Creative Labs SoundBlaster X-Fi 2 discussion thread

Ok, after the fiasco @ the CL forums regarding Daniel_K's modded drivers, rumors are that CL is preparing the X-Fi 2 for (a real soon?) launch.

The only indications for the X-Fi 2 is that Daniel_K was offered an X-Fi 2 (according to his own words) to settle the case and that CL has got the certificates for the X-Fi 2 for XP / Vista.

Is there any other info about the X-Fi 2? Like it being released in the PCI or PCI-e (which i hope) format?

Discuss here what you think/expect of the CL X-Fi 2.



A real X-Fi fan!

 

had enough of creative after that daniel_k incident, no thanks

 

Thats one ugly case. I dont need another XFI. I quite happy with my prelude. If the XFI Extreme music in my other computer dies after this many years of use. I may,but it would have to be the cheaper vers of those cards.

What went on with creative and dan, I dont really care about it.Doesnt bother me.

 

the only way i ever consider buying it tbh.
if they fixed tons stuff especialy irq sharing causing crackling and popping
channels that rarely but do swap sometimes.
bring back full functionality under vista.
no hardware acceleration or not does't really bother me they came up with work around anyway called alchemy
and ofc for them to improve sound quality on vista with there drivers.
as any cmedia based sound card sounds better atm under vista then any creative sound card or least thats what if heared.

anyway about x-fi 2 ofc its going be better.
well duh creative criplled there old cards to make it look better and daniel K proofed it basicly.
tbh i'm glad
cous now creative might be forced to improve support also
and bring back full functionality

 

I agree with zer0kewl. Please people, just don't buy it and demand full support for your current x-fi cards at www.soundblaster.com forums.

Don't let them get away with what they've done!

I've had 6 generations of nvidia gfx cards (tnt2, gf2ultra, gf4200ti, 6800gt, 7900gt and 8800gtx) that have good support and even if they're not supported you can still very easily download the drivers for 98, me, xp and most for vista, the same can't be said of creative and their products.

Even if there are drivers many last gen products feel crippled or just dont work right in vista! (not that I use vista, but still...)

make them change before we ever contemplate supporting them again!

 

zer0kewl: uuh.... if i remember correctly, EVERY card was crippled in Vista.... not just the older cards as a way to make the X-Fi's look better. and in that regard, no, the X-Fi 2 (should there ever be such a thing) might not necessarily be better. This is especially true if Creative keeps up the same game of releasing a new, hardly even changed, driver every quarter or longer.

 

thats what i ment.
also with cmedia sound card sounding better then any creative sound card.
i would least expect an audigy 2 to sound better under vista and newer.

 

probably the only time i'd buy an X-Fi 2 is when Auzentech get's their hands on it.

 

yea and all opamps can be replaced and not just one. plus comes with a HDMI1.3 connector built on it instead of that addon card

 

second that. I want more replaceable op-amps :nerd:.

 

My dream:

Auzen X-Fi 2 Prelude 7.1 with HDMI1.3 and a PCI-e version.

But that's highly unlikely. Why? Why should CL sell the rights for their new "flagship" to a company that is better at creating better card designs and use better components?

It is possible after a couple of years after CL gobbled up alot of money from customers.

I really hope this time they really won't release a crappy "X-Fi 2 XtremeAudio" without a true X-Fi 2 chip.

I'm also wondering which path CL will take with EAX. Will they kill it and go OpenAL (perhaps renaming it to EAX HD6.0?) or finding another "non-ALchemy" workaround?

 

Yeah sure. Creative suffers huge operating losses and had to sell their HQ building in Singapore.

http://www.electronista.com/articles/08/03/25/creative.selling.hq/

 

I agree, but CL's only well known name is Soundblaster. Virtually everyone knows what Soundblaster is and means.

Should the sales of SB products collapse, bye bye CL.

Now if they started respecting the customer a little bit more....

 

Another interesting thread by ROBSCIX from last year regarding the X-Fi 2:
http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=210845

Here are some interesting quotes from ROBSCIX (as he is the uber audo guru) from that thread:

If the thing about the X-Fi 2's being the same as the X-Fi 1, but with better components (Auzen Prelude already did that and the Elite Pro also has better components compared to the other X-Fi's), when what's the new thing about it? Perhaps they will come up with an improved ALchemy or new EAX standard or an EAX OpenAL standard. Who knows. If it stays almost the same as the normal X-Fi's, then there's really no reason to upgrade my current soundcard (although i hope CL will release a PCI-e x1 version as i want to test it).

Credits goes to ROBSCIX for all the info.

 

Wow, I forgot about that thread and that tidbit of info. Yeah, the info had to do with the drivers and the guys testing them. There is other info floating around but I try not to get into spreading "rumor"...If I get any solid info and I can share it with you guys I will.
The info was around the time of the release of the X-Meridian's! So it is quite dated to say the least.

 

Yeah, here in Holland, 1-12 means 1st of December, but for the USA it means the 12th of January, which makes it quite old. :bang:

 

EAX1/2/3 = DirectSound3D+EAX
EAX4/5 = OpenAL

So there isn't any OpenAL EAX as it already is that way.

 

What I care about most and really hope for is an even better updated CMSS3D, then I will definetly bye X-fi2 as I love it its totaly insane IMO so even better and sign me up ASAP

 

Even though I wouldn't have any use for it (nothing at home sports a HDMI ports and my PCI-E slots are blocked anyway), it'd be a nice improvement. But then you'd have to have a videocard with a kick ass video converter to make your configuration even.

EDIT: Or you'd "only" need to hook up your computer to a good amplifier.

 

We have noticed already.