PCI Express edition X-Fi

[Pinnacle]

The card appears to have a much smaller X-Fi chip than either the original XtremeAudio or Creative's X-Fi XtremeMusic. Considering that the X-Fi XtremeAudio is currently Creative's cheapest X-Fi sound card, it seems strange that the company would choose to show off a PCIe version of that particular card rather than, say, a PCIe X-Fi Fatal1ty.



http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2007/0111/ces12_3.jpg

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2007/0111/ces12.htm&langpair=ja|en&hl=en&ie=UTF8

[nn_step]

:clap: finally Creative listens

[[XC] Teroedni]

Too bad they dont work in Linux:mad:
Otherwise i would probably buy it

[purefun65]

I want one. when will we see it for sale?

[lowfat]

hopefully the other X-Fi cards will follow soon.

[aznblueeboi]

FINALLY!! PCI-E version!!

[noobzed]

Where to buy ?

[onewingedangel]

Shame they don't support Dolby Live/DTS connect or multichannel PCM/DDPlus etc.

Would be unbeatable then.

[SoF]

finally the pci-e gets popular for other cards it is about time, I really hope me next rig won't need pci anymore.
where's the gameport ^^ I need a gameport...creative pls I need a gameport for pci-e O_O

[lowfat]

Shame they don't support Dolby Live/DTS connect or multichannel PCM/DDPlus etc.

Would be unbeatable then.

I don't see the point of DTS connect/ DDL on a soundcard with good DACs. You need just one or the other.

[onewingedangel]

I'd much rather have one digital cable going into my amp than seven though. When used with a home cinema reciever sending the signal digitally would be much nicer, and at the minute onboard azalia solutions suit me better than xfi, the only areas its not as good is cpu utilisation and eax support(duh).

[Fr3ak]

Finally a PCIE soundcard, but from the looks of that thing, it wont be much better than onboard audio.
I was expecting a real X-FI pcie version.
But did you noticed the optical in and output? From what I recall thats a novum for Creative. They only had a creative special optical out that couldnt be used for more than stereo with any DD receiver. That one was designed for Crative speakers only.
If they finally make a soundcard with a decent digital out that works everywhere I will consider buying one again.

[xlink]

can I plug it into a PCI-e x16 or 4x slot, if I put it in the PCI-e 1x slot it would have issues with the NB cooler I'm getting?

I should be able to, right?

[nn_step]

finally the pci-e gets popular for other cards it is about time, I really hope me next rig won't need pci anymore.
where's the gameport ^^ I need a gameport...creative pls I need a gameport for pci-e O_O
wait, you still use a gameport...
haven't you upgraded to a USB joystick yet?

[Starscream]

can I plug it into a PCI-e x16 or 4x slot, if I put it in the PCI-e 1x slot it would have issues with the NB cooler I'm getting?

I should be able to, right?


yup, u can fit it into every PCI-e slot.

[Ehwaz001]

can I plug it into a PCI-e x16 or 4x slot, if I put it in the PCI-e 1x slot it would have issues with the NB cooler I'm getting?

I should be able to, right?
Indeed, from 1x --> 16x it's compatible, not the other way around, since it won't fit...

[noobzed]

but is it for sale now ?

[Helmore]

Indeed, from 1x --> 16x it's compatible, not the other way around, since it won't fit...
You do have open slots though, this means that you can put a 16x PCI-e card in an open 4x slot for example.

[[XC] Kayin]

Am I the only one that noticed there's no X-Ram on this version? I've got the X-Fi XtremeMusic but it has X-Ram, this is bereft of it. It's part of why we're using X-Fi cards in the first place, cause it can handle everything on board...

[NickS]

I'll take PCI and my Black PCB w/XRAM over that thing...

EDIT: XtremeAudio is an SB Live 24-Bit with X-Fi drivers btw, at least the PCI version was.

