Gigabyte X99 Gaming G1 WiFi (LGA 2011-3) Review

Audio Performance

RightMark Audio Analyser (RMAA)

RMAA suite is designed for testing quality of analog and digital paths of any audio device. The results are obtained by playing and recording test signals passed through the tested audio path by means of frequency analysis algorithms. A more common mark is also provided for those unfamiliar with measured technical parameters. Available here. We run the RMAA test using a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable connecting the line out to the line in to test the quality of the motherboard audio codec not any external audio devices. We run the complete playback and recording test at default settings and then get RMAA to interpret the results giving the below outputs. We sync the playback and recording audio devices to the same setting as the test for accurate results.

16 Bit, 48KHz (DVD Quality)

16 Bit, 96KHz (Studio Quality)

24 Bit, 96KHz (Studio Quality)

Audio performance is by no means the best we’ve seen but that can be put down to the way the Creative SoundCore 3D chip works. By that I mean that a lot of the audio adds post-processing and effects which results in a better “listener experience” but actually stifles the synthetic results in RMAA somewhat.  Despite that I like the audio implementation on the X99 Gaming G1 WiFi on the basis that the TI Burr Brown OPA2134 operational amplifier does add some nice depth and warmth to the quality of the audio. The Creative Sound Blaster control panel also gives you some nice flexibility with controlling sound effects, post-processing and various audio features.

DPC Latency Analyser

Thesycon’s DPC Latency Checker is a Windows tool that analyses the capabilities of a computer system to handle real-time data streams properly. It may help to find the cause for interruptions in real-time audio and video streams, also known as drop-outs. Available here.

DPC latency is a little higher than some other boards, but the value is so low in the grand scheme of things that it’s still a great result. Anything below 500 μs is considered excellent for ininterrupted audio and visual streams, below 1000 μs is still a pleasing experience.