR EX70 is for private listening like the ProMedia is for THX. Finally, the Sennheiser was used to test for overall clarity and midbass.

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