[Fr3ak]

Have a closer look. That card is not based on the X-FI chip at all.
Looks like a very low budget chip to me, comparable with what mainboards are using for onboard sound.

And X-Ram is not a must have anyway. Performance gains are negligible.

[NickS]

Yup, see above :)

[justin_c]

xram is a HUGE gimmick. id take PCI too. less overhead on gfx card. but the only reason why i would go pcie would be maybe latency and interference? anyways, if your pro audio, then auzentech xplosion (the only problem is that auzentech doesnt have EAX licenses, therefore gamers :( )

[nn_step]

I'll take PCI and my Black PCB w/XRAM over that thing...

EDIT: XtremeAudio is an SB Live 24-Bit with X-Fi drivers btw.
PCI has been out since June 22, 1992.
it had a long full life
I think it is time for it to finally be replaced.

[Hicks]

Why is everyone so bothererd about a PCI Express version? It's not a video card. It will make no difference to a PCI version.

[[XC] Kayin]

Cause with my SCSI card and my video card I only have a PCI-E 1x open.

[[XC] hipno650]

wow that is good to see. but on my mobo i think i would ahve clearance issues with the north bridge so it would go in the x4 slot. and if they make an xtrememusic one sign me up!!!

[-Acid-]

wonder if the crackling issue will be gona with the move to pic-e ???

[NickS]

I have zero crackling issues and I use nF4 too!

[WeStSiDePLaYa]

doesnt the xtreme audio use the same APU as the audigy series. and not the new X-fi APU, hence its smaller size, and why it doesnt need cooling?

maybe creative hasnt gotten their XFI APU to work on pcie?

[Soulburner]

This is probably just a test before they roll out PCI-E connections on their bigger cards.

Just like new processes on video cards.

[SaFrOuT]

good step from creative but the card looks very bad

hope to see the XtremeMusic or X-Ram on it soon

[MrDeeds]

Why is everyone so bothererd about a PCI Express version? It's not a video card. It will make no difference to a PCI version.

Because boards are coming out with less pci slots and more pci-e slots.

[audiofreak]

Why is everyone so bothererd about a PCI Express version? It's not a video card. It will make no difference to a PCI version.

Of course it will. PCI-Express supports packet prioritization and message signaling imterrupts so it is faster/better/sexier.

I would only like to know how will Creative take back what they have said numerous times and that is:
The PCI-Express is bad for audio.

Timing couldn't have been worse for this "innovation" though, there is PCI-E 2.0 just around the corner so this too will be obsolete in a matter of months.

[nn_step]

Timing couldn't have been worse for this "innovation" though, there is PCI-E 2.0 just around the corner so this too will be obsolete in a matter of months.
no completely, since PCIe 2.0 is backwards compatible with PCIe 1.0
ultimately it is time to phase out PCI products. They have had a long industrious run but it is time to move forward

[jbizzler]

Why has no one mentioned the optical connectors? Now you can have good audio AND be on home theater system without having the Pro verison or having optical connectors come out the front oif your case. And is that a front panel connector I see?

I just hope the final isn't blue.

[Borgod]

If this removes the crackling and they release a 'true' x-fi with PCI-E then I'm sold.

[nox_uk]

with openAL support would be nice...

Nix

[Fr3ak]

Why has no one mentioned the optical connectors? Now you can have good audio AND be on home theater system without having the Pro verison or having optical connectors come out the front oif your case. And is that a front panel connector I see?

I just hope the final isn't blue.

Have a look at my first post ;)

Why I think going to PCIE is a good thing:
I have had a few mainboards now, that didnt allow me to have a sli setup with 2 slots coolers and a pci soundcard at the same time, whereas on those boards a PCIE 1x slot was still free for use.
So why do I want a fast sli/crossfire rig for gaming, when I have to use crappy onboard sound.
Mainboard layouts are to blame aswell.
And who knows how long we will have PCI slots on the mainboards, in contrast to pcie slots. So I a, way more happy buying a 90$ sound card that has an pcie interface than spending that much money on a pci card that I wont be able to use on new mainboards.
Mainboards are alrady expensive enough, so I personally dont want to spend even more money on soundcards.

