another x-fi thread yay!

[sackynut]

I got my Creative x-fi platinum today, after a plainful installation I finally got it working.

In my opinion, the music playback is better than with my nforce4 integrated sound, but not MUCH better. I can tell the difference in quality but it is not enough to make me go WOW!

The gaming: I have tried it out in bf2 so far (i will try more later and edit my post). The gaming sound is friggin top of the line. I have never gamed like that in my life. I swear to you, I thought the truck noises from my game were coming from outside my house lol. Though the gaming performance is superb, I am not sure if it is worth it. I think sound card upgrades are for those who have horrible integrated sound. Since the nforce4 sound is not too shabby, I dont think this is worth over 140$ for those with nforce4 integrated sound or around there. Never the less, the gaming performance was awesome! and the music was pretty good as well. In my opinion a great buy, but not worth what I paid for an upgrade from my nforce4 sound.

[Jofaba]

Re: another x-fi thread yay!

You've got to play around with it a little. And get better speakers perhaps. As you said, BF2 sounds great. Also, did you change your ingame settings to XFI, turn on EAX, and put the quality to Ultra High? Make sure the consol is in game mode when you log in or it'll have no sound and change your settings. You don't have to clean out your cache or anything like that when you change your sound settings.

Good luck and try to enjoy the card =)

[sackynut]

Re: another x-fi thread yay!

yes I put it on ultra and x-fi with eax and all that.

[knghtwhosaysni]

Re: another x-fi thread yay!

I'm assuming you're using at least 5.1 speaker right?
Oh, and now that you have it, do you think the front panel is worth an extra $60?
Anywho have fun with the new soundcard :)

[sackynut]

Re: another x-fi thread yay!

My headphones are Plantronics Audio 90's, which I use for gaming or when the others in the house want quiet. My speakers currently are only 2.1, I am getting 5.1 sooner, so hopefully it will sound better with them. But I did bf2 and music both with the headphones and the speakers.

as for the front panel...
I think creative are the stupidest people ever, okay first off, the remote for the front panel, only works in one program, and I still cant even get it to work with that program.
The headphone/mic jack is too big, so you have to use one of those big>small headphone jack converters which comes with the panel, but its huge -_-. The problem is, they only give you one... so I have my headphones plugged in, but not my mic (and its a headset so I cant reach it round the bacK). So I have to use my own converter that I bought to use the mic. Its a cool add on, many flaws and not worth 60$ IMO.

I just wonder why they made the jack-holes so big? who the hell would use the big jack...
and we need another converter -_-

[knghtwhosaysni]

Re: another x-fi thread yay!

Well I just use the back panel... I do have to use a splitter for the headphone/left+right speaker input, but it still works :)

[LoD]

Re: another x-fi thread yay!

I have the platinum and its not a very good value. I only got platinum because I wanted the front panel for my headphones, and my family didnt know what to get the "geek" for christmas... lol

They have the larger jacks so that they fit professional studio equipment and electric guitars etc....

BTW go into the control panel there is a check box to make it control other programs. I have limited functionality in iTunes and i use the remote to change songs and change the volume.

For the average person it is an exceptionally poor value, and I knew that going in, I needed the front panel for my headphones (so that I wouldnt have to remove the computer from the desk cabinent when I wanted to take them on the road) and so that I could have my 5.1 system and headphones connected simultaneously.

Poor value unless you have an explicit use.


EDIT: One thing i love is that the creative drivers (gasp!) actually remember your settings, and will automatically go into Headphone mode with the virtual surround and mute the speakers, and when i remove the headphones go back into 5.1 mode.

[Papi4baby]

Re: another x-fi thread yay!

I think something must be wrong with you setup, there's no way nforce sound is near as good as Xfi. Anywho. Best of luck with you new SC

[sackynut]

Re: another x-fi thread yay!

I have the platinum and its not a very good value. I only got platinum because I wanted the front panel for my headphones, and my family didnt know what to get the "geek" for christmas... lol

They have the larger jacks so that they fit professional studio equipment and electric guitars etc....

BTW go into the control panel there is a check box to make it control other programs. I have limited functionality in iTunes and i use the remote to change songs and change the volume.

For the average person it is an exceptionally poor value, and I knew that going in, I needed the front panel for my headphones (so that I wouldnt have to remove the computer from the desk cabinent when I wanted to take them on the road) and so that I could have my 5.1 system and headphones connected simultaneously.

Poor value unless you have an explicit use.


EDIT: One thing i love is that the creative drivers (gasp!) actually remember your settings, and will automatically go into Headphone mode with the virtual surround and mute the speakers, and when i remove the headphones go back into 5.1 mode.

where is this control panel so I can use it with itunes and junk? and how do I get the remote to work lol?

[LoD]

Re: another x-fi thread yay!

Creative entertainment center control panel. Make sure to install it off the CD.

[sackynut]

Re: another x-fi thread yay!

by entertainment center control panel, do you mean mode switcher > entertainment mode, and then the little Entertainment Mode window that lets you control the settings? because thats the only entertainment thing I have and I cant find any thing that has to do with the remote etc on there.

EDIT: crap, I didnt install the entertainment center, which CD is it on, instalation CD or Demo CD?

[Sir. MatDef]

Re: another x-fi thread yay!

by entertainment center control panel, do you mean mode switcher > entertainment mode, and then the little Entertainment Mode window that lets you control the settings? because thats the only entertainment thing I have and I cant find any thing that has to do with the remote etc on there.

EDIT: crap, I didnt install the entertainment center, which CD is it on, instalation CD or Demo CD?

I'm going to assume it's on the installation cd.

[Sir. Shpox]

Re: another x-fi thread yay!

by entertainment center control panel, do you mean mode switcher > entertainment mode, and then the little Entertainment Mode window that lets you control the settings? because thats the only entertainment thing I have and I cant find any thing that has to do with the remote etc on there.

EDIT: crap, I didnt install the entertainment center, which CD is it on, instalation CD or Demo CD?

It's on teh install. Bf2 sounds great. I have a Creative Xfi Elite Pro which just makes me want to have an orgasm.

[Talus]

Re: another x-fi thread yay!

..and until the prices on X-Fi cards come down, I'm going to keep recommending the Xtreme Music model for most gamers. Best value.

[Hephaistion]

Re: another x-fi thread yay!

Anyone wanna buy my X-FI? I had to make room for my liquid cooling system, the X-Fi is getting the axe. I will let it go for a reasonable price. It is the X-FI Extreme Music, funcationally no different than the other X-Fi's. LEt me know, make me an offer.