Audigy 2 ZS to X-Fi XtremeMusic worth it?

mrsid · Apr 6, 2006, 07:33 PM

ok guys.. i'm havin a hard time decidin here whether to upgrade or not.

I need your input, currently I run a logitech z5300 5.1 surround speaker set and I am wondering from your experiences whether x-fi sounds noticably better than audigy 2 on this set of speakers? I am talking in terms of mp3 music quality, I don't care about the games..

Howz the equilizer (crystallizer) in x-fi? and how does it compare to the audigy 2's advanced EQ found in the eax control panel?

thanks

leeperry · Apr 6, 2006, 10:13 PM

cristaliser is crap.
but yeah the sound quality is way better.

jiiteepee · Apr 6, 2006, 10:21 PM

Xtreme Music it's much better than Audigy 2 Zs when operating in Creation -mode (i.e. playing/recording audio) --> no resampling @ 44.1 kHz which SR the mp3 is using. Game and Entertainment modes are about the same you get out from A2. Both have same D/A converters onboard.

The quality difference w/ mp3 data is depndant on quality used with compression so it's always very noticeable.

So if you just play audio files then why not, but still, I'd recommend you to move to (for example in this price group of Extreme) M-Audio Revolution 5.1 or AudioTrak Prodigy 7.1 LT (or XT (if available there)).

jiitee

RejZoR · Apr 7, 2006, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry

cristaliser is crap.
but yeah the sound quality is way better.

Crystalizer is certanly not crap. It's something best i've heard in years.

GeneralClaymore · Apr 7, 2006, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RejZoR

Crystalizer is certanly not crap. It's something best i've heard in years.

Same Here. The Sounds are better with it on then with it off to me.

inteks · Apr 7, 2006, 11:03 AM

hi, i have upgraded from audigy2 zs to x-fi and yes its worth it !

cmss headphone 3d is a really nize feature i love it !!! the crystalizer is also nize i set it to 25% and the soundfx in ut2004 are fat i love this to

i also love the possibility to change the amount of the EAX FX i set it to -4db really nize feature !!! (all this on an EAX4 game!!)

i hope this help.

i bit too complicated is the need to switch every time from game<->entertaiment mode

but i hope creative fix it

have fun
inteks

Shakey_Jake33 · Apr 11, 2006, 08:52 AM

I upgraded from an A2ZS to an XtremeMusic, and was very glad I did. Sounds much better to my ears, the crystaliser worked excellent in ny opinion (I hear it's not for 'purists' though), the new CMSS upmixing features are cool. Can;t go wrong if you listen to a lot of music.

That said, if your the type of PC user than thinks their onboard sound is 'good enough', don't bother.

leeperry · Apr 11, 2006, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RejZoR

Crystalizer is certanly not crap. It's something best i've heard in years.

well if u got really shitty speakers, I can imagine

I got a pair of high end SONY cans, the MDR-CD3000, and the best is bitmatch playback using "Audio creation".
the crystaliser is a simple multiband compressor

something i'm big enough to use in any audio app if I feel like it

purush · Apr 11, 2006, 04:41 PM

Yes the extreme music card is innovative with crisp clear music. Don't forget to install the new drivers from their site after your regular CD install.

Rogacz · Apr 12, 2006, 01:32 PM

I was using Crystalizer everywhere, but now I think I'll leave it off. It has some use with medium quality audio (mp3's 128-256), but with FLACs it degrades quality. What's more - it makes low and high tones more audible but in cost of medium tones.

Brian48 · Apr 12, 2006, 04:25 PM

The upgrade was worth it for me. I couldn't be happier.

sscottrus · Apr 13, 2006, 09:52 AM

I aparently have no idea what i am doing. So here is the question . Why did all of my advanced featurees disappear one day never to return even if uninstalled and installed. I have a dacent set of 5.1 speakers if you have any suggestions thank you.

~~Alien1~~ · Apr 13, 2006, 03:11 PM

Yep the upgrade was worth it for me too

X-FI is way more powerfull from the Audigy 2 series
and with more features for the music lover and for the games lover

The Crystalizer also makes most game sounds even crispier and i gained 1-2 db more
I wonder when games with X-RAM support will be released

Creative drivers are the most stable compared to other sound company cards (Terratec, M-Audio etc)

mrsid · Apr 25, 2006, 05:36 PM

thanks guys for your input!
but I am really wondering if you compared the x-fi mp3 playback WITHOUT any crystallizer enhancements compared to audigy 2 zs without eq enhancements, is the quality difference between the two noticable?? and in what way? more bass? better stereo separation? clearer high ranges?

