Creative X-Fi

NCXCStud · 09-August-05, 12:23 PM

so, the X-fi series has finally been announced, and we have our first professional videogame player sponsered card in the mix...what do you pimps think that these new cards will be able to bring us? Uber audio nirvana? Just a thought, i think they look pretty impressive, too expensive for me at the moment...especially the ones i want (300+ for a sound card..yikes...)

THRiLL KiLL · 09-August-05, 05:03 PM

just like eax.. untill the game companys start using the technology... its a waste of $$$

godfoot · 10-August-05, 02:01 AM

Blah, blah, blah... I still don't see anything to make me trust a $300+ sound card from Creative Labs over nemerous cards at the same price with better bit rates as well as better drivers.
Thanks for the info, but I'll pass.

Wellmont · 10-August-05, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by godfoot


	Blah, blah, blah... I still don't see anything to make me trust a $300+ sound card from Creative Labs over nemerous cards at the same price with better bit rates as well as better drivers. Thanks for the info, but I'll pass.

I've talked it up with a couple of creative employees at E3 and twice since then about the X-Fi technology and its uses. The X-Fi technology is very significant because most of the processing power that was spread out over an entire card and separated between 3-6 chips is compacted into a single chip with the power of quite a few processors. The main benefits that we've been able to see are laptops with this technology built into them. Imagine the quality of the Audigy 4, pluss a few tweeks and benefits, included in nearly all of the HP, Dell and Sony laptops. The processing power needed for that kind of conversion and technology utilzed an entire AMD system to its fullest at E3 because it was code instead of hardware. Then the last time i saw it in action it was prototype. This processing power is the SOUL source of the hefty price tag.
Something I've not liked about Creative cards over the last 4 generations is the fact that they are SO similar. I swear the Audigy 4 pro card I have is an Audigy 2 with a sticker slapped on it, a new break out box and driver set. Then there's the whole version 2 straight to version 4 debacle. BTW I've asked many people that work at Creative about that and they still don't understand it, they've all suggested it is pure marketing.

Make no mistake X-Fi will change the way audio is used in TV's, DVD players, and Computer (as well as laptops). But at the same time I've only been able to listen to their controlled tests, none of my own testing. I have heard BF2 on an X-Fi System and a 6.1 system and I must say that the people at Creative either know how to get a good speaker system together or this X-Fi stuff is really going to change the way we play games, watch movies, and create content.

TYCOON · 10-August-05, 02:47 AM

Heh, my soundstorm onboard it fine with me. Sounds good with my Sennheiser's and a EQ.

godfoot · 10-August-05, 02:56 AM

I'd still rather buy a sound card from CreamWare, MOTU (Mark of the Unicorn), or RME over even the X-Fi from Creative, particularly this card (although quite expensive itself):

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...se_pid/240311/

And yes, RME makes PCMCIA cards as well.

Ator · 07-September-05, 03:24 PM

I saw one of the X-Fi cards at Best Buy the other day. Gawd I want one.

THRiLL KiLL · 07-September-05, 04:15 PM

i want that ferrari too... but all the speed limits are 55 miles an hour.. i will never be able to go faster until the autobond gets built.... wow look at my shiny bling bling car...

Foe · 07-September-05, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by godfoot


	I'd still rather buy a sound card from CreamWare, MOTU (Mark of the Unicorn), or RME over even the X-Fi from Creative, particularly this card (although quite expensive itself): http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...se_pid/240311/ And yes, RME makes PCMCIA cards as well.

HOLY STICKER SHOCK BATMAN! That dang thing is $600.00!!!

On sale! For that price the whole Israeli Philharmonic better come with it.

HemiCuda1970 · 07-September-05, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foe


	HOLY STICKER SHOCK BATMAN! That dang thing is $600.00!!!

Dang and I was thinking the Creative Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS Platinum Pro was costly!! Thats some nice card...........

godfoot · 07-September-05, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THRiLL KiLL


	i want that ferrari too... but all the speed limits are 55 miles an hour.. i will never be able to go faster until the autobond gets built.... wow look at my shiny bling bling car...

Well, assuming I got that RME card, I would definately be doing more music production than I currently tinker with.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HemiCuda1970


	Dang and I was thinking the Creative Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS Platinum Pro was costly!! Thats some nice card...........

That isn't the most expensive I have seen by a long shot either, but this one would suit me just fine unless I opened my own studio.

bigmoneyhvywght · 24-October-05, 09:35 PM

A good sound card only makes sense if you have good speakers. Just a thought...

DLoney · 28-December-05, 09:21 PM

I have heard that there is problems when Installing an X-Fi Sound Card in an ASUS a8n-sli deluxe? Has anyone else heard about this?

Bane · 29-December-05, 02:06 PM

Old topic :-p
But to answer your question, I believe that the XiFi has had problems with nForce 4 chipsets.

Ator · 30-December-05, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bane


	Old topic :-p But to answer your question, I believe that the XiFi has had problems with nForce 4 chipsets.

Nope. My DFI Lanparty UT NF4-D is chugging along just fine with it.

Bane · 08-January-06, 03:46 PM

*nods* yeah, some people dont have problems with the nForce 4 chipset and the X-Fi. But looking at the DFI forums, many people seem to do.... *Shrugs*

drougnor · 17-January-06, 06:31 PM

I've been following a thread on the Creative Labs forum about the NForce 4 problem, and it's essentially sorted out now . . . CL contacted the NForce 4 board makers and told them about the issue (was with how the XFi board reported something to the bios) and asked them to make a small update to their bios as a stopgap fix, which most of the manufacturers did.

For the owners of mobo's who's parent companies wouldn't address the issue, CL is RMAing old boards so they can apply a firmware upgrade, and all new boards have the upgrade already installed.

