Upgraded from an Audigy 2 to an X-Fi Elite Pro

dirtydog · 11-08-2009, 13:04

Or at least I say upgraded

I've had my trusty Audigy 2 for must be five years now. I tried an X-Fi Xtreme Music a few years ago but ended up selling it and keeping the Audigy.

Recently I got some better speakers so thought I'd give an X-Fi another chance, reasoning that I may hear more of a difference on better speakers. This time I picked up a cheap Elite Pro, which if you don't know have a better quality DAC and opamps than the rest of the X-Fi range. The same components are found on some very well regarded audiophile grade sound cards. So it had to blow the Audigy 2 away right?

Well no, not to my ears. It sounds great, of course, as you would expect £200 worth of sound card to do. But after much listening, and some swapping back and forth between it and my Audigy, it just doesn't sound any better. In fact for my money (and ears) it sounds worse. Yes it has the edge on clarity of sound, you can tell it is a bit clearer than the Audigy, but there is very, very little in it. But 'clearer' doesn't necessarily equal better. To me the sound of the Audigy is warmer and also there are various EAX advanced EQ options which the X-Fi drivers inexplicably omit, even in Windows XP. I use the 'Techno' EAX advanced EQ setting with the Audigy and it gives a fuller and richer sound than anything I was able to reproduce with the X-Fi, regardless of what settings I used.

Other issues with the X-Fi were that the front speakers sometimes chose to be silent and sound would only come out of the rear speakers, eg. Windows sounds or when watching streaming video in a web browser (eg. BBC news). This never happened with the Audigy.

Also the X-Fi sometimes gave out the squeal of death. You'd be listening to a tune and then... squeaaaaaallll...... with the only way to fix it being a reboot. And I'm using a proven Intel chipset, not nvidia or Via.

Reading reviews, both professional and user, most people rave about the X-Fi but there is the odd dissenting voice who say that it is little or no different to the Audigy range. I think I have to add my voice to their number

Mark · 11-08-2009, 13:24

No offence intended, but it's still a Creative card, and unless their support has come a long way in the last few years I'd have a hard time even considering an Audigy, X-Fi, or any other card Creative happen by with.

I've mulled a sound card upgrade for years (I'm still using an original SB Live! - back from the days when I didn't know better) but I've found fault with every upgrade option I've considered and thus never bothered. Mind you, I think the fact that I've currently got the £500+ audio gear that card drives turned off and I'm using a pair of USB laptop speakers speaks far more about my audio choices than any sound card upgrade.

dirtydog · 11-08-2009, 13:30

I used to have a Live! 5.1 card myself actually - the Audigy 2 was a significant improvement even on the cheap PC speakers I had at the time.

Streeteh · 11-08-2009, 13:31

Did you buy it recently from a retailer? If so distance selling act would be a good idea to try and use. I've only tried X-fi and Xonar products, Xonar blew the two X-fi cards i've used away. Tbh i noticed no discernible difference between the xfi xtreme music and my motherboards onboard sound.

Also, both X-fi products died within two years of buying them.

divine · 11-08-2009, 13:34

Told you to buy a Xonar

dirtydog · 11-08-2009, 13:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Streeteh

Did you buy it recently from a retailer? If so distance selling act would be a good idea to try and use. I've only tried X-fi and Xonar products, Xonar blew the two X-fi cards i've used away. Tbh i noticed no discernible difference between the xfi xtreme music and my motherboards onboard sound.

Also, both X-fi products died within two years of buying them.

£35 from someone on OcUK

Streeteh · 11-08-2009, 13:38

Balls, sell it on again and buy a xonar

dirtydog · 11-08-2009, 13:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by divine

Told you to buy a Xonar

What put me off was a few things...

the need for a floppy connector which apparently is dodgy on the Xonar, ie. you can fcuk it up easily and break the card

the Xonar drivers lack compatibility with games that Creative drivers do

the Xonar drivers lack the bass/treble option that Creative drivers have, which is essential for me as I am using speakers directly, not through an amplifier and have no other way of adjusting bass/treble. The Xonar drivers do provide an equaliser but it doesn't give the same results (as I have read from a number of reviews)

Wyrdo · 11-08-2009, 16:58

Xonar all the way for me - the last Creative card I had was the Xi-Fi Fatality thing a few years back, absolute load of crap and Creative are still terrible with their driver support.