[iddqd]

PCI has been out since June 22, 1992.
it had a long full life
I think it is time for it to finally be replaced.
By... PCI. But hey, now it has a smaller plug yey.

[nn_step]

By... PCI. But hey, now it has a smaller plug yey.
PCIe is as closely related to PCI as
SATA is related to PATA

[Revv23]

but creative says you cant make sound cards on PCI-E because of latency!!


are you saying they lied to us!?

OMG hell froze over creative fed us BS! :O

[NickS]

Or.. they developed something to combat that problem.

[Omastar]

PCIe is as closely related to PCI as
SATA is related to PATA

So SATA 1.5 (150 MBp/s theoretical) is to ATA-133 (133 MBp/s theoretical)? That does sound closely related. :p:

[Revv23]

Or.. they developed something to combat that problem.


which according to them was impossible, and we should just buy the PCI versions.

Don't worry, im not mad, i would have bought my xfi either way, just would be nice if creative had some real competition, because i dont like them at all as a company.

[MrDeeds]

but creative says you cant make sound cards on PCI-E because of latency!!


I think they just realized that when theres only one free pci slot on a board that most of us are probably going to just deal with onboard audio. So they had no choice but to adapt.

[LOE]

latency my a$$ - I am using a USB sound card that is able to push less ASIO latency than any PCI card I've owned, and USB is much much slower

[b0bd0le]

latency my a$$ - I am using a USB sound card that is able to push less ASIO latency than any PCI card I've owned, and USB is much much slower


QFT

creative is just a lazy because they have such a huge monopoly.

[HungryForHertz]

creative is just a lazy because they have such a huge monopoly.

I like their products, but totally agreed. They need some real competition.

[rapty]

About Competition, I would Skip the XFI and go for a Auzentech X Merdian 7.1 card

I would do it for Two reasons first one being Creative as a Customer relations and Support Company are anything but Prudent and Helpfull in the face of a issue with one of their Products, I'd also buy the Alternative mentioned because its a superior Card the Quality compared to a XFI is alot better.

Some lessons need to be learned one of them would be maybe to try and treat their Customers with a little less Complacent Content.

[wedfighter]

no coax connector, crappy caps..:D
well..i'll skip this one..and stick with my Prodigy XT :D

[revenant]

how did I miss this thread.. wow!!!! finally... wow. this is so great. yay! :) figures as much now that I have a pci-e 1x raid card. lol. oh well..

wait a sec.. that's no XFI in the pic.. not sure what it is..

[elec999]

Finally a creative board with optical on it. But this board looks really cheap.
Thanks

[topaimz]

meh... good improvement.

But I think I'll be satisfied with my Elite Pro for a long time
before I even consider a new sound card :rolleyes:

[SP1]

I think Creative have lostmoney or make a small profit I cannot remember which.
They have to innovate or they could end up on the scarpheap

[ahmad]

This looks like a cheap cheap card. I want high quality PCI-E cards.

[haste]

Why is everyone so bothererd about a PCI Express version? It's not a video card. It will make no difference to a PCI version.

not every1 can fit all the cards they have on one motherboard so easily.
most people are running with 2 or 3 empty pci express slots.

[del_fuego]

This looks like a cheap cheap card. I want high quality PCI-E cards.

True. I will wait and see what Terratec bring out i think.

[Soulburner]

Guys like I said I bet this is just a test. Its not unlike the video card companies trying out a new manufacturing process on the low-end cards before using it on their next-gen GPU's. If things go well we will probably see a move to PCI-E.

[Nanometer]

Low end migration first, then high end. Screw physics card, I want a full bandwidth sound card!

[JoeBar]

Even though it's a low end card, the move to pci-e is the news, not the card itself... ;)