Vantec NBA-100U Audio Adapter Conclusion

Performance - Audio Quality

The audio from the device is very clear and clean. The surround feature works very well and movies with 5.1 support sound excellent with the USB audio. Keep in mind that in order to get true 5.1 surround for movies, you must have a media player capable of 5.1 channel output (like CyberLink PowerDVD 7).

Using the device with a good 5.1 speaker system delivers excellent quality audio for movies and games. Regular stereo music also sounds very good and the device can be adjusted for 5-channel stereo to fill the room. The system provides ample bass and treble without washing out the mids. Overall audio quality with a good 5.1 speaker system is very good.

Using the device with headphones was a bit less attractive as the volume was insufficient for most tasks. If you use this device in an office environment with headphones it will be loud enough to listen to music but just barely. If you are in a loud office or noisy environment, the device does not deliver enough volume through headphones even for casual music listening. Bass response through headphones is also limited and you don’t really get much bass. The overall quality through headphones is not bad, just quiet with very little bass.

Why would you want this device?

People who want 5.1 surround sound on their PC but do not want to spend a lot of money and/or do not want to open their case to install a new sound card would be particularly interested in this audio solution. If your computer only has stereo audio, this is the easiest way to upgrade to surround sound. People with a laptop PC may also consider using this device to hook up to a 5.1 speaker system at home. The device is small enough to carry with you in your laptop case. But in reality, unless you have headphones capable of taking advantage of 5.1 channel surround sound, it probably wouldn’t see much use outside the home because it is difficult and most likely impractical to carry around a multi-speaker surround sound system with your notebook.

Vantec NBA-100U 5.1 Audio Adapter

Overall this is a decent product that does just what it claims, which is to give any PC with a USB port 5.1 surround sound capability. Audio quality is very good except when using headphones (consider that there is no powered amplifier in this device and it requires powered speakers to get decent volume). If it were able to deliver more power for more workable volume levels, this audio adapter would provide the full package.

Pros: Simple surround sound upgrade, good audio quality, small and easy to carry, no external power required.

Cons: Limited power and volume capability.

Rating: 4 out of 5

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