Audigy 2 Zs to X-Fi XtremeGamer. Lets hear your comparisons/impressions!

I upgraded from an Audigy SE to an X-Fi platinum. It was amazing, even moreso cuz I got new speakers shortly before. It's not just the sound quality, it's also the features. I can rock out on my guitar through my speakers with sound processing only available on $400+ amps. And the surround sound upmixing and 3d headphones... ooh yah!

However, if you don't have nice speakers, it's kind of a waste.

Really depends on what you need it for and which speakers you have. it's not going to make much of a difference between the ZS or X-Fi if you have cheap speakers. If you have good ones, however, the X-Fi would be better.DirkVDV01

I have some cheap Logitech 6.1 speakers (X620 I believe), and a few pairs of good headphones.  Seems the game I play most is Battlefield 2.   

I upgraded from an Audigy SE to an X-Fi platinum. It was amazing, even moreso cuz I got new speakers shortly before. It's not just the sound quality, it's also the features. I can rock out on my guitar through my speakers with sound processing only available on $400+ amps. And the surround sound upmixing and 3d headphones... ooh yah!

However, if you don't have nice speakers, it's kind of a waste.

Baselerd

I just played Doom3 with my new X-FI Extremegamer and my new Logitech 5.1 Thx certified Logitech THX Z-5300e 280 Watts RMS 5.1 and I have only one thing to say. My underwear is no longer clean. Two things that make the Xgamer awesome. X-fi CMSS-3D absoutly rocks and the Crystalizer combined with EAX 4.0 or 5.0 which the card can do it will totally blow you away in a game like Doom3 with EAX 4.0 on.0utc4st

[QUOTE="0utc4st"]I just played Doom3 with my new X-FI Extremegamer and my new Logitech 5.1 Thx certified Logitech THX Z-5300e 280 Watts RMS 5.1 and I have only one thing to say. My underwear is no longer clean. Two things that make the Xgamer awesome. X-fi CMSS-3D absoutly rocks and the Crystalizer combined with EAX 4.0 or 5.0 which the card can do it will totally blow you away in a game like Doom3 with EAX 4.0 on.ATLReppa770

[QUOTE="ATLReppa770"][QUOTE="0utc4st"]I just played Doom3 with my new X-FI Extremegamer and my new Logitech 5.1 Thx certified Logitech THX Z-5300e 280 Watts RMS 5.1 and I have only one thing to say. My underwear is no longer clean. Two things that make the Xgamer awesome. X-fi CMSS-3D absoutly rocks and the Crystalizer combined with EAX 4.0 or 5.0 which the card can do it will totally blow you away in a game like Doom3 with EAX 4.0 on.DirkVDV01

 Which games currently support X-RAM? Also, Baselerd: I love listening to music, I just want the best of the best ($200) limit, I know it's not going to be studio quality..but should the Fatal1ty card be the one to go with? Please, elaborate more on the I/O bay.

Particularly with Windows Vista, running an X-Fi is almost mandatory.

Currently, Creative's X-Fi is the only sound card that could accelerate OpenAL audio (that I know of). Further, Creative has made an additional software package that can translate DirectSound3D and EAX audio calls (that would normally be handled in software in Vista), and translate them to OpenAL (so it would let the sound card accelerate it in hardware). Problem is, the software only works with X-Fi cards - nothing earlier.

On just these two premises, the X-Fi is the better buy. And being several generations ahead of the Audigy 2ZS also have a lot to do with it. 

Which games currently support X-RAM? Also, Baselerd: I love listening to music, I just want the best of the best ($200) limit, I know it's not going to be studio quality..but should the Fatal1ty card be the one to go with? Please, elaborate more on the I/O bay. ATLReppa770

The principle to the X-RAM is sound... dedicated memory space for audio data rather than having to have it share the same space with the rest of game data, but like all firsts, the trick is getting to take advantage of it. But between this and the PhysX card, I'm betting that sound card RAM is something that will be taken advatage of before PhysX reaches critical mass and becomes a 'necessary' item.

[QUOTE="ATLReppa770"]Which games currently support X-RAM? Also, Baselerd: I love listening to music, I just want the best of the best ($200) limit, I know it's not going to be studio quality..but should the Fatal1ty card be the one to go with? Please, elaborate more on the I/O bay. codezer0

The principle to the X-RAM is sound... dedicated memory space for audio data rather than having to have it share the same space with the rest of game data, but like all firsts, the trick is getting to take advantage of it. But between this and the PhysX card, I'm betting that sound card RAM is something that will be taken advatage of before PhysX reaches critical mass and becomes a 'necessary' item.

