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Sound blaster x fi sound card. Testing Creative X-Fi Cards: A New Audio Revolution

Two USB sound cards with high-quality DACs

In today's material, we compare two most interesting sound cards: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD vs. Asus Xonar U7. These are two products close in price and capabilities, in which the emphasis was placed on high-quality converters. At the same time, both cards at the time of this writing were on sale at a very low price, a little over 3 thousand rubles.

The forum called the Asus Xonar U7 "the best choice" in absentia, based on looking at photos and specifications. Many completely in vain forget about the need for a direct comparison of devices in terms of sound. Most are also unable to correctly interpret the measurement results.

Name

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD
Asus Xonar U7

The Creative card has a confusing name as it is not related to the X-Fi cards and is not related to the Titanium HD card. As a result, the release of the card went unnoticed. This product is not known to anyone at all, except for some enthusiasts of sound on the computer.

The Asus Xonar U7 also has an obscure name. The rather old U1 and U3 cards are budget products with integrated audio quality. U7 has nothing to do with past products in this series.

Price

creative: 3700 rub.
Asus: 3100 rub.

The cards cost almost the same, the difference in absolute values in price is not serious. More importantly, such an affordable price makes them interesting to a large circle of buyers. They have practically no competitors among USB-cards!

At the same time, the Asus card appeared quite recently. The manufacturer also reports that the Asus Xonar U7 Echelon Edition model will soon appear with an army camouflage body color and more functional drivers.

The target audience

creative: mass, audiophiles
Asus: mass, home theater

The Creative model is a card with full-size TRS headphone and microphone jacks. Interestingly, there is a Phono input for digitizing vinyl, with ground. It also works in the normal line input mode. THX and other proprietary processing is software only. For movies, there is an optical digital output for connecting a 5.1 receiver with a decoder.

You can connect 7.1 speakers to the Asus card by analogy, minijack connectors. The emphasis is on Dolby software included. Digital output - combined, optical / coaxial. Both cards have a line input, but in the case of Asus, the line input is combined with the microphone one, which is quite difficult to guess.

It remains a mystery why, in addition to the high-quality output, they loaded both cards with so many functions and software. This inevitably blurs the audience and distracts from the main advantage of the cards, namely quality DAC. The rest of the dregs are available in abundance in almost any sound card. In the description of sound cards and in the design of the boxes, as they say, "you can't see the forest for the trees." It is not clear who will organize a 7.1 cinema around a computer or laptop - this is inconvenient and unclaimed in practice. Fortunately, the user does not overpay much for all these additional features, since the price of the cards is very low.

Volume knob

creative: Miniature metal volume knob with original location. There is a mute function when you press the knob. It is not very convenient to use the pen, since it is located very close to the table surface: the fingers are in a very unusual position and slip on the surface.
Asus: The smooth handle is recessed into the body. Pressing the knob turns off the speakers in favor of the headphones and vice versa. It is inconvenient to use: considerable effort is required, otherwise the finger slips. The notch for the finger is made for beauty - it is much easier to adjust by pressing your finger where there is no notch.

In both cases, a non-stop digital controller is used. The ergonomics of the regulators is very conditional. Due to the combination of the functions of the regulator and the button, the Asus regulator has quite a noticeable backlash. Many users would prefer to remove the button, but that there is no play. Also, the recessed Asus knob is handy when carrying the audio interface. In all other cases, this decision looks controversial.

Illuminations

creative: blue LED on the top panel
Asus: 3 signal LEDs on the top panel

The activity indicator on the Creative card is brighter. In principle, for most this will not be a problem. But we had a keen desire to seal it with electrical tape so that it would not be an eyesore and would not be constantly visible with peripheral vision.

Headphone out location

creative: front
Asus: front

Both cards have connectors conveniently located.

Filling

creative: DSP Creative CA0189-2AG, AKM AK4396 2ch DAC (123dB), CS5361 2ch ADC (114dB).
Asus: DSP CM6632A, 2-channel Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC (120 dB), 6-channel Cirrus Logic CS4362A DAC (114 dB), 2-channel CS5361 ADC (114 dB).

The filling of both cards is very interesting. And this is the main feature of the cards, against the background of which everything else no longer interests anyone. The Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC is considered a class higher than the AKM AK4396.

All Creative USB sound cards have their own CA0189-2AG RISC processor running at 100 MHz. Unlike the usual DSP Creative, this chip does not have hardware sound processing. Its purpose is a fast USB 2.0 controller and a multi-channel interface to full-fledged I²S / I²C converter chips, such as those used by Cirrus Logic and AKM. There are two crystal oscillators soldered on the board.

Asus uses an interesting CM6632A chip that supports both HDA codecs and I²S/I²C converters. Number of channels - 8+2 (analogue + digital) output and 2+2 input. There is support for a frequency of 192 kHz. The chip can be clocked immediately from three generators, 12, 24.5 and 22.5 MHz, which was used by the creators of the card. It remains not very clear the decision to throw pasta from one edge of the board with the DAC to the other with connectors.

All processing in both cards is done exclusively at the software level. The maximum data rate of 96 kHz is not a big problem, since 192 kHz content is almost non-existent. Hi-Res did not give ordinary users anything and did not go to the masses, and aesthetes and Hi-End lovers are unlikely to be interested in $100 sound cards.

Auto switch to headphones

creative: there is
Asus: there is

When plugged into the headphone jack, the speakers are turned off. This feature was first implemented in integrated audio as part of the AC'97 and HDA standard. First, the detection of connected headphones was carried out by impedance, and then by a mechanical sensor. External cards with good transducers are not inferior to integrated sound in this matter. However, in practice this can cause problems.

Complete software

creative: a set of software on the disk, driver update on the manufacturer's website
Asus: the same installation kit on the CD and on the manufacturer's website

The software disc is similar to all other Creative products.

The appearance and contents of the Entertainment Console of the X-Fi card have already been described more than once in our materials. The Audio Control Panel is included right away and allows you to control absolutely all the settings without the nooks and crannies of the graphical menu, with the exception of the equalizer. Creative Volume Panel - it is not clear why the necessary program is supplied for the assortment. An important difference between drivers for XP: they provide a choice of frequency and bit depth directly from the Entertainment Console. The frequency is limited to choose from: 48 or 96 kHz, regardless of the OS. This choice is typical for all Creative USB sticks.

The Asus map panel is very strange. Parameters can only be selected through the context menu with the right mouse button!

There is an interesting parameter for setting the headphone output volume limit.

in the wilds Asus settings has a separate option - Dolby Home Theater v4, which seems to have surpassed the number of "improvers" creative cards.

Support 44 kHz

creative: No
Asus: there is

The Creative card contains two crystal oscillators and also has support for 44 kHz at the DSP level. However, drivers for neither Windows XP nor Windows 7/8 support operation in 44 kHz mode: in the device settings, you can only set 48 kHz or 96 kHz. In a map for audiophiles, this indicates either inadequacy or complete incompetence of the developers. To listen to music in 99.9% of cases, a frequency of 44 kHz is used. We are looking forward to the comments of the map developers themselves.

The Asus card has support for all frequencies: 44, 48, 88, 96, 192 kHz.

Availability of an ASIO driver

creative: No
Asus: there is

The lack of an ASIO driver for Creative cards is beyond our understanding. The best listening option for a Creative card is the WASAPI interface and software resampling in the player. Converting from 44 kHz to 48 or 96 will always be forced by the Windows sound engine, or it is necessary to select the conversion on the fly in the media player. For example, in the player foobar 2000:

Sound in speakers

Listening was carried out on active monitors Adam S2.5A and Adam ARTist 5. For comparison, very well-known sound cards E-MU 1616M (CS4398) and E-MU 0204 USB (AK4396) were involved.

First surprise: all cards play completely differently! In terms of sound quality, the E-MU 1616M is in first place, E-MU 0204 USB is in second, Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD is in third, and Asus Xonar U7 is in fourth.

The sound of the Asus card is the least like the E-MU 1616M (despite the same DAC installed). Asus' distortion problems are to blame, since we know for sure about the unsurpassed implementation of the analog output on the 1616M card. This is a measurable 120 dB signal / noise, and a measurable 0.0003% distortion, and a wonderful clean sound to the touch. The 1616M is not much inferior in sound to the best implementations of rack studio devices, comparable to Pro Tools HD and Lynx Aurora, so we boldly choose the 1616M sound as a reference for devices in the sub-$150 category. E-MU 0204 USB concedes quite a bit. X-Fi HD sounds brighter and more accentuated on the highs, so with all the showiness it is a little further away from the original sound. Xonar U7 disappointed us with meager highs and a rather sluggish sound. Perhaps this problem is solved by flashing or drivers; We will certainly clarify this issue with the manufacturer. In any case, there should be no distortion of 0.01%. Both the digital and analog parts of the card are capable of more.

Let's scold Creative for the lack of a 44 kHz mode. This is simply inexplicable, nonsense! How can you make an audiophile card, put two crystal oscillators and forbid it to work at 44 kHz? Do not provide the user with an ASIO driver that bypasses Windows? This is just the wildest incompetence of developers. In the E-MU 0204 USB - a device for the same money - there are no such problems! It feels like one division of Creative is competing mercilessly with another: stubbornly developing a bicycle with square wheels when a racing sports car has long been developed and tested in the next room.

Headphone sound

We used Sennheiser HD600 (300 ohm) and Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro (250 ohm) high-impedance headphones.

