I got an X-Fi 'fatality', the one w/front audio panel? & other stuff

imported_goku

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Mar 28, 2004
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I got an X-Fi 'fatality edition' sound kit for $149 after $50 rebate at frys electronics, was this a good deal? Anyone own this soundcard? I also purchased Black and White 2 and Expansion pack for $30 total which seemed like a pretty good deal, and finallyI got oblivion for $30 despite the fact that I already own oblivion. I guess I'll sell it to a friend or something..
 

mrSHEiK124

Lifer
Mar 6, 2004
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Excellent deal on the sound card. Watch out though, there's an "X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series", which seems to be the bastard child of the real Fatal1ty card, the XtremeMusic and the XtremeGamer (it has X-RAM, the "full" form factor, but no external or internal I/O box).

Creative SOUND BLASTER X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail (The more expensive, feature rich card, NOTE, at the moment, this is the best deal. better card, at a cheaper price) = $132.99 after $50.00 Mail-In Rebate at NewEgg
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series7.1 Channels PCI Interface - Retail (The dumbed down, I/O box-less version of the card) = $145.99
 

mAdD INDIAN

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Oct 11, 1999
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So, umm, whats so cool about the X-Fi Fatality?

Note that when I was still interested in computers, the Aureal Vortex had come out, and then Creative bought them out. Whats changed since then?
 

imported_goku

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Mar 28, 2004
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Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124
Excellent deal on the sound card. Watch out though, there's an "X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series", which seems to be the bastard child of the real Fatal1ty card, the XtremeMusic and the XtremeGamer (it has X-RAM, the "full" form factor, but no external or internal I/O box).

Creative SOUND BLASTER X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail (The more expensive, feature rich card, NOTE, at the moment, this is the best deal. better card, at a cheaper price) = $132.99 after $50.00 Mail-In Rebate at NewEgg
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series7.1 Channels PCI Interface - Retail (The dumbed down, I/O box-less version of the card) = $145.99

Wait, what? It sounds like you explained it but at the same time.

I'm confused.

Is this the bastard child?
http://creative.com/products/product.as...gory=209&subcategory=669&product=15854
 

mrSHEiK124

Lifer
Mar 6, 2004
11,488
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Originally posted by: goku
Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124
Excellent deal on the sound card. Watch out though, there's an "X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series", which seems to be the bastard child of the real Fatal1ty card, the XtremeMusic and the XtremeGamer (it has X-RAM, the "full" form factor, but no external or internal I/O box).

Creative SOUND BLASTER X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail (The more expensive, feature rich card, NOTE, at the moment, this is the best deal. better card, at a cheaper price) = $132.99 after $50.00 Mail-In Rebate at NewEgg
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series7.1 Channels PCI Interface - Retail (The dumbed down, I/O box-less version of the card) = $145.99

Wait, what? It sounds like you explained it but at the same time.

I'm confused.

Is this the bastard child?
http://creative.com/products/product.as...gory=209&subcategory=669&product=15854

Yep.
 

imported_goku

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2004
7,613
3
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Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124
Originally posted by: goku
Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124
Excellent deal on the sound card. Watch out though, there's an "X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series", which seems to be the bastard child of the real Fatal1ty card, the XtremeMusic and the XtremeGamer (it has X-RAM, the "full" form factor, but no external or internal I/O box).

Creative SOUND BLASTER X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail (The more expensive, feature rich card, NOTE, at the moment, this is the best deal. better card, at a cheaper price) = $132.99 after $50.00 Mail-In Rebate at NewEgg
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series7.1 Channels PCI Interface - Retail (The dumbed down, I/O box-less version of the card) = $145.99

Wait, what? It sounds like you explained it but at the same time.

I'm confused.

Is this the bastard child?
http://creative.com/products/product.as...gory=209&subcategory=669&product=15854

Yep.

