hi all

im new here... not yet an X-FI user, but i want to become one. so i have one n00b question:

i am using notebook, and the other day i saw new product called X-Fi Surround in the creative store. i thought i when home to think about it first. but the day after im going on vacation so i cannot get the item. when im back the store yesterday no longer have the item, nor the website. what is left is Sound Blaster Live External 24 Bit. its abit cheaper than X-Fi Surround 5.1

hence i wanna ask about opinion, which one deserve to go? should i get the sound blaster or wait for the X-Fi surround to be back in stock...?

here is the description of both items:
X-Fi Surround 5.1
Sound Blaster Live! External

thanks.

thx for the reply.
fortunately no, as in my siggy, my notebook is a crap today.
im planning to change to the new acer 6920G somewhere next month but afaik it still cant support 5.1 surround sound... cause i played my fren 5920G which i think have very similar sound card spec to the successor and... the dolby home theater feature really have not so much different from other laptops.. i need a soundcard for a laptop that has 5.1 output and volume knob.... no need to be so good also

yeah thanks for the advice. got one today for myself.

the sound is clear but not so many difference from my onboard one. maybe cause i used to tweak the onboard already. but nvm. i have 5.1 and digital output from my crap laptop today...

new user of X-Fi Surround 5.1 reporting!

hahaha i bought in sg.
99 SGD.

not the best la, but i think better than sound blaster 24-bit external., its 79.

however when i plugged in the headset can feel more power and lots of stuff rather than the speaker cause in the speaker i only feel the clarity part. nvm though quite happy with the item...

agree. of course the speaker is still the same i wont notice many difference. im no longer using M3300. it sound sucks actually. i use another no brand speaker abit cheaper than M3300 but superb than M3300 in almost all aspect.

what i notice actually is that the soundcard itself, have 1% difference from my onboard one. then i use crystalliser and cmss3d. nah from here actually i say.. u know. now i feel the sound now is so warm... after few songs ive played. i mean usually its not this warm. can relax better sia... hahahah and i test with battlefield 2 and counter-strike. yes i feel difference in them... maybe should listen more. burn-in my own ear...

hi again all X-Fi users!

just wanna ask simple question:
Do you all use (download) the PowerDVD 6 that is given free by purchase of any X-Fi card? or you all use better dvd program to watch videos or movies?

i have powerdvd 4 and 6 (all unlocked) but dont find it better than WMP11 with ffdshow...

cheers

Hello everyone!

my internet just died so since im now connected i just downloaded few drivers for my X-Fi Surround USB (and razer pro click ) which gave me alot of headaches with its bundled driver software.

alright, so since some people are asking as well, i'll tell u the pros and cons of X-Fi 5.1 USB. before and after driver updates.

Pros:

first of all, i just noticed that later last year they have introduced something called Creative Karaoke Player, which attracts me to download since co-incidentally i have the x-fi usb in my hand. Today i just got it and i tried it at once. Seriously this software is a must for all karaoke fans since normal "voice cancellation" or "vocal remover" software doesnt really remove the vocal. most of them cut certain frequencies. even some invert the matrices etc etc until the soundstage is missing. Fortunately, although the Creative Karaoke Player (CKP) isn't as amazing as those karaoke clubs, the CKP do provide good vocal eraser which also restore bass and mids.

driver updates. yes, this update fixes the "too loud" volume problem in previous version. initially when i set volume at 5-25, i barely can hear differences, its too loud, even with wave set on 50% (XP). now, with this new driver, they have 4-6 volume increment each turn (rather than usual of 5, which means one turn add 5% of volume) i can differentiate 5% and 25% clearly. this is what i always needed.

bass boost. these features is very important to me. regardless of when using earphones or speakers. the smooth bass boost allows u to enhance ur bass at desired frequency, depending on your size of speaker of course.
before the driver update, when i set at 12dB (max) i can hear distortion at mid volume. now there's filter to reduce distortion. personally i don't like this features but im pretty sure some people would want this "improved bass boost".

then, when it comes to sound quality. i don't know why but i realized there is improvement on SQ with new drivers (compared to the very old one). now i no longer regret buying this item.

- CMSS 3D and Crystalliser also not bad for some music and movies.

Cons:

now to the cons. before the updates as you all read, already i dont like the stupid volume problem. there is also another problem, which is: when i plugged it in on my desktop D946GZIS board, it stuck at code 58 booting (usb device). if i remove it it'd be like normal. so this x-fi adds about 100seconds of my booting.

