For testing music
playback I used
foobar2000
(configured as detailed in our
foobar2000
guide), with only the Advanced Limiter DSP
in use. Resampler was unnecessary given that in
Audio Creation mode the X-Fi could play 44.1 kHz sources
without resampling, while in other modes the hardware
resampler of much better quality than the previous
generations were.
Those with DTS CDs will
be happy to hear that they can finally enjoy their
CDs over S/PDIF Output, but only in Audio Creation
mode, when the Master Sampling Rate is set to 44.1
kHz.
Testing was carried out
using a variety of FLAC (Free
Lossless
Audio
Codec)
and LAME VBR encoded tracks from albums such as E.S.
Posthumus - Unearthed, Manic Street Preachers – This Is My
Truth Tell Me Yours, Rob Dougan – Furious Angels and various
film scores from Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Basil
Poledouris, Danny Elfman and Alan Silvestri.
X-Fi geuninely does
sound better than previous Creative soundcards; it is
brighter and more detailed than before, while bass output
seems to have been tightened and is less boomy than before.
Then again, this is listening to the X-Fi on a decent (or
what I’d like to believe is a decent) stereo system, with
cheaper equipment the difference is likely to be more
negligible, especially with an Audigy 2/4.
Similar to the previous
Audigy 2 in 4+ channel output mode the X-Fi can up-mix
stereo sources using CMSS and stereo X2 effect is available.
A 10-band equaliser is also at your disposal (disabled when
Bit-Matched Playback is active).
