X-Fi ExtremeMusic vs Audigy2 ZS for my specific setup

[CactusJak]

I would like to buy a sound card for the system shown in my sig below. I'm using Klipsch ProMedia 4.1 speakers and I never use headphones. My primary concern is gaming. I rarely use my computer for listening to music. I'm limiting my choices to the X-Fi ExtremeMusic and the Audigy2 ZS based on price. The higher end X-Fi's are more than I want to spend right now.

I read an article about the X-Fi stating that in a game with really good sound (World of Warcraft and F.E.A.R. as examples) something called Smart Volume Management (SVM) will adjust the volume automatically in various situations. From the description in the article, this is exactly what I need. If I turn up the volume to hear all the subtle sound effects, the big sound effects are too loud. Does the A2ZS have this feature? Is it hardware or software that does this?

I've been using the on-board sound on my old ASUS A7N8X for a couple years, so either card will be an improvement. The DFI LP Ultra-D may have decent on-board sound, but either of these cards must be an improvement.

Since the ExtremeMusic doesn't have the XRAM, it really just comes down to sound quality, doesn't it? Is the X-Fi a large jump ahead of the A2ZS?

 

[ChiPCGuy]

Before you buy, wait a day or so to see how my thread plays out. It is title "Creative up to their old tricks?"

 

[PrayForDeath]

The X-fi also provides a surround headphones feature which you don't need, and the SQ improvement isn't that great over A2 (as I've heard), so I think you'd be better off with an A2.

 

[Pariah]

Is the X-Fi a large jump ahead of the A2ZS?

For only games? No. Go with the cheaper ZS.

 

[CactusJak]

What about the Smart Volume Management feature. Can anyone tell me if there's any difference between these 2 cards? If it works well, this could be an important feature for me.

 

[PrayForDeath]

I honestly haven't tried that feature yet on my Xfi. I'll report back soon.

 

[Valaire]

I had it on when playing CS 1.6 but found it had the opposite effect: It make gun fire to loud over voice com and footsteps. I turned it off and it made it better. I have the volume control enabled for music in music mode and right now disabled in game mode. I have not tried it in WoW yet.

 

[niggles]

I ran on my on board A7N8X sound for ages, then moved my Audigy original over to it and it was not any better. I recently upgraded my board and kept the Audigy in there but it was a little lackluster on BF2 so yesterday I made the plunge and bought an X-fi... WOW!!!! it's amazing for gaming. You can pick out all the individual sounds and if I'm not mistaken over all machine performance has improved slightly. I bought the vanilla music X-fi so there's no additional RAM on this, which makes me think perhaps I'm simply imagining the difference. I probably should of benched it before making the switch. Anyway, turning on all the effects is really quite stunning. I don't use speakers, I use Zalman 5.1 headphones. Not sure how much that helps the overall sound out given that the new X-fi set up gives the appearance of 5.1 sound in a pair of regular headphones. Whatever it is I'm in love with this card, it's simply mind blowing for someone coming from a regular Audigy. Not having tried the A2zs I can't speak to how much difference there is there directly. But from everything I've read it's a pretty big leap. PC Gamer gave the X-fi something like a 95%. They said buying the fatal1ty one was a waste of money, but the music version was more than enough, so that's what I bought.
Here's the gamespot review: http://hardware.gamespot.com/Sound-Blaster-X-Fi-Xtreme-Music-22364-O-16-25
My only complaint coming from my Audigy was no Firewire, only a gameport that I'll never use.
The big plus... try F.E.A.R. on it. I wasn't scared by F.E.A.R. up until I tried it with this thing last night. It really does a number on enviroment effects. I felt completely immersed.

 

[Valaire]

The thing I'm confused about is CMSS upmix mode for gaming: I understand it for music, and am using CMSS Stereo Surround right now over the Xpand mode. But what about for gaming? I've read elsewhre that turning on CMSS makes the sound 'smoother' but made no mention of which of the two modes (Xpand vs Stereo Surround) and what settings I should be using because both those modes refer to music listening.

So for those with 5.1 speakers, what do you guys do?

FYI, I have Klipsch 5.1 Pro-media Ultra's.

 

[niggles]

Well to be honest I just got this thing last night and assumed that the settings wizard that allows you to set the sound to Gaming would take of that. Am I being niave?