- it drains my battery really fast with it is plugged in
- it sort of makes slight zzz (static) sound when computer turned off but speaker is turned on. if i plugged out the usb from computer, its gone.
- not-included-remote-control-for-asia-region. in europe creative include free remote control.

in the software included it says some remote control are supported. but i dont know where to get any one of those remotes.

- for laptop user : with x-fi enabled, u cannot use built in microphone and speakers on standard program and background.

anyway, after the updates and CKP apps, i really like the x-fi. i no longer regret getting it and of course, @ wingster : i recommend u getting it.

afaik its for x-fi usb 5.1 and usb xtreme audio only. but here's the link : Creative Karaoke Player

This post has been edited by nismo91: Mar 3 2009, 10:56 AM

got install already? maybe can liao, who knows?

btw yes i know the sound isnt fantastic as what coolkwc said.
but it;s enough for me, since using audacity to remove vocal is worse, and using realtek voice cancellation gaves mediocre performance.

the best go to karaoke club and sing with alot friends la...

Hello again all, after i emailed creative about my crazy x-fi surround 5.1 usb i noticed they have promotion on their xmod products. its kind of insane, but it really is.

Here is what they put on sale:

Creative Xmod Wireless.
WAS SGD369 NOW SGD79

Creative Xdock.
WAS SGD329 NOW SGD79

Creative Wireless Receiver.
WAS SGD169 NOW SGD29

http://sg.store.creative.com/products/Barg...=19&valueid=294

i was seeing this product before i got my x-fi 5.1 usb last june. it is really 169SGD for the receiver i really remember. now they sell it at 29SGD. what do you think of that?

if you;re referring to USB X-Fi Surround 5.1 then think again. mine is now on the box. waiting to send to creative shop to ask again.
it didnt work good on my desktop. even gave me BSOD when i plug it in straight.

bsod is blue screen of death, means ur computer suddenly error and restarted.
actually this product sounds good, its just that got driver issues. i believe it creative release proper driver, should be no bsod, because using old driver its more stable. but sounds crap.

u can visit www.amazon.com and find this product, then u find reviews for this x-fi surround 5.1
i find alots of reviews yesterday. anyway, beside this card got x-fi go and asus xonar x1 i think....

my problem is with the x-fi surround, not the x-fi go.
as expected the creative emails say that firstly, she is aware of the issue (wtf) and then she said if it works on other computer then it should be my desktop problem.

wait until i come singapore i come to the creative showroom where i bought it.

for xonar vs x-fi i dunno because i dunhave the xonar.

if u buy a casing with intel front panel, the plug (2x5) can be just connected to your x-fi and u can enjoy having front plug.

in the casing you buy, there are front audio panel board.
the board (inside) has some connector that is usually connected to the mainboard.

just remove that from the mainboard and connect to the new x-fi

hey all, need little help here,
i am selling my surround 5.1 usb so i can upgrade for better one.
since my desktop got some issue with usb thing.

anyway, im in singapore now, and let me tell u the x-fi cards im offered in forums.

x-fi xtreme audio - new 80sgd
x-fi titanium pcie - 90-110 sgd (2nd)
x-fi titanium fatality pro - 150 sgd (2nd)

all got warranty until end of this year. and i use it for music and movies.
no gaming, since my desktop using integrated graphic card.

so which one u'll say is best bang for bucks? i dont expect significant upgrade from my x-fi usb 5.1, but the price for upgrading must not be so high. thanks.

hmm, what u mean by modify? hack the drivers using like daniel k one or mod all the caps inside the board?

probably the furthest i can do is tricking the drivers... not so skillful in changing caps... if like that, then maybe should i go for the cheapest? xtreme audio

yeah, i;ve made my decision, i want to go for the titanium. xtreme audio is terrible because it uses different chip. the chip it used is identical to the audigy.

rather i bought a cheap audigy and soft mod it into xtaudio isnt it?

so i just bought a x-treme audio. cost almost half than titanium plus free headset (HS350). dont know how it sounds, but i think should be on-par with my recently sold x-fi surround 5.1

thus, i only top up 20sgd to get this card. that'd be the free headset.
hope it sounds good, and has no driver issues like the stupid surround again.

the XtremeAudio is the only X-fi in the market that uses old Audigy chip. own a XtremeAudio before. sounds much better than onboard on my speaker. Too bad now can't use x-fi cause my new graphic card and mobo now dont have anymore available PCI slot. have to go back to basic realtek.