zdyCGTime USB 2.0 7.1-Channel External Sound Card

What it is

The zdyCGTime 682559181180 is a USB 2.0 external sound card that adds a 7.1 virtual surround channel to laptops or desktops. It connects through a standard USB Type A port and provides a 3.5 mm stereo output plus a mono microphone input. The unit draws power from the bus and requires no external supply. Driver-free operation is supported on Windows 98SE through Windows 7 with USB Audio Device Class 1.0 compliance.

Who it suits

This adapter suits users who need a quick way to add headset and microphone connections to a system lacking functional audio ports. It works for basic gaming, voice chat and media playback where virtual 7.1 enhancement is desired. Buyers who require hardware-accelerated surround decoding, higher sample rates than 48 KHz or professional recording SNR above 95 decibels should look at dedicated internal or higher-spec external audio interfaces.

Capacity and headroom

The device delivers virtual 7.1 channel audio at a 48 KHz sample rate with a 95 decibel signal-to-noise ratio, adequate for stereo headsets and entry-level surround simulation. The built-in amplifier drives typical consumer headphones and the inline volume and mute controls provide convenient level adjustment. It will not satisfy multi-channel analogue speaker sets that demand discrete analogue outputs or applications needing bit-perfect playback beyond the USB 2.0 full-speed 12 Mbps bandwidth.