Creative X-Fi & Optical woes

[polobunny]

A bit of a rant here.
Lord knows how optical is wonderful. Except with a X-Fi sound card. X-Fi sound cards do not support 5.1 optical output. Only 2.1.
Guess who got tricked into buying an over priced Digital I/O module so optical could be fed back and forth from the noble X-Fi XtremeMusic to the Logitech Z-5500's? Me. :/

So I just bought TOSLINK cables and the Digital I/O module for totally nothing. I won't get clearer sound than with my analog connections. I was expecting to connect my Z-5500's digital to free my analog connections to keep my Zalman surround headphones always connected.

My Z-5500's will only report stereo output coming from the X-Fi when using digital, and that's normal (google it, i'm not the only one who got caught). Even by running the surround test in Creative control panel it's like I had a 2.1 system. Yes, I have the most recent drivers too.
The only way to get "surround" is by switching the effect to Dolby Digital ProLogic II Music or Movie setting, but doing so you also reduce quality of the feed, which is not something I frankly want to do. Besides, it's not really surround per se, it's an emulation of surround.

So, if you want a nice sound card, buy an Auzentech HDA X-plosion 7.1. You don't have EAX5.0 (couldn't find a game supporting that sort of occlusion anyway...) but you get full surround, whatever port you use. Thanks C-Media for that little baby. You also get stable drivers, as well as probably better support overall.


</rant>

[gvblake22]

I have an X-Plosion sound card and love it. I also tried an X-Fi XtremeMusic and was glad to switch to the Auzentech card. I haven't tried the digital outputs because I don't have digital speakers (yet), but everything else about the card is great. Sorry to hear about the lack of functionality with the X-Fi though, have you tried onboard sound, does that have a digital audio output?

[polobunny]

Originally Posted by gvblake22

I have an X-Plosion sound card and love it. I also tried an X-Fi XtremeMusic and was glad to switch to the Auzentech card. I haven't tried the digital outputs because I don't have digital speakers (yet), but everything else about the card is great. Sorry to hear about the lack of functionality with the X-Fi though, have you tried onboard sound, does that have a digital audio output?

My onboard does have digital audio output, but i'm not ready to sacrifice the sound quality of the X-Fi for the sake of connecting my Z-5500's in optical. :P
The analog is more than fine to be honest, I was just looking at improving it while mostly freeing my analog ports so I could leave my Zalman surround headphones plugged in 24/7.

[onebxr]

I have an ht omega striker 7.1 and I have had less problems with it than I ever had with my x-fi fatality crap. It is the exact same card as the x-plosion for 20.00 less.
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[okron1k]

this is good info. thanks for sharing.. i am still in need of a sound card as i'm still using the card that came with my stryker extreme.

has anyone heard anything or tried the x-fi card from auzentech?

here's a link:
Auzentech, Inc. Sound Cards. Audio You Can Believe In. World First soundcards for Music, HTPC, and Gaming.

[gvblake22]

Originally Posted by okron1k

has anyone heard anything or tried the x-fi card from auzentech?[/url]

I haven't heard anything first hand, but there are several reviews around the 'net, just try a google search

[polobunny]

Originally Posted by okron1k

this is good info. thanks for sharing.. i am still in need of a sound card as i'm still using the card that came with my stryker extreme.

has anyone heard anything or tried the x-fi card from auzentech?

here's a link:
Auzentech, Inc. Sound Cards. Audio You Can Believe In. World First soundcards for Music, HTPC, and Gaming.

I would get the same problem. The thing is in the chip, not the software. :/

[screwballl]

why require digital? why not just use the analog which is a direct signal? I have the XtremeMusic XFi card and use the standard analog inputs for my 5.1, no problems whatsoever and get clean and clear sound, even with crappy speakers (new 5.1's on the way).

[okron1k]

these auzentech's have spiked my interest. i keep checking for replies :D

would HL recommend an auzentech card (if so which) over an creative x-fi?

[gvblake22]

I switched from an X-Fi XtremeMusic to an Auzentech X-Plosion and have never looked back and couldn't be happier.