By eliminating 91% of background noise, the Xonar DS lets gamers hear every detail in the game audio. This noise elimination also leads to a more enjoyable movie watching and music listening experience, with previously noise-obscured sounds coming to life with the Xonar DS' high fidelity audio presentation.

Xonar DS has GX 2.5 audio engine that enables the latest EAX technologies, DirectSound effects and full surround sound in Windows Vista without additional software. Also, Asus implemented VocalFX, innovative voice processing technology that allows users to insert voices into realistic game landscapes (VoiceEX), or inject audio ‘backdrops' into online chats (ChatEX). It also allows them to change their voice pitch to disguise who they are (Magic Voice). These features dramatically increase the fun of voice communication during multiplayer gaming and online chats.

The Xonar DS offers a host of connectivity options and conveniences. It boasts an Intel HDA compatible jack-sensing front panel header which automatically switches signals from the back panel to the front whenever headphones are plugged into the front panel output. Providing the best digital output connectivity among low-profile cards, the Xonar DS' S/PDIF output combines with the less utilized rear surround analog output jack, and the optical digital output adaptor is bundled in package. This means that users no longer need to purchase extra digital I/O modules, unlike certain competitors' products. The Xonar DS has another onboard internal S/PDIF header, offering excellent digital audio to HDMI-ready graphics cards.

For home theaters Asus prepared DTS Neo: PC and DTS Interactive technologies, DTS Connect brings the world's most appreciated Hi-Fi surround sound to the PC, transforming it into a powerful multimedia center and game console. DTS Interactive converts gaming audio into DTS Digital Surround to feed systems with the best surround sound available, while DTS Neo: PC automatically converts stereo audio into 7.1 channels to get the most out of multichannel speaker setups.

Normal sound cards can only support up to 96kHz, which just cannot keep up with the 192kHz/24bit lossless audio content standard. The Xonar DS' 192kHz/24bit playback support allows users to enjoy every music file converted at the highest quality without any sample rate downgrade.

When it comes to music lovers, Asus included swappable OPamp sockets that are normally only present on high-end audio equipment. These sockets allow users to customize their sound by solderlessly adjusting the OPamp, creating new listening flavors with ease.