I use SPDIF out only - would an X-Fi xtreme Music improve my audio?

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How many channels is your listening setup? Also, how are you encoding your mp3s? Like someone hinted here, I would use a lossless encoding format, like flac.


You might be interested in this article (htpc -> squeezebox music streamer -> benchmark dac -> amps -> speakers)

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article287-page6.html


- Steve O.

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That's the part that is confusing, the degradation in the resulting upsampled signal will depend on the capability of the hardware ADC/DACs and also the sampling method used. I will challenge anyone who told me they can hear a subtle difference between a signal sampled at 44.1KHz and 48KHz using a good ADC/DAC.


The converters on the Creative card while not the best available but are not that bad to create such significant difference in sound you guys keep pointed out.

Hi, Bryan!


I've recently been doing some testing with the X-Fi Platinum (the same board, but with an additional break-out box), and the results are fascinating. First, it does have extremely low THD via PCM S/PDIF - far better than just about any other card that I've seen. In addition, its frequency response is exceptional compared to most other sound cards - dead flat.


However, while I'm still very much in the middle of investigating what's going on, the current drivers apparently have a problem, because when complex waveshapes are injected into it, the resulting PCM outputs, as well as the analog outputs, show strong distortion of the incoming waveforms. While it's too early to know the precise cause, the distortion is unquestionable. If you're curious about my quantitative testing techniques, they're documented in the XPlosion thread here . Once I've collected more information, I'll post the complete results. For now, though, I'd definitely hold off on ordering this card.


FYI!

MarkF

Hi, Bryan!


What the heck - I'll post a few screen shots just to whet your appetite. Here's a plot of the Total Harmonic Distortion of the X-Fi's PCM outputs at 96 KHz:

http://www.talix.com/RX/THD96-SBXDAA.PNG


Zowie! That's a bloody amazing result. Now here is its frequency response curve:

http://www.talix.com/RX/FREQ-SBXDSD.PNG


If those don't impress you, please check out the results of my testing with other cards in the thread I linked to! Next, I always test with a special data pattern that looks like a perfect circle on an X-Y oscilloscope. The X-Fi shows off its processing prowess with the best internal loopback pattern that I've ever seen:

http://www.talix.com/RX/EFQXY-SBXDSD.PNG


However, once we look at what happens with its dynamic response over the PCM S/PDIF outputs, reading the receiver's analog response in place of the loopback input, things look quite poor. Compare this image to the other cards that I've tested, and this isn't looking good:

http://www.talix.com/RX/EFQXY-SBXDDD.PNG


While I won't post it just yet (until I know more), the analog outputs are far worse. Given its spectacular digital front-end, something's just not right with the outputs. Given the left/right imbalance we see, it's likely that the drivers aren't initializing the card correctly, or that some of the various "add-on" processing can't be disabled fully, even though the UI claims so.


As I learn more, I'll post it here.


Cheers!

MarkF

"Quote:

I use SPDIF out only - would an X-Fi xtreme Music improve my audio?




no "



not so fast.... it depends on what you are using as a sound card NOW... if, for instance, you have a varient of the Audigy series card, and if you play PCM audio such as ripped CD's, then YES, the vastly improved SRC on the X-FI will dramatically improve your audio !!

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Hi Jim,

Not too long ago you have a thread here regarding the X-Fi elite pro. I remember you mentioned how the THD was low when resampling to 96KHz. I'm using "J River media player" for playback (.ape, flac, 320Kbps mp3). J. River output mode is set to 24bit and asio with 96KHz re-sampling.


Now, my understanding is the player perform the resampling via software and passes the resampled signal to the card, how do I get the re-sampling to be performed by the X-Fi?


Creative keeps mentioning that the card can resample to up to 192KHz, however, I seem to be able to resample to up to 96KHz only, am I missing anything?


Thanks,