So if I get the Fatal1ty card with the I/O BAY slot thing..will I notice a big difference in sound with my Z-680 speakers while playing a game like Unreal 2004 or Halo PC..or even R6: Vegas? 

[QUOTE="DirkVDV01"][QUOTE="ATLReppa770"][QUOTE="0utc4st"]I just played Doom3 with my new X-FI Extremegamer and my new Logitech 5.1 Thx certified Logitech THX Z-5300e 280 Watts RMS 5.1 and I have only one thing to say. My underwear is no longer clean. Two things that make the Xgamer awesome. X-fi CMSS-3D absoutly rocks and the Crystalizer combined with EAX 4.0 or 5.0 which the card can do it will totally blow you away in a game like Doom3 with EAX 4.0 on.ATLReppa770

Which games currently support X-RAM? Also, Baselerd: I love listening to music, I just want the best of the best ($200) limit, I know it's not going to be studio quality..but should the Fatal1ty card be the one to go with? Please, elaborate more on the I/O bay.

Also, Baselerd: I love listening to music, I just want the best of the best ($200) limit, I know it's not going to be studio quality..but should the Fatal1ty card be the one to go with? Please, elaborate more on the I/O bay.

ATLReppa770

The I/O bay has tons of inputs/outputs for practically every casual application. However, if you just need basic analog or digital speakers, and a microphone port, you don't need the I/O bay. The other thing that it does is has an RF reciever for an included remote control. It's practically useless though because it only works with the crappy software by creative (from my experience).

For the speakers you mentioned, I would just get an X-Fi Fatal1ty without the I/O bay or remote. This will give you all the features you need for gaming and audio listening/speaker connectivity. The X-RAM is kind of useless, since it has almost no support except for a handful of games (BF2 being the showcase game.) I think the Xtreme gamer would be nearly as good, just without the useless x-ram (I think)

[QUOTE="ATLReppa770"]

Also, Baselerd: I love listening to music, I just want the best of the best ($200) limit, I know it's not going to be studio quality..but should the Fatal1ty card be the one to go with? Please, elaborate more on the I/O bay.

Baselerd

The I/O bay has tons of inputs/outputs for practically every casual application. However, if you just need basic analog or digital speakers, and a microphone port, you don't need the I/O bay. The other thing that it does is has an RF reciever for an included remote control. It's practically useless though because it only works with the crappy software by creative (from my experience).

For the speakers you mentioned, I would just get an X-Fi Fatal1ty without the I/O bay or remote. This will give you all the features you need for gaming and audio listening/speaker connectivity. The X-RAM is kind of useless, since it has almost no support except for a handful of games (BF2 being the showcase game.) I think the Xtreme gamer would be nearly as good, just without the useless x-ram (I think)

Well I am a big fan of music and love listening to it and I loved the software that came with my Audigy 2 ZS that allowed me to change the way the audio sounds. Will the XtremeGamer be perfect for me then. Even if I plan to play games like BattleField 2 and Unreal Tournament 2004..? Also, the card that I had before that was part of the X-Fi series was the XtremeAudio card (XtremeMusic is not the cheapest and oldest one). 

they dropped because vista + them = suck sound FX

new cards are in order

they dropped because vista + them = suck sound FX

new cards are in order

blazethe1

New cards such as??? 

I upgraded from an Audigy 2 Value to an Xtreme Music, and with headphones the sound is alot better.DarKre

And without? 

It still a good improvement, I really dont use speakers anymore ( I had old crappy Dell ones and I still noticed a difference)

I just played Doom3 with my new X-FI Extremegamer and my new Logitech 5.1 Thx certified Logitech THX Z-5300e 280 Watts RMS 5.1 and I have only one thing to say. My underwear is no longer clean. Two things that make the Xgamer awesome. X-fi CMSS-3D absoutly rocks and the Crystalizer combined with EAX 4.0 or 5.0 which the card can do it will totally blow you away in a game like Doom3 with EAX 4.0 on.

I think you're misunderstanding what CMSS is. CMSS is only functional to take a stereo source and turn it into simulated 5.1 sound. If the game already has a 5.1 sound source, as Doom 3 does, CMSS can be turned off because it's bypassed anyway. Most games these days already have a 5.1 sound source so CMSS is not needed or used. For games that only have a stereo sound source, then CMSS can be useful.

I do have the X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Pro and really like it. I changed out my Audigy 2 ZS for it and the X-Fi definitely sounds better.