Weird. My box says fatality pro series like the one you mentioned but says X-Fi I/O Drive Bay and Remote Control included... :confused:

Also I'm wondering, I have an Audigy 2 ZS and it appears that the Audigy 2/4 have more ports than the X-Fi, why? The audigy 2 has the Midi port on a separate ribbon cable while the X-Fi has the midi on the card it's self, what is the X-Fi missing that the audigy has? And why is this?
 

mrSHEiK124

Lifer
Mar 6, 2004
11,488
2
0
Originally posted by: goku
Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124
Originally posted by: goku
Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124
Excellent deal on the sound card. Watch out though, there's an "X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series", which seems to be the bastard child of the real Fatal1ty card, the XtremeMusic and the XtremeGamer (it has X-RAM, the "full" form factor, but no external or internal I/O box).

Creative SOUND BLASTER X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail (The more expensive, feature rich card, NOTE, at the moment, this is the best deal. better card, at a cheaper price) = $132.99 after $50.00 Mail-In Rebate at NewEgg
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series7.1 Channels PCI Interface - Retail (The dumbed down, I/O box-less version of the card) = $145.99

Wait, what? It sounds like you explained it but at the same time.

I'm confused.

Is this the bastard child?
http://creative.com/products/product.as...gory=209&subcategory=669&product=15854

Yep.

Weird. My box says fatality pro series like the one you mentioned but says X-Fi I/O Drive Bay and Remote Control included... :confused:

Also I'm wondering, I have an Audigy 2 ZS and it appears that the Audigy 2/4 have more ports than the X-Fi, why? The audigy 2 has the Midi port on a separate ribbon cable while the X-Fi has the midi on the card it's self, what is the X-Fi missing that the audigy has? And why is this?

X-Fi has a sh!tload more ports, take a good look at the I/O box. MIDI In/Out, RCA In, SPDIF both optical and coaxial in/out, a headphone port, and a line in/mic port call the I/O Drive Bay their home :p.

If it doesn't say XtremeGamer under the X-Fi logo on the box, then it's the real deal and not the cheapo version.
 

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
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Originally posted by: OVerLoRDI
Wait isn't this the wrong forum? GO AWAY!!!

Well yes :D

goku, I hope you have good speakers to justify spending that much on the soundcard.
 

imported_goku

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2004
7,613
3
0
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: OVerLoRDI
Wait isn't this the wrong forum? GO AWAY!!!

Well yes :D

goku, I hope you have good speakers to justify spending that much on the soundcard.

Sadly, my speakers aren't the issue, it's my horrid sony reciever I've got. Hey, any suggestions?
The reciever would need a minimum # of these inputs:
6-S-Video Inputs
At least or 4 Coaxial Digital Audio inputs
5 Optical Inputs
6 Component Inputs
 

cheapherk

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Apr 29, 2000
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I preordered it from Creative in a Quakecon deal when it first came out for $199 (that was 100 cheaper than it initially sold for). I love it!
 

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
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Originally posted by: goku
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: OVerLoRDI
Wait isn't this the wrong forum? GO AWAY!!!

Well yes :D

goku, I hope you have good speakers to justify spending that much on the soundcard.

Sadly, my speakers aren't the issue, it's my horrid sony reciever I've got. Hey, any suggestions?
The reciever would need a minimum # of these inputs:
6-S-Video Inputs
At least or 4 Coaxial Digital Audio inputs
5 Optical Inputs
6 Component Inputs

Get a receiver with a regular amount of inputs and then use the Sony as a big input switch in addition to the inputs on the new receiver?

Component inputs are still going to be short that way, but do you really have 6 devices that you have hooked up at once?

How do you have it set up now?

Alternatively, get whatever receiver you want + input switches as needed?

You could certainly find a receiver with that many inputs, but it's going to cost you :p
Example
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-8Ybg73qxbc8/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?i=033AV5805B

 

imported_goku

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2004
7,613
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0
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: goku
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: OVerLoRDI
Wait isn't this the wrong forum? GO AWAY!!!

Well yes :D

goku, I hope you have good speakers to justify spending that much on the soundcard.

