What are your x-fi settings?

[DaveUK]

True that bro, I really wanted the DACs of the Elite Pro but couldn't afford them.

Its actually the case that the higher quality DAC's are only present on the Card-side connections, which renders the breakout box redundant anyway 🙁

 

[halcyon]

Actually, there is hope(a little tiny bit), but you still have to spend $300 as opposed to $369...and the solution is really meant for headphones, but could be used for other purposes. The HeadRoom MicroDac use the same Cirrus DAC as the X-Fi EP. It has USB and optical in and line level output...and is external and built to audiophile standards...but its still ...$300...

http://www.headphone.com/products/headphone-amps/the-micro-line/headroom-micro-dac.php

 

[halcyon]

I had the same problem with the notifications last week up until this morning, I had to go into my profile and unset/reset the posts-notification option. ...been working fine all day. 8O

 

[halcyon]

I posted what settings I use for the soundblaster X-FI on wednesday June 21st.

Since then after trying various MP3's in i-tunes and media player, dvd films in powerdvd and also audio cd's in media player, I realise that the sound is less flat and has more punch when I turn on the 24 bit crystalizer and set the slider to maximum.

This also works for games in games mode, so I am now going to keep the crystalizer turned on and set to maximum in entertainment and games mode.

The distortion is gone because I can have the amplifier volume lower and still get a more sharp, punchy & less flat sound at lower volumes.

The sound is punchier to you because it's been, among other things, equalized. The 24bC can really add life to tightly compressed MP3s, yet I don't like what it does to Lossless encoded files. If you're a basshead, as I sometimes am, than the 24bC can sound okay, but the purist in me tends to return, p*ssed off, and wants the music the way it was meant to be heard. I tend to notice loss of details because of the 24bC's U-shaped equalization.

 

[bigbadwolf]

I have medusa 5.1 on x-fi extreme music, and im pretty impressed, I'm also getting some altec lansing 2.1 speakers - mx5021 in a few days. In games you can hear every footstep so i dont understand why some people are saying not to get 5.1 headphones for the x-fi.
Im going to be using the 2.1 speakers for all music and casual gaming, but if i want to get into f.e.a.r im going to stick with the medusa 5.1.

I never use the cmss or crystallizer etc unless im in a fiddling mood. So all my settings are usually just - everything off.


btw - I was wondering what to have the bass cut-off frequency at for my medusa 5.1, any ideas? i currently have it bout 70hz for all modes.

 

[uncle_ben]

I doubt headphones can really reproduce anything below 70Hz. It's just overtones of this fundamental that you hear and the brain reconstructs the missing tone...
You also hear something from the bass cone because these headphones have (I suppose so) their own built in cross-over filtering sound at some higher frequency.
Medusas are not bad it's just that given the cost of manufacturing a headset that uses 8 cones you can have overall better 2 cone headphones
-at the same price. With CMSS-3D it will give you virtual 5.1 which is nothing short of "real" 5.1 -considering most of us have just 2 ears.

 

[halcyon]

I doubt headphones can really reproduce anything below 70Hz. It's just overtones of this fundamental that you hear and the brain reconstructs the missing tone...
You also hear something from the bass cone because these headphones have (I suppose so) their own built in cross-over filtering sound at some higher frequency.
Medusas are not bad it's just that given the cost of manufacturing a headset that uses 8 cones you can have overall better 2 cone headphones
-at the same price. With CMSS-3D it will give you virtual 5.1 which is nothing short of "real" 5.1 -considering most of us have just 2 ears.

I have to disagree with your position on that, as I'd imagine many any an audiophile would. Perhaps the cans that the general public is aware of have such frequency limitations, but I'd wager that even basement-level audiophile cans do quite well below 70Hz with ease (GRADO SR60's, as an example). That's simply my personal experience though and I'm only *Bronze-Eared*. www.headfi.org.

 

[cooler_power]

sound card: Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic
speakers: Creative Gigaworks s750 7.1
music styles: Trance, Goa-Psy Trance, House etc..

Entertaiment Mode:
EAX: OFF
CMSS-3D: STEREO SURROUND 50%
24-BIT CRYSTALAIZER: ON (15%)
SVM: OFF
EQ: COUNTRY
BASS LEVEL: 50%
TREBLE: 65%
MASTER VOLUME: 85%

Game Mode:
CMSS-3D: STEREO SURROUND 50% (UPMIX: AUTO)
24-BIT CRYSTALAIZER: 100%
EQ: OFF
EAX: ON
SVM: OFF
MASTER VOLUME: 85%

 

[halcyon]

I have posted two entries about what soundblaster x-fi settings are used, one on the 21st June & one on the 1st July.

In the post for the 1st July, I said that I have started using the 24 Bit Crystalizer set to 100% in both entertainment & games mode.

Since then I have noticed some distortion in dvd's, audio CD's and games.

I realise that all media sounds as it's meant to sound with the 24 bit crystalizer slider set to 0% and turned off.

Earlier I was playing half life 2 episode 1 and there was a fair amount of distortion coming from the speakers during the intro sequence before you start the game proper.

This cannot be good for the speakers, so the 24 Bit Crystalizer is staying off in all modes.

