X-Fi Xtreme Music, THX console help

|Slackster| · Sep 23, 2006, 01:29 AM

Hey all, my first post here.

I recently purchased a X-fi Xtreme music to upgrade from my audigy 2 zs after hearing all the good things about it.

Well, so far i'm not impressed with the sound quality and am seriously considering going back to the audigy 2 zs or even audigy 4.

Anyways,
Can someone tell me why i can increase the DB level for each speaker in the THX console? I used to be able to take it upto +6DB on my audigy 2 zs card but why cant i on the x-fi?

Middle column is what i'm talking about

Secondly, Why does stereo surround sound so muddly? It was excellent on the audigy 2zs but crap on this

Can someone help me find a solution to this, Thanks

|Slackster| · Sep 23, 2006, 09:12 PM

anyone?

**dj_stick** · Sep 23, 2006, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OV3RCLOCK3R

Secondly, Why does stereo surround sound so muddly? It was excellent on the audigy 2zs but crap on this

disable any processing of the sound, effects and the likes

Rogacz · Sep 23, 2006, 11:53 PM

1. You can make workaround - lower volume on other speakers and leve 0dB as max (they make it this way to avoid clipping I think).

2. CMSS 3D in Entertainment Mode sucks.

3. Entertainment Mode sucks.

4. People use to say that all the modes sucks (TSM)

5. Try Bit-Accurate-Playback in Audio Creation Mode. This will give you exact sound of your audio files without any processing (it might still be doing SRC, but X-Fi has really good SRC algorithm so you shouldn't hear any difference at all).

6. Go back to A2 and kX - the most kick ass audio config you can get on earth up to date.

|Slackster| · Sep 24, 2006, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogacz

1. You can make workaround - lower volume on other speakers and leve 0dB as max (they make it this way to avoid clipping I think).

2. CMSS 3D in Entertainment Mode sucks.

3. Entertainment Mode sucks.

4. People use to say that all the modes sucks (TSM)

5. Try Bit-Accurate-Playback in Audio Creation Mode. This will give you exact sound of your audio files without any processing (it might still be doing SRC, but X-Fi has really good SRC algorithm so you shouldn't hear any difference at all).

6. Go back to A2 and kX - the most kick ass audio config you can get on earth up to date.

1. Why would they only allow 0DB max? Isn't x-fi capable of handling the extra DB's seeing as it's claimed to be a better soundcard than the audigy 2zs?

2. I realised, CMSS 3D on audigy 2zs was a lot lot better

3. Realised, Game and audio creation mode sound quite better

4. Might agree, Hating the software aswell

5. Will definatly try out now.

6 . By A2, do you mean audigy 2zs with KX drivers? If yes, i'm seriously considering going back to audigy 2zs - Have never tried the KX drivers before

but i've heard there a big improvement.

Anyone else got any workarounds this or should i go back to audigy 2zs/audigy 4 and use KX drivers with those?

And can the creative applications be used with the KX drivers?

Thanks

Rogacz · Sep 24, 2006, 02:00 AM

You can't use CL aps with kX drivers, but you won't need them.

You can do anything you can imagine with kX drivers.

Want to set compressor, gate, eq, reverb and delay only on one particular channel? No problem, with kX you can.

One little problem:

They don't support most modern games. Forget about EAX and advanced DS3D sound positioning.

|Slackster| · Sep 24, 2006, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogacz

You can't use CL aps with kX drivers, but you won't need them.

You can do anything you can imagine with kX drivers.

Want to set compressor, gate, eq, reverb and delay only on one particular channel? No problem, with kX you can.

One little problem:

They don't support most modern games. Forget about EAX and advanced DS3D sound positioning.

Thats for the reply, Games effect dont bother me, it's the music quality and thats what i'm most dissapointed about with x-fi. Even with crap creative drivers, the audigy2zs sounded a lot better.

Shall i go back to audigy2zs/audigy 4?

wolfran · Sep 24, 2006, 08:10 AM

Well.....I found X-fi cards are very good.
IMO it's better than a2zs. X-fi does sound different (it has warmer sound than a more crisp a2zs) but I think it's really good, especially in games and movies. I can also feel the subs is punchier with x-fi.
Maybe the card is picky about the speakers, what speakers do you use?

jiiteepee · Sep 24, 2006, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OV3RCLOCK3R

Thats for the reply, Games effect dont bother me, it's the music quality and thats what i'm most dissapointed about with x-fi. Even with crap creative drivers, the audigy2zs sounded a lot better.

Shall i go back to audigy2zs/audigy 4?

Well, It's up to you of course, as you know.

X-Fi's, excluding Elite Pro, are ~same in quality w/ Audigy 2 Zs/Audigy 4 (excluding Audigy 4 PRO) by the DAC/ADC/op-amps/etc.

