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Take your gaming to the next level with this sound card that delivers lifelike audio via X-Fi CMSS-3D technology for amazing surround sound. Xtreme Fidelity audio playback restores detail and clarity to compressed music files, such as MP3s.
Product Features
24-bit multichannel performance
96kHz stereo for quality audio.
109dB SNR
For ultraquiet, high-definition digital audio.
Cinematic surround sound
For full audio that draws you in.
EAX 5.0 sound effects
Projects realistic sound with multiple, simultaneous effects for engrossing gaming environments. Creative ALchemy with Windows Vista (not included) restores surround sound for an amazing gaming experience.
Accurate 2S positional audio
With X-FI CMSS-3D technology helps you locate your opponents by sound.
Dolby Digital Live decoders
Deliver captivating audio playback in 5.1 surround with DVD movies. PowerDVD software features DTS and Dolby Digital-EX decoding delivers brilliant audio.
Clear voice chat
Allows you to communicate loud and clear in games via high-quality inputs for a headset or microphone.
Xtreme Fidelity audio playback
Restores detail and clarity to compressed music files, such as MP3s.
Record your own music
Via inputs and low-latency ASIO drivers.
PCI Express connectivity
Designed for high-speed PCI Express x1, x4 or x16.
Posted by: Ronnie44441 from Parma Heights, Ohio on 08/01/2012I checked the specs for a device that would allow me to digitize my
long time record collection. The sound blaster audio card was the best value between ten different devices including a few pro level devices.
I have recorded 15 LPs so far and I can't believe the sound quality. Also the direct connect headphone/speaker connection has enough power to handle the loudest part of any of the songs I have recorded,
1 out of 1 found this review helpful.
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Did not last!
1
Posted by: TheGeekMasterTx from on 03/31/2012After two years it stop working had to buy a new one.
0 out of 15 found this review helpful.
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Smiling big
5
Posted by: lesc1 from springdale,AR on 03/01/2012this audio card by creative is awesome. great value for what i paid for it and it accents the creative t6160 speakerset i bought as well. supports 5.1 and 7.1 systems ..win 7 reconized it and installing the cd drivers is a snap. you cant go wrong with this card.
2 out of 2 found this review helpful.
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Good but not great
4
Posted by: HoustonJoe from Houston, TX on 01/25/2012I installed it at the same time that I upgraded to Windows 7. It doesn't filter noise as much as I would like.
0 out of 2 found this review helpful.
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Has Issues
3
Posted by: Catroast from Albuquerque, NM on 01/12/2012The sound is great... when you have it on the right setting. The software does not automatically adjust itself for the application in the forefront. You have to manually select whether you want sound optimized for entertainment, gaming, or video/audio production. If you have it set on Gaming and you are watching Youtube videos, the audio gets choppy or cuts out all together. If you have it on Entertainment and are playing games, you don't get surround and things don't sound right. I recommend leaving the audio properties window open so you can go between settings if you need to. The card uses RCA jacks almost exclusively, so make sure you have compatible speaker system and wiring.
3 out of 8 found this review helpful.
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Works for me
5
Posted by: DIceMon from Spotsylvania, VA on 12/16/2011I bought this card to put in a three month old Dell 8300 with an i7-2600 CPU after realizing what truly poor sound the on-board chip produces. I will admit that I was hesitant to get this card after reading some of the reviews, but I have used Sound Blaster cards for over a decade and have never had a problem. Installation went well, and the software installation went smoothly, although slow even on a fast computer. After I started it up, the controls all worked and the sound was excellent. I did disable the on-board audio (did NOT uninstall), and moved the front-panel connector for mic/headphones from the motherboard to the new card (fit and worked perfectly). I will say, though, that I did not purchase this card to run a 7.1 channel theater or extreme gaming setup. I merely wanted a competent device to listen to clean 2.1 stereo. This card does that very well. It also works very well recording whatever is playing on the computer. Well worth the price.
6 out of 6 found this review helpful.
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This card - Oh this card.
1
Posted by: Juz10y0 from Virginia, Stafford. on 11/22/2011This is my first review, why? Because i had to come on this web page and just explain to others the frustration behind this card. I will start off with this - i work on computers, it is my CAREER, i do it for 40 hours a week - for the pass 5 years. I work with all kinds of audio sound cards , mother boards , you name it.
