EVGA, a comany known for its GPUs, power supplies and motherboards, has introduced a high-end sound card called the Nu Audio.

EVGA partnered with UK firm AudioNote on the card, which features a six-layer, gold-plated PCB. EVGA uses AudioNote capacitors and resistors in the card as well as a Texas Instrument power-regulation circuit. There’s also German-made WIMA capacitors and AKM 4493 DACS and AKM 5572 ADCs. The card also embeds an XMOS xCORE-200 processor for most of the audio chores on the card.

The card can drive large 600 Ohm cans and also supports up to 384KHz, 32-bit audio files.

Available ports include RCA, quarter-inch, and two 3.5mm jacks, plus a TOSLINK port. EVGA also includes an HD front-panel audio header on top of the card so you can connect a cases’ headphone jack to the card.

The card, which is powered by a single SATA connector, does not process audio, such as the solutions offered by Creative Labs.

The Nu Audio is available for $250.

Specifications

• Audio DSP: XMOS xCORE-200
• Output Configuration
• 2 Channel (Analog)
• 5.1 Channel (Digital)
• Dynamic Range (DNR)
• 123dB (Playback)
• 121dB (Recording)
• Signal-To-Noise (SNR)
• 123dB (Playback)
• 121dB (Recording)
• Playback Format (Stereo): Up to 384kHz, 32bit
• Playback Format (Optical): Up to 192kHz, 24bit
• Headphone Amp: Yes (16-600ohm)
• Recording Format
• Up to 384kHz, 32bit (Line-In)
• Up to 192kHz, 24bit (Mic-In)
• I/O
• Stereo Out (RCA (L/R))
• Headphone Out (6.3mm)
• Line-In (3.5mm)
• Mic-In (3.5mm)
• Optical Out (TOSLINK Passthrough)
• Front Panel Header
• Components
• DAC - AKM AK4493
• ADC (Line-In) - AKM AK5572
• ADC (Mic-In) - Cirrus Logic CS5346
• OP-AMP (Headphone) - ADI OP275
• OP-AMP (Line Out) - ADI AD8056
• Capacitors - WIMA, Audio Note
• Power Regulator - Texas Instruments TPS7A47, TPS7A33 ultralow-noise power solution Switchable OP-AMP
• Headphone, Line-Out
• Interface: PCIe x1 Gen2
• Power Connector: 1x SATA Power
• RGB Lighting: RGB (10 Mode) with audio reactive lighting
• Supported OS: Windows 10, 8.1, 7