Apr 6, 2006, 07:33 PM	#1
mrsid DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Audigy 2 ZS to X-Fi XtremeMusic worth it? ok guys.. i'm havin a hard time decidin here whether to upgrade or not. I need your input, currently I run a logitech z5300 5.1 surround speaker set and I am wondering from your experiences whether x-fi sounds noticably better than audigy 2 on this set of speakers? I am talking in terms of mp3 music quality, I don't care about the games.. Howz the equilizer (crystallizer) in x-fi? and how does it compare to the audigy 2's advanced EQ found in the eax control panel? thanks

Apr 7, 2006, 11:03 AM	#6
inteks HardwareHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Germany Posts: 90 Rep Power: 0	hi, i have upgraded from audigy2 zs to x-fi and yes its worth it ! cmss headphone 3d is a really nize feature i love it !!! the crystalizer is also nize i set it to 25% and the soundfx in ut2004 are fat i love this to i also love the possibility to change the amount of the EAX FX i set it to -4db really nize feature !!! (all this on an EAX4 game!!) i hope this help. i bit too complicated is the need to switch every time from game<->entertaiment mode but i hope creative fix it have fun inteks __________________ 3820TG i5@3.5Ghz HD5650@700/900 Windows7 On Intel X25-M G2 Postville 160GB 3820tray --- 3820TG ATI vBios MOD --- 1810t TME MOD --- Acc Sensor Mod

Apr 11, 2006, 08:52 AM	#7
Shakey_Jake33 DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bristol, UK Posts: 80 Rep Power: 0	I upgraded from an A2ZS to an XtremeMusic, and was very glad I did. Sounds much better to my ears, the crystaliser worked excellent in ny opinion (I hear it's not for 'purists' though), the new CMSS upmixing features are cool. Can;t go wrong if you listen to a lot of music. That said, if your the type of PC user than thinks their onboard sound is 'good enough', don't bother. __________________ CPU: Intel Core2 Extreme X6800 2.93GHz RAM: 2GB (2X1) GEiL DDR2 800MHz CAS4 GPU: OCUK GeForce 7900 GTO SILENT 512Meg Motherboard: Asus P5W DH Deluxe Sound Card: Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic Speakers: Logitech Z-5500 Digital 5.1 Case: Antec P180 Black PSU: Seasonic S12 600W

Apr 12, 2006, 01:32 PM	#10
Rogacz Porcupine Floyd Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Poland Posts: 422 Rep Power: 0	I was using Crystalizer everywhere, but now I think I'll leave it off. It has some use with medium quality audio (mp3's 128-256), but with FLACs it degrades quality. What's more - it makes low and high tones more audible but in cost of medium tones. __________________

Apr 12, 2006, 04:25 PM	#11
Brian48 DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 55 Rep Power: 0	The upgrade was worth it for me. I couldn't be happier. __________________ My current specs....... Heatware References eBay References

Apr 6, 2006, 10:13 PM	#2
leeperry DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 28 Rep Power: 0	cristaliser is crap. but yeah the sound quality is way better.

Apr 6, 2006, 10:21 PM	#3
jiiteepee HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: FI Posts: 400 Rep Power: 0	Xtreme Music it's much better than Audigy 2 Zs when operating in Creation -mode (i.e. playing/recording audio) --> no resampling @ 44.1 kHz which SR the mp3 is using. Game and Entertainment modes are about the same you get out from A2. Both have same D/A converters onboard. The quality difference w/ mp3 data is depndant on quality used with compression so it's always very noticeable. So if you just play audio files then why not, but still, I'd recommend you to move to (for example in this price group of Extreme) M-Audio Revolution 5.1 or AudioTrak Prodigy 7.1 LT (or XT (if available there)). jiitee

Apr 11, 2006, 04:41 PM	#9
purush HardwareHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Toronto, Canada. Posts: 97 Rep Power: 59	Yes the extreme music card is innovative with crisp clear music. Don't forget to install the new drivers from their site after your regular CD install.

Apr 13, 2006, 09:52 AM	#12
sscottrus DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1 Rep Power: 0	i have a audigy 2 ZS I aparently have no idea what i am doing. So here is the question . Why did all of my advanced featurees disappear one day never to return even if uninstalled and installed. I have a dacent set of 5.1 speakers if you have any suggestions thank you.

Apr 13, 2006, 03:11 PM	#13
~~Alien1~~ Banned Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Europe Posts: 365 Rep Power: 0	Yep the upgrade was worth it for me too X-FI is way more powerfull from the Audigy 2 series and with more features for the music lover and for the games lover The Crystalizer also makes most game sounds even crispier and i gained 1-2 db more I wonder when games with X-RAM support will be released Creative drivers are the most stable compared to other sound company cards (Terratec, M-Audio etc) Last edited by Alien1; Apr 13, 2006 at 03:17 PM.

Apr 25, 2006, 05:36 PM	Thread Starter #14
mrsid DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	thanks guys for your input! but I am really wondering if you compared the x-fi mp3 playback WITHOUT any crystallizer enhancements compared to audigy 2 zs without eq enhancements, is the quality difference between the two noticable?? and in what way? more bass? better stereo separation? clearer high ranges?