X-FI Modding

gt_junkie said:
Hey gurusan,

Nice work - considering messing with an X-Fi i have sitting here. I was wondering whether your card model number was the SB0460 or SB0550.

I have the 460 variety - would i be right in assuming the OPamp you've used would work A-OK?

gt
Click to expand...

Yes, the mod works for both the SB0460 and SB0550....I have the SB0460 btw.

-Ad- said:
Sorry to bash the x-fi in here but the emu is superior than any creative card I have used in games. Sound quality isn't all about fancy gimmicks. Plus the drivers from Emu are awesome, never had any problems with them comapared to creative and some of their cards that friends PCs have had.

Plus the mods to a 0404 make a massive difference and don't cost particularly much. You need a fine tipped soldering iron (0.5mm) and a steady hand. Any help needed shoot me an e-mail (in trust).
Click to expand...

Well I haven't heard the EMU before, but I almost can't imagine how the sound could be better...then again, I'm only a noob audiophile but I do have a very good ear.
 
I also recommend changing out the crappy Jamicon power filter cap with something better with a super low ESR.

I used a Sanyo WG 16V 1500uF
 
Ok it seems cheaper to just mod my Gamer card than buy a new card :p can anyone give me a rundown of exactly what I'd need then? I found that above 90 o the windows volume dial that there is crackling on the left channel on low frequencies but below 90 it's gone. I suppose this is due to the lower quality components the XFI uses. What i'd like to know is the exact model numbers of the chips I'd need for best quality :D
 
Hmm I never had any crackling at high volumes on either of my xfis...

but anyway you just need an opamp for the line out/headphone out channel
http://www.national.com/pf/LM/LME49860.html#Availability

you can replace all of them if you have a surround system.

And like I said before, I recommend changing out the power filter cap. I found the Sanyo WG to work pretty well since it's not too physically big. You can find them on the bay
 
gurusan said:
I also recommend changing out the crappy Jamicon power filter cap with something better with a super low ESR.

I used a Sanyo WG 16V 1500uF
Click to expand...
Can't for the lfe of me find any...

All i can see are Rubycon MBZ and Nippon ChemiCon versions.

Look ok so i assume they'll be decent enough.

gt

Edit: Ignore me - just found them listed with the seller of the caps above. However, i just noticed that i can get 10 of the sanyos for the same price as 6 of the other two i listed above. Does that mean they would be better quality or would they be ultimately identical?
 
Last edited:
I don't know really. I heard good things about the Rubycon MBZ...also good things about the Sanyo WG.

Apparently the choice in cap can have a big impact on the sound signature, which I don't quite understand as it's only filtering power.

You can always get a socket and try different ones without having to resolder.
 
-Ad- said:
Sorry to bash the x-fi in here but the emu is superior than any creative card I have used in games. Sound quality isn't all about fancy gimmicks. Plus the drivers from Emu are awesome, never had any problems with them comapared to creative and some of their cards that friends PCs have had.

Plus the mods to a 0404 make a massive difference and don't cost particularly much. You need a fine tipped soldering iron (0.5mm) and a steady hand. Any help needed shoot me an e-mail (in trust).
Click to expand...
+1

What were you main mods? Bypassing filter caps of something a little more involved? I'm tempted to bust out the soldering iron out on my 1212m but it sounds so good right now I'm not sure if it will be worth it..
 
Gotta say, apart from one incident with winamp temporarily screwing the x-fi up... not had a problem with my fatal1ty fps... and I'm its second user.

To be honest, I can't honestly say I have noticed a sound difference from the onboard sound of my 4CoreDual! :( I put this down to using a basic Altec Lanseng 2.1 setup that doesn't exactly ooze sound quality.

I am interested in potentially modding it though, so please keep the comments and info coming gurusan :)

Matthew
 
Last edited:
altec lansing 2.1 setup ugh.

I use headphones so it's much easier to spot quality differences.

If you run a lineout to your 2.1 setup and it's amplified from there I don't think the opamp mod will do you much good tbh...as the opamp isn't doing much amping.

If you want to improve your SQ then I recommend either switching to headphones or getting a better 2.1 setup like the Aego M
 
That's actually a very good point you made there about the line out!

Secondly I did buy a decent 5.1 DD/DTS receiver and speakers for my PC, but stopped using it when I moved on from my old NF2 board. Hence why I have the 2.1 instead as I nabbed (asked for it!) from my father :) I doubt I'll bring the 5.1 upstairs again though as its being used with the plasma downstairs, so may invest in headphones as you say :)

Other than that... are there any mods that would increase the quality of the digital output for DD or am I just being completely crazy?

Matthew
 
I dont really know to be honest. I think that if you want to improve sound quality through your speaker system then you should be upgrading the speakers and external amp, and not so much the card.

Ask over at head-fi.org ...lots of info there
 
MikeHunt79 said:
+1

What were you main mods? Bypassing filter caps of something a little more involved? I'm tempted to bust out the soldering iron out on my 1212m but it sounds so good right now I'm not sure if it will be worth it..
Click to expand...

It was the first thing I modded, and scared me senseless when I did the SMT work.

I removed the output buffer capacitors (I think), then some buffer chips and just bypassed them. I put in some sanyo oscon caps in certain places and some black gates, then replaced the op-amp with an LT1364 replacement. Might replace that with an LM4562 op-amp as they sound amazing in my cd-player, but I think the 4562 are only single channel (need 2) whereas the emu had a single chip that handled both channels.

Got a custom cable aswell that goes straight to an amp with RCA plugs on the end.

Only cost me about £35 and made a big difference, then the cable was another £30. Won't be upgradeing as it sounds great with a headphone amp and any set of my headphones plugged in.

Hope that helps.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom