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CREATIVE SOUND BLASTER X-FI XTREME AUDIO

  • 07-12-2008 12:18am
    #1
    BaRcOe
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,164 ✭✭✭


    Is This good for PC gaming?

    Hearing enemies before they hear you...etc??

    Just looking for some opinions on it?


Comments

  • #2
    Blazer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,473 ✭✭✭✭Blazer


    It's crap. The extreme audio cards aren't even real x-fi cards. They're rebadged audigy cards with software emulation in place of the x-fi chip.


  • #3
    daveharnett
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,567 ✭✭✭daveharnett


    As matthew said. If you are prepared to spend a little more, the extreme music is better than the extreme gamer, is about the same price, and has all of the gamer's features.

    TBH, I wouldn't bother if you're just using it for games. Vista has broken native X-Fi support in games, and creative are using software called alchemy as a workaround. Basically, sound cards for gaming are on the way out. They are still worthwhile for music/movies IMO.


  • #4
    BaRcOe
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,164 ✭✭✭BaRcOe


    daveharnett wrote: »
    Basically, sound cards for gaming are on the way out. They are still worthwhile for music/movies IMO.

    Does that mean onboard sound chips are getting better or are sound cards just on their way out like the floppy disk


  • #5
    daveharnett
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,567 ✭✭✭daveharnett


    BaRcOe wrote: »
    Does that mean onboard sound chips are getting better or are sound cards just on their way out like the floppy disk
    Onboard sound is getting a little better in terms of quality, but most of the changes are in the software, and in game designers' priorities.

    Microsoft is bringing more advanced sound effects into the operating system (and DirectX), and eliminating the need for third party sound APIs like EAX. In that environment, game makers aren't bothering to write sound for EAX - why spend the effort when it will only make a small difference to a small proportion of the market.


  • #6
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,381 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    If, and ONLY if:

    a) You're running Windows XP
    b) You want better 3D sound support for games than onboard audio
    and
    c) You're utterly, utterly poverty-stricken (i.e. too skint for an XtremeMusic, which is a real soundcard that even has a real X-Fi chip!)

    is the XtremeAudio any use at all- whoops, sorry, there's a problem with that as well!

    Its still more expensive than the old Audigy SE, which is ALSO a rebadged SB Live! 24 (which is too old to be easily available). Seeing as all are the same (cack) card an XtremeAudio driver with a modified PartID list can be applied to the aforementioned cards without a hitch :D

    Basically all of the above cards are enhanced onboard sound controllers that also act as a software license allowing you to use X-Fi/Crystalliser/EAX4 SOFTWARE. If you use a modded driver (Google wins ;) ) you can get everything an XtremeAudio can give (which is just glorified X-Fi emulator software dressed up as a driver!) with a cheap old SB24 or AudigySE!

    So the XtremeAudio really does fail on all counts (unless you can get it even cheaper than an OEM Audigy SE pack) :p


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