Intel Corporation turned up the volume for consumer electronics -quality audio on the PC today by releasing the final v1.0 specification for Intel® High Definition Audio.

This enablement of higher-quality audio is attributed in part to an upgraded architecture and increased bandwidth that allows for 192 kHz, 32-bit, multi-channel audio.

Expected to replace the aging AC'97 specification developed nearly a decade ago, the High Definition Audio (HD Audio) specification ushers in a new era of sound quality on mainstream and performance PCs, paving the way for broad adoption of next-generation audio. The HD Audio specification is designed to implement a broader range of audio, modem and communications functionalities in PCs, handhelds and CE devices.