So is an X-Fi really worth it now?

[nsiderTalon]

I got an X-Fi Xtrememusic a few years ago, and it was drastically better then my onboard auido chip. Is that still the case?

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

yes.

 

[NoM8s]

In my opinion it depends what your sound needs are. I have always thought that a seperate soundcard is a must, even though I am mainly a gamer. On my latest build I bought a PCI Express SoundBlaster XFI Titanium, and yes the sound was as good as my old Extreme Gamer soundcard, but there were several issues that I could not resolve, mainly with the software.Out of desperation I tried the onboard sound of my P6T deluxe, and I have to say that the quality of the Soundmax is spot on, and there are no issues whatsoever. I have sold my SB on eBay and would always recommend to try your onboard sound, before shelling out for a seperate card. I realise that if you are heavily into music and editing etc., a seperate sound card may be necessary, but for gaming I am very happy with what the Mobo offers. This may well fuel a heated debate, which can't be a bad thing!

 

[sleepeeg3]

Yes. Same answer as always. Distortion keeps getting smaller and noise of onboard is as bad it has always been.
http://www.tomshardware.com/re...omparison,1781-24.html
About 2500hz of lost frequency at the high end, which is what gives onboard its muddy sound.

 

[NoM8s]

Originally posted by: sleepeeg3
Yes. Same answer as always. Distortion keeps getting smaller and noise of onboard is as bad it has always been.
http://www.tomshardware.com/re...omparison,1781-24.html
About 2500hz of lost frequency at the high end, which is what gives onboard its muddy sound.

Can't agree with you, the sound is crystal clear and no hint of "muddyness"

 

[khaydin]

It all depends on what type of person you are and what games you play. If you play online games such as Counter-Strike: Source or Call of Duty 4, sound from an X-Fi card can give you a huge edge over other people. With X-Fi cards you can pretty much hear exactly where someone is, with onboard sound you hear their general direction. With the X-Fi it's much more precise, you hear exactly where they are and it gives you a better idea of how close they are to you. The onboard sound doesn't give you a very good idea of how close they are to you or the pinpoint accuracy of the X-Fi cards. I've tried a lot of different onboard sound, as well as an Asus Xonar D2X. In games where sound can help you like CSS or COD4 nothing else compares to an X-Fi. The Xonar D2X was better than the onboard in that respect but the X-Fi was still noticeably better. The Xonar D2X did produce better sounding sound, it just didn't help me as much in games. In the end I went with an Auzentech X-Fi Forte because it has better sound quality than a normal Creative X-Fi card and it's still an X-Fi (not a software X-Fi like some motherboards ship with).

 

[imported_wired247]

X-Fi (as long as you have a true X-Fi chip and not an XFi-branded sound card with a non-XFi chip) is still the best when it comes to audio processing as far as I'm concerned. I wouldn't trade my X-Fi card for any alternative right now.

 

[tigersty1e]

Originally posted by: khaydin
It all depends on what type of person you are and what games you play. If you play online games such as Counter-Strike: Source or Call of Duty 4, sound from an X-Fi card can give you a huge edge over other people. With X-Fi cards you can pretty much hear exactly where someone is, with onboard sound you hear their general direction. With the X-Fi it's much more precise, you hear exactly where they are and it gives you a better idea of how close they are to you. The onboard sound doesn't give you a very good idea of how close they are to you or the pinpoint accuracy of the X-Fi cards. I've tried a lot of different onboard sound, as well as an Asus Xonar D2X. In games where sound can help you like CSS or COD4 nothing else compares to an X-Fi. The Xonar D2X was better than the onboard in that respect but the X-Fi was still noticeably better. The Xonar D2X did produce better sounding sound, it just didn't help me as much in games. In the end I went with an Auzentech X-Fi Forte because it has better sound quality than a normal Creative X-Fi card and it's still an X-Fi.

I thought CSS and COD 4 didn't support EAX, which is supposed to give you the distance effects.

 

[khaydin]

Originally posted by: tigersty1e
I thought CSS and COD 4 didn't support EAX, which is supposed to give you the distance effects.

That I'm not sure about, but you can definately hear the difference when you switch back and forth between onboard sound and an X-Fi card. I play in Vista 64-bit so either way EAX is not supported unless you use Alchemy which i don't. I'm not even sure if they support OpenAL or not.

 

[nestlewater]

XFI ftw.. Got an xtreme music here, the oamps just came, gonna put them in soon as i get my soldering iron back from my friend.

 

[Insomniator]

The X-fi would be a lot more attractive if the software and drivers weren't so awful.

 

[CoinOperatedBoy]

For EAX, worth it.

For direct analog connection to speakers/headphones, depends on the quality of onboard.

For digital connection to speakers/amp, 100% not worth it unless you need Dolby Digital Live or DTS or some other kind of processing.

 

[nerp]

For gaming, sure, why not.