The volume is enough in both cases, but the Asus card has almost no headroom. Creative was able to surprise us once again. In terms of sound quality, the places were distributed as follows: E-MU 1616M is in first place, Sound Blaster X-Fi HD is in second, E-MU 0204 USB is in third, and Asus Xonar U7 is in fourth. The professional interface E-MU 0204 USB, in principle, performed well, but X-Fi HD looked like a clear favorite against its background and had a significantly larger volume margin. The Asus Xonar U7 is the quietest card, but its volume rises sharply when processing is turned on. Perhaps this was done intentionally so that there was a so-called headroom for Dolby technologies and other auto-equalizers. Thus, the Asus card is the least suitable for simple listening to music; the emphasis is placed on the effectiveness of processing. The squeals and hoots of the card fans remain completely incomprehensible to us.

Measurements in RMAA

Tests at the RMAA gave an "Excellent" rating. This means that there are no frank jambs in the devices. It doesn't mean anything anymore. (But as soon as artificial intelligence makes it unnecessary to analyze human measurements, we will be the first to tell you about it!)

Both cards were tested through their own path as they have the same high quality CS5361 ADC.

Noise is slightly better than Asus, distortion - Creative. We were concerned about how the Asus graph looked in the floating tone IM test: usually anomalies in this test indicate frequency conversion or some other digital processing. We double-checked all the settings several times. The results don't change. We ran additional tests on clean installed Windows XP and Windows 7. We used the latest drivers and latest firmware. There is only one result: the Asus card has about 10 times more distortion at high frequencies.

We've spent quite a bit of time with Creative's latest sound card called the X-Fi. Although outwardly it looks like a regular PCI sound card, the model features a completely new and improved hardware. So there is something to pay attention to. In this article, we have collected all the experience gained during the year when we tested the pre-release versions. In addition, we recommend that you read the two previous articles on X-Fi technology.

As the Steel Was Tempered

Creative sound cards have evolved since the release of the first model, the Sound Blaster PRO in 1991, which provided 8-bit sound. It was followed by the famous AWE 32 and Live!, and then the Audigy line, which was the de facto standard for sound cards until today. X-Fi cards represent a huge leap forward in power and processing capabilities digital sound. The evolution can be clearly seen in the following table.

Sound card	Pure MIPS	MIPS value for an average processor	Internal audio channels	Normalization factor in MIPS number relative to Live!	Number of simultaneous real-time effects	Number of transistors
Sound Blaster Pro	?1	3+	-	0.0001x	-	100 000
AWE 32 (EMU8000)	67	200+	-	0.2x	-	500 thousand
Live! (10k1)	335	1000+	16	1x	1	2 million
Audigy (10k2)	424	1250+	64 (as applied to the effects engine)	4x	4	4.6 million
Creative XFi	10340	30000+	4096 (to all processing elements)	67x	8	51.1 million

Notes

Net MIPS: The number of add instructions multiplied by the execution rates that can be applied to the signal data. This does not include any operations that a typical processor must additionally perform to process the signal data.
MIPS value for the average processor: an estimate of the computational requirements imposed on a typical processor in 1998, when the Live! line was launched. As expected, a typical processor from 1998 can be programmed to perform the same functions as the Live!, Audigy or X-Fi chips. In such processors, not all algorithms are executed efficiently. Therefore, to perform the same tasks as Live!, Audigy or X-Fi, they have to provide more power in MIPS. The difference can be 3x.
For more information on these measurements, please visit Creative website .

It should be emphasized that Creative, unlike most competitors, has always installed a real sound processor on their cards, and did not use a simplified codec that loads the CPU. This approach gives the card superiority in games, where Creative was able to free up additional CPU resources for sound, but leads to disadvantages in other areas. Processors used in Live! and Audigy operate at a native frequency of 48 kHz, which creates some problems when working at 44.1 kHz, and you can forget about processing higher sample rates. With the release of X-Fi, all these problems have disappeared: digital processing is now available for any available sampling rates.

X-Fi is not just a new chip. Unlike traditional audio processing chips, which have a fixed serial architecture, the X-Fi Audio Ring architecture provides any processing sequences needed for a given task. That is, X-Fi has a truly modular architecture, with each module connected to the Audio Ring, a kind of backbone through which up to 4096 audio channels can pass.

But the Audio Ring trunk hardly makes sense to compare with a professional mixer, since it supports much more capabilities - such as communication with PC memory via a PCI interface with a fairly high bandwidth.

The following table shows the distribution of processing power of the X-Fi chip by main modules. We will look at some modules in detail, such as the Sample Rate Converter (SRC), a new technology that, as you will see, takes the lion's share of processing power.

Pure MIPS
Sample Rate Converter (SRC)	7310
Filter	200
Mixer	1210
Storage (Tank)	440
DSP (DSP)	1180
Total	10340

In practice, X-Fi card users are offered three configurations corresponding to three types of tasks: games (Gaming), entertainment (Entertainment) and music creation (Creation). The following table lists the main features of each configuration, which we will explore in more detail in the drivers and software section.

In addition, it should be noted separately that the X-Fi chip is not tied to the USB bus: it can be used with USB, FireWire or PCI Express interfaces. It is quite possible to expect the release of special versions of the chip for the field of consumer electronics.

We are waiting for the simultaneous release of four X-Fi cards that will satisfy the needs and desires of different categories of users. The X-Fi XtremeMusic card can be considered a basic model for music, entertainment (DVD and games), and other less demanding applications. You will receive a PCI card without any add-ons. Directly accessible interfaces (only 1/8" mini-jacks) are limited to the FlexiJack input (it can be used as a microphone input, line input or optical S / PDIF input) and speaker outputs. The latter, quite understandably, support 7.1 acoustics, as well as three mini-jacks on previous Creative 7.1 cards Note that the stereo output (the first mini-jack) can be used as a headphone jack The card has an interface for plugging in an external module in case you wish to upgrade The card itself contains an additional an input, as well as another expansion connector for connecting an internal module.In addition, the card can be found expansion interface of Creative's own format, the purpose of which we still do not know.

The next model, X-Fi Platinum, has all the features of the base card (in fact, both boards look identical), but in the package you will receive an internal module for a 5.25" bay. The module has a line / microphone input with level control (1 /4" jack), line-in, digital optical and coaxial inputs and outputs, and a headphone jack with volume control. There you will also find MIDI interfaces (mini-DIN). The package includes adapters for standard MIDI connectors. In addition, we note the presence of an IR remote control remote control. All in all, all the above features make this card recommended for hobbyists who like a large number of interfaces and easy access to them.

The more specialized Fatal1ty FPS model is very close to Platinum, including PCI card and internal module, but it is aimed at hardcore gamers. The board has 64 MB of additional memory (X-RAM), which allows you to increase performance in games that support this technology.

Finally, let's move on to the top model X-Fi Elite Pro, which consists of a PCI card and an external module, which is quite large and supports both vertical and horizontal installation using the included stand. Of course, the user will also receive a remote control. Our testing will be built, for the most part, on this model. In addition, we will look at it in more detail because of the high-quality converters, thanks to which the card provides the best sound quality.

The remote control comes with all versions except for the base XtremeMusic. It lets you control a number of features like Crystalizer, EAX, CMSS-3D and 3DMIDI, as well as lets you play files and make important adjustments like volume. On the Elite Pro external module, you can access the same adjustments using the rotary functions - very convenient. In addition, the knob functions display illuminated indicators, so it's hard to make a mistake.

Creative Labs X-Fi Elite Pro
Interface	PCI
Main chip	CA20K1 (XFi)
Max. sampling frequency	192 kHz
Quantization	24 bits
ASIO	24 bit/96 kHz
Inputs
On the map	Microphone / line / digital SP / DIF with adapter, line Molex (on the board itself)
On the external module	Hi-Z line, mic/line, headphone/line, optical and coaxial S/PDIF
exits
On the map	8 for acoustics (7.1), 1 optical and coaxial S/PDIF (mini-jack)
On the external module	1 optical and coaxial S/PDIF, 1 adjustable microphone
DVD and cinema
Standards	Dolby Digital EX, DTS-ES, S/PDIF output
Configuration	Up to 7.1
DVD Audio	Yes
3D sound in games
Standards	DS3D, A3D, Open AL, EAX 5.0
Configuration	2 to 7.1
MIDI
Software synthesizer	Creative Sound Founts 24 bit
Enter exit	Prises standard (DIN)

The PCI card has one input (1/8", 3.5 mm mini-jack) called FlexiJack, which can be configured via the driver to work as a line input, microphone input or digital interface (input and output). On an external module The Elite Pro is loaded with interfaces.The front panel features two 1/4" (6.35mm) level-adjustable input jacks. The first, depending on the position of the control knob, can serve as both a line input and a high-impedance (Hi-Z) input, the most practical use for which would be connecting musical instruments such as an electric guitar. The second input is more standard - it can be used as a line or microphone.

Behind there is another entrance on the "tulips". With a small switch, it can be configured as a line input or turntable input (phono) with RIAA equalization. Great idea - now you can listen to your vinyl record collection and easily digitize it. Please note that the player should also be connected to the "ground" - this detail is often forgotten ...

Add to that optical and coaxial digital S/PDIF inputs, as well as a pair of "tulips" for MIDI input and output. Finally, we note a special connector for Creative speakers.

If you look at possible connections, then Creative's commitment to consumer-grade equipment will become clear - there is no, say, a balanced input here. However, the set of ports is quite complete: microphone, line and headphones, plus the added ability to connect a musical instrument via a simple standard cable. So the design of the card will fully satisfy the needs of fans.

There is nothing particularly noteworthy on the X-Fi PCI card. In general, in appearance it is easy to confuse it with any other Creative model. It is interesting to note that the X-Fi chip (CA20K1) turned out to be much more compact than the same Audigy chip. There will be two different cards in the X-Fi lineup. The Elite Pro version uses Cirrus Logic CS4398 (192kHz, 120dB) D/A converters and an AKM AK5394 A/D converter (192kHz, 123dB). The second version of the PCI card for less expensive models is equipped with Cirrus Logic CS4382 D/A converters (192 kHz, 114 dB) and a Wolfson WM8775 chip, which contains a mixer for four analog sources and an A/D converter (96 kHz, 102 dB).

The Elite Pro external module uses TI Burr-Brown PCM1804 A/D converters (192kHz, 111dB). The headphone jack uses a Cirrus Logic CS4392 D/A converter (192 kHz, 114 dB). The result is very simple: the best line-in is provided by the Elite Pro PCI card. However, the inputs on the module are of sufficient quality for most applications.

Among the various blocks that make up the X-Fi architecture, the Sample Rate Converter (SRC) may seem the most mysterious and least interesting to most users. But pay attention to the table at the beginning of the article: it uses the largest share of computing power! To understand the importance of this block, let's dive a little deeper into the nature of digital audio.

The sampling rate corresponds to the number of times per second that the signal is read. For example, for conventional audio CDs it is 44,100 times per second (Hertz, Hz). Today, the frequency range has become wider - it all depends on the source (the same DVD or DVD-Audio). In addition, even sources with the same theoretical value can differ significantly, since in practice the frequency does not always exactly match the theory. When mixing multiple sources, this frequency spread can lead to noticeable sound defects. Professional equipment used in studios uses synchronization systems that are not available in consumer solutions. The interaction between different types of equipment is even more complex. Sample rate conversion could solve all the problems, but until today it was considered a workaround. In some cases - at least in the fundamental essence of the work - the conversion can degrade the quality of the signal, especially if not a lot of computing power is spent on it.

However, for SRC, Creative used a new architecture that makes sound signal completely transparent. Converting the 997-Hz test signal from 44.1 to 48 kHz resulted in -136 dB distortion and +0.00025 dB. That is, distortion and noise turned out to be less than other audio components can give, so it can be guaranteed that there are no artifacts associated with the conversion.

Digital signal processing from 44.1 kHz to 48 kHz with SRC.

The level of distortion and noise (THD + N, distortion + noise) when converting from 44.1 to 48 kHz. You simply do not have a chance to notice this transition!

SRC is not only a technical achievement, but also a tool that allows the X-Fi card to deliver the promised quality in many areas. The first advantage is synchronization digital signals, but it's also possible to create effects like environments or motion with much higher fidelity than any consumer hardware before X-Fi.

With SRC you can easily and accurately create the Doppler effect!

The principle of operation of traditional digital synchronization.

X-Fi digital synchronization is handled entirely by the SRC unit.

Finally, SRC allows savings in areas like sound synthesis, in particular, in storing samples for playing music. The block allows you to transparently convert a small number of samples to output a wide range of notes by adjusting parameters such as pitch and vibrato.

As we noted above, X-Fi cards support three modes of operation: entertainment (Entertainment, for tasks like listening to music or watching DVDs), games (Games) and sound creation (Audio Creation, sound and music). The Mode Switcher allows you to select any of them, while the map configuration changes to give the best quality in the selected area. In addition, the set of functions and the control panel also depend on the selected mode. Below is a table showing all this.

The Mode Switcher allows you to select the level of map functionality that best suits your area of interest. It only takes a few seconds to configure an X-Fi card.

	Entertainment	Audio Creation	Games
3D MIDI playback	Yes	Yes	Yes
Working with 3DMIDI	Not	Yes	Not
EAX ADVANCED HD 5.0	Limited	Limited	Yes
EAX ADVANCED HD 4.0	Limited	Limited	Yes
EAX ADVANCED HD 3.0	Yes	Yes	Yes
Number of auxiliary effects	2	4	4
Max. number of reverbs	1	2	4
Effects on input sources	Not	4	Not
ASIO Output Channels: Dry	1 pair	5 pairs	1 pair
ASIO output channels: FX	Not	4 pairs	Not
ASIO input channels: WUH	8	8	8
ASIO Input Channels: Basic	2 (1 pair)	2 (1 pair)	2 (1 pair)
ASIO 2.0 support	Limited	Yes	Limited
ASIO 2.0 direct monitoring	0	12 (6 pairs)	0
Bit-Matched Playback	Not	Yes	Not
Bit-Matched Record	Not	Yes	Not
CMSS-3DSurround	Yes	Not	Yes
CMSS-3DHeadphone (Headphones)	Yes	Not	Yes
CMSS-3DVirtual (2 columns)	Yes	Not	Yes
CMSS-3DVirtual (4 columns)	Not	Not	Yes
CMSS-3D Interactive	Yes	Yes	Yes
Crystalizer 24 bit	Yes	Yes	Yes
Graphic equalizer	10 stripes	10 stripes	10 stripes
"Smart" volume control (Smart Volume Management)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bass Management	Extended	Not	Extended

In Entertainment mode, you get a music center-like screen with multiple windows that allow you to adjust numerous functions. Among them there are both well-known windows and windows that are not very different (at least in appearance) from the old Creative cards - the same 10-band equalizer, mixer and speaker settings. Other windows are completely new - like Crystalizer, or completely redesigned old versions - like CMSS. We'll take a closer look at these features in a bit.

In Entertainment mode, the control panel resembles a music center.

The mixer can be called a classic.

Here we get the well-known equalizer from early Creative cards, whose capabilities are identical to previous versions.

There are no surprises in the choice of speaker configuration. With the help of a listening test, you can check their correct location.

In Game mode, we get a very compact screen with many of the settings mentioned above, but game-specific features also appear here. On the mixer panel, you can turn on the EAX effects, as well as adjust the ambience effects for the microphone. Plus, you'll get a more powerful version of EAX: 5.0!

For games, you can enable EAX effects and change your voice by processing the signal coming from the microphone.

The Creation mode is a completely different world. Here it is better to be familiar with professional musical equipment. On the screen, you will get a mixer with advanced features. We will not dwell on them in detail, since they are very extensive, and at the time of writing this article, we do not have detailed information. Help in the software is very scarce, however, the presence of buses and user-bound I/O provides very interesting possibilities. For example, you can link any input to any output, or assign mixed audio to one or more outputs. It seems to us that such opportunities will appeal to many, including DJs.

For musicians, in addition to a wide palette of effects, an important novelty will be the 3D MIDI function, which makes it very easy to arrange MIDI sound in space - this new feature is easily accessible even for amateurs! Of course, the sound creation mode opens the door to ASIO 2.0 support and allows you to freely select the sample rate from standard values. If you select 96kHz, the effects selection menu will not disappear, unlike previous Creative cards. For X-Fi, all effects work regardless of the selected frequency. But be careful: files can get large!

In Creation mode, you can send stereo sound to eight 7.1 channels. This interesting feature will appeal to some users.

You can add parametric equalization to the input to correct a bad sound source or apply some kind of effect.

The reverb tab is pleasing to the eye. However, some users may be put off by it.

Thanks to the support of 3D MIDI technology, the MIDI source can be freely positioned in space. We think this feature allows musicians to create some very interesting effects.

You can freely choose any standard sample rate!

The diagram allows you to understand the principle of mixing the card. It, unfortunately, is only partial, but gives an idea of control and adding effects.

There are so many options available in the Creation mode that it is hardly possible to go into detail about each of them. For example, there is a 24-bit SoundFonts, as well as the ability to work with ASIO drivers 2.0 with very low latency (2ms). Although X-Fi is not specifically aimed at musicians, they will find some very interesting possibilities.

Among the X-Fi modules, Crystalizer can be noted, which operates in three modes. We have already described it in detail in previous article about X-Fi so we won't repeat ourselves.

The Crystalizer has only one adjustment, graduated as a percentage. With the Elite Pro card, you can change the effect level using the remote control or directly on the external module. In general, we were hoping to get more complete adjustment features, but Creative's main goal is ease of use.

While listening, the Crystalizer processing really gives a more realistic sound that is close to what you get at a real concert. The sound has significantly improved dynamics, and it gives the impression of an expansion of the frequency response - of course, it is not there, but the impression arises from the increased clarity of low frequencies and additional processing of the upper part of the sound spectrum. Of course, the Crystalizer effect is highly dependent on the type of sound being processed. It will be almost imperceptible to the sound, whose level changes slightly. But records with lots of percussive sounds and transitions will sound better. We took different types music, and after Crystalizer it was very difficult for us to return back to the usual level of playback. It seemed to us that the sound of an ordinary card can be compared with a concert venue covered with a thick curtain.

It is quite clear that in order to obtain the quality of the Crystalizer, the playback system (amplifier and speakers) must be appropriate. Speakers are required to reproduce an increased dynamic range without the appearance of distortion. In addition, you should adjust the level of the Crystalizer for the type of music. It is hardly reasonable to set one level for techno and opera! Yes, and the level of operation of Crystalizer should be set depending on the characteristics of the original recording.

