[UrsusMajor]

There's a new soundbar out with SXFI Built in - including Atmos channels. Sounds pretty exciting: https://uk.creative.com/p/speakers/creative-sxfi-carrier

Seems like you plug in any headphones via 3.5mm or SXFI Theater headphones for wireless. Bit annoying they don't have regular bluetooth support though. My main use case for using headphone speaker virtulization is in noisy situations where I want to use ANC.

But having Atmos height channels is something that's really cool - hopefully a dedicated box is still forthcoming.

Hmm, wondering if it's possible to connect a PS5 to this via hdmi 2.1. And then pass SXFI out to a dedicated dac/amp

 

[HieroX]

https://cnaluxury.channelnewsasia.com/people/creative-technology-sim-wong-hoo-14925162

3rd gen SXFi is in the works!

 

[HieroX]

Hey all, I am planning to get a Hifiman Sundara with SB GC7 combo. Anyone having the same combo, and know which headphone profile to use?

 

[544592]

I'll just add that the little SXFI Amp is a wee cracker! I don't use the SXFI features but as a USB-C DAC/Amp with independent volume control it's fantastic. For me it sounds very natural and super clean. Lovely build quality and extra functionality to boot (play/pause, next, restart, previous). Including EQ if you wish.

 

[x7007]

Does anyone have weird crackling when using 7.1? for example in the windows 10 speaker test. It's driving me insane.... it happens with 2 headphones, HD800s and Beyerdynamic 990 600ohms. I don't know what to do. I can hear it in Discord when someone is talking. I can hear it in the youtube hearing test at 100-180
How can I fix this?? With stereo only and SXFI off there is no noise or issue. is it windows 10 21h1 issue? I tested my GSX1000 and there is no issue.. what's wrong with the SXFI Enabled??

 

[x7007]

can anyone please tell me if they have weird crackling noise on the right ear when the SXFI is Green/On, and it disappears when it's Orange/Off?? it's really important if it's a bug they will fix it.

 

[x7007]

it's a bloody emergency, no one can test for me this simple test?? just have sxfi green/on with 7.1 and just get the windows volume 75-100% and keep clicking on it. do you hear crackling on the right ear?????

 

[Falkentyne]

Does anyone have weird crackling when using 7.1? for example in the windows 10 speaker test. It's driving me insane.... it happens with 2 headphones, HD800s and Beyerdynamic 990 600ohms. I don't know what to do. I can hear it in Discord when someone is talking. I can hear it in the youtube hearing test at 100-180
How can I fix this?? With stereo only and SXFI off there is no noise or issue. is it windows 10 21h1 issue? I tested my GSX1000 and there is no issue.. what's wrong with the SXFI Enabled??

I've only seen this crackling usually right after windows boots, on the very first sound test. Then on the next test it's as good as ever.
I think I may have heard it once recently after a reboot, maybe after changing a profile (on my phone?).

There's also a bug sometimes when you have the system "AC powered off" (hard power off, not just power switch) and then you boot windows with the X-fi plugged in and the sound channels don't work appear in windows and the device is locked at 16 bit 44 khz with no option to change it. Fixed by just unplugging and replugging in the USB.

The only time I remember this static issue never going away was on an old version of windows 10, which didn't allow higher than 16 bit/48000 khz with the Amp (but which had no sound quality issues with the Sennheiser GSX-1000). I remember something (maybe in this thread?) about some DLL or USB driver for sound being too old for the amp. V1903 fixed that but there was apparently a way to update even 1709 with that driver.

And make sure your sound is on 96000hz, 24 bit.

There is an "Issue" I've encountered twice (since the Amp was released) where it "forgets" or is unable to use 7.1 or 5.1 mode even when you select it in windows, none of the speaker channels will play sound except front left and front right.
The only way to fix that is to reset the firmware to default (I used my phone to do that), then to download your SXFI profile again.

 

[x7007]

I've only seen this crackling usually right after windows boots, on the very first sound test. Then on the next test it's as good as ever.
I think I may have heard it once recently after a reboot, maybe after changing a profile (on my phone?).

There's also a bug sometimes when you have the system "AC powered off" (hard power off, not just power switch) and then you boot windows with the X-fi plugged in and the sound channels don't work appear in windows and the device is locked at 16 bit 44 khz with no option to change it. Fixed by just unplugging and replugging in the USB.

