[valveman]

Has anyone tried the XMOD with their headphones? I've read a lot of positive reviews for PC magazine etc. but wondering if anyone here has one and if they think it really makes a big difference as claimed. The premise is that it converts the MP3 to 24bit so to make the sound fuller.
http://www.creative.com/products/pro...&product=15913

 

[MaZa]

How can one add data to something that doesnt exist? It might convert 16 signal to 24bit signal on fly, but it doesnt do a damn thing to song that is recorded in 16bit, possibly make it worse depending how good the converter is. Most likely its just another "crystalizer" "feature" that just adds spikes to frequensy response and compresses dynamics to make it SEEM clearer.

Creative is a master of BS advertising...

 

[Ahobaka]

Haven't tried the Xmod itself, but my X-Fi Platinum has the crystalizer feature. All it really does, I belive, is raise the frequency responce in highs and lows, adding stuff that wasn't there in the original recording, making you belive it's "better" than the original. In my opinion it changes the sound to the worse most of the time. Try having the crystalizer on in games for example, it sounds horrible, awful spikes at gunshots, explosions etc. The "feature" was designed for music, but I can't say I've gotten anything positive out of it except on a few tracks.

I used to have the crystalizer on before I got myself a replacement cable and an amp to my senns, now I don't use it on anymore. Simply sounds better without it, more natural, less artifical "clarity".

As MaZa said, master of BS advertising.

 

[valveman]

Quote:

How can one add data to something that doesnt exist? It might convert 16 signal to 24bit signal on fly, but it doesnt do a damn thing to song that is recorded in 16bit, possibly make it worse depending how good the converter is. Most likely its just another "crystalizer" "feature" that just adds spikes to frequensy response and compresses dynamics to make it SEEM clearer.

Well in the digital world adding more samples is done all the time. Take digital zoom for instance. The function is called interpolation and is a quatitative guess as to what can be added. This is done in Satellite imaging all the time. It does improve if the additions add to the clarity so yes it is possible to improve on a digital signal by making a quatitative guess of what should be there.

 

[MaZa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by valveman /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well in the digital world adding more samples is done all the time. Take digital zoom for instance. The function is called interpolation and is a quatitative guess as to what can be added. This is done in Satellite imaging all the time. It does improve if the additions add to the clarity so yes it is possible to improve on a digital signal by making a quatitative guess of what should be there.

Perhaps, but I doubt it would work with ears. Interpolation, 2xsai filters and so on, all look nice but they do either blur the picture or round up the edges unnaturally.

 

[valveman]

Quote:

Perhaps, but I doubt it would work with ears. Interpolation, 2xsai filters and so on, all look nice but they do either blur the picture or round up the edges unnaturally.

You could very well be right. I'm just curious if anyone has tried one and what their experience has been. I'm tempted to get one and try it. If I don't like it I can always take it back. Of course I will add my impressions about it to the group. However audio seems to be such a personal thing that it is difficult to find a common concensus about a particular product.

 

[Assorted]

I totally hate the Xmod, worst 70 bucks I spent, and I didn't even keep the reciept. There is a lot of digital artifacting (if that's what you call distortion) especially with the enhancements on.

 

[JadeEast]

Check this review of the x-mod
http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/...tive-xmod.html

On some material the enhancer does something good and on
others it makesh itsh shound like shomething elshe. It sounds
pretty good and actually with some tweaking of midi/sound
set up on my macbook it can create a pretty big sound sound
scape thats great for movies. It has gotten a bum wrap for
the claims that the marketing department has made for
it. It's not an audiophile piece of equipment its a functioning
consumer level usb dac that looks pretty and works OK.
If these are your expectations then its good if you're
expecting that it will make 96k mp3 files sound like the
original analog master you'll be let down a bit.

 

[Redo]

It works well on cheap speakers that have no top end and no real bass extension. On any sort of coherent setup, it's just a waste of time.

 

[valveman]

Quote:

I totally hate the Xmod, worst 70 bucks I spent, and I didn't even keep the reciept. There is a lot of digital artifacting (if that's what you call distortion) especially with the enhancements on.

You are in Canada. Where did you find one for $70? The cheapest I could find is $99 in Canada.

Anyway I just bought one. So far I like it :O) It really has improved the sound stage and the SQ. I'm currently trying it with my laptop and a pair of Grado SR80 headphones.
No digitization as I can tell so far. It is quite clear. It does mention in the manual that distorion may occur if you set-up the settings too high.

So far I like it.

 

[JadeEast]

What kind of lap top do you have?

 

[Chris_Himself]

dont buy it. i have the X-Fi Platinum Fatality, and the Crystalizer option is NEVER on, it makes ANY speaker distort from playing too high or too low a frequency.

it basically changes the EQ to make your music sound like what Bose speakers do, emphasize the highs and lows to overwhelm your mids making your music "sound" clearer.

and the result is, a dick load of clipping, distortion, popping, etc.

 

[ziplock]

This Xmod is actually a very interesting little piece of hardware. I happened across one a few weeks ago and promptly took it apart (I take EVERYTHING apart!). It's using a DSP from TI known as the TMS320DA255, which is also commonly found in several of Creative's products, such as the Zen Vision M. It's easy to see why this stupid thing is so expensive. The remainder of the product uses lack luster ICs spread out across the board, including a TLV320AIC23B - Low-Power Stereo CODEC with HP Amplifier.... "Highly Efficient Linear Headphone Amplifier * 30 mW into 32ohm From a 3.3-V Analog Supply Voltage". I will admit, it does sound crappy! Maybe I should do my own Xmod and couple the output with some op amps? AD8620 anyone? I think it could have been a much better product had they not used such an expensive DSP and provided a higher quality output.

With some music and movies, it sounds ok.. at best, a mediocre product. I wouldn't recommend buying one if your expectations are high.

Cheers!

~Zip

 

[valveman]

Quote:

What kind of lap top do you have?

The one I'm using is a Gateway Duo Core Tablet laptop.

 

[nonlinear]

Connected directly to my AD900, there is an audible hiss when playing. The AD900s are sensitive headphones however and the hiss was less noticeable when connected to the HD280 that bindibadgi let me try. A 20 Ohm impedance adapter reduces the hiss to bearable levels.

With movies, I was very impressed with both Crystalizer and 3D effects on. As for mp3s, IMO the Crystalizer does make the music sound more lively while the 3D effect does more damage than good.

For classical music encoded in FLAC, I turn both effects off since they make the music sound processed while making clicks and distortions in the music more apparent.

For 139 Singapore dollars, it might be worth it for someone looking to upgrade their laptop sound but for around the same price I would recommend the M-Audio Transit based on its popularity here.