X-fi Modes

[imported_Imp]

For the past week I've been finding that my new x-fi has been sounding rather crappy in music and movies, but since I spent so much on it, I kept convincing myself that it was great.Afterall, it was better than my onboard. Well, turns out I was right (or wrong) all along, it was crap, Reason? It's been running in game mode for an entire week:roll: after I shut my system down on Sunday when I was playing CSS. In said week, no games were loaded once. Now, I can't believe the difference; it's like switching from onboard to a card all over again. So, anyone ever done this? Or has everyone already jumped on the third-party mode changer wagon?

 

[John]

http://www.freewebs.com/spectra9/xfmc.html

 

[PurdueRy]

Someone explain to me why anyone would want a mode where the SQ sucks...

 

[CP5670]

I forget to switch that mode all the time, although the problem is instantly identifiable when I load up a music file and it sounds like crap. That XFMC program looks worth trying.

Someone explain to me why anyone would want a mode where the SQ sucks...

Some games like BF2 need the game mode or they exhibit weird audio bugs.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: PurdueRy
Someone explain to me why anyone would want a mode where the SQ sucks...

Game mode is ideal for games that take advantage of EAX and positional audio, however it is not optimal for music or video playback. On my X-Fi XM in Game Mode I enable CMSS-3D Headphone, 24-bit Crystalizer @ 50%, and of course EAX. However as soon as I exit a particular game the X-Fi Mode Changer automatically switches me to Audio Creation. I do all playback thru Winamp and Foobar2K using ASIO, 44.1 kHz, and bit-perfect playback. No EQ or other effects....just perfect playback.

Foobar2K/Winamp/ASIO > X-Fi XM > RAM (Belden 1505F) SPDIF > Zhaolu D2C w/ discrete amp > K701

 

[buck]

lol, Thanks for the reminder, i was on game mode too...

 

[ta8689]

is onboard really that bad compared to a sound card when its on a high end mobo?

 

[John]

Originally posted by: ta8689
is onboard really that bad compared to a sound card when its on a high end mobo?

That depends on your definition of bad, your speakers/headphones, and ultimately your own ears.

 

[ta8689]

ive got an x-530 speaker set. If i were to even think about getting a sound card id get a z-5500 set with it.

 

[Oakenfold]

Originally posted by: ta8689
ive got an x-530 speaker set. If i were to even think about getting a sound card id get a z-5500 set with it.

Play BF2? X-FI+BF2+sennheiser=me hearing enemy vehicles much sooner than speakers or onboard sound, yes it's subjective but I sleep easier.

 

[BFG10K]

I just leave mine on gaming mode - music (lossless WMA) sounds fine.

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: John
http://www.freewebs.com/spectra9/xfmc.html

 

[imaheadcase]

The diffrence is night and day between game mode and swtching to entertainment mode.

Btw you HAVE to have game mode enabled to use X-Fi settings in BF2. No way around that.

If you enter the game in entertainment mode the game defaults to software mode.

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: John
http://www.freewebs.com/spectra9/xfmc.html

Every time the mode is changed, there is a taskbar pop-up notifying that the mode has changed. Is there a way to disable the pop-up?
This is an excellent utility. Thanks for posting the link.

 

[igowerf]

I didn't even know you had to change modes. Games sound great and so does music.

 

[Noema]

<---------------------Just got his X-Fi yesterday!!!

EDIT: And by the way, that linked app looks fantastic.

 

[imaheadcase]

Originally posted by: Navid

Originally posted by: John
http://www.freewebs.com/spectra9/xfmc.html

Every time the mode is changed, there is a taskbar pop-up notifying that the mode has changed. Is there a way to disable the pop-up?
This is an excellent utility. Thanks for posting the link.

A option lets you turn it off, here is picture if you did not see it under options..

http://img48.imageshack.us/my.php?image=xfichanger4hc.jpg

 

[fyleow]

..

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: imaheadcase

Originally posted by: Navid

Originally posted by: John
http://www.freewebs.com/spectra9/xfmc.html

Every time the mode is changed, there is a taskbar pop-up notifying that the mode has changed. Is there a way to disable the pop-up?
This is an excellent utility. Thanks for posting the link.

A option lets you turn it off, here is picture if you did not see it under options..

http://img48.imageshack.us/my.php?image=xfichanger4hc.jpg

Thanks

 

[imaheadcase]

Creative has not released a single driver update to X-Fi cards, other than latest beta for Vista and XP. It is about 1 YEAR since card has been out to.

They claim to release a offical driver next month, but they claimed that since March so not holding my breath.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: imaheadcase
Creative has not released a single driver update to X-Fi cards, other than latest beta for Vista and XP. It is about 1 YEAR since card has been out to.

They claim to release a offical driver next month, but they claimed that since March so not holding my breath.

The official driver is 7 months old, and the latest beta is less than one month old. The beta 2_09_0001 works like a champ on my rig, and as long as they keep updating I don't mind updating on my end.

 

[ViRGE]

Humm, I don't even change modes. Game sounds best to me on everything(headphone user).

 

[fyleow]

..

 

[John]

Originally posted by: ViRGE
Humm, I don't even change modes. Game sounds best to me on everything(headphone user).

Wow, you must not have very musical cans then.

fyleow, I am definitely a Head-Fi'er. The X-Fi doesn;t have the power to properly drive the Sennheiser 600/650's. The D2 w/ discrete headamp will drive the 600/650's without breaking a sweat (or your wallet). A nice feature with the Zhaolu D2 is that you can swap out opamps & DAC modules to tweak the overall sound signature. I have the CS4398 DAC & (4) 2604 opamps (1 is on the discrete headamp). Eddie Wu in Hong Kong also did the Blackgate and other various cap/resistor upgrades to my unit. My K701's are a real treat to listen to. However since I am always looking to upgrade I have a Headfive that should arrive any day now. I'll disconnect the amp in the Zhaolu to see how it compares.

 

[imaheadcase]

I notice a big diffrence on my sony MDR-v600 headphones between modes.