CK Presents: X-fi Sound Tweak Guide For Music (Version 3.5)

[chinesekiwi]

Oh god, I need to update this quick smart. But it's 4am here so it'll wait til tomorrow

 

[chinesekiwi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucabeer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Great thread! But I still have a doubt... Could you explain what you meant with "Because of the chipset used in the X-fi cards, you cannot achieve, from an audio purist's view, true bit-perfect playback but it's the closest you can get to it with the X-fi chipsets." I am running the card in Audio Creation Mode, forcing the master sampling rate to 44.1 Khz and "Enable bit-matched playback". As a player I am using Foobar2000 with ASIO plugin, and Creative ASIO as output. The signal is output by means of the optical SPDIF connection to an external DAC. I was under the assumption that this would guarantee bit perfect playback and no resampling of my 44.1 Khz digital files... what am I missing? Any particular reason to say that, even if I force the 44.1 frequency AND "bit-matched" on the control panel, the X-Fi card should alter the bitstream?

Yes, as the X-fi chipset isn't a bit-perfect chip. Only certain chips can stream true bit-perfect output. That config = the most bit-perfect you can get with the X-fi chipset.

 

[Lucabeer]

Ok, fine...

But at least it doesn't resample, doesn't it?

 

[chinesekiwi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucabeer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ok, fine... But at least it doesn't resample, doesn't it?

It being non-bit perfect = very minor resampling (of the signal) but the audible difference = zero.

 

[Lucabeer]

Mmmm... but if:

- I am playing a 44.1 Khz file
- have selected 44.1 Khz master sample rate
- have chosen "bit matched" playback
- am using optical SPDIF output


... why should it do a resampling (albeit very minor and well done) when it could simply send the 44.1 Khz data to the SPDIF output?

Doesn't seem too logical to take all the trouble to resample, when the easiest solution (=don't touch the data) would also be best...

Anyway, minor/transparent resampling or not, will the output of the SPDIF be 44.1 or 48 when the above conditions are met? My DAC hasn't got leds to show me what kind of incoming signal it's getting...

 

[MaZa]

I do not agree with this enabling all speaker signals in input and multichannel. It has no effect when you use ASIO playback, so on ASIO you get an idea what the original signal sounds like. Now, using normal output without ASIO, what this thing seems to do is spreading the normal 2.0 signal to multiple speakers which do not exist, and then downmix it back to stereo signal what we are actually using. It seems to double the volume digitally (scared me s***less) beyond X-Fis clipping levels. It distorts the signal LIKE MAD, horrid clipping and digital distortion because of overlapping signals. This is NOT how the music should sound, not by long shot. Bitperfect + ASIO plays the sound like it should. X-Fi does NOT resample when bitperfect is enabled and ASIO is used, it transmits the signal unaltered by any of the X-Fis chips and features it has. Bitperfect that is.

 

[Lucabeer]

I spoke with a Creative tech yesterday night: he absolutely swears that the X-Fi does NO resampling at all if "bit-matched playback" is enabled in Audio Creation mode. Resampling occurs in all other modes. Good!

 

[daglesj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaZa /img/forum/go_quote.gif I do not agree with this enabling all speaker signals in input and multichannel.

Like I said, if it aint part of Redbook then it gets switched off.

 

[Adamora]

Sweet, this opened up my music.

 

[Adamora]

is it me or did my music get...like 10% faster (thats a +)

 

[obobskivich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chinesekiwi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, as the X-fi chipset isn't a bit-perfect chip. Only certain chips can stream true bit-perfect output. That config = the most bit-perfect you can get with the X-fi chipset.

prove ^ that

and prove that audio creation mode really improves sonic quality for analog output (objectively please, DBT, and "what I felt" don't count)

my 2 cents of peer review

 

[Blue_fire]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaZa /img/forum/go_quote.gif I do not agree with this enabling all speaker signals in input and multichannel. It has no effect when you use ASIO playback, so on ASIO you get an idea what the original signal sounds like. Now, using normal output without ASIO, what this thing seems to do is spreading the normal 2.0 signal to multiple speakers which do not exist, and then downmix it back to stereo signal what we are actually using. It seems to double the volume digitally (scared me s***less) beyond X-Fis clipping levels. It distorts the signal LIKE MAD, horrid clipping and digital distortion because of overlapping signals. This is NOT how the music should sound, not by long shot. Bitperfect + ASIO plays the sound like it should. X-Fi does NOT resample when bitperfect is enabled and ASIO is used, it transmits the signal unaltered by any of the X-Fis chips and features it has. Bitperfect that is.

noticed same thing here when using ASIO, enabling all those channels didn't do anything. And without ASIO i almost jumped right out of my cans when i enabled every channel.

I did notice a better sound in creation mode. maybe it was just me though.

 

[QuadwinG]

I tried ASIO long time ago and said it had no real effects to my listening habits but decided to revisit it again, and after having more knowledge of the software I've come across better sound in bit-match BUT, I can't stay with it because I love having the EQ from the Prelude.

If I could just find a good soft-EQ out there with 30hz or lower for free I would stay with bit-match. I must say, there is no audible difference to my ears, between ASIO &Vista's DIRECT SOUND.

 

[chinesekiwi]

I noticed many people (40+ a day via photobucket stats) were viewing this guide for it, which was a draft and outdated and incorrect. I've updated it with the final draft. 3.0 refers to the revisions I've done to it.

 

[cinnamonandgravy]

which would you recommend for foobar on win7? ASIO or WASAPI?

also, is using a resampler within foobar a bad idea?