I've been using an X-Fi since they were first released to retail a few years back - initially a Fatal1ty, but after I fried it, an XM attached to the Fatal1ty hardware. Initially, they were the bizz - easy control, very good utility programs and interface and excellent sound quality - especially when games like Doom3 and BF2 were released with EAX optimisation. However, since about 3 or so years, everything seemed to go downhill - and it seems to get worse as time goes on. These days, I find that the ute progs such as CMS 5 are not very good at all. The sound quality is really poor, yet I can't seem to find the previously excellent equalizer functions any more. Recording has become a nightmare, too, even though my voice-activated programs all work just fine, showing that it's not the mic that's at fault (and "What U Hear" doesn't work at all now). In addition, the sound quality in games that Creative once "owned" is now nothing special at all. I can't get the VOIP in BF2 to work, either and it hurls at the very implication of an X-Fi even being present. Alchemy was a big disappointment. I don't really want to lose the benefits of the 'break-out' box in the front of my tower (the black one), but I'm sorely tempted to switch to the onboard sound on my Asus P5K-E mobo. I have a 5.1 surround system. I'd be interested to hear any sensible thoughts on the issue, or any decent alternatives (that won't cost a fortune). I may plug my Boss BR864 portastudio into the onboard to improve the quality. I'm on Win7 64. JD
I've lost the fancy creative control panel when i moved to 7 (64), although there is supposed to be a way of getting it working in 7... otherwise i haven't noticed any degradation in sound quality. If you plug your 5.1 set into the onboard sound i think you'll soon go running back to the X-Fi... i have the SoundMax onboard HD audio, and believe me it sounds crap compared to the X-Fi. I'd wait and see if creative sort out their drivers for 7, even though it might take a while. Overall though, the X-Fi is going down hill, but because of the lack of native EAX support in windows. personally i never got alchemy working to the point that BF2142 recognised an X-Fi, and in the end i gave up on it. I'm using the extreme gamer on Win7 64bit RC
I agree, It's Creative what do you expect. I have an X-Fi. And I am SUPER disappointing with it. You would have to PAY me to use it. If you want a good sound card (not a a studio level), is the ASUS Xonar. I wish I had the money to afford it.
I don't think that BF2142 is supported by Alchemy (link). I've been running a X-Fi gamer for a while (although still under XP) and haven't had any problems at all with it. OP, do you have the same problems without using the front box (as in, are you sure it's the card)? Similarly, do other VOIP apps work ok (Ventrillo, Teamspeak etc) - I had problems with VOIP in BF2 as well, but Teamspeak works fine.
Yeah, it makes no difference with or without the box. The software that used to be bundled with the X-Fi seems to be no longer available. When I try to record - the thing starts playback instead. Over the last 3 or so years this has happened often. In the past, I'd have this problem and then suddenly it would record okay. Then next time I'd start up it would be back to playback again. I don't think much at all to the 'help' files, either. Some games recognise that it's there, some don't. BF2 used to - but now it doesn't. At the same time Ghost Recon (original) does. As I said, the mic actually works through the box input (Line/Mic 2) - I use it with TS2, VOX ATC X (FSX), MCE and Voice Buddy 3 - the quality is often poor, though and I have to have the input levels pretty much maxed out (the mic hardware is high quality) I'm just fed-up after years of messing about and want something I can depend on. JD
Just use the install CD that came with the card, as opposed to letting Winows install it for you. That gets all the control panel and things like Mode Switcher working. If Windows has already installed the card, use the CD anyway. It will get you back the cool control panel.
I suppose that back when sound quality was excellent was when you used Windows XP? If so, then the cause of your issues might be that as of Windows Vista there no longer is a hardware audio stack. All audio is processed in software these days, which kind of defeats the purpose of cards like the X-Fi. Software that uses OpenAL, either directly or by ALchemy, should still be hardware-accelerated, though.
In fairness, beyond the fact that driver support for some of the features on my card were non-existent for a good time on Vista, I've had no grumbles with sound quality. I have however used Creative for a good few years now, having an Audigy on my old rig so maybe I'm missing out.
the driver cd is for winXP, 32bit. Last time i checked the official creative drivers didnt support 7, but that was a while ago... i should check again. At the moment i'm running the Daniel.k modded drivers. The sound quality is fine though - i've got it plugged into a decent quality HIFI amp and speakers, and it sounds good, if not quite as good as an external DAC. i also plug it into my logitech z5500 5.1 speaker set, and that sounds good in that it does a decent job of upmixing stereo sources cleanly... it can't compensate for the speakers lack of definition though
I bought an X-FI Extreme Music a couple of years ago, and I was happyish with it, until my PC started crashing play DoD:Source. It always seemed to be a sound card/driver error, as TF2 and CSS were fine, as was HL2 itself. Eventually, the card itself died, so I replaced it with a X-FI PCI-E card. It worked with no complaints, until Windows 7. The drivers under W7 are HORRIBLE. The output in many games is just plain missed, or only partially there, even when it worked perfectly under XP. So I'm now using my onboard sound, which happily, works perfectly. At least the PCI-E version was only £25ish OEM, I don't feel like it was a huge waste.
I'm using an X-Fi card, but the Auzentech X-Fi Prelude 7.1 version. I have to say that I love it. I did have horrible issues with it when I tried it in Windows 7, but since the new drivers were released back in July everything now works. Teamspeak now works with the new drivers and all of the creative programs etc work too. It's worth giving the new drivers a shot. Made all of the difference to my card. Here is a web link to Creative's Windows 7 info. There are links to drivers too.
I've been using the Creative Win7 drivers since they were released. My problems started when they first started changing (updating, as they called it) the whole software package back on XP. Every BSOD I had on WinXP and the only two I had on Vista (had that since day 1) were caused by the X-Fi or it's drivers. All I'm looking for is a decent alternative that doesn't cost a fortune, really. In these days of Vista and Win7 I see little advantage in a Creative product over any other quality hardware that might be out there. MS have moved the goalposts and Creative haven't moved with them. Anyway, thanks for your input, guys. I may try that Xonar sooner or later. Seems the D1 type can be had for just over 40 quid and the D2 around 70 - pretty close to X-Fi prices. JD Edit - just found THIS. Budget, maybe, but it would probably suit my needs, and I don't need the Dolby, I do my music recording on other, dedicated hardware.