Today, as more and more consumers become familiar with surround sound, pure stereo, while still the most common format, seems outdated. If you're used to listening to 5.1 surround sound (or better), then stereo will seem a little "thin". In addition, it is hardly reasonable to use only two channels if your acoustics are multi-channel.

The CMSS technology that Creative has been promoting for some time now was designed (like many other similar solutions) to solve the problem of splitting two channels into 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound. Until now, the result could not be called very successful. But thanks to the high power of X-Fi, this technology, which is called CMSS 3D, now gives a much better result. We described the principle of operation of the technology in previous material .

In practice, the X-Fi version of CMSS 3D has received several modes, depending on the type of your equipment and the sound being processed. The first mode decomposes stereo into 5.1 or 7.1, but the technology can also create virtual surround sound if you only have two speakers. Finally, the third mode significantly improves the quality of listening on headphones, as we will see below.

The CMSS 3D technology handles the multi-channel stereo output very effectively, adding both surround sound and preserving the center channel of the virtual stage. In a normal recording, the singer will be exactly in the center of the sound space and will not "travel" around the stage due to inaccurate recording or playback. On the other hand, as you might expect, decomposing stereo into multiple channels of CMSS 3D does not provide the quality that a full-fledged multi-channel source can provide. The card creates an effect, but does not create magic. This will become apparent if you listen to records that exist in two versions: like the Jean-Michel Jarre album (Jean-Michel Jarre) Aero or Feels Like Home by Norah Jones. Of course, reproduction of a surround environment can impress the listener - it all depends on the original recording. At the same time, old albums can sound completely new. Since they were not made in today's "sterile" studios, they contain environmental information that is very interesting to perceive when reproduced realistically. This is especially true for all recordings "live", for example, opera.

Decomposition of stereo sound into several channels works great in movies. Watch a DivX movie with stereo sound that you've watched before in Dolby Digital and you'll be blown away. Of course, CMSS 3D can't produce original spatial sound, but it comes very close!

For our testing, we have converted a DVD movie to DivX "Toy Story 2". The introductory video for this film is a good example of spatial sound. CMSS 3D technology has coped with the placement of most rear sound sources on the right and left. The move to Dolby Digital has improved the sound positioning accuracy. In particular, if the action starts from behind, say - moving from the rear right corner to the front left. But Creative's decomposition is still very good - much better than Dolby Pro Logic II, which often makes the sound unnatural and never does a good job of outputting sound to the rear speakers. If you often watch DivX movies and also use your PC as a living room video player, you won't forget the X-Fi surround sound.

Quite logically, the package includes Creative MediaSource software. We used it to enjoy recording opera with CMSS 3D processing.

Of course, there is no problem with playing an originally multi-channel track - be it a Dolby Digital or DTS movie. CMSS 3D promises "surround" sound on just two speakers, but here the result was not so convincing. Of course, the sound picture is much superior to stereo, but it does not reach the level of 5.1 or 7.1 acoustics. This processing will be fine if you have only two speakers at your disposal, but we strongly recommend moving to a multi-channel system for watching movies.

The third CMSS 3D mode is specially designed for listening with headphones. Traditional headphones are indispensable, but they have a number of disadvantages. In particular, they cannot create a realistic sound stage. In headphones, the sound seems to come from the center of the head or sometimes from above. But sound is limited to the outside of the skull. With the CMSS 3D Headphone mode, you can also enjoy 3D sound with headphones. The difference will not only be in the placement of the various sound sources, but also in what Creative calls "externalization" - creating a believable soundstage.

Let me explain the principles behind the positioning of sound sources in headphones. There are three factors at work here: ITD (Acoustic Time Difference, Interaural Time Difference), ILD (Acoustic Level Difference, Interaural Level Difference) and HRTF filters, which reshape the sound by adding reflections and refractions caused by your body, head and ear.

For stereo sound, CMSS 3D continues to extract environmental information from the recording to give the listener the feeling of being at the center of the action. But, of course, this effect is more impressive with a multi-channel source (movies in Dolby Digital or DTS), as well as in games. Headphones are no longer a punishment as they used to be, and provide their own listening pleasure. But, as it seemed to us, there is still room for improvement in the arrangement of the front and rear sources. However, let's not be categorical - everything depends very much on individual perception. Also, we personally felt that the sound sources were placed too high, so it would be nice to add an adjustment for this "height".

Test system and sound measurements

Our test system hasn't changed, and it delivers enough power for an X-Fi card. Please note that in order to install new cards, your PC must provide a certain level of power. If it is weak or of poor quality, then problems may arise, especially when working with additional modules. We encountered such problems on an ordinary consumer-level machine, where a lot of different hardware was already installed: it simply stopped loading due to a weak power supply.

Hardware
CPU	Pentium 4 2.4 GHz
Memory	1 GB DDR
Graphic card	nVidia GeForce Ti4200
HDD	80 GB, 7200 rpm
optical drive	DVD LG16/48X
OS	Windows XP Pro SP2
Direct X Version	9.0c
speakers	Creative Gigaworks S750, Logitech Z2200
Video playback	Power DVD, Win DVD
measurements	Right Mark Audio Analyzer 5.4, Right Mark 3DSound 1.24, DAAS audio measurement system, Neutrik 3337 audio measurement system

All tests were carried out on the X-Fi Elite Pro card. As we mentioned above, the differences between this card and the other three models lie in the quality of the DAC and ADC. The table below shows the quality levels offered by different cards in the X-Fi line. As you'll see, the main difference is in the recording/playback tests where we went from 112dB S/N for the Elite Pro to 98dB for the other cards. As for playback, the difference is less noticeable, since only one converter (DAC) is used. As we pointed out above, the line input located directly on the PCI card has the best quality.

Model		X-Fi Elite Pro	Other
Digital Audio Playback	Frequency response unevenness	Lo -1dB Hi -1dB 46kHz	Lo -1dB Hi -1dB 45kHz
	Channel Interpenetration	L-R: -112 dB R-L: -112dB	L-R: -105 dB R-L: -105dB
	Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)	116 dB	109 dB
		0,00%	0,00%
Line in / line out Recording and playback	Frequency response unevenness	Lo -1dB Hi -1dB 45kHz	Lo -1dB ~17Hz Hi -1dB 42kHz
	Channel Interpenetration	L-R: -106 dB R-L: -106 dB	L-R: -86 dB R-L: -86 dB
	Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)	112 dB	98 dB
	Total harmonic distortion + noise (THD+N)	0,00%	0,00%

Frequency response unevenness: the characteristic turned out to be perfectly linear throughout the entire spectrum!

Noise level: The noise level is very low and even.

Dynamic Range: an excellent result, if quantization is taken into account!

Nonlinear distortion: very low (H3 around -110 dB!); could hardly be better...

Intermodulation distortion: no problem here.

Channel Interpenetration: rises a little in the upper part of the spectrum, but the interpenetration is still very low to somehow affect the sound quality.

With 24-bit quantization and a 48 kHz sample rate, the card begins to show its true potential. This mode is a good compromise between quality and file size. Actually, that is why it is often used in professional applications. Here we observe the best dynamics and signal-to-noise ratio.

: +0.01, -0.19 dB
: 112.6 dB(A).
distortion: 0,0005%.
Channel Interpenetration: 101.2 dB.

Frequency response unevenness: The frequency response is widened in the upper range, but remains perfectly linear.

Noise level A: 24-bit quantization shows the card's capabilities - and very low noise.

Dynamic Range: The dynamic range has reached its possible limit considering other parameters!

Nonlinear distortion: Same level as 44 kHz mode. The lower noise level explains the difference in the graphs (THD+N).

Intermodulation distortion: very small, so you are unlikely to feel them.

Channel Interpenetration: in the upper part of the spectrum we see a relative increase in channel interference, but in the lower part, below 1 kHz, it has gone off the chart altogether.

This mode corresponds to the highest possible quality, but in reality it gives spectrum extension up to 40 kHz with negligible attenuation (0.13 dB!). The rest of the specification is identical.

Frequency response (20Hz - 20kHz): +0.01, -0.13 dB
Weighted signal-to-noise ratio: 112.4 dB(A).
distortion: 0,0005%.
Channel Interpenetration: 100.3 dB.

Frequency response unevenness: practically linear characteristic up to 40 Hz without perceptible attenuation!

Dynamic Range: the result is still great!

Nonlinear distortion: absolutely identical to the picture at 48 kHz - very low.

Intermodulation distortion: negligible...

Channel Interpenetration: here the interference is slightly higher than at 48 kHz, due to the extension of the frequency response.

In principle, the graphics speak for themselves: with X-Fi you don't even have to think about quality, because the card is capable of delivering better quality than any available sound source. Our tests confirmed the results published by Creative, with several differences that can be attributed to the usual variation in the parameters of the individual tested models. As we noted above, the sound quality depends on many parameters. So they may give slightly different results.

Games are Creative's forte - the company's cards have always been leaders in this area. It hardly needs to be mentioned that only Creative cards support the latest versions of EAX, and sound processors allow you to remove most of the sound processing load from the CPU, leaving maximum resources for the game. X-Fi marks a new era in gaming audio with processing power and advanced "virtual reality" features. Creative has enlisted the help of cyber-athlete Jonathan Wendel, aka "Fatal1ty" in the gaming world, to promote the new features. One of the new Creative cards, aimed at hardcore gamers, received just such an addition to the name.

