Creative X-Fi Xtrememusic $100 AR & PM

[DarkReaper]

PM Future Shop with this:
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?affiliateid=1158819&sku=16551&promoid=1015

When I bought it yesterday, they PMed it from $170 to $124, when they should've PMed it from $140 to $124.

I got lucky again when they gave me the mail in rebate for $30 US. More cash for me!

So in the end, it cost me $100 after tax, PM and AR.

Some of you might not be lucky but you guys can still get a great deal.

For those living in Toronto, DO NOT PM AT KEELE AND ST. CLAIR. They are useless. They tell me that NCIX is not an authorized dealer and that they are a wholesaler. They also said that since NCIX is a wholesaler, the company (Creative) cannot give you warranty. What BS.

PM at the Weston Future Shop. They will have to check to see if NCIX is authorized or not though.

Good luck.

BTW, this sale ends on May 30, 2006.

[vric]

I got this card for $124-$23 on NCIX 2 months ago. Was a $20us MIR from Creative (that I got)

No PM was needed.

[burnaby]

When did FS start carry this? Didn't have it two months ago. I too bought it from NCIX. MIR came back in around 5 weeks.

[McLaren]

Sweet deal if you are lucky with the PM. Rather have this than the Audigy 2 ZS

[jory29]

So for those auiophiles out there - which is better, the one in this posting, {Creative Sound Blaster X-FI Xtreme Music 24BIT Sound Card} or this one {Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum DVD-Audio Playback And Internal I/O Drive} from FS for approx. the same price ($100) ? :confused: ?

Thanks!

[Max_Dealing]

NCIX price is up to $145.

And if you want to know the difference here is a chart from Creative,
http://www.creative.com/products/comparechart/comparechart.asp

The X-Fi has a number of feature the Z does not and a batter SNR by 1 dB.

[vric]

NCIX price is up to $145.

And if you want to know the difference here is a chart from Creative,
http://www.creative.com/products/comparechart/comparechart.asp

The X-Fi has a number of feature the Z does not and a batter SNR by 1 dB.
No still at $123
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?affiliateid=1158819&sku=16551&promoid=1015

it's an usual "special" price.

[kcjchan]

Like someone said, unless you need the extra features, you won't notice a difference in sound quality with low end to mid-range speakers.

[Max_Dealing]

No still at $123
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?affiliateid=1158819&sku=16551&promoid=1015

it's an usual "special" price.

It must have been a hiccup in the web page. I was frustrated because I could not see the deals page even thought it is good until the 30th. Any ways I digress. Think I will get one any way.

[MasZakrY]

So for those auiophiles out there - which is better, the one in this posting, {Creative Sound Blaster X-FI Xtreme Music 24BIT Sound Card} or this one {Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum DVD-Audio Playback And Internal I/O Drive} from FS for approx. the same price ($100) ? :confused: ?

Thanks!
I had a A2ZS for a few months before switching over to a X-fi XM and there is a noticable difference (with my setup). If you are using some low end speakers or headphones you of course wont notice any difference. The real difference will be in comparing mid/high end headphones such as my Grado SR80's which makes the difference in these two cards quite obvious. It was a worth while upgrade for me :cheesygri

[loadedxxx]

Actually, the creative X-FI xtreme music is about as powerful as 11 audigy 2's running at the same time, there is completely no comparision between which is better, X-FI blows away the audigy 2, and rememebr, Creative already made an audigy 4 before, which is old school now, X-FI is the new ****, so just wonder how old and outdated the audigy 2 is. Indeed i read it off reviewed website, so it ain't BS

[DarkReaper]

It must have been a hiccup in the web page. I was frustrated because I could not see the deals page even thought it is good until the 30th. Any ways I digress. Think I will get one any way.

You can't see the deal by doing a search. It's a special link.

[Canadianpsycho]

Actually, the creative X-FI xtreme music is about as powerful as 11 audigy 2's running at the same time, there is completely no comparision between which is better, X-FI blows away the audigy 2, and rememebr, Creative already made an audigy 4 before, which is old school now, X-FI is the new ****, so just wonder how old and outdated the audigy 2 is. Indeed i read it off reviewed website, so it ain't BS

Too bad Creative can't write drivers to save their lives. Took them FOREVER to fix a lot of issues with the Audigy cards (bloated drivers, OpenAL, crackling noises)

Imagine that... 11 soundcards all rolled into one! Not totally sure why I'd want a soundcard 11 times more powerful then my ZS, but at least the option is there.

As previously mentioned, unless you have a decent set of speakers the X-Fi isn't a necessary upgrade.

[jory29]

So if I have the Z5300 {Logitech} model of speaker, is that still too low quality to notice a diff. [between the X-FI and the Audigy 2 ZS?] Does anyone know? I am still trying to decide if I will buy the X-FI, or keep the Audigy 2 ZS that I ordered. I don't even have an external bay open slot anyway... not sure how I would rig up the Audigy 2 ZS.

[cowboybebop]

I have the Logitech Z-5300, and the X-Fi Extreme Music I had for 3 months does make a difference. I mainly listen to music, and in the Creative Control Console, there's are various options such as CMSS 3D(surround), 24 bit Crystallizer and SVM(smart volume management). When you get the settings right, the music feels very alive. As with the Z-5300, the bass can be overpowering sometimes, you have the option in the Console to tone down the bass.

P.S. I believe you only need an extra 5.25" bay if you get the X-Fi Platinum

[jory29]

I have the Logitech Z-5300, and the X-Fi Extreme Music I had for 3 months does make a difference. I mainly listen to music, and in the Creative Control Console, there's are various options such as CMSS 3D(surround), 24 bit Crystallizer and SVM(smart volume management). When you get the settings right, the music feels very alive. As with the Z-5300, the bass can be overpowering sometimes, you have the option in the Console to tone down the bass.