I won't buy another one of their cards again.

Flibster · 11-08-2009, 17:11

Went from Live with breakout box to X-Fi with breakout box due to the Live burning out.
It's alright. This machine doesn't need anything more in it.

It's still much better than the onboard sound was.

11-08-2009, 13:04	#1
dirtydog Long Island Iced Tea Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 221	Upgraded from an Audigy 2 to an X-Fi Elite Pro Or at least I say upgraded I've had my trusty Audigy 2 for must be five years now. I tried an X-Fi Xtreme Music a few years ago but ended up selling it and keeping the Audigy. Recently I got some better speakers so thought I'd give an X-Fi another chance, reasoning that I may hear more of a difference on better speakers. This time I picked up a cheap Elite Pro, which if you don't know have a better quality DAC and opamps than the rest of the X-Fi range. The same components are found on some very well regarded audiophile grade sound cards. So it had to blow the Audigy 2 away right? Well no, not to my ears. It sounds great, of course, as you would expect £200 worth of sound card to do. But after much listening, and some swapping back and forth between it and my Audigy, it just doesn't sound any better. In fact for my money (and ears) it sounds worse. Yes it has the edge on clarity of sound, you can tell it is a bit clearer than the Audigy, but there is very, very little in it. But 'clearer' doesn't necessarily equal better. To me the sound of the Audigy is warmer and also there are various EAX advanced EQ options which the X-Fi drivers inexplicably omit, even in Windows XP. I use the 'Techno' EAX advanced EQ setting with the Audigy and it gives a fuller and richer sound than anything I was able to reproduce with the X-Fi, regardless of what settings I used. Other issues with the X-Fi were that the front speakers sometimes chose to be silent and sound would only come out of the rear speakers, eg. Windows sounds or when watching streaming video in a web browser (eg. BBC news). This never happened with the Audigy. Also the X-Fi sometimes gave out the squeal of death. You'd be listening to a tune and then... squeaaaaaallll...... with the only way to fix it being a reboot. And I'm using a proven Intel chipset, not nvidia or Via. Reading reviews, both professional and user, most people rave about the X-Fi but there is the odd dissenting voice who say that it is little or no different to the Audigy range. I think I have to add my voice to their number

11-08-2009, 13:31	#4
Streeteh Vodka Martini Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Kingston Posts: 862	Did you buy it recently from a retailer? If so distance selling act would be a good idea to try and use. I've only tried X-fi and Xonar products, Xonar blew the two X-fi cards i've used away. Tbh i noticed no discernible difference between the xfi xtreme music and my motherboards onboard sound. Also, both X-fi products died within two years of buying them. __________________ PSN & Live! ID: Streeteh

11-08-2009, 13:34	#5
divine Moonshine Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Southampton Posts: 3,201	Told you to buy a Xonar __________________

11-08-2009, 13:38	#7
Streeteh Vodka Martini Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Kingston Posts: 862	Balls, sell it on again and buy a xonar __________________ PSN & Live! ID: Streeteh

11-08-2009, 17:11	#10
Flibster Moonshine Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 3,388	Went from Live with breakout box to X-Fi with breakout box due to the Live burning out. It's alright. This machine doesn't need anything more in it. It's still much better than the onboard sound was. __________________

11-08-2009, 13:24	#2
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	No offence intended, but it's still a Creative card, and unless their support has come a long way in the last few years I'd have a hard time even considering an Audigy, X-Fi, or any other card Creative happen by with. I've mulled a sound card upgrade for years (I'm still using an original SB Live! - back from the days when I didn't know better) but I've found fault with every upgrade option I've considered and thus never bothered. Mind you, I think the fact that I've currently got the £500+ audio gear that card drives turned off and I'm using a pair of USB laptop speakers speaks far more about my audio choices than any sound card upgrade.

11-08-2009, 13:30	#3
dirtydog Long Island Iced Tea Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 221	I used to have a Live! 5.1 card myself actually - the Audigy 2 was a significant improvement even on the cheap PC speakers I had at the time.

11-08-2009, 16:58	#9
Wyrdo Long Island Iced Tea Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 197	Xonar all the way for me - the last Creative card I had was the Xi-Fi Fatality thing a few years back, absolute load of crap and Creative are still terrible with their driver support. I won't buy another one of their cards again.