If your sources are 16/24-bit / 44.1 kHz then, I suggest you to keep the X-Fi.

http://www.digit-life.com/sound.html

jiitee

|Slackster| · Sep 24, 2006, 11:25 PM

Ive decided to go back to audigy 2zs/4 as i'm not liking the software aswell.

Before i do, Does anyone know if the THX console can be modded to allow + DB values upto 6 like the audigy 2 zs had?

Thanks

**dj_stick** · Sep 25, 2006, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OV3RCLOCK3R

1. Why would they only allow 0DB max? Isn't x-fi capable of handling the extra DB's seeing as it's claimed to be a better soundcard than the audigy 2zs?

0.0dB FS is the absolute ceiling of the digital audio scale, anything over that is over-driven/distorted

perhaps the Audigy's software scaling was a little different, or had an analogue gain unit in the DAC - however you'd want to keep the signal below 0.0dB at ALL times for best audio quality

jiiteepee · Sep 25, 2006, 08:41 AM

In a perfect world, mastering engineers would try to keep the average level around that zero point, and they would keep their monitor control at the appropriate attenuation for the particular K-System metering point, that is, around 0 dB for K-20, around -6 to -8 dB for K-14, and so on.

If CT have set the 0dB point in X-Fi and Audigy software equal, there are some additional gain in Audigy THX panel settings otherwise the 6dB there is the 0dB position.

You can measure this 'difference' w/ some software quite easy.

jiitee

Sep 23, 2006, 01:29 AM	#1
\|Slackster\| DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Manchester - UK Posts: 23 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	X-Fi Xtreme Music, THX console help Hey all, my first post here. I recently purchased a X-fi Xtreme music to upgrade from my audigy 2 zs after hearing all the good things about it. Well, so far i'm not impressed with the sound quality and am seriously considering going back to the audigy 2 zs or even audigy 4. Anyways, Can someone tell me why i can increase the DB level for each speaker in the THX console? I used to be able to take it upto +6DB on my audigy 2 zs card but why cant i on the x-fi? Middle column is what i'm talking about Secondly, Why does stereo surround sound so muddly? It was excellent on the audigy 2zs but crap on this Can someone help me find a solution to this, Thanks

Sep 23, 2006, 11:53 PM	#4
Rogacz Porcupine Floyd Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Poland Posts: 422 Rep Power: 0	1. You can make workaround - lower volume on other speakers and leve 0dB as max (they make it this way to avoid clipping I think). 2. CMSS 3D in Entertainment Mode sucks. 3. Entertainment Mode sucks. 4. People use to say that all the modes sucks (TSM) 5. Try Bit-Accurate-Playback in Audio Creation Mode. This will give you exact sound of your audio files without any processing (it might still be doing SRC, but X-Fi has really good SRC algorithm so you shouldn't hear any difference at all). 6. Go back to A2 and kX - the most kick ass audio config you can get on earth up to date. __________________

Sep 24, 2006, 02:00 AM	#6
Rogacz Porcupine Floyd Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Poland Posts: 422 Rep Power: 0	You can't use CL aps with kX drivers, but you won't need them. You can do anything you can imagine with kX drivers. Want to set compressor, gate, eq, reverb and delay only on one particular channel? No problem, with kX you can. One little problem: They don't support most modern games. Forget about EAX and advanced DS3D sound positioning. __________________

Sep 25, 2006, 08:41 AM	#12
jiiteepee HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: FI Posts: 400 Rep Power: 0	In a perfect world, mastering engineers would try to keep the average level around that zero point, and they would keep their monitor control at the appropriate attenuation for the particular K-System metering point, that is, around 0 dB for K-20, around -6 to -8 dB for K-14, and so on. If CT have set the 0dB point in X-Fi and Audigy software equal, there are some additional gain in Audigy THX panel settings otherwise the 6dB there is the 0dB position. You can measure this 'difference' w/ some software quite easy. jiitee Last edited by jiiteepee; Sep 25, 2006 at 08:56 AM.

Sep 23, 2006, 09:12 PM	Thread Starter #2
\|Slackster\| DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Manchester - UK Posts: 23 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	anyone?

Sep 24, 2006, 08:10 AM	#8
wolfran DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 414 Rep Power: 0	Well.....I found X-fi cards are very good. IMO it's better than a2zs. X-fi does sound different (it has warmer sound than a more crisp a2zs) but I think it's really good, especially in games and movies. I can also feel the subs is punchier with x-fi. Maybe the card is picky about the speakers, what speakers do you use?

Sep 24, 2006, 11:25 PM	Thread Starter #10
\|Slackster\| DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Manchester - UK Posts: 23 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Ive decided to go back to audigy 2zs/4 as i'm not liking the software aswell. Before i do, Does anyone know if the THX console can be modded to allow + DB values upto 6 like the audigy 2 zs had? Thanks