Sadly, my speakers aren't the issue, it's my horrid sony reciever I've got. Hey, any suggestions?
The reciever would need a minimum # of these inputs:
6-S-Video Inputs
At least or 4 Coaxial Digital Audio inputs
5 Optical Inputs
6 Component Inputs

Get a receiver with a regular amount of inputs and then use the Sony as a big input switch in addition to the inputs on the new receiver?

Component inputs are still going to be short that way, but do you really have 6 devices that you have hooked up at once?

How do you have it set up now?

Alternatively, get whatever receiver you want + input switches as needed?

You could certainly find a receiver with that many inputs, but it's going to cost you :p
Example
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-8Ybg73qxbc8/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?i=033AV5805B

Oh how fun... So I guess I'll have two recievers with the secondary be for extra devices?
How big of a quality degredation will I get? I don't really want to get another reciever only to realize that I need to replace both or something like that...
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
i have one of the X-Fi cards with the external 5.25" deal and it's not the FaTaL1Ty1one version.

The Platinum?

Probably, the difference between the fatility and the platinum is the branding, otherwise it's the same..

 

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
31,204
45
91
Originally posted by: goku
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: goku
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: OVerLoRDI
Wait isn't this the wrong forum? GO AWAY!!!

Well yes :D

goku, I hope you have good speakers to justify spending that much on the soundcard.

Sadly, my speakers aren't the issue, it's my horrid sony reciever I've got. Hey, any suggestions?
The reciever would need a minimum # of these inputs:
6-S-Video Inputs
At least or 4 Coaxial Digital Audio inputs
5 Optical Inputs
6 Component Inputs

Get a receiver with a regular amount of inputs and then use the Sony as a big input switch in addition to the inputs on the new receiver?

Component inputs are still going to be short that way, but do you really have 6 devices that you have hooked up at once?

How do you have it set up now?

Alternatively, get whatever receiver you want + input switches as needed?

You could certainly find a receiver with that many inputs, but it's going to cost you :p
Example
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-8Ybg73qxbc8/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?i=033AV5805B


Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
i have one of the X-Fi cards with the external 5.25" deal and it's not the FaTaL1Ty1one version.

The Platinum?

Probably, the difference between the fatility and the platinum is the branding, otherwise it's the same..

Oh how fun... So I guess I'll have two recievers with the secondary be for extra devices?

Fatality has 64mb x-ram

I think that would probably work for you. What's your budget like?

I don't know how many component inputs you have on your current receiver, but if that has 2 and you get a new receiver with 3, you'll have 4 total that you could use if you run the video from one through the other.

If you have two component inputs on your TV, you could use them all together and route the component outputs from each receiver straight to the TV.

 

imported_goku

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2004
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Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Sell those harddrives and you're well on your way to getting a Denon 5805.

lol, what brand reciever do you have? What do you think of the Denon recievers? Are there better brands? Etc. etc..?
 

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
31,204
45
91
Originally posted by: goku
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Sell those harddrives and you're well on your way to getting a Denon 5805.

lol, what brand reciever do you have? What do you think of the Denon recievers? Are there better brands? Etc. etc..?

I use these https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughlin/web/Random/BAs.JPG
Made by Boston Acoustics, which was actually bought by D&M which owns Denon and some other brands.

There are certainly some better brands out there, but Denon is pretty up there for it's high end receivers. Once you get into separates there are some very nice and very very $$$$$ options out there, but you'd know if you wanted to get something like that.
 

Sphexi

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2005
7,280
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0
Few years back I had a Hercules GameTheater XP...best sound setup I ever had up until my Audigy 2 ZS (which I sold with my box earlier this year :(). I loved the external box, the USB ports, the optical in and out on it, so very handy.
 

imported_goku

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2004
7,613
3
0
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: goku
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Sell those harddrives and you're well on your way to getting a Denon 5805.

lol, what brand reciever do you have? What do you think of the Denon recievers? Are there better brands? Etc. etc..?

I use these <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughlin/web/Random/BAs.JPG">https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughlin/web/Random/BAs.JPG</a>
Made by Boston Acoustics, which was actually bought by D&M which owns Denon and some other brands.

