Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium or X-Fi Fatal1Ty Pro

[Guttersnipe]

Hi, I'm about to buy a sound card and i was thinking between the two Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium or X-Fi Fatal1Ty Pro i didn't noticed a lot of difference between them except the metal case around the pro series and X-Ram for $40 more and i really hate the fatality logo...i mean really who cares about fatality.....lol anyways is the $40 really worth it is there a big difference or should i got for the regular X-Fi Titanium? Or should i wait for the recons to be sold in my local retails patiently? i hear they're a lot better.

 

[snakebitex]

Hello.

1. Those two sound are very good.
2. You gonna use it for movies or games ????
3. What kind of speakers you gonna connect on the card ?

 

[kitsunestarwind]

Both are great cards, X-Ram only offers benefits in some scenarios that are designed for it otherwise , choose the card that has the inputs and outputs that suit your system config and what you want to use it for.

 

[Guttersnipe]

I was going to use it for games and i was going to have connected headset and a optic cable for my stereo receiver. But i heard that the new X-Fi Recon is a lot better than these anyone had any experience with the new X-Fi's? and again there's a regular Recon3D and then there's a Recond3D Fatal1ty....and i really see no difference except for the cover and Fatal1ty logo witch i can care less about that guy. both cards have same features and everything except in description one says Elevate your gaming audio and communications for fatal1y and the other Pure acceleration for your gaming audio. I don't get it...

I've had an old X-Fi Falal1ty Pro Series before one of the first x-fi and i remember it sounded great but it broke on me after a year... starting causing computer crashes when input a new device to it and windows 7 apps were out-dated and wouldn't sound good on some games didn't work to the fullest until it started acting slow and died. I hope this doesn't happened with the new ones cause then I'm never buying a creative product again

 

[gamerk316]

None of the above. The Titanium is the only decent card in Creative's lineup; the Recon3D line is utter crap as far as I'm concerned (and a LOT of people agree), and the rest of the X-fi lineup is simply infereor to cards using the C-Media chipset put out by ASUS, Auzentech, and HT Omega. Even the Titanium is a VERY hard buy with the ASUS Xonar DX (and more recently, the ASUS Xonar D2(X) due to a long overdue price drop) in the same price range.

Right now is probably not the best time to buy though, since ASUS and HT Omega [and probably Auzentech to follow] are doing a product refresh now that C-Media finally came out with a native PCI-E chipset. I expect prices on their existing models to drop $10-$15 or so, making some cards a steal.

 

[davcon]

^+1 i agree!
Good sound advice!

 

[Guttersnipe]

so i shouldn't buy a recon i should go with the X-Fi Titanium? i found one at frys: http://www.frys.com/product/5748642?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

i went to go check at my local fry's but they were sold out for the same product...I saw a Recon3D for 99.99 and a X-Fi Fatal1Ty Pro for 129.99 but i really don't get it what the difference between them is... i mean i just want it for games so i can hear my enemy better in games and so my surround system can sound better as well as my headset overall i just want quality performance as well as not breaking or being useless after 3+ Years....

should i go through the trouble waiting and getting it transferred to my local store to buy the X-Fi Titanium version is it worth it? or should i just buy the Recon3D one?

 

[gamerk316]

Spec wise, the Recon3D is worse then onboard, and a LOT of features were removed compared to what used to be in the X-fi lineup.

And again, I don't view the Titanium as a particularly good sound card anyways. Its OK, but $129 is far too much for an OK sound card. Its simply impossible to recommend over the cheaper ASUS Xonar DX, or the ASUS Xonar D2(X) [if its price is under $120 or so].

 

[Guttersnipe]

i don't get it what was so much removed? i just see hardware accelerator removed and a few other stuff i never use for games like music creation stuff and PowerDVD DTS. this is not helping me with my choice :/ either i don't get it or whats being shown to me doesn't matter or does it? Like i stated before I just want to play games with a good quality sound and maybe music everything else i could really care less. As long as my optic fiber cable from my stereo works & my headphones and my games sounds way better than before witch is hearing everything clearly I can really care about the rest. :/

So again what do you think is best for my gaming experience? X-Fi Titanium or Recon3D? if its really a X-Fi Titanium that would give me the best experience in my gaming time then i for sure would get it. But if a Recon3D would provide more features for better gaming sound experience then for sure i would give that a try. for people who have probably have had both witch one would was better for you? or witch one would be better?

 

[gamerk316]

Again, I don't view either as particularly good. The X-fi is clearly the better chipset between the two though.

