Gainward Hollywood@Home SoundXplosion Pack Review - Conclusions
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One interesting alternative for some folks might be the use of this 7.1 external sound card instead of an internal sound card for their computer system. Regardless of whether they purchase the bundle or the sound card alone, this opens up a number of possibilities, but note that this alternative would not be suitable to anyone doing any type of professional or semi-professional audio work. For home users or those who need an ultra portable multi-channel audio solution, for both gaming and movies on the go, this is the perfect choice. In combination with the headphones, this serves as a perfect combination for late-night gamers and movie aficionados with sound volume restrictions.
Highs
- Great price
- Force-feedback rumblers on the headphones give it a nice kick
- Great localization options with Xear 3D
- Stylish looking sound card/hockey puck
- UPDATE (Sept. 16, 2004): Does DVD-Audio, but only with included WinDVD 5 software.
Lows
- Lower frequency response means lower immersion and realism
- Controller only works with included WinDVD software
Audiophiles will likely want to keep a second set of headphones around for music, since these are meant for PC gaming audio and DVD movie soundtrack playback. However, for surround sound in restricted environments, this is one hard combo to beat and one that -- for the price -- we wholeheartedly recommend.
Thank you for joining us today for this review of the Gainward Hollywood@home SoundXtreme pack. If you have any questions or comments, flames, props, or death threats, please click on the discuss link and post them below. To chat about hardware, come on into our hardware forums, or go back to the home page for some more hardware news and reviews.
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