There are certainly some better brands out there, but Denon is pretty up there for it's high end receivers. Once you get into separates there are some very nice and very very $$$$$ options out there, but you'd know if you wanted to get something like that.

So denon is good for higher end but not for low end? What is considered their Highend? Hey, can you list a series of brands which are good for their market segment...? Like 100-$500 price range blah, $500-1000 or $2000 is blah and 2000-5000 is blah then 5000-10000 is blah? I don't need too specific of range but I want to get an idea what is low end, mid range, high end, really high end and then just beyond high end...

So, where would Onkyo fit into the picture? Sony? lol..



Originally posted by: yosuke188
Are you guys talking about this?

Weird listing for the picture, but most likely, yeah...
 

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
31,204
45
91
Originally posted by: goku
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: goku
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Sell those harddrives and you're well on your way to getting a Denon 5805.

lol, what brand reciever do you have? What do you think of the Denon recievers? Are there better brands? Etc. etc..?

I use these <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughlin/web/Random/BAs.JPG"><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughlin/web/Random/BAs.JPG">https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughlin/web/Random/BAs.JPG</a></a>
Made by Boston Acoustics, which was actually bought by D&M which owns Denon and some other brands.

There are certainly some better brands out there, but Denon is pretty up there for it's high end receivers. Once you get into separates there are some very nice and very very $$$$$ options out there, but you'd know if you wanted to get something like that.

So denon is good for higher end but not for low end? What is considered their Highend? Hey, can you list a series of brands which are good for their market segment...? Like 100-$500 price range blah, $500-1000 or $2000 is blah and 2000-5000 is blah then 5000-10000 is blah? I don't need too specific of range but I want to get an idea what is low end, mid range, high end, really high end and then just beyond high end...

So, where would Onkyo fit into the picture? Sony? lol..

So you're in the market for a receiver somewhere in the $100 to $10,000 range? :laugh:

I don't really know what to tell you.

Nothing wrong with Denon's lower end models, but I wanted to link you to something with 6 component inputs for you to put that into perspective of how much that costs.

Before you get too into this, you should consider the rest of your system.

If you just need a lot of inputs, get some input switches rather than greatly expending your receiver budget just to get more connectivity.

I think as a rough starting point for budget you might do something like 2:1:1 for speakers:receiver:sub.

If you were using an old $200 sony or something with some $200 speakers or something, you're going to be going totally overkill for quality on something beyond a budget receiver.

Spending a lot on your receiver is something you'd want to do if you have nice speakers and want to get the most out of them. You get more features as you move up in receiver budget (like more connectivity... HDMI is now making it into budget receivers, you get better amps, you can get auto equalization, etc.)

If all you want is more component, s-video, composite, and digital audio inputs, go get some input switches and save your money.

What you call "low end" "high end" etc. depends on who you ask.

There are a lot of great options at different priceranges.

Going off your categories just some random thoughts:

$100-$500 I guess would be "budget"
Pioneer, Onkyo, HK, Denon, etc. all have good options in this range.

$500-$1000 I guess I would call "low midrange"
Pioneer, HK, Denon, etc. all still in the mix. You're even getting into separates budget there with Emotiva's low cost option being $900 shipped.

$1000-$2000 I guess would be "midrange"
You're getting into flagship receiver range for some brands and you have a lot more options for separates. Outlaw audio is another popular option that starts in this range.

$2000-$5000 maybe "upper midrange"
There are a few receiver options out there like the Denon 5805 and such, but you'd probably want to be at separates at this point.

$5000+ would leave "high end" as a category
Separates all the way. A nice preamp/processor and then a big beefy multichannel amp, or as you get higher into this range you'd probably be considering running monoblocks as individual amp channels for each speaker (or stereo amps for pairs of them)

Ummm... so where would an Onkyo or Sony be? "budget" unless you're talking about their upper range models.
 

imported_goku

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2004
7,613
3
0
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: goku
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: goku
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Sell those harddrives and you're well on your way to getting a Denon 5805.

lol, what brand reciever do you have? What do you think of the Denon recievers? Are there better brands? Etc. etc..?

