Creative Technologies, the parent company of the Sound Blaster PC sound card business, has just announced the next evolution of its sound processor. Today"s press release officially reveals Sound Core3D, a processor that Creative says has both "high-quality analog playback and recording and low power consumption, all highly integrated in a low-cost solution."
Sound Core3D"s processor is the first to be made by Creative that has "an array of high-performance digital signal processor (DSP) cores and a high-quality HD audio codec on one chip." It adds:
It incorporates Creative’s innovative Quartet DSP with four independent processor cores, 6-channel 24-bit 102dB digital-to-analog converters, 4-channel 24-bits 101dB analog-to-digital converters, integrated headphone amplifier-out, digital microphone interface, S/PDIF inputs and outputs and general purpose inputs and outputs (GPIO) all in a compact 56-pin QFP package.
The Sound Core3D processor includes CrystalVoice features such as noise reduction, focus, acoustic echo cancellation and more. It also includes support for THX TruStudio Pro which improves sound "by restoring low and high end frequency curves lost to compression" and a 360 surround sound experience.
The Sound Core 3D processor will be used in two of Creative"s product lines. One will be an HD audio configuration made specificlaly for PC based products. The other is an embedded configuration that is being made for consumer electronic products. Pricing and launch dates for these products have yet to be revealed. Creative previously released such products under its X-Fi branding. There"s no word yet if that X-Fi branding has indeed been retired.