Creative X3 and Theater Headphones with X-fi

EsaT · 12 Oct 2019 at 21:29

R3X said:
oh from the wall switch also, something new to me I just thought energy waste wise it would fully switch off once the pc was shut down via start menu.

If you want to avoid electricity waste you better get multi socket extension cord with on/off switch and put PC hardware onto it.
Without being disconnected from mains PC and monitor both have standby power always on.
(same for printers, powered USB hubs, own power supply external drives...)

R3X · 12 Oct 2019 at 23:01

EsaT said:
If you want to avoid electricity waste you better get multi socket extension cord with on/off switch and put PC hardware onto it.
Without being disconnected from mains PC and monitor both have standby power always on.
(same for printers, powered USB hubs, own power supply external drives...)

cheers I did consider this but on research the savings per year is not that much vs the lazy factor of keeping apliances on standbye. But I do like the Green aspect !

Mik3 · 12 Oct 2019 at 23:04

R3X said:
Manual here:

https://fccid.io/2AJIV-SB1810/User-Manual/User-Manual-4402886

Thanks pal

I wasn't sure if I've figured out all the button combos.

Have you ordered on R3X?

R3X · 12 Oct 2019 at 23:06

Mik3 said:
Thanks pal I wasn't sure if I've figured out all the button combos.

Have you ordered on R3X?

nps will have to eventually I miss my AE5 too much with that clean high quality sound !

Mik3 · 12 Oct 2019 at 23:15

R3X said:
nps will have to eventually I miss my AE5 too much with that clean high quality sound !

What happened to the AE5? I'm glad to be rid of the problems with sound cards now, microsoft keeps messing up the sound with each update and there's no support from creative or asus.

b00merang69 · 12 Oct 2019 at 23:21

I have never had the Win10 issue on my ZxR but I never liked the card anyhow as sound not to my liking.

Hardware Sound was added back to Win 10 after being removed long ago in Vista/Win7 (cannot remember which but probably Win7 as that was the beginning of a cut down OS basically more suited to a phone than PC) so not sure why we do not see a proper hardware card again not SoundCore Chip and high CPU usage due to MS audio container EXE at times stopping PC idling while playing to music.

R3X · 13 Oct 2019 at 15:34

Oh there was no issue with my AE5, software or driver wise just my mate wanted it and got a good price on it.

Oddly I never experienced any major sound faults with my creative sound cards, well perhaps in the old days with a few conflicting IRQs and then used that 3rd party creative driver since creative were not supporting their older cards. But am a very basic user of film and music so minimum issue.

I noticed just now on my Soundblaster Z it does actually have Direct Stereo mode but its only reserved for Speaker output, not headphone otherwise it was a nice soundcard just not on the same level and quality of Direct Sound on the AE5 with headphone mode.

Anyhow its coming out, 93 quid for X3 should be here in a few days time

b00merang69 · 13 Oct 2019 at 17:34

I had to give up on Stereo Direct after testing with Amazon Music HD as when I restart PC I get no sound till I change any one setting and then change it back.

Mik3 · 13 Oct 2019 at 22:12

b00merang69 said:
I had to give up on Stereo Direct after testing with Amazon Music HD as when I restart PC I get no sound till I change any one setting and then change it back.

Is that with the X3? I'm using direct for both headphones and speakers and I don't have any problems like that.

b00merang69 · 13 Oct 2019 at 22:16

On my ZxR, due to R3X mentioning it about his Z series above my post and the ZxR does not do SD on Headphones only Speakers.

Mik3 · 13 Oct 2019 at 22:27

b00merang69 said:
On my ZxR, due to R3X mentioning it about his Z series above my post and the ZxR does not do SD on Headphones only Speakers.

Bloody terrible creative at times, they produce some great stuff but half the time it doesn't work as intended and the software is awful.

R3X · 13 Oct 2019 at 23:35

That's a pretty terrible bug, creative are pretty lazy with software and fixes I noticed massive gaps between AE5 driver releases too.

Hopefully with X3 won't need to deal with that issue ever again.

Is there anything special with X3 to set up under windows 10 or just plug it in and its ready to go ?

I already have wasapi plugin installed on foobar for my flac/high quality mp3 collection.

R3X · 16 Oct 2019 at 16:50

Got the X3 today

Am happy to report its just as good if not better then my AE5 sound card, only been listening to a few music tunes (foobar>Wasapi plugin and flac) on Direct Stereo mode its clean, detailed, accurate and separation is great, it feels like its packing a bit more power then my AE5 but not that I need that power since only use AKG K550s with low ohms.

You can control everything with Creative's Sound blaster Command software, volume, direct stereo or Xfi modes and mic and a quick flick setting between speakers or headphones, basically everything you can do via button pressing you can do on the software if your more use to it that way. You can also press down on the volume dial and it mutes instantly although that may be for another function.

No issues with the software so far, in fact it checked online automatically and found a new firmware release, no idea what it improved or fixed but when my PC is switched off the X3 100% switches off to save power (all lights go off) maybe they heard my Green Eco moaning

An excellent upgrade for 93 quid

b00merang69 · 16 Oct 2019 at 16:57

Mik3 · 16 Oct 2019 at 20:51

What do you think of the X-fi R3X?

R3X · 17 Oct 2019 at 14:07

Mik3 said:
What do you think of the X-fi R3X?

Early days still, I noticed a slight 3-4 sec lag with my bios upon start up. Disconnected the X3 and the bios start up lag vanished I think though this is normal since a USB soundcard is connected am only use to internal soundcards where they don't have this slight lag.

As I was testing the bios lag issue and trying different usb ports I noticed the SB blaster command software crashed during shut down a few times, I just clicked ok on the error message to continue shutting down, I guess this is due to SB blaster software being new and buggy.

I will also have to cover the blue neon lights its somewhat distracting in the middle of the night, I would have thought creative would allow you switch off all the lights via the software.

Not any major issues really, 3-4 sec lag is liveable, soundblaster command can be disabled on start up easily and opened and used when required via the short cut icon and blue tac can cover annoying led lights easily

Otherwise its a nice bit of kit, I do wish I kept my AE5 a bit longer and did a proper comparison but the X3 is a powerful sound card.

If Creative had released an soundcard with optical input and X-fi I would have opted for that, but id bet its in the pipe line.

Did you flash the firmware and did it fix your switching off auto on shut down issue ?

b00merang69 · 17 Oct 2019 at 14:38

Hmm do you not have a setting in the UEFI Bios to not wait on USB till Windows is loaded (I will get proper name later when I look)?

EDIT:

R3X · 17 Oct 2019 at 16:52

Cheers boom I did check but nothing as advanced as that in my bios settings, my Asrock board is pretty straight forward. Its not much of an issue waiting an extra 3 secs anyhow I don't notice it since windows loads at the same speeds. I think I would rather have all usb ports on too in case of system issues in future.

Have covered the blue neon lights with blue tack so its much better, will see how it goes after a good few weeks hopefully no real serious issues.

R3X · 17 Oct 2019 at 19:05

Tried Xfi once I mapped my head and ears and signed up

Good test demo here:

Found it was pretty bad, almost feels gimmicky and some marketing ploy to cash in on first listening. Switched it off and stuck to Direct Stereo for the purest and more accurate sound

Mik3 · 17 Oct 2019 at 20:52

I managed to get mine to shut down, it was a bios setting in chipset configuration named "deep sleep"