I use these <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughlin/web/Random/BAs.JPG"><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughlin/web/Random/BAs.JPG"><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughlin/web/Random/BAs.JPG">https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughlin/web/Random/BAs.JPG</a></a></a>
Made by Boston Acoustics, which was actually bought by D&M which owns Denon and some other brands.

There are certainly some better brands out there, but Denon is pretty up there for it's high end receivers. Once you get into separates there are some very nice and very very $$$$$ options out there, but you'd know if you wanted to get something like that.

So denon is good for higher end but not for low end? What is considered their Highend? Hey, can you list a series of brands which are good for their market segment...? Like 100-$500 price range blah, $500-1000 or $2000 is blah and 2000-5000 is blah then 5000-10000 is blah? I don't need too specific of range but I want to get an idea what is low end, mid range, high end, really high end and then just beyond high end...

So, where would Onkyo fit into the picture? Sony? lol..

So you're in the market for a receiver somewhere in the $100 to $10,000 range? :laugh:

I don't really know what to tell you.

Nothing wrong with Denon's lower end models, but I wanted to link you to something with 6 component inputs for you to put that into perspective of how much that costs.

Before you get too into this, you should consider the rest of your system.

If you just need a lot of inputs, get some input switches rather than greatly expending your receiver budget just to get more connectivity.

I think as a rough starting point for budget you might do something like 2:1:1 for speakers:receiver:sub.

If you were using an old $200 sony or something with some $200 speakers or something, you're going to be going totally overkill for quality on something beyond a budget receiver.

Spending a lot on your receiver is something you'd want to do if you have nice speakers and want to get the most out of them. You get more features as you move up in receiver budget (like more connectivity... HDMI is now making it into budget receivers, you get better amps, you can get auto equalization, etc.)

If all you want is more component, s-video, composite, and digital audio inputs, go get some input switches and save your money.

What you call "low end" "high end" etc. depends on who you ask.

There are a lot of great options at different priceranges.

Going off your categories just some random thoughts:

$100-$500 I guess would be "budget"
Pioneer, Onkyo, HK, Denon, etc. all have good options in this range.

$500-$1000 I guess I would call "low midrange"
Pioneer, HK, Denon, etc. all still in the mix. You're even getting into separates budget there with Emotiva's low cost option being $900 shipped.

$1000-$2000 I guess would be "midrange"
You're getting into flagship receiver range for some brands and you have a lot more options for separates. Outlaw audio is another popular option that starts in this range.

$2000-$5000 maybe "upper midrange"
There are a few receiver options out there like the Denon 5805 and such, but you'd probably want to be at separates at this point.

$5000+ would leave "high end" as a category
Separates all the way. A nice preamp/processor and then a big beefy multichannel amp, or as you get higher into this range you'd probably be considering running monoblocks as individual amp channels for each speaker (or stereo amps for pairs of them)

Ummm... so where would an Onkyo or Sony be? "budget" unless you're talking about their upper range models.

Hmmm, the denon looks fairly appealing but do they have any recievers with out the 'zones'. My reciever also comes with an option to power a separate zone in stereo and that IMO is just unncessary, not sure what I'd need that for (one reciever to output same music to two different rooms?)

So you believe that one should spend more money on speakers or on the reciever?

These are my speakers..
http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/products/rm6000/

IMO, I think the Reciever is doing the speakers no justice as I can really tell when the reciever is being the issue and not the speakers.. A TRUE 500watt reciever AMPLIFIES better than a pseudo 500watt (more like 200watt) reciever, correct? I get too much 'hum' when I raise the volume therefore creating distortion etc..

It's good to get a good reciever and cheap speakers because that way a cheap reciever won't damage good speakers due to high distortion, right? If you have clean sound coming from the reciever, you're less likely to damage the speakers, right? (assuming of course you don't put too much power to the speakers...)