This card (not creative , cause in the past i have .. been very satisfied with them) is a huge headache. If it is not crackling, or not "Decoding" devices, it is playing sub - par quality sound.
I'm going to be level with you on this, i tried to use trittons optically to this card - in the result , 7 hours later i decided to say screw it - im trying my on board card - cause SOMETHING did not sound right about the sound quality - at first i thought? These things do not sound as righteous as everyone says they do.. what gives.. well , this sound card gave. After that i got curious, and purchased 2 others from different companies. I.E. Newegg, Tigerdirect, including returning mine and getting a new one from Best Buy. All 3 cards , resulted in the SAME exact thing.
To top it off, i did not just use Tritton's to see if it would decode, i tried multiple things - i tried Turtle Beachs - i tried my Speaker bar which is designed to be Decoded by sound cards, or used with a TV. I tried different surround sounds... now i got REALLY curious - and tested a new MACHINE thinking it was my motherboard PCI slot perhaps? Same results.
If you want my two-cents, take it. If not, buyer beware. :)
What did i end up purchasing instead? Well, this card did help me one way - my on board sound card still is not going to be replaced cause its 5.1 surround sound is glorious.
Best of luck to you all.
5 out of 28 found this review helpful.
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Great Mid-Range Card with Low Price
4
Posted by: SBMfromLA from South Bay Area on 09/24/2011This is my second SoundBlaster X-FI card. I previously had the X-FI ExtremeGamer (PCI), which I bought 2 years ago from Best Buy, that worked great on my Vista 64 system. Then a few months ago, I upgraded to Windows 7 and had nothing but problems. That other card just didn't like Windows 7 too much. So I looked for another comparable card that would fit into my unused PCI-Express x1 slot and found this one on sale at Best Buy.
To those of you wondering, based on my previous experience using the ExtremeGamer edition and the new Titanium version, they are both pretty much the same... and have the same features. But this one uses the newer slot instead of the older PCI.
As for sound quality, hooked up to my 5.1 Logitech Z-5500 speakers, they sound great. I tested to see if I had any distortion, like when browsing... and so far I haven't had any... nor have I had any sound crashes...
There is one bump I must say, though. This card has optical inputs/outputs. I originally was going to connect the card to my digital speakers using my optical cable. That was a huge mistake because when I did it that way and installed the drivers/software, I had nothing but problems... none of the apps would detect the card... and the sound only worked half the time... so I had to uninstall everything... then connect using the analog cables and no problems. I then tried to connect the optical cable after that... the software worked but not everything would play.. some times I had music.. sometimes no sound in movies... so I gave with the optical part and just have it connected the regular way. I have a 5.1 speaker setup.
5 out of 7 found this review helpful.
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Great Card
5
Posted by: Rockymountianhigh from Colorado on 08/31/2011For those having problems.....if you are replacing an existing sound card with this one, make sure to uninstall the old drivers before installing new ones!!!. Also make sure to go into your device manager (computer/system properties/device manager/sound) and disable your on board sound!!!
One other thing, when you install this card and boot up, it will automatically want to search for drivers online, make sure you decline and instead install the drivers off the cd it comes with. You can always update drivers later if needed!!
Hope that helps because this card rocks and is very versatile!!!!
9 out of 10 found this review helpful.
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Save Yourself Screams and Headaches
1
Posted by: Waldoman from Nashville, TN on 01/26/2011I'm no newbie when it comes to PC component upgrades. I have a brand new Dell XPS 8300 with Windows 7 64-bit and bought this card to upgrade the onboard sound. Windows will install its drivers, but the provded Creative software will not load. It keeps giving an error that no supported device is found. After much searching I found myraid others who were experiencing the same problem. Even the latest drivers from the Creative website won't work. It's sad, because I was really looking forward to using this card. But it's going back tomorrow after many 'creative' attempts to figure out a way to make it work. Creative shouldn't produce a product that doesn't have software to support it. Save yourself screams and headaches and find another card manufacturer, despite Creative virtually having a corner on the market.
15 out of 42 found this review helpful.
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