Amplifier in the (Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD 24-bit 96KHz USB Interface Sound Card) - Page 4

Think we need to request Creative to include native support for the 44.1 and 88.2 in Vista/7 in a driver update. I'll send them a request but it's more likely to happen if other people do it to.

Is there a diference between 48khz and 96khz sampling? I don't seem to notice anything when tweaking it in foobar.

Okay, I guess not. Anyway...anyone happen to have this and a Sennheiser HD 650? The sound card seems to support 330 ohms of impedance, and the 650's have 300. Theoretically, it should work out...

I just got this and I'm not very impressed with its ability to run my 250 ohm Beyer dt880s ....

I've been experimenting with the Creative Sound Blaster X-FI HD for about a week now. I purchased it to get USB to S/PDIF optical  at my Sony TA-E9000, as well as get analog from the preamp to USB. It works, and sounds awesome. However, there are some issues, both the device and associated software are not very intutitive, at least for me, and the manual that came with the kit was, it appears, not proofed, as an incomplete sentence within it leaves me only with a sketch of how I should begin to use this product. Also, the address given for on-line suppot within this manual is dead. Nevertheless, I'm using the device with a Roxio program for digitizing vinyl at 16/48, as well as sending USB to S/PDIF at  bit rates up to the maximum my Sony TA-E9000 will accept, which is 24/96. In another thread, I have inquired about a problem I have with having to re-boot the device when using it to record. One more thing, Smart Recorder software, which is available from Creative as a bonus, will allow me to digitize vinyl at bit rates up to 24/96; and, when digitizing  to wav. files,  I can send them directly to my iTunes library. This is nice, yet the software's track separation  utility does not allow for precision division of tracks.

Your crazy! I also have the Razer Barracuda AC-1... I put in the new SB titanium HD.. The barracuda blew it away! Not only does the barracuda power my Beyer DT770 pro 80's.. The positional audio is top notch.. I have no idea what your talking about.. The Cuda is the real deal..

Goat, I believe you are confusing the Titanium card, which is an internal card without a headphone amp, with the Xfi HD USB external card, which is the subject of this thread and which has a dedicated headphone amp. I haven't heard the Barracuda so I can't compare the two, but I am not very impressed with the Xfi HD USB card, strictly from a gaming perspective. The whole THX TruStudio or whatever it is called just seems to add a lot of reverb when it comes to positional audio--I prefer using the old Creative simulated surround sound option (to its credit this card does let you choose to turn either one, or both of them off.) And the 3D sound option is broken for some games--like Dead Space. Dead Space gives you the option to test all of your speakers, one by one, and if you select 5.1, you can test how all the channels are simulated with headphones--with my old internal xfi card I get five distinct channels, with the Xfi HD USB, no matter how I set it up, I only get the front three (the center is of course just a mix of the left and right), with the rear channels being EXACTLY the same as the front left and right.

Sterling--you are EXACTLY right about the software not being intuitive ... the surround sound option for THX has a slider that I think goes from 0 to 100% ... if you move that thing around speakers appear and disappear on the onscreen display more or less at random ... it makes no sense at all, at least not to me. And the manual that came on the disc was totally useless--I'm not even sure it was for this specific card. That's Creative for you.

Don't get me wrong--this card DOES drive my Dt880s a lot better than my internal Xfi card, and a little bit better than my Denon amp/receiver, but I think there may be better options out there in terms of headphone amps, at maybe a slightly higher price. At least, I hope so.

BTW, when the X-FI HD is connected to the RCA tape line out L/R jacks of my Sony TA-E9000ES preamp, the recordable digital  signal from the Sound Blaster to the computer is determined by the software for recording  analog to digital. I can use Roxio for 16/44.1. I can use Creative's Tool Box for 16/48, or I can record with Smart Recorder for up to 24/96. Digital signal out of the Sound Blaster via toslink  is adjustable  up to 24/96 for whatever the receiver/DAC will accept. With my experimentation, so far, I cannot distinguish vinyl playback from any of the digital files. Makes me wonder what purpose 24/96  serves.

Blinkstar... Your right,I did think it was the internal card.. But,I can tell you the Barracuda blows them both away easily.. Trust me,if you haven't heard the Cuda,its quality.. Music is incredible on it. The xfi hd wouldn't drive my DT 990 beyer 250's worth crap.The Cuda drove them better.. Don't short change the Cuda card,its very impressive..

If your saying the Barracuda can't compare,then there is something wrong with it. I have the cuda and titanium hd and the cuda was clearly better.. I also tried the xfi forte and did not see any need to upgrade to that from the cuda,cause it wasn't an upgrade..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goat1 

Blinkstar... Your right,I did think it was the internal card.. But,I can tell you the Barracuda blows them both away easily.. Trust me,if you haven't heard the Cuda,its quality.. Music is incredible on it. The xfi hd wouldn't drive my DT 990 beyer 250's worth crap.The Cuda drove them better.. Don't short change the Cuda card,its very impressive..

The CL Titanium HD PCI-E card eats that old 8788 card easily... If you're saying the Barracuda surpasses the Titanium HD PCI-E card then I would say there is something wrong with your card, gear or ears.

Makes me wonder if you have ever heard the card or if you had it working right at all.

The specs and sound quality for the Titanium HD PCI-E card are far beyond that of the Barracuda AC-1 which wasn't even the best 8788 card when released.

If you like the AC-1 that is great however, be realistic it has mediocre specs and sound quality compared to what is available these days.

I got the x-fi titanium hd USB for Christmas and i'm far from impressed with the supposed "headphone amp".  I guess I shouldn't have been suprised seeing the amp is only being powered by a usb.  The sound quality was quite nice compared to my onboard sound, however when trying to get this thing to power my dt770pro 80ohm headphones, I maxed the volume and wasn't even close to driving the dt770pro's  It really just didn't cut it at all, needless to say i'm going to take this thing back to best buy.

It has no problem at all driving my 300 ohms Sennheiser HD580 Precision head phone.

Creative X-Fi USB HD::::::::All I am telling is about the sound what I think is most important factor for any audiophile. I found it to be harsh but as well as detailed. One have to take an interval at least once after 30 minutes because of the headache. There is no question that it is detailed but that does not necessarily means it is a product for audiophiles. But Creative made a good try but its nearly (not totally) a failure. If u want to use it for long sessions then stay far away from this one. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by blinkstar 

I just got this and I'm not very impressed with its ability to run my 250 ohm Beyer dt880s ....

Can you elaborate? i plan on hooking this external sound card to dt 990s pros which are 250 ohm too.