Fatal1ty and Franco of Creative at the X-Fi event.

At the arranged LAN-party it was possible to compete with Fatal1ty.

Fatal1ty is the cyber gaming champion.

With the release of the X-Fi line, Creative introduces the new EAX 5.0 standard, which is capable of outputting 128 sources in 3D space with multi-channel transition. In addition, MacroFX technology allows you to control the proximity and blocking effects. In principle, the standard is still at an early stage of development, as it does not yet fully utilize X-Fi's audio processing features. But in the future we expect significant improvements. EAX Voice technology allows you to process the voices of players using a microphone in real time and output them to others, taking into account the location in the virtual gaming space. It provides an even deeper immersion in the virtual world, which will also prove itself in a multi-user environment.

Games and 3D, continued

For cards that hardcore gamers might be interested in (Fatal1ty FPS and Elite Pro models), Creative opted to add memory called X-RAM. This dedicated memory allows you not to waste the main memory of the PC on sound. The technology is able to add effects to the game without any impact on performance. Or improve performance when using compressed audio - it will not be decompressed during the game. Creative ran tests on a modified version Unreal Tournament 2004. The chart below (

new generation of processors and sound cards Xtreme Fidelity

What is Xtreme Fidelity?

On August 2, 2005, Creative held a conference in Germany, where the European press was shown a new generation of sound cards - SoundBlaster X-Fi.

Earlier, on May 13, 2005, Creative announced Xtreme Fidelity technology, abbreviated as X-Fi, and the sound processor of the same name.

If the new processor is more or less clear, then what is “Xtreme Fidelity technology”? According to the manufacturer, its essence is to provide 24-bit quality, sound clarity with at least 110 dB signal / noise and new CMSS (Creative Multi Speaker Surround) 3D sound technology in headphones and multi-channel speakers. According to Sim Wong Hu, founder and CEO of Creative "Xtreme Fidelity is the result of our vision for a new audio standard that can bring a dramatic improvement to MP3 playback, PC game gameplay and digital movies, thus laying the foundation for a whole new digital home entertainment platform".

Speaking of Xtreme Fidelity, the manufacturer focuses on two new technologies: 24-bit Crystalizer and CMSS-3D. As conceived by Creative, the technologies are designed to remaster, enhance and remix in real time existing conventional and compressed 16-bit stereo material to 24-bit quality, with multi-channel sound in speakers of any configuration, as well as headphones.

In order to enable the capabilities of the new standard, Creative creates the X-Fi processor under the motto "Xtreme Audio Needs An Xtreme Fidelity Processor!"("exceptional sound requires a top quality processor").

retrospective

Previous sound cards since Live! sample of 1998, were based on modifications of the EMU10K processor. This processor was developed mainly for use in synthesizers and modules manufactured by E-MU as a hardware MIDI synthesizer with a built-in effects processor. At a time when the main requirement for a sound card was the presence of hardware MIDI with the largest possible memory bank, wide possibilities and high-quality effects, the EMU10K was a progressive chip. However, at present, as everyone understands, it is morally obsolete. Despite the 32-bit sound processing, programmable high-quality professional effects, support for 8 digital I2S or SPDIF interfaces, the shortcomings (the main one being the rigid architecture) brought everything to naught.

Since the development of the EMU10K, the interests of sound card users have changed significantly. In fact, there was a division of the audience into three camps: 1) office and other users who are satisfied even with integrated sound; 2) gamers who are not particularly interested in quality, who do not mind good three-dimensional sound in games, as long as it does not come at the expense of performance; 3) music lovers and audiophiles who use a computer for a convenient music library, they need a card solely for high-quality music playback.

However, fans of high-quality sound expressed distrust of Creative products, even despite the high-quality Cirrus Logic I2S DACs installed in the latest models. The main "horror story" destroying the image of Live/Audigy sound cards for many years was the presence of unswitchable mediocre hardware resampling (resampling) of all frequencies into a reference frequency of 48 kHz. In order to get high-quality playback of the 44.1 kHz format, in which most recordings exist, card users began to massively install DirectSound or ASIO software sample rate conversion plug-ins (SSRC software sample rate conversion) for popular Winamp and Foobar mp3 players.

SRC Audigy vs. SSRC Winamp

Starting with Audigy2, the developers introduced a P16V block into the chip, allowing the cards to directly play 96 and 192 kHz for DVD-Audio playback. But this mode turned out to be available only for these frequencies and only through the DirectSound interface. The effect processor operating at 48 kHz should have been disabled in this case. AT otherwise resampling comes into play again.

In the low-end below, Creative begins to catastrophically lose the sound card market due to the expansion of AC "97 and HDA codecs, forcibly installed on motherboards. This greatly reduces the incentive for users to spend money on a separate sound card. In addition, the advent of the Internet and file-sharing networks makes the computer a means of accumulating a collection of files in compressed formats. So for high-quality music listening, many people prefer semi-professional cards based on Envy24, with a minimum of hardware capabilities, but with a choice of a fixed sampling frequency, an honest 44.1 kHz digitally and a minimum of unnecessary bells and whistles.

Obviously, Creative needed a new processor, devoid of the shortcomings of the previous one. X-Fi has been in development for the last 5 years. Since the release of the first Audigy model, work has begun on a new generation of processors. Location of development Creative Advanced Technology Center, Silicon Valley, California.

X-Fi architecture

According to the manufacturer, the new Xtreme Fidelity processor has more than 51 million transistors and a performance of more than 10,000 MIPS (millions of instructions per second). X-Fi is also 24 times more powerful than its predecessor.

The heart of the processor is the DSP "Quartet", as there are 4 subprocessors working in parallel. The architecture is called TIMD (Thread Interleaved Multiple Data). To achieve parallelism, a processor architecture with very large instruction words is used ( Very Large Instruction Word, VLIW).

Such an instruction combines several ordinary instructions that are executed simultaneously (in parallel) by different functional blocks of the processor to increase its speed. The increase in performance is achieved due to the fact that the processor does not need to spend time organizing parallelism at the instruction level. The grouping of parallel executable operations is performed by the compiler.)

Each subprocessor has a 2xSIMD architecture. 2x comes from the fact that usually the subprocessor operates with two data streams - stereo data, complex numbers. By the way, both floating point and fixed point data types are used. The instruction set consists of 235 operation codes, and about 60 specialized commands often found in audio frequency processing algorithms, for example, complex multiplication of data from two streams, decimal logarithm, exponential.

The internal frequency of the processor is 400 MHz. Supports external timing for S/PDIF and I2S. The jitter value of the PLL (PLL) of the processor is given. The sound processing algorithms (reverb, equalizer, 3D sound propagation modeling effects) use 512 IIR filters ( IIR, infinite impulse response = IIR, infinite impulse response) second order. This will not surprise anyone in modern audio processing tools, but it should be noted that here everything works in real time for dozens of streams at the same time. The number of hardware filters, including 4 and 5 band parametric equalizers, bandpass, notch and other specific filters.

There are also rich mixing options - up to 4096 signals with hardware volume control and combining two sources. This can be used both to build a mixer that is flexibly configured in terms of signal routing, and is also used in games, since it requires adjusting the level of each applied effect.

For connection to digital and analog interfaces, the processor has 4 I2S input/output buses, providing 8 input and 8 output channels. In addition, there is a proprietary protocol for transmitting 8 channels over a single wire, resulting in 32 x 48 kHz, 16 x 96 kHz, 8 x 192 kHz channels. For internal needs and routing, there are 4096 audio and 4096 parametric channels.

SRC

Sample Rate Converters (SRC, Sample Rate Convertors) are activated in cases where the sample rate does not match the reference frequency of the current mode (otherwise the sample will play at the wrong speed and change the tone). 256 interpolators are used, with better quality than a typical 100th order polyphase FIR filter (FIR, finite impulse response = FIR, finite impulse response). The tone shift range is from 0 to 8.

How SRC X-Fi works

The picture illustrates how the SRC X-Fi converts 44.1kHz to 48kHz. First, the signal samples are doubled to 88.2 kHz. The polyphase FIR filter converts the signal up to 192 kHz with a factor equal to twice the ratio of 48/44.1. In the final stage, the frequency is reduced to 48 kHz. Such a scheme is more efficient in terms of computational costs and gives a better result, since aliasing due to non-multiple frequencies is not formed at the last stage.

When converting a standard tone of 997 Hz from 44.1 kHz to 48 kHz, the standard parameter responsible for the power of noise and distortion is THD + N equal to -136 dB, frequency jitter in the passband is ±0.00025 dB. Creative recommends checking these parameters with at least an AudioPrecision measuring station.

Given a headroom of 6 dB and 32 stages of processing cycle, THD+N can degrade to -124 dB, and the frequency response increases to ±0.01 dB. But the parameters of even the best DACs today in terms of noise and distortion are inferior to such indicators.

The quality of SRC X-Fi when converting 44.1-> 48 kHz

It should only be taken into account that the quality parameters in the frequency domain do not show the operation of filters in the time domain. But, given the positioning of cards primarily for games and movies, such conversion accuracy can be considered excellent. In past products, intermodulation distortion from SRC reached 0.1% in the high frequency region, while only a few users complained about the drop in quality.

