Ummm.. Is the X-Fi ExtremeAudio that bad? I just ordered one...
Oct 7, 2007 at 7:06 AM Post #16 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by Redo /img/forum/go_quote.gif
XtremeMusic is great, the XtremeAudio is garbage


I wouldn't say garbage. It IS an audigy. And they do sound decent. Much better than onboard, and many entry cards.

BUT, it sure does not compete with the other x-fi's.

The reason the xtremeaudio is looked down upon so much, is because it is a audigy marketed as an x-fi, and doesn't have the x-fi features.

As an x-fi, its subpar, as an audigy, its good.


The card actually measures very well, quite better than the chaintech AV-710.

http://www.hardware.info/productdb/b..._Xtreme_Audio/
 
Oct 7, 2007 at 7:11 AM Post #17 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by LawnGnome /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I wouldn't say garbage. It IS an audigy. And they do sound decent. Much better than onboard, and many entry cards.

BUT, it sure does not compete with the other x-fi's.

The reason the xtremeaudio is looked down upon so much, is because it is a audigy marketed as an x-fi, and doesn't have the x-fi features.

As an x-fi, its subpar, as an audigy, its good.


The card actually measures very well, quite better than the chaintech AV-710.

http://www.hardware.info/productdb/b..._Xtreme_Audio/



The main problem I have with the XtremeAudio is it puts all the X-Fi processing features on your CPU. It's not "terrible" or anything, but I'd rather stay with onboard another month or two to save for a real X-Fi.
 
Oct 7, 2007 at 7:21 AM Post #18 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by Redo /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The main problem I have with the XtremeAudio is it puts all the X-Fi processing features on your CPU. It's not "terrible" or anything, but I'd rather stay with onboard another month or two to save for a real X-Fi.



Yes, a "real" x-fi is worth the extra cash. Especially with the xtrememusic's being sold for so cheap. Too bad creative discontinued them, since they were eating their high end sales.
 
Oct 7, 2007 at 10:51 AM Post #21 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by Redo /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The main problem I have with the XtremeAudio is it puts all the X-Fi processing features on your CPU. It's not "terrible" or anything, but I'd rather stay with onboard another month or two to save for a real X-Fi.


Onboard audio will use even more cpu anyway.
 
Oct 7, 2007 at 11:56 AM Post #22 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by maarek99 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Eh. People are giving the chaintech wayyyy too much credit.


I upgraded from an XtremeGamer to an AV-710 and the Chaintech was clearly better for music. No one is saying the card will out-do high-end external DACs, but there's little doubt that it will sound better than any of the X-Fi cards.
 
Oct 7, 2007 at 4:49 PM Post #23 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ogresmash /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I upgraded from an XtremeGamer to an AV-710 and the Chaintech was clearly better for music. No one is saying the card will out-do high-end external DACs, but there's little doubt that it will sound better than any of the X-Fi cards.



It doesn't measure better, and it's components aren't spec'd better. So unless you have proof, I doubt it.

EDIT: it also isn't even real 24bit, since the CODEC used is only 20bit. And doesn't even have an OPAMP to boost the signal, which puts strain on the CODEC analog section.
 
Oct 7, 2007 at 5:23 PM Post #24 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by LawnGnome /img/forum/go_quote.gif
It doesn't measure better, and it's components aren't spec'd better. So unless you have proof, I doubt it.

EDIT: it also isn't even real 24bit, since the CODEC used is only 20bit. And doesn't even have an OPAMP to boost the signal, which puts strain on the CODEC analog section.


Specs definately cannot tell you the whole story. Why do you think many claim vacumm tube amps sound better than solid state including myself as I have heard a truely special tube amp that sonically sounded better than the likes of Krell & Mark Levinson amps. This in spite of poorer specs for the tube amp. The tube amp was much clearer & cleaner sounding. It had more sparkle & Life to the music than either high end transitor design + better soundstage. It was neither soft or rolled off at either end as most old style tube amps were. It was built to professional studio standards & was based on a circuit & transformer design of a 1930's Western Electric studio tube amp. It was designed to be able to run 24/7 & still run cool to the touch except for the tubes themselves in spite of being a true class A fixed bias design. This design used Svetlana 572-10 transmitter tubes redesigned for audio use (lower gain & suitable for class A operation). He would have used 845 type tubes but the only 845 tubes available at the time were chinese made & very short life. Both tubes have bright emmiter thoriated tungston filiments with graphite plates.

This all to say that stock the X-Fi is not the best sounding card out there & it may be possable to be be beat by lower spec'ed card in terms of actual sound quality. The X-Fi has tremendous potential but unrealized in stock form so for someone that is not into modding the the Chaintech card may in fact sound better to them.
 
Oct 7, 2007 at 7:37 PM Post #26 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by maarek99 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Onboard audio will use even more cpu anyway.


Have any benches? Start throwing on Creative's audio processing with the XtremeAudio and it may eat plenty more CPU than onboard.
 
Oct 7, 2007 at 8:50 PM Post #27 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by Redo /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Have any benches? Start throwing on Creative's audio processing with the XtremeAudio and it may eat plenty more CPU than onboard.


Why should it if really is a rebadged audigy 2? Audigy 2 does infact have a dsp for the processing effects, it just doesn't support eaxt 5. Audigy 2's are generally way better than onboard audio for gaming.
 
Oct 7, 2007 at 8:58 PM Post #28 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by maarek99 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Why should it if really is a rebadged audigy 2? Audigy 2 does infact have a dsp for the processing effects, it just doesn't support eaxt 5. Audigy 2's are generally way better than onboard audio for gaming.


It's a rebadged Audigy SE
 
Oct 8, 2007 at 5:53 AM Post #29 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by Redo /img/forum/go_quote.gif
It's a rebadged Audigy SE


Damn. So it actually has even less processing power than the original Soundblaster Live?
 
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