Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD Review

👤by David Mitchelson Comments 📅04-10-10
Testing

Unlike other products in different categories the performance of audio can be quite hard to determine. Contrasting our other testing methodologies for audio, I will be adding RightMark Audio Analyzer to the testing process.

RightMark Audio Analyzer is designed for testing quality of analogue and digital paths of any audio devices, be it a sound card, an MP3 player, a consumer CD/DVD player or an acoustic set. Testing is accomplished by playing the test signals and recording them after they pass through the testing chain.


The results of onboard audio, X-Fi Fatal1ty, X-Fi HD in RightMark Audio Analyzer


Frequency response is a measure of the outputted audio's range. Rightmark's Audio Analyzer measures both channels of a stereo output and gives their tolerance in dB. As can be seen in the table on the left channel the X-Fi HD was the furthest out by 5.65dB. Testing the right channel, the X-Fi HD was the best, beating onboard by less than a dB and the Fatal1ty by nearly 4dB.

Noise level and Dynamic Range performance are both below average - HD USB being worst of set

THD is high compared to normal, but < 1% is considered high fidelity and inaudible to the human ear the best out of the 3 devices tested is the X-Fi HD.

Gaming, Movies and Music

The above benchmarking results may not mean anything to you but most users will want to know what the audio feedback is like compared to onboard audio within games, movies and music.

Creative are strong foes to beat when it comes to 3D audio. THX TrueStudio Pro and Crystalizer play important roles within the X-Fi HD. Games that support EAX will combine well with this sound card, I can confirm that over the standard onboard sound that I get with the ASUS Rampage III Formula the X-Fi HD is far superior. You may think that the Rampage III Formula comes with a SupremeFX X-Fi anyway but in reality, underneath the cover is a Realtek chip running an X-Fi codec. Sound, effects and music within the titles I tested (Medal of Honor Beta, Battlefield Bad Company 2 and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2) were very crisp, precise and clearly impressive.

Movies and music are obviously at the very pinnacle of Creative's intentions with the X-Fi HD. Once again, within this category of audio I wasn't disappointed. X-Fi HD sounds absolutely awesome on a surround sound system - bass has been tightened, giving a lovely crisp finish to a variety of tones. The bundled software allows you to indulge in many options within THX TruStudio Pro and EAX. I would recommend taking a look at the software and fine tuning a few elements so that you can enhance the tones coming out of all channels - although this isn't a requirement. Audio straight out of the box is very impressive.

Combine the X-Fi HD with a BDROM and you have a phenomenal setup ready to take you right into the movie.

Below you can see the options available by either the console or through control panel in windows (both give you access to the same options).


The console GUI giving you access to options like EAX and TruStudio Pro



EAX options available within Windows



THX options available within windows



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