Creative Soundblaster X7 Install Issues

[ShaggyRS6]

Hi all,

I recently purchased an X7. It arrived yesterday and I cant get it to install on Windows 10. Whilst the OS detects the device I am unable to get it to load the drivers, I get a message that the drivers CAN be found but windows encountered a problem while trying to install them.

I did see a post on another forum that you can extract the EXE that you download from the Creative Labs site and then install via the MSI. I tried that and it failed.

Before I return, has anyone got any ideas or heard of similar issues?

Thanks all!

 

[PapaLazaru]

Possible corrupted driver download? Delete it and download again from Creative. Make sure you read the instructions about whether you want it plugged in or not when you install the drivers as some devices need to be plugged in afterwards.

Also boot into safe mode without networking when you install them as it will stop W10 try to find the generic drivers.

 

[ShaggyRS6]

Possible corrupted driver download? Delete it and download again from Creative. Make sure you read the instructions about whether you want it plugged in or not when you install the drivers as some devices need to be plugged in afterwards.

Also boot into safe mode without networking when you install them as it will stop W10 try to find the generic drivers.

Tried downloading all applicable versions of the software. Had it on off etc. Not tried safe mode. That will be last attempt then I will return.

 

[Timber]

I purchased an X7 just under one month ago (as per the thread on here). I plugged it in via USB and Windows recognised the device - no issues with that. After that I downloaded the lastest drivers foe the X7 from the Creative site. The only issue I had was the Creative program (is it called auto-update) was showing the drivers as needing to be updated but couldn't install them. However in reality I already have the latest installed.

It sounds to me that it is the first bit you are having issues with? Have you tried a different USB port? I think I read somewhere it wants a USB 2.0 port.

 

[ShaggyRS6]

I fixed it! Took me an age to find the right answer but it is below for future reference. I played around with the X7 for a few hours this evening, and to be honest, I read all the reviews of "i'm blown away" but i am really not blown away! I think the issue for me is I really wanted something to stand out from a music perspective. Yes this has all the bells and whistles for gamers, and whilst I do game, movies and music is what I do the most! There is a slight improvement over my X-Fi Fatality card, but not like light years! So now I am stuck with a decision to make. Keep it, I needed a new supported sound card anyway, or send it back and get something like the Schiit Lyr 3 which by all accounts is meant to be amazing. Now that wont give me surround sound in games, but I don't think I am looking for that!

Anyhoo, I hope my 3 days of pain helps someone

• you go into Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager.
• Device Manager will display the non working device
• right click on that device
• choose Update Driver Software
• choose Browse my computer fro driver software
• Enter "c:\windows\winsxs" in the edit field named "search for driver software in this location".
• Please verify that this directory exists on your computer. If your windows directory is named or located somewhere else, replace c:\windows by whatever you have.
• Driver Update will search c:\windows\winsxs for the drivers there, this will take a while.
• Good news. This will also fix this issue for subsequent driver installations - at least on my computer.

 

[Rroff]

X7 is nice from a features perspective and a fairly decent bit of hardware but if you want something that will make a noticeable difference sound quality wise from the X-Fi you'd probably get more mileage from the AE-5 though some might prefer a warmer or mellower sound for music but you could just go from the line out into an external amp to change the sound.

 

[ShaggyRS6]

X7 is nice from a features perspective and a fairly decent bit of hardware but if you want something that will make a noticeable difference sound quality wise from the X-Fi you'd probably get more mileage from the AE-5 though some might prefer a warmer or mellower sound for music but you could just go from the line out into an external amp to change the sound.

I agree, this is what I have narrowed it down too if I decide to return the X7, the Lyr 3 being the most desired.

• Topping D50
• Topping DX7s (I like the look of this, gets good reviews)
• RME ADI-2 DAC (I think to much for me)
• Schiit Stack (cant say that with a straight face) which would be Magni 3 and the Modi 2
• Schiit Lyr 3 - With the Multibit DAC and the Tung-Sol 6SN7 tube

 

[PapaLazaru]

What are you pluggung into it? Biggest audio quality gains tend to come from the other end, the speakers and headphones.

 

[Marsman]

X7 is a nice piece of hardware, but as it is in part a sound card, it can suffer from the usual things that can plague sound cards; in this case, it's software trouble.

Great thing about a DAC is that they are mostly free of the things that can make sound cards useless; of course though, you don't get the 7.1 sound effect stuff when using headphones, which is one of the main reasons people buy a sound card.

You can just use the X7 as a DAC though, so no need for software. Worth trying if you're going to sell it and buy one of the other DACs you've mentioned.

If you still want 7.1 effects stuff, then sell the X7 and get an AE-5.

 

[ShaggyRS6]

I think what I will do is keep my Fatality sound card in the machine and just use that as source when I need surround sound which is like almost never!

For reference I use speakers as my first weapon of choice when comes listening to music and movies. I have the JBL LS305 Monitors. As far as headphones go they are nowhere near reference quality and I use them from time to time. I have the Sennheiser HD 598's