Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio PCIE?

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Sydzy

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So my Audigy 4 died on me *sadface*, so I thought onboard would do me for a while... good lord no it wont. This sounds horrible compared to just an audigy 4, like, I have always ignored all the people saying the sound cards make SUCH a difference etc etc, but turns out they are right.

So I'm thinking SB X-Fi Xtreme Audio PCI-Express, $85 australian, next step up is like a Fatality one around $170 or so, step down is Creative Sound Blaster 7.1 @ $35... yeah no thanks.

So just wondering if you heard anything bad / good about this card?
Not needing it to be amazing for FPS etc, I'm not a hardcore FPS fan, just play WoW really, I am only getting it cause I listen to a **** of a lot of music and don't like my bass to just be a hum in the background with no definition @ all.

Thanks realtek audio, you guys suck.

<3
Sydz




*edit*
X-Fi Xtreme Audio

The entry-level model of the X-Fi series, the Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio, does not actually have the EMU20K1 chip but is a re-branded Audigy SE, using the same family of chips (CA0106-WBTLF), and even the same drivers.[11] Thus, not only is all of the X-Fi–related processing performed in software, but it also lacks basic hardware acceleration just like the SB Live! 24 bit, the Audigy SE and other budget Soundblaster models. The X-Fi Xtreme Audio does not use the same drivers as the rest of the X-Fi family, some games do not recognize it as being "X-Fi capable hardware", and the device's hardware profile resembles that of older Live! and Audigy cards.

Furthermore, users have reported that it slows down some applications and games, and that rear sound in games (all) is muffled and of profoundly low quality.[12][13][14] Thus, even if the card is marketed as part of the X-Fi line, it does not belong to it technically, just like the Audigy SE doesn't technically belong to the Sound Blaster Audigy series. The card is not marketed as supporting the "X-Fi Gaming Mode" (but is still marketed as "X-Fi"), and there are no official implicit or explicit statements regarding its having hardware acceleration or not.

[edit] X-Fi Xtreme Audio (PCI Express version)

On top of the Xtreme Audio's rear sound problem in games, the PCI Express version of the X-Fi Xtreme Audio suffers from the inability to record from a Microphone while simultaneously recording "What U Hear", which is possible in all other cards. The reason for this is unknown, but the issue is that the Windows audio Playback Control panel doesn't allow you to view the Mic channel when looking at your Playback Control sliders (activated by double-clicking the Windows Volume Control button). In the Windows audio Playback Control panel, the Mic can only be viewed in Recording Control, and there is no Mute/Unmute checkbox associated with it. The Creative Mixer shares the problem in a different way: you can unmute the Mic, but it becomes muted again once you switch to "What U Hear" as your recording source. Thus, on the PCI Express version of the Xtreme Audio (only) it is impossible to record your Mic and "What U Hear" at the same time, because you cannot get the Mic to output to the speakers while "What U Hear" is enabled.




That's from wikipedia. Woah, looks like creative suck too. glad i read that before going and buying one tomorrow, I guess I'll just shell out the extra $100 for the real thing eh?
 
ey nice card, i haven't really looked into anything aside from the creative stuff cause umart (store where i buy my stuff in brisbane) has some no name brands for $30, and then creative sound cards.

Other Thoughts: If you are more interested in having a card that provides high quality home theater and music over strictly gaming this might be the card for you.

by the sounds of things that looks like more of a card i'd be after anyway, that and the SNR is up another db to 110 compared to fatal1ty's 109db SNR. zzz, i just wish it was PCI-E! i got 3 PCI-E spots free on my motherboard, and no spare PCIs, lol.

oh, and my audigy4 decided to just start working again for no real reason, so who knows, i'll stick with it for now but if it dies again i'll give that one you said a good look at, cause the price and specs look fairly attractive
 
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