Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty Sound Card $199

[konakona]

Originally posted by: Treyshadow
After listening to an X-Fi sound card for the last weekend at Quakecon, I can finally give some validation to the X-Fi sound card.

Being an audiophile type I took my HD-580's into the booth and listened to their demos on the X-Fi using my own headphones rather than the HD280 Pros they had there.

It is IMHO that this sound card is excellent and easily better than any onboard sound currently available. That includes the Via Vinyl 7.1 and the Creative 24-bit on the Neo4 SLI Platinum.

The new version of CMSS is excellent and for headphone specific users this is the killer feature of the new card. They say it offloads the sound onto the card specifically because it has its on processor and memory, but that doesn't seem to matter much on a newer system. The biggest advantage of the new X-Fi was specifically for headphone use. A few people left quakecon with these. I just don't think the spatial differences created by the X-Fi will be as spectacular in 5.1 or 7.1 as it is with headphones. If it is, it will only be on the highest end systems. There will be very little difference when using computer speakers in 5.1 to include the logitechs, the Rocket Tykes, the Klipsch in any form. The only difference will be the better transitional sounds from speaker to speaker. This is much better with the X-fi as compared to the Audigy 2 ZS, but it isn't as ground breaking as their new headphone technology.

Now don't get me wrong. This sound card was better than the HDA mystique, the Revo 7.1, the audiotrak prodigy and the like "IN GAMING", but it wasn't as much of a leap in 5.1/7.1 as it was in headphone use. If you are a gamer that uses headphones often or attend lots of lan parties, this is a sick sound card for your next setup.

Interesting. I have heard from elswhere comfirming your observation of this card sounding better than the most envy24 based solutions, but worse than EMU brand of cards. Having not heard it in person, I am in no place to add an opinion. Just wondering how it would compare to my modded EMU-1212M. What kind of amplification and replacement cabling did you have for hd-580 btw?

 

[XNice]

I would like to add that i have logitech z560 4.1 speakers... so im not running anything super great, just good enough to notice some difference. But after reading the stuff about the crystallization is there any way to use it on the audigy 2 cards?

 

[Skiguy411]

New review from Guru3d:

http://www.guru3d.com/article/sound/246/

 

[huesmann]

LOL @ you morons buying sound cards at video card prices.

 

[XNice]

lol @ you morons that cant afford to blow $130 for a new toy and laugh at us for doing so. get ya paper up.

 

[konakona]

Originally posted by: huesmann
LOL @ you morons buying sound cards at video card prices.

since when spending so much on video card is justified? i never spent over $100 on video cards LOL

 

[harpy82]

since when is $130 the cost of a video card ??
should be no less than $499.95 ............

anyway... does the X-Fi comes with 64-bit drivers ?? sorry if this question has been asked before......

 

[Moltres]

Originally posted by: huesmann
LOL @ you morons buying sound cards at video card prices.

LOL @ you morons who are so bored with yourselves that you read threads for the sole purpose of crapping on other peoples' interests. Please save your sound and video card money and buy yourself a life.

 

[nealh]

Hmm..these does seem very expensive for a soundcard..this what most expected when Aureal went belly up..creative has little or no competition now..ugh

 

[Skiguy411]

The way I see it is that I will be keeping this card for a good while. This card seems somewhat future proof and I'm willing to bet that I will be keeping it for at least 3-4 years and it still be one of the best. If only it were the same with video cards....

 

[Wag]

One of the more known issues for all previous generation products was that internal conversion between 44.1 and 48 KHz, that conversion could actually be heard on Audigy 4 and lower products, it's a huge task. The X-Fi sound processor is compiling it's data at 48 kHz yet the up and down conversion is managed in such an advanced way that there basically is no loss of sound anymore.

Yeah right. After all this time Creative is still not able to produce a soundcard that doesn't up and then downconvert? That was the most major complaint and this POS is still doing it? Sorry, but no thanks.

 

[Maus]

Yecch, I wouldn't give any money to Fatal1ty, let alone buy another Creative card.

 

[gi0rgi0]

Originally posted by: harpy82
since when is $130 the cost of a video card ??
should be no less than $499.95 ............

anyway... does the X-Fi comes with 64-bit drivers ?? sorry if this question has been asked before......

Uh, the x-fi fatality isnt $130. Its $270 and you can get a nice vid card
for that price. You dont need to spend $499. Heck a 7800gt is only $399.
And I just bought a $40 dollar audigy2 and it seems to get the job done.
Its alot better than the onboard sound i had been using.

 

[blckgrffn]

I saw an x-fi fatality at a local best buy yesterday for $200... pretty damn sure I did, anyway

 

[harpy82]

Originally posted by: gi0rgi0

Originally posted by: harpy82
since when is $130 the cost of a video card ??
should be no less than $499.95 ............

anyway... does the X-Fi comes with 64-bit drivers ?? sorry if this question has been asked before......

