X-Fi Questions

[JMod]

I'm currently running an original Audigy. I just picked up a set of Klipsch Pro-Media 2.1s. I'm curious if you guys think it's a big upgrade as far as audio quality and overall performance. I do game occasionally, not as much as i used to, but all the FPS and whatnot, sports games. Mainly probably going to be doing a lot of music stuff on the desktop.

Also, wheres the cheapest place to pick them up nowadays?

 

[Rommel44]

Onboard audio is pretty good so if you´re not audiophile you dont need audio card for $$$.

 

[JMod]

hmm. anybody else have any input or can throw somethin out there.

 

[NanoStuff]

Half-ass suggestion there, where the hell did you get onboard audio from?

The XFi offers better HRTFs for 2.1 speakers over the Audigy which is a plus for surround sound gaming. Output quality, including the sample rate converter is also substantially better, particularly beneficial for music. Overall audio processing quality will be higher and it does offer more EAX features which could be put to potentially good use in newer games.

If buying, be sure to get the XtremeMusic. A fair deal for the asking price. Anything beyond this is a sloppy investment.

The Audigy from my experience sucked terribly. Both of the ones I tried had massive stability problems, plus a third that didn't work at all. The Audigy 2 was good in that regard however.

 

[FreedomGUNDAM]

I just recently upgrade from my Audigy to the X-Fi while using my existing Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speaker. I'm not an audiophile but my ears do preceive a noticable difference. For what I paid for the X-Fi ($70 off the FS/FT threads), I think it was an excellent upgrade.

The only con that i saw was that I lost the firewire port from my Audigy.

 

[JMod]

Cool thanks for the info. Doesn't look like they sell oem versions of the X-Fi at all. Wheres everybody pickin theirs up from?

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: JMod
Cool thanks for the info. Doesn't look like they sell oem versions of the X-Fi at all. Wheres everybody pickin theirs up from?

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Creative...atOid/-13040/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

 

[JMod]

Awesome. Thanks.

 

[Skott]

The X-Fi XtremeMusic is definetely better than the Audigy2 (which I have and like in another pc) and vastly superior to onboard sound.

 

[Oyeve]

I upgraded from an Audigy 2 ZS to the X-Fi Xtreme music. Sonically no big whoop. In games and with the 3D headphone surround trickery the X-Fi is great. The software suck bullballs for the X-Fi. The ZS software was way better. I play and record a lot of music and the audio creation mode software just stinks, especially the digital-delay, its horrendous. The ZS echo-2tap blows it away. I miss my ZS. Overall the X-fi is good, just wish Creative would do a major software revamp.

 

[PianoMan]

That CC deal is outstanding for a retail version - which I had seen it before I purchased an OEM from eBay. Going from onboard (Realtek AC'97) to x-Fi (Xtreme) - will let you know how it is once I get it installed - if anyone's reading this thread by then.

PM