There is a very important point that is not much advertised by the manufacturer - unlike the sound processors of the previous generation, in X-Fi you can turn off oversampling along with the rest of the DSP effects! In this case, of course, the unique possibility of simultaneously listening to several signals of different sampling rates is lost, followed by the imposition of all sorts of effects and enhancers. However, fans of the highest quality sound need this least of all.

SRC converters also work in DMA mode, allowing conversions to be made directly to the computer's RAM without the participation of the CPU. To avoid collisions when the PCI bus is loaded, there is a configurable cache.

X-Fi Capabilities

Data processing for human head and ear transfer functions (HRTF) and headphone sound calculation is based on several technologies. These are the developments of UCDavis, Aureal and Sensaura. Used patents for MacroFX, binaural 3D panning. The implementation uses 48-tap FIR (FIR) filters, processing up to 128 3D sound sources.

CMSS (Creative Multi Speaker Surround) technology upgraded to CMSS-3D. The manufacturer claims that the quality of the sound field is higher than that of Dolby Prologic II / IIx, and in headphones the spatiality and naturalness of timbres at high frequencies surpasses Dolby Headphone.

Unlike previous processor generations, effects are now supported for both 24/96 and 24/192 modes. For processing high-resolution signals, for example, 192 kHz, Quadrature Mirror Filter technology is used - splitting the signal into 4 frequency bands of 48 kHz each, which are processed separately, and the results are added. Thus, when processing 192 kHz, the calculation speed increases, compared with conventional methods.

The architecture of the chip allows switching between modes without rebooting, so that sound cards can maximize the use of resources.

ASIO 2.0 is supported with latency For WDM and OpenAL, drivers and hardware have been optimized to get the lowest latency, with higher sound quality.

Comparison

The table shows approximate performance ratios between different generations of Creative cards (according to the manufacturer).

	Prod. calculated MIPs	Total production MIPs	Int. channels	MIPS vs Live!	Number of effects	Number transistors
Sound Blaster Pro	≈1	3+	-	0.0001x	-	100K
AWE 32 (EMU8000)	67	200+	-	0.2x	-	500K
Live! (10k1)	335	1000+	16 (effects)	1x	1	2M
Audigy (10k2)	424	1250+	64 (effects)	4x	4	4.6M
XFi	10340	30000+	4096 (Total)	67x	8	51.1M

X-Fi has an architecture that is completely different from previous generations of Creative processors, as well as all other processors, including graphics. The concept is a programmable ring-based architecture. This gives flexibility in signal routing, allowing any of the 4096 audio channels to route the signal to any processor element - Tank, SRC, Mixer, DSP.

Thus, the new X-Fi architecture consists of the following major innovations:

Architecture "Ring"
New DSP "Quartet"
Ultra high quality SRC
Hardware acceleration Mixer, Tank Engine (effects), Filter Engine, DMA.
Simultaneous development and interaction of hardware and software parts

A huge amount of information about the X-Fi processor can be found on a special site.

Sound Blaster X-Fi sound cards

On August 8, 2005, Creative announced new line Sound Blaster X-Fi sound cards based on the processor of the same name. Four card models will be released: Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro, Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS, Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum, Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic.

The Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro features a professional quality 116 dB S/N DAC plus an external interface module with 24-bit Crystalizer, X-Fi CMSS-3D, 3DMIDI and EAX control buttons. The card is equipped with 64 MB on-board X-RAM audio memory, as well as microphone and guitar preamps. Estimated cost US$399.99.

Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS is designed to meet the needs of the famous gamer Jonathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel. The card has 109 dB S/N, 64 MB on-board X-RAM. The kit comes with a switching unit for a 5" bay and an IR remote control. A PCI card with lower quality DACs. Cost US$279.99.

Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS

Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum. Same as Fatal1ty, but PCI card without onboard memory. US$199.99

Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic. The simplest payment option. Platinum without switching unit. US$129.99
By the way, even for this card there is a mention of the possibility of ordering an IR receiver on the USB bus and a remote control.

In this article, we will consider the most interesting model - Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro. A distinctive feature of the card is the maximum quality and performance, plus a huge external switching unit with a remote control.

Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro

Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro

The card itself, labeled SB0550, has gold-plated connectors and a mysterious rectangular detail in upper corner fees. In fact, it turned out that this is an LED with the inscription X-Fi, which lights up blue when turned on and will be clearly visible in translucent modder cases.

Elite Pro Sound Blaster X-Fi PCI Card (SB0550)

Indeed, the phonogram is remastered with the help of a "widely known in narrow circles" mastering plug-in called "multi-band compressor". To be 100% sure that I was right, I compared the work of Crystalizer with three mastering multiband compressors: Waves LinMB, iZotope Ozone, Steinberg MultiBand Compressor. When these plug-ins are enabled, the character of the sound changes similarly to the inclusion of Crystalizer.

To be 200% sure, I tested the Crystalizer with our RMAA program and compared it with the results. Waves LinMB Linear Phase MultiBand compressor(with standard preset Low Level Enhancer- I inform for those who want to repeat the measurements). The tests were done with the default Crystalizer setting, in the middle position.

Pay attention to the equalization of the frequency response and large intermodulation distortion - according to the measurements, the nature of the impact of the plug-ins is similar. However, the situation is much better. This is due to the fact that the nature of the musical signal differs from the test one. According to psychoacoustics, an overload of less than 6 ms is not fixed by a person, and a high-quality compressor does not allow prolonged overload, quickly reducing the signal level, which is regulated by the attack time.

You can find an analogy for Crystalizer technology in the world of digital photography. Let's say a plug-in appears that converts JPEG, obtained by compression from some high-quality TIF, into 16-bit per color format, then tightens the levels (roughly speaking, increases brightness / contrast) and sharpness by 10-20% depending on the source. Ready! We get a new ingenious "48-bit Picturelizer", which makes JPEG better than the original TIF. Attention, the question is: in which case the quality will be better? That's right, only if the JPEG has a margin for such abuse, and the display device has problems rendering the lightest and darkest midtones of the original image.

In sound, the situation with MP3 and WAV is about the same, but there is a difference. In mastering studios, very expensive equipment is used that analyzes the source file not in real time, but with some running ahead or even in more than one pass, using not 24-bit, but 64-bit floating-point calculation accuracy. Further, the mastering compression parameters must be painstakingly adjusted individually for each recording on high-quality mid- and far-field control monitors. It is presumptuous to entrust a similar function to a real-time machine and talk about superiority over the studio result. At the final stage of mastering, the stage of formation of the psychoacoustic distribution of dithering noises (noise-shaping) takes place, which by ear turns a 16-bit recording into a 20-bit one, so that all that remains is to send the recording bit by bit to the input interface of the DACs. Any intervention in this process has a detrimental effect on the quality, and even from an MP3 recording it will not be possible to surpass the original soundtrack, and multiband compression can distort the tonal balance beyond recognition and lead to a redistribution of signal energy, which will cause overload at high or low frequencies.

Another thing is if we are talking about mediocre home acoustics with a limited dynamic range and a flawed frequency response, so even the most primitive tone control subjectively significantly increases the comfort of perception. In this case, additional band-pass compression of high and low frequencies makes it easier to perceive the soundtrack through these particular speakers, especially in combination with a moderately preloaded original soundtrack, with less aggressiveness (peak power to average value). In this case, the resulting distortion from processing will not exceed the distortion of the reproducing path.

This is how it worked in practice. On inexpensive active stereo speakers, some recordings subjectively sounded more legible, albeit with more aggression. On high-quality acoustics (studio monitors and mid-range Hi-Fi speakers), I easily found several MP3s, as well as original CDs, the quality of which was significantly worsened by Crystalizer, so that overload was heard, or the sound became overly aggressive, which led to rapid fatigue from listening.

During the measurements, it turned out that in addition to multiband signal compression, the level is raised by about 3 dB. So any quiet recordings will sound subjectively better even without compressor action.

Thus, the 24-bit Crystalizer will benefit the owners of inexpensive acoustics or budget headphones, which almost automatically means a lack of bass and treble, as well as problems with midrange detail. For owners of high-quality acoustics, the good news is that this technology is easily turned off.

The 24-bit Crystalizer technology has the right to life, but the presentation itself, with wishful thinking, is not at all encouraging. In reality, Crystalizer does not expand, but narrows the dynamic range, and 24 bits are really used, but only so that rounding error does not accumulate (this is normal practice, no modern DSP works at the same resolution as the original data).

СMSS-3D

CMSS-3D technology is designed to solve the main problem of the younger generation of users of multi-channel sound cards: "I have a 5.1 set of speakers. Everything is cool in movies, but only 2 front speakers play in MP3! And I want everything!!!"

As mentioned above, CMSS (Creative Multi Speaker Surround) technology has been upgraded to CMSS-3D. The developments and patents of IRCAM, UC Davis, Aureal, Sensaura and Creative's Advanced Technology Center are used.

CMSS-3D virtualizes the sound source of any channel to any device, thus providing:

CMSS-3DHeadphone: surround sound in headphones;
CMSS-3DVirtual: surround sound in stereo speakers;
CMSS-3DSurround: converting stereo to multi-channel audio;
CMSS-3D Interactive: 3D sound from multiple sources.

Testing was carried out with Sennheiser HD600 headphones. The problem of double imposition of virtualization effects was identified, with a deterioration in the effect of volume. The fact is that all musical recordings of recent years already contain, to one degree or another, an expansion of the stereo panorama, so the result may turn out to be unexpected.

