Creative SB X-Fi Surround 5.1 PRO ?

Okay NBR,

I've got my speakers set up today, the sound quality is amazing. I do have a external dobly home sound card which I got with my Gamecom 777 headset, I however want something more professional and that said the only soundcard I've so far found that looks good is the Creative SB X-Fi Surround 5.1 PRO. It has everything what I need (seems so) and the reviews are good.

What I wonder at this point, do anyone actually own this?

I wonder if this is a "real" thing or just a sound card with just some software emulation..

Any ideas? I'm planning to use this with my Logitech z906.

PS: This sound card is THX qualified, just like the z906.

Creative SB X-Fi Surround 5.1 PRO

Ignore my signature at this point as it is not going to be used with that laptop.

 

It is in a sense a sound card with reliance on software emulation. However, it is currently the best budget 5.1 and Directional Surround external sound card solution out there. So for your use, it is going to be decent. However, if you are using it for pure music, movie, non-surround gaming sound quality, it is pretty lacking to what you could get elsewhere.

 

I have that sound card (Model# SB1090)

It is great if you're a gamer, and want surround sound support in your games. It has analog connections for 5.1 channel audio output, as well as optical digital out. The best part is that it supports CMSS3D Headphone, which is Creative Labs' implementation of virtual surround in headphones (the other competing standard is Dolby Headphone). CMSS3D Headphone is a pretty convincing way to get 5.1 channel surround sound effects in 2.0 headphones.

But if you don't care about surround sound, and just want high quality 2.0 channel stereo for listening to music, then look elsewhere (as StarForge advised). The $55 price tag on this is much better spent towards a 2.0-channel audiophile-grade USB DAC, if all you care about is music.

 

Thank you both for the feedback!

I've really don't care about the price tag, the reason why I mentioned this one is because it is really the only thing I've could find.

What I've want is that the sound to be splitted, lest say if a jet flys in a movie, it should start at the left and end at the right, rear speakers. it dosn't do that now. And for the music, I listed to Rock (somepeople call it metal) Avanged Sevenfold, and here, I want to some effects to came from let's say rear left and other effects from rear right.

I notice that with my headphones that gutiar is coming from the left while the drummer is from right. And sometimes I can hear the fade effect.

 

Yep. What you want is surround sound support. And the Creative Labs X-Fi USB SB1090 is a good way to get it.

 

Thanks for the tips!!

What about the price? Is apox. 95 usd too much for a sound card?

I've honestly never bought a soundcard before

 

That is the price range for a good DAC actually. The price for the Surround 5.1 Pro is more like $60 USD actually. $95 for it is actually a bit steep.

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Soundblaster-Surround-System-SB1095/dp/B0044DEDCA/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

 

Did you get the E10 yet Star Forge?

 

Yes like two weeks ago.

 

Ooo and you didnt tell me what you think about it vs the Creative offerings.

This is the perfect time to share

 

Well I didn't have the X-Fi for long after I got the FiiO E10. However here is my opinions:

Creative X-Fi Pro:

The X-Fi Pro has a lot of input and out options (including gold-plated big-socket inputs for the microphone and the headphones) so you can plug and use more things with it. The bass on the X-Fi is really rich and enough deepness that it doesn't over-saturate songs with bass, but enough to get a good effect. Also, the mid's and treble's were clear and distinguishable vs. on-board audio. The clarity of distinguishing instruments and vocals in songs were adequate and definitely reduced noise and distortions from on-board.

However, the only way you can get the clarity and good sound range was from using the Creative software and tweaking the THX and EAX Emulation from it. Keeping it on the Windows Default is still better than on-board audio, but it loses a lot of the finesse clarity and contrast that the drivers provided.

FiiO E10:

From the X-Fi, it was much better. The treble's were more realistic and still distinguished easily from the mid's. The bass is not as strong or rich as the X-Fi, but it was more, again, realistic that you still get clear, rich bass, but not enough to distort the entire song or overwhelming everything else. In other words, it was real bass and not fake, amplified bass. The X-Fi still had a bit of the latter. The distinguishing of instruments and vocals were even better and it amplified the clarity of the song even sharper than the X-Fi. The FiiO for sure is the better amp and it can do it without any additional drivers. However it does lack features unlike the X-Fi, but for what it can do though, it is better than the X-Fi and it is non-nonsense and just focuses on making the music output simply better without any other distractions.

I guess that is how I can describe audio devices lol...

 

Thank you for the input Star Forge, but I live in Norway. Everything here is more expensive then US, and you get the 25% tax. So even if I buy from amazon.com, I'll get 25% tax up on that again. So, I'll have to live with it.

From what I can find from google FiiO E10 has 1 line out plug right?

Well, my z906 does have like 3, and that's why I've found the Creative SB as it has 3 line outs. This means I'll be able to split, rear, front, center and the bass.

I hope.

 

Yeah the E10 does have a Line-Out. However the Line-Out doesn't have control of the Bass Regulator and High and Low Gain controls though.

 

Be aware that the Fiio E10 is an audiophile-grade DAC (digital-to-analog converter). That means it excels at 2.0 channel stereo sound output, and nothing else. You will not get 5.1 channel surround sound support.

If you want surround sound (through speakers or headphones) you will need a sound card that has surround sound support, such as a Creative Labs X-Fi USB SB1090. And yes, you can hook up analog 5.1 stereo speakers to the X-Fi (front, rear, center).

 

Thank you both guys, this said, I'll go for the Creative Labs X-Fi USB SB1090 as that is what I've need.

 

So even If I have a surround sound receiver, I can't use the Fiio E10 coaxial digital audio output to feed my receiver a 5.1 signal?