P.S. I believe you only need an extra 5.25" bay if you get the X-Fi Platinum

Thanks for your reply! I'm leaning toward trying to get the PM from FS for the X-Fi. I too have noticed that bass on the Z5300 can be extremely unbalanced [overpowering] at times, so the bass toning down option is a good one. My main problem with the speakers is that the 2 front ones that I have mounted onto the wall seem to 'boom' and echo when turned up. {They reverberate.} I used to think it might be my sound card, but have since changed it 2 times, and still, the same thing. I think this sound card would be what I'm looking for. I will probably return my un-opened Audigy 2 ZS from FS as soon as it arrives.

[BinaryJay]

For what it's worth music sounds pretty great out of my 2ZS pumping through nightclub stereo equipment (JBL Professional/CROWN Audio, etc.)

I think you'll find far more differences out of a few EQ adjustments than a complete change in hardware...

[loadedxxx]

I have the Logitech Z-5300, and the X-Fi Extreme Music I had for 3 months does make a difference. I mainly listen to music, and in the Creative Control Console, there's are various options such as CMSS 3D(surround), 24 bit Crystallizer and SVM(smart volume management). When you get the settings right, the music feels very alive. As with the Z-5300, the bass can be overpowering sometimes, you have the option in the Console to tone down the bass.

P.S. I believe you only need an extra 5.25" bay if you get the X-Fi Platinum


very true, The creative X-FI reallly does make a difference, it doesn't matter what speakers u have, The sound card enriches the sound for sure. I tried this sucker on my headphones, and wow u can reallllllly hear gun shots in BF2, u really know exactly where peopel are as soon as they shoot towards you. The reason for all this processing power is because the X-FI can do a crap load of sound processing that allows u to turn up the settting, like cranking up video settings for a crazy videocard. You also get the Creative EAX 5 SURROUND instead of the EAX 2 technology on the audigy 2, and for the same price why the heck would u even think of audigy 2 anyhow. BTW, the creative X-FI full line up has the exact same specs, except for the fatality and the elite pro versions, which come with a useless 64 mb xram, which not many games take advantage of. So for 100 bucks, you get everything that the 350 dollar ones cost, minus the useless ram and also the front panel, which is useless to alot of people nonetheless.

[jory29]

I was able to PM Ncix.com at an Alberta Walmart, but when the rebate form printed up, the CSR deftly ripped it off and threw it away. I knew what it was - but knew I could print up the MIR form on my own. ;)

Anyway, compared to the Audigy 2 Value, it is indeed far more clear, and because I have manual control over the bass now, I am able to eliminate most of the extra 'booming' that I could hear previously coming from the front left and right speakers.

Thanks, everyone, for your in-put. I'll be returning the Audigy 2 ZS to FS when it comes in [un-opened.] I paid around $14.88 less for this, than I would have paid, in total after taxes and MIR are accounted for, than for the Audigy 2 ZS.

Weird - I'm listening to an 80's song now - "Send me an Angel" - and at one part, it sounded like there was a live person standing there, saying something to me. Very, very clear sound.

Thanks, OP!! :)

[enforcerviper]

I went to a creative demonstration of it X-Fi. The sound was amazing with headphones. The guy said it was geared specifically for headphones. Much better than my audigy2 ZS, Extigy etc.

But I plan on using this for movies w/Z-680's. (Currently using an Extigy). Does anyone know if 5.1 is improved over the Audigy 2 ZS/ Extigy?

[DarkReaper]

I was able to PM Ncix.com at an Alberta Walmart, but when the rebate form printed up, the CSR deftly ripped it off and threw it away. I knew what it was - but knew I could print up the MIR form on my own. ;)

Anyway, compared to the Audigy 2 Value, it is indeed far more clear, and because I have manual control over the bass now, I am able to eliminate most of the extra 'booming' that I could hear previously coming from the front left and right speakers.

Thanks, everyone, for your in-put. I'll be returning the Audigy 2 ZS to FS when it comes in [un-opened.] I paid around $14.88 less for this, than I would have paid, in total after taxes and MIR are accounted for, than for the Audigy 2 ZS.

Weird - I'm listening to an 80's song now - "Send me an Angel" - and at one part, it sounded like there was a live person standing there, saying something to me. Very, very clear sound.

Thanks, OP!! :)

No problem. Its comments like these that make me want to find more deals. :cheesygri

[mahjongmaniac]

I was able to PM Ncix.com at an Alberta Walmart, but when the rebate form printed up, the CSR deftly ripped it off and threw it away. I knew what it was - but knew I could print up the MIR form on my own. ;)

Anyway, compared to the Audigy 2 Value, it is indeed far more clear, and because I have manual control over the bass now, I am able to eliminate most of the extra 'booming' that I could hear previously coming from the front left and right speakers.

Thanks, everyone, for your in-put. I'll be returning the Audigy 2 ZS to FS when it comes in [un-opened.] I paid around $14.88 less for this, than I would have paid, in total after taxes and MIR are accounted for, than for the Audigy 2 ZS.

um.... u PMed at WM ?

u really meant FS right?

and AFAIC, WM tills don't print out rebate forms... ;)

[jory29]

um.... u PMed at WM ?

u really meant FS right?

and AFAIC, WM tills don't print out rebate forms... ;)

Ha ha, I'm an idiot... yes, it was FS! I also went shopping at Wal-Mart today, thus, must have had one too many of these land on my head when I was there :) :) :) :) :) {you know, the prices 'dropping.'} :razz: I guess the result was fuzzy 'Wal-Mart-on-the-brain.'