Creative Sound Blaster X-FI Xtreme Gamer

mcgriffo · 7 May 2007 at 23:22

Could I do better for this price range? (£50 ish)

Gets rave reviews for both gaming and MP3 enhancement

MeatLoaf · 7 May 2007 at 23:23

Nope, its a great card for the price

squiffy · 7 May 2007 at 23:27

MP3 enhancement

Which doesn't work. Sounds better both disabled (24 bit crystilizer and CMS3D)

mcgriffo · 8 May 2007 at 00:02

Wow - is that true?

I read a Custom PC review and they said that the Crystalizer worked really well with their mp3s - although it was a better option to leave it off if you were using a format that had better quality to begin with (i.e. lesser compression than mp3 I guess...)

That was a pretty big selling point, if it's still decent then I may still get it, but without the same boyish eagerness I had originally!

james.miller · 8 May 2007 at 00:16

the crystaliser can breathe some life in to those old recording that are pretty lifeless and dull, but otherwise no. it doesnt do anything useful

the x-fi is a nice card for the price

mcgriffo · 8 May 2007 at 00:25

And would you say there was no real advantage in getting the retial version over the OEM? (Apart from a nice box)

squiffy · 8 May 2007 at 00:26

Go for the OEM, you still get CD and case badge with it. Just paying for box.

jaxx · 9 May 2007 at 15:17

Brilliant card, even excels with headphones and a very good processor for running a Hi-Fi unit

Darren1987 · 9 May 2007 at 16:51

squiffy said:
Which doesn't work. Sounds better both disabled (24 bit crystilizer and CMS3D)

no it doesnt.. sounds better on xtreme music card with 24 bit crystaliser on. cmss 3d i do not like however.

squiffy · 9 May 2007 at 17:01

What's your sound system?

james.miller · 9 May 2007 at 17:21

...i was going to say something then but a just cant be bothered

schumi84 · 11 May 2007 at 11:40

james.miller said:
...i was going to say something then but a just cant be bothered

Lol, as said above, excellent card for the price, does my 7.1 inspire speakers proud.

smsmasters · 12 May 2007 at 10:13

I have the Shure E500 earphones (£230) for music listening and it sounds more "WOW" with the 24 bit crystallizer on.

I turn off CMSS-3D as it destroys the sound.

M0T · 12 May 2007 at 20:09

Everything sounds richer with the crystalliser on, its less flat and MP3 like. I really noticed when I had to take the card out for a bit.

CMS3D is terrible though, I have never understood why they bother with stuff like that, it just makes everything sound odd.

squiffy · 12 May 2007 at 20:14

M0T said:
Everything sounds richer with the crystalliser on, its less flat and MP3 like. I really noticed when I had to take the card out for a bit.

You need better gear then. Crystializer produces a unusual midrange warbling on bass guitar, I guess because PC speakers have limited midrange this boost helps. But on a Hi-Fi system it just makes it sound funny. It does make it more trebly, but it has side effects too.

smsmasters · 12 May 2007 at 23:18

M0T said:
Everything sounds richer with the crystalliser on, its less flat and MP3 like. I really noticed when I had to take the card out for a bit.

CMS3D is terrible though, I have never understood why they bother with stuff like that, it just makes everything sound odd.

CMSS3D is good for gaming and positional sound.

smsmasters · 12 May 2007 at 23:18

squiffy said:
You need better gear then. Crystializer produces a unusual midrange warbling on bass guitar, I guess because PC speakers have limited midrange this boost helps. But on a Hi-Fi system it just makes it sound funny. It does make it more trebly, but it has side effects too.

What sound system do you have?

squiffy · 12 May 2007 at 23:22

Rotel integrated and B&W 601, that's the PC audio system, I can use a higher end system that's elseware.

Buckster · 12 May 2007 at 23:38

you can do better - 2nd hand Audigy 4 Pro.

has the same DACs as the X-Fi Elite

Mark.

squiffy · 12 May 2007 at 23:40

Buckster said:
you can do better - 2nd hand Audigy 4 Pro.

has the same DACs as the X-Fi Elite

Mark.

or even better, M-Audio Audiophile 192.