Which X-Fi to get?

[EricB]

oh. vista was promoting superior sound while also disabling hardware accelerating which conflicts itself

 

[jonny_uk]

I have an entry level X-fi xtreme audio and i can tell you it sounds absolutly fantastic on my logitech x530's, thats games AND music.
It makes vocals really clear and the sub is twice as punchy as it is without the card

 

[gurusan]

The XFI is an amazing card and sounds great with music, I love mine. However, if you are an audiophile it doesn't stack up against the other cards I've mentioned.

All depends how acute your hearing is and what your preferences are.

 

[EricB]

The XFI is an amazing card and sounds great with music, I love mine. However, if you are an audiophile it doesn't stack up against the other cards I've mentioned.

All depends how acute your hearing is and what your preferences are.

how can the Auzentech be better when it is based off of the x-fi
with the same chipset?

 

[Invisible]

Eric.....you should really visit the high performance hardware section....they're recommending onboard sound to high end gamers, and you seem to have an opposite point of view

 

[EricB]

I hate arguing with people who don't know anything about sound. most people think that they are experts and they are not. I have a 7.1 realtek audio onnboard sound that I use when I was in transition between my m-audiophile 192 (compatibilities issue with media center) to my current x-fi. it didn't sound anything close to a sound card

 

[jonny_uk]

for god sake just buy an x-fi music or gamer and you WILL be very happy

 

[gurusan]

how can the Auzentech be better when it is based off of the x-fi
with the same chipset?

Just because it's based on the same chipset doesn't mean it sounds the same.

Just changing the opamp on the xfi is quite easy and makes a drastic difference.

Eric.....you should really visit the high performance hardware section....they're recommending onboard sound to high end gamers, and you seem to have an opposite point of view

You're kidding, right? Onboard sound?

ewww..

Especially for gaming...I mean theres no EAX 3.0 or OpenAL support.

 

[EricB]

Just because it's based on the same chipset doesn't mean it sounds the same.

Just changing the opamp on the xfi is quite easy and makes a drastic difference.

I do notice that op amp has 5 volt output. I might have to try this out. I once had
read an article where maximum pc shot it down in direct comparison with the x-fi, so I didn't think much of it.


Soundcards - Maximum PC

edit. uh oh. after rereading the article, I think my opinion stands.

it has the potential to be better, but it obviously hasn't got there yet. 5 volt output can make it sound better to most people because louder is better to most. but in reality, louder is only better when everything else is considered equal

 

[tallguy22]

guys,
i know this post was for music...but for games, which card is the best. AND NOT THE CREATIVE X-FI Fatality "Extreme Gamer".

I got that card and it locks up BF2. I've heard it's not a good card anyways. I have a newer video card, which i've heard the X-FI extreme gamer can't keep up with the frame rates of the newer cards, so it locks up. But that's just what I've heard. But from EXPERIENCE, I know that i bought one of these cards off Ebay, thought maybe that it was crap, then bought one from Best Buy, and had to take it back also, because it locked up the exact same way.

I listen to a lot of music too, so i would like to get one for Christmas that has advantages for both games and music. But leaning towards great gaming.

Thanks