Conclusion

Creative's X-Fi is very impressive. I can't stop playing music with it. I can't stop playing games with it. The big question is, is it worth it?  The X-Fi is expensive, but I think it is worth it. You know, when I submitted the Audigy 1 review to Hilbert many years ago, he fired back an email asking if I really meant to call it, "The SoundBlaster Oddity." It really wasn't a bad card, but it didn't live up to its hype either.  I think this time Creative got it just perfect with the X-Fi. It has a rare combination of new features that work great and has a mixture of the best qualities of all the past sound cards we have reviewed.

The X-Fi is not perfect, though. Easily, the first thing is that you don't get digital I/O in any standard form. You have to buy special cables, which are available from an undisclosed location. Speaking of outputs, the analog outs are doubled up for 7.1, which you guessed it, you'll need to buy or make special cables. Another big question is that now that dual-core CPU's are becoming prevalent, will the need to have audio acceleration be any incentive for developers? Creative will have to fight to get some better support for EAX. And lastly, Homey don't play PCIe. The X-Fi was developed specifically for PCI and will have to go through a serious revision for it to work with PCIe.

For gamers and music fans, though, this is the best Creative sound card to date. Musicians looking for something to provide basic recording and effects, the X-Fi will be okay, but not great. I'd wait until Emu puts out their version of the X-Fi.

Speaking of games, EAX is getting better and better with each new release. Hopefully soon we'll see a version that provides that unmistakable sound of realism. There's no doubt that the hardware is capable, it's the software where the real problem lives. In games like Battlefield 2, where the audio is very carefully done, the X-Fi can create a real sounding game. It can bring you that much closer to the horror of war. That, my friends, is impressive. Some games don't sound right at all, which is a real shame and the X-Fi will not help.

Performance wise, what's the point? There's Creative and then there's everybody else. The X-Fi has all that good hardware and it is put to good use. I should think the X-Fi is faster than the Audigy2 ZS in any and all applications. If it isn't I'll eat the paper this was written on. It was faster than our Envy24 based Terratec DMX 6-fire and sounded a little bit better while doing it.

Without a doubt, the X-Fi is the best Creative sound card to date.

Stuff That is Always at the End

I would like to thank Hilbert for being smart, patient, and rather tall.  To old friends made new again, and to Mrs. M. who allowed this review to be written. Special thanks to Hilbert and P.OSHAUNESSY for sending an X-Fi our way!   Cheers!

http://www.soundblaster.com/products/x-fi/technology/architecture/specs.asp

http://www.creative.com/heartobelieve/

http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/multimedia/creative-x-fi-part2.html

http://www.st.com/stonline/

http://www.cirrus.com/en/products/pro/detail/P223.html

http://kxproject.lugosoft.com/index.php?skip=1

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Aug02/articles/multiband.asp

http://www.gshome.com/radio/

http://www.orban.com/

http://www.kanyewest.com

http://www.thisweekintech.com

http://www.diggnation.com

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_Commander_%28computer_game%29

http://tinyurl.com/bjzm8 <-- Creative forums

http://alive.singnet.com.sg/tech/digital-io.htm

http://www.widescreengaminforum.com

http://headwize.com/ubb/forumdisplay.php?fnum=3

This review brought to you by the letter j.

Our moment of Zen.

+++BAM