At the same time, the demo file "The Rising of the Sun" from the CD "Essential Anuna", containing almost raw stereo, showed good results, and even superiority over DolbyHeadphones technology.

In addition to music, CMSS-3D technology can also be used in games. In this case, the game calculates 3D audio for 5.1 speakers, and CMSS-3DHeadphone converts multi-channel audio to surround sound in headphones.

XRAM

Unlike cards from decades past, the X-Fi's on-board memory is not used for MIDI samples, but for storing or caching sounds during game applications. There is a problem with a lack of RAM, so developers either reduce the bit depth of samples to 8 bits 11 kHz, which worsens the quality by an order of magnitude, or compresses them into lossy formats, MP3 or OGG, which leads to processor load when unpacking at the sample playback stage.

Thus, the introduction of on-board memory on a sound card allows: saving main memory, speeding up memory access, eliminating the need for real-time decompression, eliminating sample quality loss, increasing graphics performance and FPS.

To date, there is only one game with full support for X-RAM. It is not yet available to a wide audience UT2004 X-Fi Edition. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the results provided by Creative. As you can see, the introduction of X-RAM can increase performance by up to 20%, which is equivalent to upgrading the graphics accelerator, while also increasing the sound quality! Definitely a useful innovation.

UT2004 X-Fi Edition

Tests in RMAA 5.5

We can't resist publicly quoting Creative's manual for X-Fi testers.

"As mentioned, Creative designed the Sound Blaster X-Fi family with sound quality in mind first. To achieve this goal, we took testing very seriously. However, we recognize that not all journalists have access to Audio Precision", the industry standard for testing professional audio equipment. We see that many people use "RightMark Audio Analyzer" for audio quality tests due to its affordability and nice interface. However, due to the difference in methods between the two platforms, their results will be different. In the past, we've received some questions about these differences, so we want to show you the results and test methods we've compiled for both Audio Precision and RMAA, and we hope you find them useful."

Instructions from Creative for installing X-Fi cards for measuring in RMAA can be downloaded from the official website.

Audio Precision test results

		Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic/ Platinum/ Fatal1ty FPS	Remark
Digital Playback	frequency response	Lo –1dB Hi –1dB ≈ 45kHz	N.B. "Digital Playback" refers to the fact that only the quality of the line-out is tested using a digital source file. It is not a test of the digital outputs
	cross-talk	L-R: -105 dB RL: -105dB
	Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)	109 dB
		0.004 %
Line-IN / Line-OUT Record & Playback	frequency response	Lo –1dB ≈ ~17Hz Hi –1dB ≈ 42KHz	Output: 2Vrms
	cross-talk	L-R: -86dB R-L: -86dB
	Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)	98 dB
	Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise (THD+N)	0.004%

		Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro	Remark
Digital Playback	frequency response	Lo –1dB Hi –1dB ≈ 46kHz	PCM: 24-bit/96kHz, 997Hz Output: 2Vrms N.B. "Digital Playback" refers to the fact that only the quality of the line-out is tested using a digital source file. It is not a test of the digital outputs.
	cross-talk	L-R: -112dB RL: -112dB
	Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)	116 dB
	Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise (THD+N)	0.0008 %
Line-IN / Line-OUT Record & Playback	frequency response	Lo –1dB Hi –1dB ≈ 45 kHz	PCM: 24-bit/96kHz, 997Hz Input: 2Vrms Output: 2Vrms
	cross-talk	L-R: -106 dB R-L: -106dB
	Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)	112 dB
	Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise (THD+N)	0.001%

RMAA 5.5 test results

Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro

	SB0550	SB0550	SB0550	SB0550
	+0.01, -0.07	+0.01, -0.07	+0.01, -0.07	+0.01, -0.07
Noise level, dB(A):	-94.8	-95.1	-113.0	-113.3
Dynamic range, dB(A):	94.7	95.1	112.8	112.5
THD, %:	0.0009	0.0009	0.0007	0.0007
IMD + Noise, %:	0.0051	0.0049	0.0010	0.0010
Stereo crosstalk, dB:	-95.1	-95.5	-102.7	-102.8

Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic
Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum
Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS

test	SB0460	SB0460	SB0460	SB0460
Frequency response (from 40 Hz to 15 kHz), dB:	+0.02, -0.08	+0.01, -0.09	+0.01, -0.09	+0.02, -0.17
Noise level, dB(A):	-94.1	-94.5	-102.1	-102.2
Dynamic range, dB(A):	94.0	94.3	101.6	102.0
THD, %:	0.0009	0.0009	0.0008	0.0008
IMD + Noise, %:	0.0057	0.0054	0.0026	0.0025
Stereo crosstalk, dB:	-97.0	-94.5	-101.5	-98.6

Comparing RMAA loopback vs. AP loopback, I would like to note that the discrepancy is a few percent, due to the difference in counting algorithms. In the latest version 5.5, the maximum compliance with existing international standards was observed (at the same time, RMAA uses more accurate calculations than required by the standard). Given the kilodollar cost of Audio Precision and the free RMAA, we can fully recommend a program for checking the passport data declared by the manufacturer. The THD+N value should be taken from the detailed RMAA report.

Of the tests, only distortion graphs are of interest.

THD cards SB0550

IMD (DIN) cards SB0550

IMD (CCIF) from SB0550 frequency

IMD (CCIF) off frequency SB0460

Judging by the measurements, the problem with large quantity distortion is a thing of the past. The 44.1 kHz mode in X-Fi cards is no different from 48 kHz.

Hardware SRC quality test

It is interesting to compare the quality of the new hardware SRC X-Fi against the widespread real-time SSRC plug-in for the WinAmp MP3 player, which is of rather high quality and decently loads the CPU.

IMD (CCIF) vs. frequency

IMD (DIN)

Reference 16/44 - analysis of the initial data file generated by the test; shows the maximum achievable quality for 16-bit format.
X-Fi HW SRC OFF - Disabling hardware SRC in X-Fi is achieved by setting the reference mode to 44.1 kHz and the Enable Bit-Matched Playback option.
X-Fi HW SRC ON - enabling X-Fi hardware SRC is obtained by playing a 44.1 kHz file with the reference mode set to 48 kHz and disabling Enable Bit-Matched Playback.

WinAmp SSRC plug-in - playing a 44.1 kHz file in WinAmp with the SSRC plug-in installed, configured to convert to 48 kHz, while the card has a 48 kHz reference mode and the Enable Bit-Matched Playback option.

As we can see, the SRC of the map exceeds the SSRC of the plug-in, and there are no distortions visible in the diagram from its inclusion.

RightMark 3DSound

The diagram is deliberately built on a 100% scale to show that the difference, even by several times, is insignificant with a small number of buffers, and enabling EAX in 3D mode is practically free.

OpenAL API is ahead of DirectSound due to more direct access to hardware and optimization of the complete library CT_OAL.DLL (Creative OpenAL Driver, 5.12.1.1141) exclusively for X-Fi. The exception is the 2D mode. But, in this mode, OpenAL most likely will not be used, and the speed there is unprincipled. Most likely OpenAL 2D is 3D with fixed coordinates. The download is the same:

Games

As already mentioned, Creative had the opportunity to test X-Fi on a special version of UT2004 with support for 128 voices. I can't help but give you the results:

Realtek HD Audio: 7.1 Audio, EAX 2.0, 32 Voices
Sound Blaster Live!: 5.1 Audio, EAX 2.0, 32 Voices
Sound Blaster Audigy: 7.1 Audio. EAX 3.0, 32 & 64 Voices, CMSS-3D
Sound Blaster X-Fi: 7.1 Audio, EAX 3.0, 32, 64 &128 Voices, X-Fi CMSS-3D, X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer

So, in UT2004 the difference between HDAudio and X-Fi reaches 17% at 32 voices, with the best sound quality and enabled CMSS-3D and 24-bit Crystalizer. Computer configuration is quite average: P4-3.4, 1 GB, GeForce 6600.

From real games, direct support for X-Fi is so far only in Battlefield2 (even in the demo version!), Implemented through OpenAL. If you have a card, in the sound options you can select a separate item Creative X-Fi, EAX and Ultra High sound settings. In this case, on-board memory is used to cache samples and speed up sound processing. I must say that the samples in this game are mostly of average quality, many of them are 22 kHz, plus they are compressed into OGG with a variable bitrate of 100 kbps. So with the X-Fi option selected and EAX activated, the sound deserves a "Very Good" rating, but not "Excellent" due to the disgusting quality of the samples. Much more interesting to listen to the sound in Doom3 with patch 1.3, including EAX4.

We took our measurements in Battlefield 2 with a hack mod. The system used was P4 3.4 GHz, 1 GB DDR400, ATI X800, graphics settings 800×600, Medium. The Creative X-Fi + EAX ON + Ultra High mode delivered 52 FPS, compared to the Hardware + EAX OFF + Medium mode which showed 55 FPS. Thus, the difference in performance between the modes with maximum and medium settings does not exceed 5%, for which we must say thanks to the fast and powerful processor of the card. And this is with such video settings, when the performance does not yet rest on the video card. In game resolutions, you can safely set the sound to the maximum.

