Is Creative Labs getting out of the sound card business?

[mlopinto2k1]

You have got to be joking. The X-Fi is STILL currently in the development stages, almost literally. It is a brand new sound processor and with that comes development issues (for instance... XBox 360) I know there is no real comparison there but the fact that these are both pretty new products. One of the main problems with newer sound cards is IRQ Routing between these "New and Improved" bullshit chipsets on motherboards. I own an X-Fi Platinum and to be honest... It works flawlessy. I make music with it... (I use a midi keyboard, optical out to my HT Receiver and a digital coax in for my microphone setup) So... what I am getting at is... is anyone paying you to over analyze this shit? You got to be kidding me about a brief 2 seconds of crackle that MOST likely has to do with a games interaction with the X-Fi due to it being a NEW soundcard over a cheap northbridge.

That's it for now.

You guys should relax a little, your gonna get an ulcer.

Mike

 

[boe]

OMFG a couple of seconds crackle when you piss about with your settings.
never noticed any myself. your like the people who have the main volume up at 100% and then wonder why at high volume's they get distortion. you have to set things up correctly tp get the best out of them although i can muck about with the settigs all i want and nothing bad happens.

You assumed I had the volume up - actually most levels are rarely set above 50% (wav. volume, etc) I'm well aware of what underpowered output pushed to the limits can do. I would get a headphone amp if I needed more power but I have perfect hearing. This is not a matter of distortion from lack of output amperage or headroom.

This system is set up properly. I've been in the computer industry for 20 years. I work for a gaming company (among others) that fired their last guy so that I could be their new consultant.

This is a well documented issue and yet you want to argue because you haven't heard any snap crackle or pop when playing back your abba CD. Try playing the levels of FEAR I recommended and that someone who wasn't sure took the time to VERIFY instead of just putting his hands over his ears and shouting "la la la la I'm not listening"

Please stop assuming.

 

[boe]

I dont know exactly what setup(s) you have tried running the X-Fi's in so this is just a suggestion/comment...

On Creative's website, they mention that they are researching why the card cracks and pops in certain games. They do have a work-around for it, either a) lower the sound quality (makes the bonus of having an X-Fi kind of useless, I know) or b) run it in a Dual-Channel RAM system.

Thanks for the very helpful and open discussion. I have tried it on a DDR2 system and while it isn't as frequent it still occurs on occasion. I should have mentioned that - I do appreciate the post for anyone who may be wondering. That is good stuff.

 

[boe]

if one in a miliion cards had an issue you would still cry from the rooftops how crap creative is and how ALL of their cards have defects.

Actually if you read my post, I stated I had moved that client back to the Audigy 2zs as it seems to have less issues. I didn't say I moved them back to their onboard sound as the Audigy2zs is superior with less issues than the X-FI.

and i haven't got f.e.a.r.

So you are saying their are no problems with the card because you don't play the games it is known to have issues with? Hmmm - I've never seen gang violence first hand - I vehemently deny reports by th police that there is a gang problem in Los Angeles - your right! The gang issues just dissappeared! Brilliant! Perhaps you could solve world hunger using that same logic - you've never experienced going days without nourishment have you - does that mean true poverty doesn't exist?

Perhaps you don't use as many game engines as my clients do so you may not have experienced the issue as much. Perhaps you aren't demoing games on your system to investors and clients where Snap, Crackle and Pop are not welcome guests.

As I buy many new systems each month, I would like to be able to move my clients forward to the processing power of the X-Fi but without the issues found in many of the game engines with the X-Fi. That is why I would like for Creative to release a new sound card but as there are not even rumors of a new card (typically at least 4 months before release) and their current card has been available for over 15 months - based on their previous release schedule it seems that Creative has put all of it's money in their mp3 player division.

 

[halcyon]

if one in a miliion cards had an issue you would still cry from the rooftops how crap creative is and how ALL of their cards have defects.

Actually if you read my post, I stated I had moved that client back to the Audigy 2zs as it seems to have less issues. I didn't say I moved them back to their onboard sound as the Audigy2zs is superior with less issues than the X-FI.

Perhaps you don't use as many game engines as my clients do so you may not have experienced the issue as much. Perhaps you aren't demoing games on your system to investors and clients where Snap, Crackle and Pop are not welcome guests.

As I buy many new systems each month, I would like to be able to move my clients forward to the processing power of the X-Fi but without the issues found in many of the game engines with the X-Fi. That is why I would like for Creative to release a new sound card but as there are not even rumors of a new card (typically at least 4 months before release) and their current card has been available for over 15 months - based on their previous release schedule it seems that Creative has put all of it's money in their mp3 player division.

TBH and to be fair, as I understand it, Creative is not totally in financial heaven right now...so they're likely trying to make $$. The personal audio player market is probably more lucrative for them, right now, than the audio-card market...and thus that's where a good amount of their resources are likely going. They probably aren't selling too many $200+ consumer audio cards, no matter whether those cards are great or not. Enthusiasts may want those products, but probably aren't buying as many as Creative needs to sell to get themselves back in the black. TBH, I really can't see myself ever buying a Zen MP3 player over an iPod unless Creative was giving me an incredibly strong fiscal reason to do so. Unfortunately, a lof of consumers feel the same way.

Creative needs to support their products properly, but they also need to be lucrative if we're to see advancements. They're going to put their resources where its going to help get them in the financial position they desire. We'll see improvements from them, but not as quickly as some enthusiasts may like.

 

[commanderspockep]

Creative needs to support their products properly, but they also need to be lucrative if we're to see advancements. They're going to put their resources where its going to help get them in the financial position they desire. We'll see improvements from them, but not as quickly as some enthusiasts may like.

