Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum
by Creative
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Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum
Customer Review: Creative does a great job this time
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been a Turtle Beach lover because I'm not a audiophile need most the best quality but can't bear with the poor quality with onboard audio. The quality Turtle Beach deliver is usually good enough and their package usually comes with a very good value. Been using Santa Cruz for years and it runs great. After upgrading CPU/Motherboard and to Z-5500, found the Santa Cruz seems to be lagging, usually about 3-5 glitches (sudden stop of sound) during mp3 playback. It might be my system's problem but anyway upgrade to Montego DDL fixed the problem. Used optical output on Montego DDL and it sounds good enough to me. But Montego DDL has a microphone problem (too low volume) that I can't live with.
So I tried X-Fi, only intention is to get the microphone problem fixed instead of getting better audio quality. When I put it with Z-5500, I can't believe the quality it delivers. I'm not audiophile but the difference is so obvious that everyone can tell. Some people complain about no optical output on XtremeMusic and no DDL on the whole X-Fi line. But you really don't need to. Man, the quality from 3 stereo cables at X-Fi is way better than optical output from Montego. This is when I reallized that for audio products, you need listening to compare, instead of looking (the spec) to compare. XtremeMusic should be good for most people but I still bought Platinum version for future proof anyway. In my value, not quality, oriented mind, I still vote for Creative this time. Creative beats Turtle Beach this time. Beats it really hard.
Of course, the microphone is fixed too.
Customer Review: Buy this.
Summary: 5 Stars
Words can not describe how awesome this card is. But, i'll do my best.
I first paired it with a Cambridge Soundworks 4.1 system i purchased in 1999. The sound was beautiful. Then I paired this card with a Logitech X-540 system. After having my roommates tell me they could hear my music on the other side of the house and shaking the windows of my room, I pleased the audiophile in me in ways you can only know if you have this card.
To further test this system, i played DOOM 3 and Half Life 2. After hearing my "opponents" walk across infront of me and "hear" them "walk from backleft to left to front to right to backright" I fully accepted the fact that yes, this was a worthy purchase.
To further test the Soundblaster X-Fi, i plugged my guitar straight into it and started playing and recording. After hearing the playback, i thought to myself "why should i ever pay for recording again when i can do it myself?"
This card, the Soundblaster X-Fi platinum, goes above and beyond anything i could ever imagine. Creative really out-did themselves with this one.
Customer Review: Great upgrade over on-board sound
Summary: 5 Stars
The last soundblaster I had used was a soundblaster Live a couple of years ago. Since then, I've been relying on onboard sound on Nforce based motherboards. Sound quality was okay, but there always seemed to be issues with the drivers and a fair amount of background noise on the analog outputs. I decided to upgrade to the X-fi when I started to have sound dropouts while playing Oblivion.
Sound quality from the X-Fi is great, especially with headphones. I'm only using the Drive bay I/O panel for the headphone jack, but the price of the Platinum version wasn't much more than just the basic card, so it was money well spent. If I had this set up as a media center PC, the remote control functions would make this an even better deal.
A few notes:
-I had no problems installing this on an NForce4 based motherboard (Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe)
-The I/O drive bay only comes in black. If you still have a tan case you're out of luck
-There is a digital SPDIF output available on the back of the card. It's a mini 1/8" jack, and unfortunately no adapter to RCA jack is included.
Customer Review: I'm a recording engineer
Summary: 5 Stars
I have had the X-Fi Platinum for about one month. I upgraded from Soundblaster 5.1, a big upgrade. I have an Asus Motherboard, AMD processor and NVidia video and have not had any problems at all. I got the card to record vinyl to CD. I have about 500 albums. The advantage of the connections straight from the amp to the card were the selling point.
I have recorded some albums over 30 years old and they sound fine. The recording software that came with the card works just fine from simple record to three levels of effects. I have put recordings from the records on my mp3 and burned cd's. Better sound than a casette tape and I've just scratched the surface with the software features.
I have a great improvement in overall sound and there are many uses for the features on the card and the software applications that come with it. All I need is more knowledge on how to use all of the features. The card is expensive but worth it, particularly if you have a specific use for it. Take the plunge and enjoy the best sound available, you deserve it.
Customer Review: Blown away by the change in sound
Summary: 5 Stars
So, after 7 years of long (and worthy) usage, I've decided to replace my antiquated SB Live. This card was a perfect follow up, because I watched the Audigy and Audigy 2 platinum's prices their whole life and they rarely changed, so I figured I'd pull the trigger now because I doubt the price will fluctuate much in the coming year.
Let me say this: the sound on this card blows away my old SB live. You really have to hear it to believe it. And, as the reviewer below mentioned, BF2 performance is amazing, as well as taking strain off my CPU.
The I/O drive on the front of my PC is the reason I bought this card actually. I use the MIDI I/O to program my gutiar amp, the mic/headphone ports are handy, the remote makes watching videos from my bed a breeze, and the other I/O ports will someday come in handy.
A great investment, and unlike a video card, it won't be outdated in 2 years to come.