Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium $49.99AR FS @Newegg

[qliveur]

Seems like a good deal on one of the better X-Fi models.

Use promo code EMCYRYW45.

Link

Rebate form link

Don't forget Bing CB (presently 2-3%).

 

[Schadenfroh]

This worth the upgrade from an Audigy 2 ZS for a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-AD700s?

 

[LOUISSSSS]

^^ yes it is, the audigy 2 ZX is 8-9 years old dude...

 

[Lean L]

^^ yes it is, the audigy 2 ZX is 8-9 years old dude...

which means what exactly? direct sound is no more, this card doesn't offer much over the audigy series. Crystalizer? that can be easily done via software.

 

[Patrick Wolf]

which means what exactly? direct sound is no more, this card doesn't offer much over the audigy series. Crystalizer? that can be easily done via software.

It's got DDL.

But do I wanna trust a Creative MIR?

 

[LOUISSSSS]

which means what exactly? direct sound is no more, this card doesn't offer much over the audigy series. Crystalizer? that can be easily done via software.

i have an audigy 2 ZX Platinum and a similar Asus Xonar DX. i can clearly tell the difference and improvement of the Xonar over the A2 ZX. Speakers used are M-Audio LX4 & Shure SRH840 cans...
if you can't hear a difference then yes, theres no point in any sound cards. Get some money for some nice speakers instead.

 

[Patrick Wolf]

It's been awhile, but I think I remember a good difference between my Audigy and X-Fi w/ my Kilpsch Promedia 5.1 (which I no longer have).

 

[LOUISSSSS]

^ you're right, there is a good difference with the latest sound cards & drivers. Its the poor people that either have bad ears or no money for nice speakers that say theres no difference and that onboard is enough.

 

[Patrick Wolf]

Its the poor people that either have bad ears or no money for nice speakers that say theres no difference and that onboard is enough.

Haha, I suppose. I'm only keeping my X-Fi for a few games I haven't played that use EAX 5.0 (whoopty-do). Looks like EAX is dead since virtually no new games use it. Once I'm done with the games I'll get something else with DDL.

Maybe this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829271001

 

[QTPie]

Back in the old day where the CPU was not strong enough to decode using software without bogging down the system, a dedicated hardware "SoundBlaster" was king of the hill (SoundBlaster AWE 16, 32, 64, etc.)
After the disaster of SoundBlaster Live and Creative Labs dirty tactics that forced Aureal (Vortex) went bankruptcy, I started using built-in audio. My last shot was the Audigy 2 ZS. I'd never buy another Creative sound card again.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Back in the old day where the CPU was not strong enough to decode using software without bogging down the system, a dedicated hardware "SoundBlaster" was king of the hill (SoundBlaster AWE 16, 32, 64, etc.)
After the disaster of SoundBlaster Live and Creative Labs dirty tactics that forced Aureal (Vortex) went bankruptcy, I started using built-in audio. My last shot was the Audigy 2 ZS. I'd never buy another Creative sound card again.

boo hoo, you're just cutting yourself off from the most popular audio chip on the market for the past 3-5 years, the X-Fi.

 

[ViRGE]

This worth the upgrade from an Audigy 2 ZS for a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-AD700s?

Absolutely. I've had a PCI X-Fi for years now - the 3D positioning and crossfeed algorithms are much better than on the Audigy. All told it's a much better card for driving headphones than anything Creative has done previously.

Anyhow, this is definitely a hot deal. The PCIe X-Fis have been going for entirely too much.

 

[Schmide]

I need a card. OK I'm in.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Might have to pick it up then, I take it that this thing is as good as the ExtremeMusic or better? I recall that was the "hot" card of the Xi-Fi line.

 

[QTPie]

boo hoo, you're just cutting yourself off from the most popular audio chip on the market for the past 3-5 years, the X-Fi.