I couldn't agree more. However I would like to see some competition step up to the plate and take creative head on. I know there are lesser known companies out there but lets be honest...the general public really has no clue.
I think competition would help not hurt creative. Take a look at ATI vs. Nvidia for example. You can't tell me that ATI would be better off without Nvidia.

Not only that the terrible plague of onboard sound has taken hold. Unfortunately onboard sound is their only real competition. So they really don't have much to compete with here in terms of quality. So it really befuddles me that so many people out there don't even think about soundcards in their build. Especially since sound cards are perhaps one of the least expensive component in a build. Why is that? I believe it's the lack of true competition and bad marketing strategies by Creative.

I tell people all the time that onbaord sound is just a sham by motherboard companies so you will by their brand or model. And most people don't care because they have been brainwashed so they don't even bother to lay down $20-30 for a soundcard. I wish the high end enthusiast boards didnt have on-board sound. It just makes installation harder for us that do want quality.

 

[boe]

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Driver with OpenAL 2.09.0001
This download contains an improved version of the drivers found on the Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic, Platinum and Fatal1ty installation CDs. It now provides full OpenAL support for gamers.


This download:
Includes Creative Audio Console, which enables you to use the Sound Blaster X-Fi features and functions.
Does not address all the reported general "crackling" issues, but it does resolve some specific issues with crackling. Investigations with some motherboard manufacturers are ongoing, and we hope to provide a general solution soon.
Resolves some issues to improve your overall audio experience.


Added Feature:
Supports OpenAL 1.1

Gee - it must be my imagination about the crackling :roll:

 

[Heyyou27]

If you hate the idea of new technology, then you're on the wrong forum.

The only game I've had any issues with FarCry x64, which was annoying, but nothing that made me feel like the card was not worth it.

 

[Eviltwin17]

creative's 1st drivers for the x-fi line of cards were definatley crap. They released a web update that fixed most of the driver problems and improved performance.

 

[Gabriel77]

I haven't read anything yet, but IMO Creative is developing right now an HD audio capable card.

The new Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Lossless (MLP) and DTS-HD formats are out for the HD-DVD and Bluray media. But it's all very new and there aren't any kind of decoder in the market right now, i think they will be in fall.

So i bet for an "Creative X-Fi HD" for Christmas season. I don't know what to think about the PCI-E, but the HD audio bandwith is 20 times higher...

A new "HD" version of the DDTS-100 will be interesting too, because i'm sure that the first HD audio A/V receivers will be insanely expensive :? .

 

[rexter]

Hi Guys/Gals, you may know more about these sound cards than I do.

I've use SoundBlaster cards on most of the computer I have built but never have an issue of crackles and pops some of you guys mention. Mind you I don’t crank the settings on high.

Anyway I remember reading an article about the X-Fi issue with Mother Board with NVIDIA chip and paired X-Fi Sound Card, I don't remember the site but if I do I'll post the link next time.

I guess the best way to do is keep the sound card drivers up to date.

 

[phreejak]

Well, anyone who is having a bad time with their X-Fi card could just take a piece of string and attach one end to the PCI slot and the other end to an empty tin can. It is important that the can be empty or you might experience some sound issues while playing a game

 

[halcyon]

Well, anyone who is having a bad time with their X-Fi card could just take a piece of string and attach one end to the PCI slot and the other end to an empty tin can. It is important that the can be empty or you might experience some sound issues while playing a game

LOL.

...but don't poke too much fun @ those who are having X-Fi troubles though. I'd be upset if I didn't have a bottomless bank account and spent some of what I did have on what I thought was (and what has been touted as) a paramount sound card, that is supposedly great, if not the best, at everything...only to find that it has the "Rice Crispies" effect and the company can't or won't offer a hard fix. If I was purchasing a new card geared more for music audio but with some gaming ability I'd prolly not look to an X-Fi when the M-Audio Revolution series exists. I'm a very short budget, like a lot of other people, so I can definately empathize.

 

[Reckless187]

I read a while back in another thread about how the first set of X-fi cards were suffering from overheating problems so later releases were fitted with heatsinks on the main chip to compensate. I know mine has a heatsink & I have never had any problems plus I'm using the card in an Nforce 2 mobo with the original CD drivers & I have never had any sound problems.

Maybe all the people who are suffering sound problems could check their cards to see if they have heatsinks. If they do and your still having problems then f**k knows, just ingore this post.

 

[halcyon]

I read a while back in another thread about how the first set of X-fi cards were suffering from overheating problems so later releases were fitted with heatsinks on the main chip to compensate. I know mine has a heatsink & I have never had any problems plus I'm using the card in an Nforce 2 mobo with the original CD drivers & I have never had any sound problems.

Maybe all the people who are suffering sound problems could check their cards to see if they have heatsinks. If they do and your still having problems then f**k knows, just ingore this post.

That's really good advice. Your post makes me realize that I've read that before myself. In fact, there was a thread about that perhaps a month, or so back. ...with employing a chip-set HSF as a possible solution.

 

[hannibal]

Well, I'm not aware of any issues with the X-Fi cards myself. I have been using an X-Fi Fatality since December and it works flawlessly for me - games and encoding. The DVDs I play sound excellent. For me, it was a good investment.

Same here. No problems, exelent sound quality (Extreme Pro) and high quality connectors.

 

[halcyon]

Well, I'm not aware of any issues with the X-Fi cards myself. I have been using an X-Fi Fatality since December and it works flawlessly for me - games and encoding. The DVDs I play sound excellent. For me, it was a good investment.

Same here. No problems, exelent sound quality (Extreme Pro) and high quality connectors.

That's not fair! You have the venerable Xtreme Pro. I want it. I'm coming to steal it. You can't guard it 24/7! 8O