I also note your audio quality is going to be limited if you use optical as your connection method; its very hard to justify a soundcard period when using the optical output, since most of the heavy work will be done by the device at the other end.

 

[jmacri]

Hey Guttersnipe, I was is the same boat as you just a week ago. Being a gamer i immediately went to creative. Creative has pretty much been for a while the only good soundcard company, but thankfully that isnt the case anymore.

For your purpose a Gaming card isnt going to give you tremondous sound quality. Recon 3D or Fatality Pro have game enchancement features but their sound quality in terms of music is probbly just slightly better than onboard.

If you are interesting in purchasing other than Creative, check a look at following

Asus Xonar Essence ST/STX -
Many consider this to be the top soundcard out there. While it wont have the best positional sound due to the lack of EAX 5. Asus does have a gaming mode which is fantastic. The music quality is bar none. No card on the market will beat this card. Especially if you use headphones as it as a headphone amp on the card that boosts the sound quality on high end headsets.

XFI Platinum is a good card also. Pretty much a Creative copy of the Essence. It doesnt project the quality of sound as well as Essence.

Check out the Auzentech Forte- From what i hear its a great all purpose card which may fit your needs. If you are seriously lacking the 3d positional sound that Creative markets.


I decided to go with the Xonar Essence STX. Not only does it do a great job with modern games such as bf3. But the music experience is fantastic

Hope this Helps! =)

 

[gamerk316]

^^ Yeah, but for most people, the STX is overkill. Unless using VERY high quality speakers/headphones, theres no need to spend that much money. For the majority of people out there, the ASUS Xonar DX is more then sufficent.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Well i do have high quality sound system i have Polk Audio 5.1 with receiver i never use computer speakers because i always found them to be a rip off with less quality with higher price than a real stereo so I've always used stereo system and i find optic fiber sounding a lot better than analog with my speakers my on-board sound card doesn't even have a optic fiber output... and headphones they're okay i got those creative MKII going to get new ones soon too going with Logitech this time and for those Asus sound card i already looked at them :/ they were too pricey for my taste and doesn't offer an optic fiber output. I guess it's a hard topic to discuss since the offers are really low well i guess I'm stuck with crap then. I really wanted a better sound card than my on-board though because i have hard time hearing. i guess ill just browse and try different ones until i find one fitted for me...thanks for the help and advice. Really appreciate it.

 

[gamerk316]

ASUS uses Coax outputs by default, but all their cards come with converters to optical for the SPDIF ports.

Also, I don't know where you got that ASUS cards are pricy; the DX goes for about $70, and DS for about $50, and the DG for about $30 or so. Only their top tier are really pricy [but its money well spent in my eyes].

 

[Guttersnipe]

Well i hear the DG is complete crap so that's a no go for that crap, DS is pretty standard doesn't offer much for what I'm looking for, DX is actually $99.99, 89.99 cheapest I've found in my store and its not worth that much. ST & STX way to much like even the D2X 169.99...what a rip for something so small wanted. just want better sounding quality not to much to ask...i mean i understand why a video card would cost 599.99 because of its high quality graphics processing & physics and stuff but a sound card...it doesn't do THAT much.

 

[jmacri]

After reading your needs, I recommend you get a Creative Titanium XFI. Seems like that would do you just fine. Little advice though, Creative software has been bad lately. Im not sure with their new Recon line, but the old XFI software was bad. If you can manage to overlook that, then the titanium would be just fine. Or if you want something more Gaming based. Get the old Fatality Professional not the new recon 3d. As posted before Recon series took a dive in overall performence and instead repackaged it and made a sweet look case with a red LED. Other than it, its pretty much the same card

 

[jmacri]

^^ Yeah, but for most people, the STX is overkill. Unless using VERY high quality speakers/headphones, theres no need to spend that much money. For the majority of people out there, the ASUS Xonar DX is more then sufficent.

HEHE.... Well to go along with my STX, i bought a pair of Audioengine 5 speakers and My headset is an Astro A40, so i love my soon to be total package =)

 

[jmacri]

Well i hear the DG is complete crap so that's a no go for that crap, DS is pretty standard doesn't offer much for what I'm looking for, DX is actually $99.99, 89.99 cheapest I've found in my store and its not worth that much. ST & STX way to much like even the D2X 169.99...what a rip for something so small wanted. just want better sounding quality not to much to ask...i mean i understand why a video card would cost 599.99 because of its high quality graphics processing & physics and stuff but a sound card...it doesn't do THAT much.

