EVGA Nu Audio Sound Card Review
Peter Donnell / 5 years ago
EVGA Nu Audio
Why is EVGA diving into the world of sound cards? Well, if you knew about Andrew Han, the EVGA CEO, you would be asking why they haven’t done MORE sound cards. He’s a true audio enthusiast, an audiophile of the highest calibre if there ever was one. His same passion goes into graphics cards and their other hardware too. However, you only have to take a look at his home music setup to know this guy is not mucking about. He’s got some pretty hardcore components in that setup, and that includes an Audio Note M9 Phono Signature pre-amp, Audio Note Gaku-on tube amp, from Audio Note again, as well as a couple of Audio Note power delivery units. The list goes on of course, but it’s no surprise to me that Audio Note was chosen to develop the Nu Audio soundcard with them.
Who Are Audio Note (UK), Ltd?
“Audio Note (UK), Ltd. has been in the high-end audio business for over 30 years, making a name for itself by producing a wide variety of analog and digital devices. A core component of Audio Note’s philosophy is to research, design, and build its own components – often custom-made for the specific application – without financial limitations to create the finest audio products available. With this in mind, EVGA partnered with Audio Note (UK), Ltd. to select audiophile-grade digital and analog components and carefully craft the NU Audio card.”
Analog
On the audio front, which is the only front that matters in this review, the Nu Audio is packing some serious hardware. It features the ADI AD8056 OP-AMP (swappable). Furthermore, it has a separate ADI OP275 (swappable) for the headphone out too. It’ll drive headphones up to a massive 600 Ohm, which is way in the clouds for enthusiast grade drivers.
Digital
On the digital side, it runs an AKM AK4493 DAC, with an AKM line-in, and a Cirrus Logic Mic-In. That means you can play back up to 384kHz 32bit audio, and record in up to 384kHz 32bit also. If you’re rocking DSD audio files, then you’ll find no roadblocks in playback quality here.
Power
The power delivery is just as vital too, with premium components designed for high-output with ultra-low noise.
Specifications
The rather extensive specifications do run into a lot more detail and would likely take up more of this review than required. If you would like an exhaustive list, please visit the official product page here.
What EVGA Had to Say
“Bring your next-gen system, to the next generation of premium audio. – For nearly 20 years, EVGA has built the most powerful graphics cards to play your games at the highest settings, powerful motherboards to run your system at optimal settings, and reliably efficient power supplies to power your system. Now, EVGA extends its enthusiast tradition by partnering with Audio Note (UK), Ltd. to provide the most immersive audio and lifelike gaming experienced on a PC with EVGA NU Audio Card.” – EVGA