For professional audio production or for ultra high quality DACs and pristine audio for connecting to quality speakers/sound systems, absolutley not. It's a consumer card, not a pro card, no matter what Creative's marketing and forum fans state.

 

[MagickMan]

I'm very impressed with my on-board sound, so much so that I didn't purchase an X-Fi like I had originally planned.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: sleepeeg3
Yes. Same answer as always. Distortion keeps getting smaller and noise of onboard is as bad it has always been.
http://www.tomshardware.com/re...omparison,1781-24.html
About 2500hz of lost frequency at the high end, which is what gives onboard its muddy sound.

Have you done frequency tone generator tests to see if you can actually hear higher than 18KHz?
I'd say only about 20% of the population could hear higher than 18KHz, and most of that 20% are probably in their early/mid teens.

 

[themisfit610]

I can very easily hear 20KHz tones, no problem.

Personally, onboard has always been hit or miss for me. I've heard that were extremely clean, powerful, and surprisingly good!

SPDIF out on my Soundmax at home to a receiver and 2ch speakers sounds fantastic. Obviously no reason to do anything else there (unless I was a real pursit about 24/96 or 24/192).

At work, I use an Emu 0202 for its great headphone out.

I dunno...

I say - try the onboard. If it's not good enough, get something better. X-fi if you've got a boner for EAX, something else otherwise..

~MiSfit

 

[KGB]

The only onboard sound that was worth a shit was Soundstorm (NF2) or the DFI LanParty Karajian (sp?).

I agree with the post above: try the onboard and then judge.

 

[nestlewater]

Originally posted by: KGBMAN
The only onboard sound that was worth a shit was Soundstorm (NF2) or the DFI LanParty Karajian (sp?).

I agree with the post above: try the onboard and then judge.

Onboard got nuttin on my nationals.

 

[zerocool84]

The onlt reason to go with an X-Fi is if you have a thousand dollar speakers where you can ehar the difference or need the extra connections. For 99% of people onboard is fine. You already have the card so why not use it?

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: wired247
X-Fi (as long as you have a true X-Fi chip and not an XFi-branded sound card with a non-XFi chip) is still the best when it comes to audio processing as far as I'm concerned. I wouldn't trade my X-Fi card for any alternative right now.

Ditto. And it's not so much the straight-up sound quality (which is great, but so are other products) it's that it blows away everything else when it comes to 3D audio positioning on headphones.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

still rocking my audigy 2 ZS Platinum...

whats a good upgrade for me for under $75?
speakers used at M-Audio LX4 and i mostly listen to music and watch movies and play CS

 

[KGB]

Originally posted by: ViRGE

Originally posted by: wired247
X-Fi (as long as you have a true X-Fi chip and not an XFi-branded sound card with a non-XFi chip) is still the best when it comes to audio processing as far as I'm concerned. I wouldn't trade my X-Fi card for any alternative right now.

Ditto. And it's not so much the straight-up sound quality (which is great, but so are other products) it's that it blows away everything else when it comes to 3D audio positioning on headphones.

I have an X-Fi Xtreme Music which I will be modding with Op Amps and DAC.
I will start a new thread when I'm done.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: themisfit610
I say - try the onboard. If it's not good enough, get something better.

:thumbsup: I see no reason to automatically pay extra for an X-Fi. FWIW some onboard audio solutions sound just fine while others do not. Use your OWN ears to make that distinction, not someone's internet recommendation.

With that said, I think it may also depend on what you use sound for, and what you play that sound through. If you just have an old pair of multimedia speakers, then you probably won't hear any difference. If you are using $200 headphones, then you may.

FWIW most of my systems use onboard audio, with the exception of my main rig. Problem with it was that the onboard audio was kind of fubar'd because it would keep popping up the "you just connected something" notice on occasion (even when I didn't) and the mic input would barely work. I popped in my trusty ol' PCI sound card with the VIA Envy24T chipset purchased years ago for $25. Perfect!

 

[0roo0roo]

developers moving away from proprietary sound solutions. waste of money. better to spend development time on a software sound solution that benefits all the customers.
more cores=less of a point to the whole idea.
vista really gave them a good shove away from the creative proprietary sound lock in.

and of course on board sound has gotten better..much better. and there are always alternatives like the zonar these days.

better question, whats the quality of your output device? your headphones/speakers.
there is no point upgrading soundcards until you have speakers that make it worth it. otherwise its just putting a spoiler on a junker.

 

[nomunk]

Originally posted by: KGBMAN
The only onboard sound that was worth a shit was Soundstorm (NF2) or the DFI LanParty Karajian (sp?).

I agree with the post above: try the onboard and then judge.

absolutey agree, I had Soundstorm and that was the only onboard sound I have ever thought was as good as a dedicated soundcard


IMO onboard sound doesnt compare to a dedicated soundcard, no matter what you are using it for