You'd be surprised how much different music sounds with a High-end Card. Sound Cards are just like Video Cards. They have processing units, and instead of projected an image of graphics, they project sound in nearly every game. Sound-card is mostly viewed as an unnecessary purchase as onboard have gotten much better, but if you like music and a high quality gaming experience, a Soundcard is a nesscary purchase

 

[douglasw]

Man if you bought the creative X- Fi fatality 1 pro card good choice...you have to check out the new software sound blast just came out with...Its called Dolby digital and DTS pack.. online for just $4.70 which loads into the current software..
It enables you to enjoy audio from your PC It encodes (in real-time) the PC's multi-channel audio into a Dolby Digital and DTS bitstream and outputs it from the soundcard's digital out (S/PDIF), via a single digital cable into home theater receiver system which i have the logitech Z-5500 and the sound is amazing..Outstanding true 5.1 suround the new software trully plays with you mind what it does the new software makes the soundcard use all its features to the fullist...if your interested il tell you the adapter you need and which cable..

 

[gamerk316]

^^ You know all C-media chipsets do that for free, right? Besides, Dolby/DTS are HORRID audio formats, because they are compressed to holy hell.

 

[douglasw]

Only a few highend sound cards come out with this software....My friend is using optical and my system sounds way better how you say what you will because you really havnt hear the logitect z-5500 run by the creative X-fi fatality pro series sound card with this new dolby digital live software it encodes in real time...less you have experienced the sound you cant give a true comment

 

[douglasw]

When looking for a new sound card you really cant take anyones opinion you just have to go out there and do alought of reading...The worst mistake i make was take someones word on which soundcard to pick..If you think you have a good card well you better have the system to back it up or you just made another mistake....if your on a budget and for around $150 the Creative X- Fi fatality 1 pro series and i just bought on line the new Dolby Digital live DTS pack software which i use on the logitech Z-5500 to beat the quality sound this combination gives off be prepared to shell out big bucks

 

[douglasw]

so i shouldn't buy a recon i should go with the X-Fi Titanium? i found one at frys: http://www.frys.com/product/5748642?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

i went to go check at my local fry's but they were sold out for the same product...I saw a Recon3D for 99.99 and a X-Fi Fatal1Ty Pro for 129.99 but i really don't get it what the difference between them is... i mean i just want it for games so i can hear my enemy better in games and so my surround system can sound better as well as my headset overall i just want quality performance as well as not breaking or being useless after 3+ Years....

should i go through the trouble waiting and getting it transferred to my local store to buy the X-Fi Titanium version is it worth it? or should i just buy the Recon3D one?

Im in the same boat as you...id like to update to the recon 3D but will it be a noticeable difference with what i have now...i have the X-fi fatality extreme gamer pro series and was using analoge on my logitech Z-5500 till a guy told me how to run dolby Digital Live and DTS using a single coaxial cable...and the music quality just jumped through the roof...true 5.1....Now also i was told there hardly any difference between what i have and the Recon 3D...so i think im going to sit tight....have you bought the card...whats your views

 

[Guttersnipe]

Im in the same boat as you...id like to update to the recon 3D but will it be a noticeable difference with what i have now...i have the X-fi fatality extreme gamer pro series and was using analoge on my logitech Z-5500 till a guy told me how to run dolby Digital Live and DTS using a single coaxial cable...and the music quality just jumped through the roof...true 5.1....Now also i was told there hardly any difference between what i have and the Recon 3D...so i think im going to sit tight....have you bought the card...whats your views

Nah i ended up getting nothing not worth the cost getting a new sound card i rather save up for a better video card over a sound card. *** that. not going to pay so much for something so little. so i kept with my money and bought myself a new video card instead. but i'm thinking in the future will maybe prob a crappy cheap sound card just for the optical output. because i never really use analog for my headphones i usually connect them to my receiver. and i know in the future I'm never ever buying computer speaker system i think its a waste of money too i always buy a stereo theater system to get the full surround sound quality for music, movie, and games. a lot more benefiting buying a stereo over top of the line computer speaker system.

 

[douglasw]

Well i just about made a mistake i did my research & the Recond 3 is garbage ...What i was looking for is a High Quality audiophile sound card because i do like listening to my music & when i play my games the card has a real good earphone amp..What i was lucky to find was the HT Omega Claro Plus+ i was able to get it for $160 although some people might think the Logitech Z-5500 are a low end stereo system but this soundcard just lights this system right up i use to have the Creative X-Fi extreme gamer pro series as a card but it just dont even come close to the quality sound my new card puts out...120 db Plus all the features are amazing so when you decide to buy a sound card consider the HT Omega Claro Plus+