Another x-FI Garbage Thread

[TantrumusMaximus]

I'm all over the place lately with PC issues..

So I'm about to tell Creative to go stick it and buy a Asus Xonar D2X sound card. I am sick of the odd random "WTF!" BSOD that comes with the X-Fi.

I was using the onboard sound without problems with some cheesy low end Altec Lansing speakers and recently got the idea to use a pair of awesome bookshelf speakers as studio monitors, purchased a Pyle PTA2 40Wx2 power amp ($55 and works great for the task) and then realized the onboard sound really DOES suck man.... the speakers really brought out the crap.

So I had an x-FI in the junk bin from the last time I was sick of it and all the BSOD in this game and that.... but at least it would have the features in line with the capabilities of the speakers. So I installed it. SIGH.

None of the settings in the console ever save. They are always reset to defaults when I boot up. BSOD in the house again. This is the LAST Creative card I ever buy, don't matter what OS, (happened in XP too) these things are POS been said before, I'll say it again... GARBAGE DRIVERS.


So that aside.

Anyone got a Asus Xonar D2X? Looks like a damn good card. Reviews have all given it the thumbs up but I want to hear from the community I trust, that I won't be wasting another ~$200 on my system.

 

[ViRGE]

*shrug*

For what it's worth, I've had an X-Fi Xtreme Music for 4 years now. Other than some teething issues on Vista 64 shortly after release, I've never had an issue.

 

[mmntech]

Originally posted by: ViRGE
*shrug*

For what it's worth, I've had an X-Fi Xtreme Music for 4 years now. Other than some teething issues on Vista 64 shortly after release, I've never had an issue.

Same here, mine works fine on Windows 7 64-bit.

The C-Media CMI8770 chipset cards are some of the best FWIW.

 

[Allio]

My X-Fi was perfect for a couple of years, never had a single issue. I always wondered what people were complaining about. Then slowly but surely it began to cause crashes. I thought it was linked to my nForce4 chipset, but then I upgraded to a new Phenom II and the crashes (while reduced) are still there. From what I've read it's due to Creative using crappy capacitors which only last a couple of years.

Thankfully Realtek ALC889A is decent enough for me (first time I've been able to say that about onboard sound since an old KT333 board).

 

[lxskllr]

My xfi fatal1ty has been working well for 3 years now. I don't really have any problem with Creative.

 

[Spikesoldier]

i have a set of swan m200mkiii coming my way. im also getting a xonar dx for the sq upgrade.

i am using a pci x-fi xtrememusic that i had since launch and it never gave me any hardware trouble whatsoever other than on two separate occasions which occured on simple reboots probably about two years from each other. i found myself with no audio device installed in windows and not showing up in device manager either. a simple re-seat of the card solved the problem both times. this was on two different mainboards.

i think the xonar d2x has some fantasic features if you are a HT buff. the d1/dx versions are a good buy in the price slot they are in and are capable of doing much of what the d2x does. only when those niche HT features are wanted is when the premium should be paid for it and it honestly even the d2x is wallet-friendly their top tier product.

but i am just looking for sq with my new swan investment so with the dx retaining for at least 2.0 stereo the same sq as the d2x, it will fit in perfectly, and filled the same price point im willing to spend on a sound card as the x-fi did five years ago.

 

[adairusmc]

Been using a X-Fi Elite Pro here for about a year now, not one crash or issue of any kind. It is running under Windows 7 x64 with the beta drivers flawlessly now.

 

[KGB]

I'm using a modded X-Fi ExtremeMusic as well without issues at all.

 

[T9D]

...

 

[hclarkjr]

going on 2 years with my x-fi with vista ultimate 64 bit. maybe the soundcard is defective?

 

[KGB]

Originally posted by: v1001
I've been using my x-fi elite pro since 2006. No problems for me. Sounds amazing.

Did you ever mod your with the op-amps and filter cap?

 

[CurseTheSky]

I've been using mine since 2006 with minimal problems. I have had some settings in the console refuse to save in the beginning (and once again when I reformatted lately), but it generally stops after a few restarts. Their drivers and software aren't the best, but they're far from the worst out there.

 

[Modelworks]

Buy an external decoder and use the on board sound. Then set everything to send it directly to spdif/optical and it doesn't matter anymore what is onboard. Did this and haven't looked back. No noise from the pc and it is bit perfect.