According to the results of testing a real product, a new processor
Creative XFi an award is given website original design

To be continued…

Shvetsov Igor

Feedback from Yandex.Market

Advantages

Finally, the Pioneer HDJ-1000 headphones, which had been lying for 5 years, rejected for poor sound (I thought I bought a fake), sounded, and even? Conclusion, for high-impedance headphones you need an amplifier, this device has it)))Flaws

The price, but I found it on Avito for 3 thousand, so I don’t care)))Comment

For those who are not subject to audiophile excesses, but appreciate a decent sound

16 5

Flaws

Comment

I have a device release that has the THX logo, not SBX, but this is pure marketing and drivers (the hardware is absolutely the same, apparently some kind of licensing problem).
I selected a high-quality external solution for a netbook in order to use it as a universal player (FLAC and APE) for a good hi-fi amplifier.
The quality of the RIAA corrector suits, it sounds absolutely no worse than the one built into the integrated amplifier will go for digitizing "vinyl" from my collection 30 years ago :-)
I am satisfied with the purchase, there are no problems with operation (on the Internet they often scare with the buggy of Creative USB devices).

Complain Did the review help? 34 9

Simple. Only 2 modes in which you can listen (24/48, 24/96). There is a line input SNR 100db (you can use the card for various measurements). Works on drivers from the site normally both in 10-ke and under 2012 R2. Works 24/96 via "HIFIMEDIY USB ISOLATOR". With him, the complete absence of any noise / interference. Input and output on RCA connectors. Everything is simple and clear. The sound with the right “cooking” (high-quality resampling at 96 kHz) is better than most built-in solutions. In general, if you don't get hung up on comparison with more expensive solutions, you can listen to the card and even really enjoy it.Flaws

In terms of sound quality under the same conditions, ASUS Xonar Essence STX loses, which seems to be unsurprising given the 3 times difference in price. I hoped I would not hear a difference, but no, miracles do not happen. ASUS has better detail, while Creative has too accentuated high frequencies, and in general the sound is perceived as a little “blurry”, I didn’t feel a lack of lows (at all). Very strange is the lack of support for frequencies multiple of 44100 Hz. But I listen to foobar2000, the resampler there is very good (dBpoweramp), so I don't consider it critical for me. I also think the blue light bulb is stupid. And the volume control nafig not needed and inconvenient.Comment

A card is like a card, how much it costs and plays. The frequency of 44100, I think, was specially slaughtered by marketers for some reason (God forbid they will use it instead of E-MU), the sound does not differ in anything outstanding, it does not cause the “WOW” effect. I don’t write anything about headphones I only listen to speakers. In the reviews they write well pulls any "EARS". Given the price, it would probably be possible to put the card 5-, if not for the lack of support for 44 kHz.

Complain Did the review help? 10 9

Better than stock HD Audio. You can hear the improvement in quality on normal acoustics or headphones, I tried it.Flaws

Comment

Perhaps if I had bought the card earlier than January 02, 2020, my review would have been better.
For some time I suffered and suffered with static periodic clicks in the headphones, read the forums, and, according to the advice, twitched the USB cords and climbed uselessly to adjust something in the BIOS. I changed the XUHD driver ... 0025 “Release date: 2 Jan 20” to the older XUHD ... 0024 “Release date: 26 Aug 16”, the clicks disappeared, I hope forever, the jamb will appear again, I will hand it back to the store, I will supplement the review , unsubscribe.

Complain Did the review help? 2 0

Flaws

Minus, as noted earlier: "support for a sampling rate of 44.1 kHz" is not for all outputs.

I will note one more inconvenient moment, which manifested itself in 1 day of use. After waking up the computer from "sleep", not all applications had sound. Only those where you can explicitly specify the source worked correctly (Creative ASIO, for example). But browsers and many other programs take the sound from the device by default there was no actual sound, even a reboot did not help, only disconnecting the USB and reconnecting it. Not very convenient, I constantly send the computer to sleep.

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 | Introduction

Sound card X-Fi Surround 5.1 dressed in black cute compact body with a large revolving handle, and a lot of interesting things are hidden inside. The lack of control keys should not be frightened, since the package includes a very functional remote control, which we will talk about later. Connection to a PC is carried out through the classic USB interface 2.0, so compatibility with all modern computers can be guaranteed. Of course, taking into account the rather high requirements for the computer, especially under Vista.


Manufacturer	Creative
Interface	USB 2.0
Sampling frequency	96 kHz
Bit depth	24 bits
Inputs
On the map	Line, microphone
exits
On the map	2 "tulips" + 2 mini-jacks (5.1), 1 S / PDIF optical, 1 headphones
DVD and cinema
Standards	S/PDIF output, Power DVD support
Configuration	Up to 5.1
3D sound in games
Standards	EAX 4.0, OpenAL, Creative Alchemy
Configuration	2 and 5.1
MIDI
Synthesizer	Not
Minimum Configuration
Windows XP SP2	Pentium 4 1.6 GHz or AMD Athlon XP 2000+, 512MB RAM
Windows Vista	Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz, AMD Athlon 64 Dual Core or equivalent, 1 GB memory

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 | Inputs and outputs

The Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 sound card is clearly aimed at digital entertainment, namely listening to music and watching movies, so you have to be content with the necessary inputs and outputs for these areas. The weak point is that the inputs are limited to the usual 3.5mm mini-jacks for microphone and line-in. There is no digital input. The outputs are richer, there is a 5.1 output, where the left and right front speakers are connected via "tulips", which will please Hi-Fi lovers. There is also a 3.5mm mini-jack adapter, which should satisfy everyone. And the rear speakers and center / subwoofer are connected via conventional 3.5 mm mini-jacks. There is also a digital optical output S / P DIF, allowing you to connect a receiver or home theater.

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 | Drivers & Software

Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 comes with software that is well known to owners of X-Fi cards and other Creative products. There is nothing new in this regard, except that some features of high-end X-Fi sound cards are not available. So, Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 works only in the "Entertainment / Entertainment" mode, the game and music creation modes are not available. However, audio processing features such as X-Fi Crystalizer or CMSS3D surround sound are available and can be controlled using the remote control.

The sound card's mixer is quite limited, only the level can be adjusted during recording.

We found the usual panel for X-Fi cards with access to various sound processing systems.

There are also several options available for the remote control.

To configure, you can use the Audio Console in the "Control Panel" of Windows.

Many Creative software features are accessed via the tray volume icon.

A Media Center-style interface is available, but it didn't interest us.

In the tradition of Creative's latest products, you can download the PowerDVD player for free, which will allow you to decode Dolby Digital and DTS. For gamers under Vista, Creative has included Alchemy, which will allow you to enjoy sound effects despite the change in the sound processing subsystem in Windows. However, X-Fi 5.1 Surround, like all USB cards, is not aimed at gamers.

It should be noted that the sound card, like many new models, can work under Windows XP or Vista without installing drivers. If you can be content with the simplest functions, you can connect a sound card without changing anything in the system. Of course, if you want to get the most out of your Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1, you'll need to install drivers and software.

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 | Test configuration

Test configuration.

Processor: Pentium 4 2.4 GHz;
Memory: 1 GB DDR;
video card: nVidia GeForce Ti 4200;
hard disk: 80 GB 7200 rpm;
optical drive DVD LG 16/48x;
OS: XP SP3;
DirectX version: 9.0c.

speakers.

Creative Gigaworks S750, Logitech Z2200.

Video playback.

power dvd.

measurements.

Right Mark Audio Analyzer 6.0.6;
DAAS sound measurement system.

The tests were conducted through recording/playback (input and output were connected), while it was quite possible to expect that the recording system was of lesser quality than the playback system. Therefore, we also conducted playback tests separately, where a professional sound card E-MU 1616m was used for recording.

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 | Test results: 16 bits, 44.1 kHz

Frequency response unevenness: almost ideal characteristic for given parameters.

Noise level: Very low, close to the theoretical maximum that can be expected at these settings.

Nonlinear distortion: very low, so there will be no problems.

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 | Test results: 24 bits, 48 kHz

Frequency response unevenness: The frequency response goes up to 24 kHz without much attenuation. One can hardly wish for more.

Noise level: The frequency band is wider, the noise is felt more strongly, but remains at a very low level.

Nonlinear distortion: The distortion is still very low.

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 | Test results: 24 bits, 96 kHz

Frequency response unevenness: we get 30 kHz at -0.5 dB and 40 kHz at -2 dB! You can hardly ask for more...

Noise level A: The noise level is still very low.

Nonlinear distortion: distortion in practice is very low.

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 | Test results: 24-bit, 96 kHz (playback)

Frequency response unevenness: The frequency response reaches 20 kHz with very little attenuation.

Noise level: noise level does not exceed 100 dB, which is simply great for a sound card at this price.

Nonlinear distortion: The distortion is very low.

As the tests showed, the quality of the sound card is very good, with no weaknesses. This is not to say that it doesn't get better, but X-Fi Surround 5.1 gives quite sufficient quality for all intended use cases: if the quality is unsatisfactory, then other elements in the playback chain will be to blame. In practice, we were quite satisfied with our listening test equipment. The quality was not satisfactory, X-Fi processing allowed to improve the sound from most sources.

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 | Conclusion

The X-Fi Surround 5.1 sound card is sold at a very affordable price of 70 euros (it has not yet arrived in Russia at the time of publication). At the same time, it provides unpretentious, but high-quality surround sound, both on a laptop and on a desktop PC. Given the fact that laptops are often equipped with not the highest quality integrated sound, we have a very interesting option. However, the main obstacle will be high system requirements, especially under Vista.

Advantages.