I haven't listened to music and played game in the last 4 yrs as I used to; therefore, on-board sound card is good enough for me. A Sansa Fuze and Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 is good enough for me.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

I haven't listened to music and played game in the last 4 yrs as I used to; therefore, on-board sound card is good enough for me. A Sansa Fuze and Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 is good enough for me.

haven't listened to music or played a game in 4 years? then your arguments for which sound card are irrelevant here.

 

[ViRGE]

Might have to pick it up then, I take it that this thing is as good as the ExtremeMusic or better? I recall that was the "hot" card of the Xi-Fi line.

The forums ate my post, but basically the XtremeMusic was the base PCI X-Fi (later replaced with the XtremeGamer), and the regular Titanium is the base PCIe X-Fi. So they're mostly comparable. The differences come down to the fact that the Titanium has more X-RAM (16MB vs. 2MB, not that anyone uses it), DDL encoding, and it has regular connectors instead of gold plated connectors. SnR and such should be the same.

 

[Lean L]

It's been awhile, but I think I remember a good difference between my Audigy and X-Fi w/ my Kilpsch Promedia 5.1 (which I no longer have).

It's a placebo. Unless you were playing one of the few games that supported EAX 5. There's virtually no difference in sound quality in terms of unprocessed output. ie the dacs are pretty much the same. With nothing taking advantage of the xfi processor, there's not much point. And as for DDL, Whoop de doo... you can now listen to software emulated sounds in 5.1 over optical.... The audigy could do preencrypted 5.1 over optical

 

[The0ne]

boo hoo, you're just cutting yourself off from the most popular audio chip on the market for the past 3-5 years, the X-Fi.

So you would rather support a company with such a history to them? As most of us here would gladly do, speak with your shopping money and don't buy their crap!

Audigy was the last line for me as well. The drivers drove me nuts and there were absolutely zero support. I finally found some hacked drivers to get the card to work properly. Their PMP players are the same as well. Shtty firmware. A SD slot that is almost useless that could be addressed easily. Sound quality is good but the hassle and lack of driver/firmware support is a complete waste of your money.

As other have said, if you want good sound consider a good set of speakers and/or headphones first. If that isn't good enough for you yet then consider other sound card options out there besides Creative.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

i dont know about yu, but i got my audigy 2 zs working fine. user error?
it is NOT a placebo affect. i have my a2zs in my computer and i have my Xonar DX in my HTPC. i've played the same music/movie files and used the same headphones (shure srh840) and can clearly hear an increase in sound quality, placement, sharpness of sound effects, etc with the xonar dx.

 

[Lean L]

i dont know about yu, but i got my audigy 2 zs working fine. user error?
it is NOT a placebo affect. i have my a2zs in my computer and i have my Xonar DX in my HTPC. i've played the same music/movie files and used the same headphones (shure srh840) and can clearly hear an increase in sound quality, placement, sharpness of sound effects, etc with the xonar dx.

wowow... seriously? did you just try to justify the xfi over an audigy by using music files? The xfi has advantages in terms of audio presents and a much more powerful processor that can do a shitload of post processing. Music files... not so much... It might be the crystalizer that you are refering to. That is just a glorified noise sharpener that creative put in there so ppl like you can go "wow mp3s sound better". Again, this can be done over software just as well.

 

[Lean L]

oh and btw, the xfi and xonar are different in terms of quality. From what I undestand, the xonar has better dacs so analog quality is better.

 

[Craig234]

Think I'm in for 1. A Xi-fi fatality platinum, I think, I'd bought and held onto for a new build (for more money) a couple years ago that was burglarized. So this is a cheap replacement for that new PC that finally was just done. I've had an Audigy 2 ZS Platinum for a long time but the feedback sounds like it's worth an upgrade, especially at this price.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

oh and btw, the xfi and xonar are different in terms of quality. From what I undestand, the xonar has better dacs so analog quality is better.

He did mention that you know
I also noticed some improvement in SQ when I modded my XtremeGamer (replaced op-amps, added bass cap).

 

[marmasatt]

So is this an upgrade over traditional Realtek HD 7.1 onboard these days or no?