So it IS essentially a dead issue, but if you do have issues, just contact CL customer support and they'll fix you up.

D

09-August-05, 12:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
NCXCStud Apex Tech Fanatic Supreme Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Lexington, SC Posts: 712	Creative X-Fi so, the X-fi series has finally been announced, and we have our first professional videogame player sponsered card in the mix...what do you pimps think that these new cards will be able to bring us? Uber audio nirvana? Just a thought, i think they look pretty impressive, too expensive for me at the moment...especially the ones i want (300+ for a sound card..yikes...) __________________ Currently at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary on a path, called by God, to serve his church as an ordained Lutheran minister. Pray for me, pray really hard

09-August-05, 05:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
THRiLL KiLL PcApEX's PuNK ROckER Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 4,587 Blog Entries: 2	just like eax.. untill the game companys start using the technology... its a waste of $$$ __________________ www.xmb-psp.com

10-August-05, 02:01 AM	#3 (permalink)
godfoot A George Orwell fan...sorta Join Date: May 2003 Location: "Truth is not determined by majority vote." Posts: 9,948	Blah, blah, blah... I still don't see anything to make me trust a $300+ sound card from Creative Labs over nemerous cards at the same price with better bit rates as well as better drivers. Thanks for the info, but I'll pass. __________________

10-August-05, 02:47 AM	#5 (permalink)
TYCOON Apex Tech God Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: SCHOOLLLSSS Posts: 4,728	Heh, my soundstorm onboard it fine with me. Sounds good with my Sennheiser's and a EQ. __________________ AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ @ 2.7GHz DFI LanParty SLI-D 2GBs PC3200 @ PC3500 // 2.5-3-3-6 EVGA 7950GT 512MB @ Stock Audigy 2 ZS 36Gb Raptor (os) 2x300Gb WD SATA 16MB CACHE (storage) 450Watt OCZ modstream Coolermaster Wavemaster

10-August-05, 02:56 AM	#6 (permalink)
godfoot A George Orwell fan...sorta Join Date: May 2003 Location: "Truth is not determined by majority vote." Posts: 9,948	I'd still rather buy a sound card from CreamWare, MOTU (Mark of the Unicorn), or RME over even the X-Fi from Creative, particularly this card (although quite expensive itself): http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...se_pid/240311/ And yes, RME makes PCMCIA cards as well. __________________

07-September-05, 03:24 PM	#7 (permalink)
Ator At-Whore Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The ends of the earth Posts: 2,057	I saw one of the X-Fi cards at Best Buy the other day. Gawd I want one. __________________ AMD Opteron 146 CAB2E 0540 FPMW @ 3216Mhz 321.6x10 (max OC benchable, 300x10 daily)\| Radeon X1800XT @ 766/900 (stock cooler, 700/800 daily) \|SuperPI 1M: 26.109\| 3DMark05: 11454 \| 3DMark03: 21355 \| 3DMark01: 40456 \| Join Team Ator's F@H FORCE! Click HERE for info! NOW RECRUITING!

07-September-05, 04:15 PM	#8 (permalink)
THRiLL KiLL PcApEX's PuNK ROckER Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 4,587 Blog Entries: 2	i want that ferrari too... but all the speed limits are 55 miles an hour.. i will never be able to go faster until the autobond gets built.... wow look at my shiny bling bling car... __________________ www.xmb-psp.com

24-October-05, 09:35 PM	#12 (permalink)
bigmoneyhvywght Apex Tech Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: The home of the Browns. Posts: 638	A good sound card only makes sense if you have good speakers. Just a thought...

28-December-05, 09:21 PM	#13 (permalink)
DLoney Apex Master Tech Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 385	I have heard that there is problems when Installing an X-Fi Sound Card in an ASUS a8n-sli deluxe? Has anyone else heard about this? __________________ Past PCApex Project Logs: [Done] Last edited by DLoney; 29-December-05 at 02:20 AM.

29-December-05, 02:06 PM	#14 (permalink)
Bane Apex Tech Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: California Posts: 553	Old topic :-p But to answer your question, I believe that the XiFi has had problems with nForce 4 chipsets. __________________ Antec NeoPower 480W P4 2.66 Ghz 533 Mhz FSB Asus P4S800D-X 2x Corsair CMX512-3200C2PT PNY Nvidia 6800GT SB Audigy 2 Platinum Maxtor 200GB WD Caviar SE 120GB

08-January-06, 03:46 PM	#16 (permalink)
Bane Apex Tech Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: California Posts: 553	nods yeah, some people dont have problems with the nForce 4 chipset and the X-Fi. But looking at the DFI forums, many people seem to do.... Shrugs __________________ Antec NeoPower 480W P4 2.66 Ghz 533 Mhz FSB Asus P4S800D-X 2x Corsair CMX512-3200C2PT PNY Nvidia 6800GT SB Audigy 2 Platinum Maxtor 200GB WD Caviar SE 120GB

17-January-06, 06:31 PM	#17 (permalink)
drougnor PCApex Review Editor Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ayuh, I'm back in the great state of Maine! WooHoo!! Posts: 1,274	I've been following a thread on the Creative Labs forum about the NForce 4 problem, and it's essentially sorted out now . . . CL contacted the NForce 4 board makers and told them about the issue (was with how the XFi board reported something to the bios) and asked them to make a small update to their bios as a stopgap fix, which most of the manufacturers did. For the owners of mobo's who's parent companies wouldn't address the issue, CL is RMAing old boards so they can apply a firmware upgrade, and all new boards have the upgrade already installed. So it IS essentially a dead issue, but if you do have issues, just contact CL customer support and they'll fix you up. D __________________