Uh, the x-fi fatality isnt $130. Its $270 and you can get a nice vid card
for that price. You dont need to spend $499. Heck a 7800gt is only $399.
And I just bought a $40 dollar audigy2 and it seems to get the job done.
Its alot better than the onboard sound i had been using.

yoh.. if u dun plan to answer my question about the 64 bit drivers.. dun quote my reply dude.... sorry i was speaking of the Xtreme Music instead.....

i believe non-music/sound enthusiasts should alredi stop thread-crappy about a nice deal.... they should be very happy that this new soundcard bring down the prices of previous versions.... which they r contented with ....

 

[HoosierDadE]

Originally posted by: Moltres

Originally posted by: huesmann
LOL @ you morons buying sound cards at video card prices.

LOL @ you morons who are so bored with yourselves that you read threads for the sole purpose of crapping on other peoples' interests. Please save your sound and video card money and buy yourself a life.

LOL @ you morons buying a life at video card prices!

 

[gimpsoft]

http://us.creative.com/shop/shopcategory.asp?category=1&


there back to pre order but now it's $279.99

no X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS yet on other stores
bestbuy has the plat and extreme music


wonder if you can solder a 64MB of ram and flash the card and just d/l the software for the X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS but will still be missing the X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS I/O Drive :laugh:

i know this guy who solders memory on the xbox oh well

 

[agentbad]

http://www.driverheaven.net/showthread.php?t=78049
http://www.driverheaven.net/showthread.php?t=75905

your welcome.

agentbad

 

[gimpsoft]

is creative also selling the X-fi chip to other vendors i remenber reading they were going to let other providers build there own cards is is it just BS
if so ill wait maybe better prices or better quality

 

[DarkSpeed]

Well I am hanging out for one of these cards to hit Australia.. I have been wondering about how much the cards are going to cost.. From what some people here have been saying, the card will end costing me around 5 to $600+ Australian..

That ain't a problem.. Also will get it on wholesale!

Also, why are people here raving on about * You can buy a topend vid card for that *..

What about the people who already have Topend GFX Cards, Just becoz you's couldn't afford a X-fi, let alone a TopEnd GFX Card. Don't give you the right to dis the soundcard that YOU can't afford..

Bottem Line: If you could afford it, you would have one and be braggin about it to ALL your Mates..

How about for thoes who can't afford it. Just Have A Nice Cup Of Shut The F&*K UP!!

HAVE A NICE DAY ALL!!

 

[XNice]

Originally posted by: DarkSpeed
How about for thoes who can't afford it. Just Have A Nice Cup Of Shut The F&*K UP!!

HAVE A NICE DAY ALL!!

you forgot the big grin....

 

[konakona]

Originally posted by: gi0rgi0

Originally posted by: harpy82
since when is $130 the cost of a video card ??
should be no less than $499.95 ............

anyway... does the X-Fi comes with 64-bit drivers ?? sorry if this question has been asked before......

Uh, the x-fi fatality isnt $130. Its $270 and you can get a nice vid card
for that price. You dont need to spend $499. Heck a 7800gt is only $399.
And I just bought a $40 dollar audigy2 and it seems to get the job done.
Its alot better than the onboard sound i had been using.

not really rag on you or anything.. but you make it sound like ATOT is strictly a gaming forum, which it is not. These messageboards have members with various backgrounds and many of them do not demand any 3d positional audio at all. Some are more than willing to pay extra money for improved sound, just as much as you would yearn for extra power for FSAA and all other "extra" stuff many others dont really see as a necessity. The whole point of discussion here is that creative is pushing the idea this card being not only a gaming card, but also an end-it-all audiophile card. Judging by limited reviews, it seems to sit somewhere between av-710 and unmodded EMU 0404/1212M, certainly a gigantic leap from substandard audigies. I am reserving my comment until I see enough first hand accounts by those who I trust, or get to have a hands-on experience. I am already more than convinced "Crystalizer" is clearly a gimmick, however. It does sound very overpriced for what it is, but dont be so quick to write off expensive sound cards; to an average joe, your extravagant spending on a $399 would also sound out of place.

 

[gi0rgi0]

Well the discussion was about the x-fi Fatal1ty edition soundcard. Fatal1ty = games. Get it ? K nuff said.

 

[Wag]

Hey, at least those of us with Audigy 1s (and above) finally get new drivers.

D/L Xi-Fi drivers from Creative's site and extract driver set, works fine- dated 8/8/05.

 

[Marthisdil]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
Do you guys have a proper set of speakers to take advantage of this card? And proper games as well?

Would be interesting to see a blind listening test between this card and a Audigy2 ZS using a variety of material and headphones/speakers.

I updated my sig just for you, jpeyton. You're welcome! and bump!