Unfortunately, the 24Bit Crystalizer is known for reaking such havoc and distortion, especially with a quality recording. One is probably not too far off to believe it can only have value for <=160kbps MP3s, which are already "the dead horse" so the 24bC kicking that dead horse doesn't hurt much, eh?

 

[asdasd123123]

I run Crystalizer on 50-75% and when that's on I always pull down the master output volume to 80% or the bass will distort.

I also use 4 speakers and the sound mode "Stere Surround" Since that copies the sound data without modifying it like "Stereo Xpand" does.

And before you ask, I wouldn't be caught dead with a 5.1 system 😉

Using a Yamaha 4x100watt amp with four identical three way speakers wich has double 10 inch bass woofers.

 

[halcyon]

Only you can decide what sounds good to you. The 24bit Crystalizer is okay as long as you realize that it adds quite a bit of distortion to the music. Otherwise it presents a U-shaped equalization to the music which may sound alright on tightly-compressed music. ...music so compressed that the U-shaped equalization is worth the added distortion.

I, myself, go through these phases where sometimes I'll enjoy the CMSS3D+EAX settings and sometimes I want the cleanest possible sound. The beauty of the X-Fi is the choice. When one does choose to disable the audio "toys" its done with incredible simplicity and we're left with 109db S/N ratio and .004 THD.

With all of the toys the X-Fi offers its users can tailor the sound to their personal tastes...so much of what this thread appears to be about are different people's audio tastes and how the X-Fi supports those tastes. I doubt there's any notable performance benefits/deficits to different X-Fi setting/feature-mixing. ...at least my experience and the press and reviews I've read haven't noted any that I recall.

While it's nice to have such a flexible piece of hardware I hope future versions offer hardware DD and DTS decoding and DDL would be nice as well...with those I'd think the X-Fi would be hard pressed to find competition. ...and it'd be nice if they could lower the distortion of the 24bit Crystalizer.

 

[MiguelOne]

Any suggestions for a good setting for an X-fi with a Logitech Z5500? This is a 5.1 setup.

 

[chuckshissle]

Mine is:

New age Equalizer
Theatre EAX effect
24-bit crystalizer full
CMSS-3D full surround

Using Klipsch 2.1 Pro Media speakers

 

[RyanMicah]

ye i know but if sound sounds muffled or lacking something when played normally its usually bad speakers. but if it helps music sound more to you liking then it must be good for you. i've seen some people buy cheap pc speakers and audigies and x-fi's and expect miralcles though which annoys me. i used to use presets but found some details which made a song that song were lost so i stopped using it.

indeed. Im sure you get far superior quality just using a cheaper soundcard and using ur exess money to go towards buying a propper hifi amp and speakers. Better still if you already have a good hifi system buy a cheap soundcard with a digital out and use the DAC on a minidisk deck or any otehr component you have that has a D -> A pasthrough function

I second this. THX speakers = thanx.

 

[RyanMicah]

I feel you need to do it equally... cheap sound card w/ nice speakers will be just as bad as cheap speakers w/ good sound card. One cannot make up for the other... good speakers only put out good sound if the source is good, and vice-versa.

If the plan is to do it one at a time that is fine... as long as you plan to upgrade both eventually then high-end speakers on a dumpy sound card are fine for a temporary solution.

Today's onboard sound is pretty good, although it's not as well sheilded as what you'll find on a sound card. Which means more static. The best way to get clear sound is turning down your power on a high end set of speakers and turning up the volume on your computer, unless you use optical out, then it may not make such a big difference. But most people are not using optical out.

 

[RyanMicah]

True that bro, I really wanted the DACs of the Elite Pro but couldn't afford them.

Its actually the case that the higher quality DAC's are only present on the Card-side connections, which renders the breakout box redundant anyway 🙁

Me too. =( I have the Fatal1ty and am not using the box.

I might add too, that hearing is subjective. If people think their sound is pretty good, then they may not need a new card. Buy speakers first for the best sound improvement, the higher wattage, THX certified speakers are much better quality. Heavier speakers usually = better speakers.

Also, don't know if anyone mentioned drivers. Always uninstall old sound drivers before installing new ones. Driver updates can provide clearer sound too, but if you forget to uninstall the old ones, they can make it worse.

 

[spet3r]

Have the X-FI Fatal1ty hooked up to a 5.1 Cambridge Megaworks system (before Creative bought them).

My settings vary on what I'm listening to... Entertainment mode for music and movies. Gaming mode for games (obviousy)

In Entertainment mode...

Bass / Treble both at 55%.
EAX off
CMSS 3D Surround enabled CMSS Stereo Surround selected
Crystalizer on Max
SVM off
EQ enabled on Rock setting
Dolby-- Side and Rear Speakers selected, Dynamic Range is Full, Pro Logic Auto, Digital EX Auto,
DTS Side and rear Speakers, DTS-ES on Auto
THX Settings - (my system is calibrated because its not a perfect 5.1 arrangement), Bass redirection enabled crossover frequency default, sub volume @ 50%, sub gain +15 db.

When in Game Mode...

Settings virtually the same
except I have the bass redirection crossover frequency at 30 Hz in the Game console... not sure how it effects the THX settings? Never thought of this...

My speaker volume is usually at 45%. I use the volume bottons on my keyboard to adjust the volume through the computer. At 10%, its loud and very clear. Any game that supports X-FI is a wild ride for me...