The only time I remember this static issue never going away was on an old version of windows 10, which didn't allow higher than 16 bit/48000 khz with the Amp (but which had no sound quality issues with the Sennheiser GSX-1000). I remember something (maybe in this thread?) about some DLL or USB driver for sound being too old for the amp. V1903 fixed that but there was apparently a way to update even 1709 with that driver.

And make sure your sound is on 96000hz, 24 bit.

There is an "Issue" I've encountered twice (since the Amp was released) where it "forgets" or is unable to use 7.1 or 5.1 mode even when you select it in windows, none of the speaker channels will play sound except front left and front right.
The only way to fix that is to reset the firmware to default (I used my phone to do that), then to download your SXFI profile again.

I tried everything possible. it only happens with the green light/on mode. it doesn't happen when it's orange off. so you say you can reset the firmware or the sxfi control settings? because I tried that. from the computer. it's always 24bir 48000hz I even tried 96000hz. its all the save as long the sxfi is green mode light. 5.1 or 7.1 I think even stereo
what more to do? the phone reset is different than the computer reset?

 

[x7007]

I've only seen this crackling usually right after windows boots, on the very first sound test. Then on the next test it's as good as ever.
I think I may have heard it once recently after a reboot, maybe after changing a profile (on my phone?).

There's also a bug sometimes when you have the system "AC powered off" (hard power off, not just power switch) and then you boot windows with the X-fi plugged in and the sound channels don't work appear in windows and the device is locked at 16 bit 44 khz with no option to change it. Fixed by just unplugging and replugging in the USB.

The only time I remember this static issue never going away was on an old version of windows 10, which didn't allow higher than 16 bit/48000 khz with the Amp (but which had no sound quality issues with the Sennheiser GSX-1000). I remember something (maybe in this thread?) about some DLL or USB driver for sound being too old for the amp. V1903 fixed that but there was apparently a way to update even 1709 with that driver.

And make sure your sound is on 96000hz, 24 bit.

There is an "Issue" I've encountered twice (since the Amp was released) where it "forgets" or is unable to use 7.1 or 5.1 mode even when you select it in windows, none of the speaker channels will play sound except front left and front right.
The only way to fix that is to reset the firmware to default (I used my phone to do that), then to download your SXFI profile again.

Can you test the Windows sound test. click on the L - R speakers and RL - RR on all of them I hear crackling it doesn't happen only to the Right ear, also to the Left.

 

[Falkentyne]

Can you test the Windows sound test. click on the L - R speakers and RL - RR on all of them I hear crackling it doesn't happen only to the Right ear, also to the Left.

I do this literally every single day or every few days/week for over two years now.
No problem whatsoever. I'm sorry I can't help you.

Either test it on a different computer, clean both the 3.5mm jack and the male plugs with Deoxit D5, or RMA the amp.

 

[eliwankenobi]

Does anyone have weird crackling when using 7.1? for example in the windows 10 speaker test. It's driving me insane.... it happens with 2 headphones, HD800s and Beyerdynamic 990 600ohms. I don't know what to do. I can hear it in Discord when someone is talking. I can hear it in the youtube hearing test at 100-180
How can I fix this?? With stereo only and SXFI off there is no noise or issue. is it windows 10 21h1 issue? I tested my GSX1000 and there is no issue.. what's wrong with the SXFI Enabled??

Hello, so far my unit doesn't show this crackling. I do hear a crackling when using it as a pure DAC feeding my THX-789 amp. But I think it is an issue with the amp instead RCA input instead of the Sxfi amp

 

[eliwankenobi]

can anyone please tell me if they have weird crackling noise on the right ear when the SXFI is Green/On, and it disappears when it's Orange/Off?? it's really important if it's a bug they will fix it.

This I've never heard. If these are two separate issues and you don't hear them with your headphones when using other DAC/AMPs then there may be an issue on your device that needs to be checked out.

 

[x7007]

This I've never heard. If these are two separate issues and you don't hear them with your headphones when using other DAC/AMPs then there may be an issue on your device that needs to be checked out.

after a lot of checking it was some kind of emi issue or windows update or both.

 

[eliwankenobi]

after a lot of checking it was some kind of emi issue or windows update or both.

oh good, so now it's solved? It would probably have been a windows issue. Actually, it was a very common issue on PCs with AMD Ryzen CPUs until they patched it with a new BIOS and chipset driver