Sensaura technology is developed by a UK company by the name of, well, Sensaura. It, the technology, is not a 3D API like EAX or A3D, but a bunch of software mathematical algorithms. Thus, this enables their technology to be licensed and used by audio chip makers in their products-in fact, their technology has been licensed to about 70% of the chips for the PC audio market. Unfortunately, though, the chips that are using Sensaura technology is mostly being used in sound cards that are only going be used for large OEM corporations (such as Dell) in systems that are targeted for beginner or business computer users. Thus, most of these users really wouldn't care for how their sound card handles 3D API's and such. This probably explains why most of you won't even have heard of it before.

Since the Santa Cruz is at the top of Voyetra-Turtle Beach's sound card product line, it's a safe bet that the technology behind it, Sensaura, is fully-loaded with features. First off, it basically supports all of the popular 3D API's. It has built-in hardware support for Creative's EAX 1.x and 2.x and has software emulation support for Aureal's A3D 1.x, much like how Creative does with their SoundBlaster Live!. Finally, it has native support for DS3D (DirectSound3D), but also with some extras that extend the capabilities of DS3D.

One of which is their MacroFX technology, which enables "near-field proximity effects." Put simply, MacroFX allows developers to program how sounds should sound, such as whispering in the ear, wind noises (skiing, running, etc.) and close fly-by's (such as bullets, rockets, etc.), all by just placing the sounds in the right distance. What's unique about this is that most games with DS3D support already take advantage of this feature, since developers have already placed sounds sources about various distances.

Another one is their ZoomFX technology, which enables "big sound realism." Natively, DS3D supports making sounds sound like they're close up and far away by altering the volume. This works great in itself, but what happens if a truck begins far away and then comes rumbling by? It lacks realism because it will be using the same sound, but just increasing the volume as it's moving closer. With ZoomFX, developers can bring in a collection of different sounds, such as the noise of the engine and squeaking of the brakes, depending on how far away the sound source is. This, in effect, makes "big" sounds sound "big." Unlike MacroFX, though, ZoomFX involves current and future applications and games to be specially programmed for it, since it involves the addition of other sound source.

As you can see, Sensaura has a very advanced technology under their wings. We've only covered two of their technologies, but they have a lot more to, such as their MultiDrive, which is a new way of enhancing the user's surround sound experience with 4 or more speakers; however, I think this gives you a rough guideline as to what we should expect from one of the sound cards that uses the technology, the Santa Cruz.

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