X-Fi & Front Case Panel Connections?

As far as I know, Creative uses proprietary headers so that you can't connect the case speaker and mic jacks.

Sad to say..the you can't hook up Creative cards to the case front panel audio jacks. The only way to get front audio is to buy the more expensive cards that comes with Creative's own front panels. :?

Oh well, thanks for the replies, guys. I should have known, since I've had an Audigy 2 in my current rig for the past few years. I thought Creative may have changed to include standard headers since newer ATX cases all have built-in audio jacks, and motherboards usually have integrated AC97 sound. I guess I'll have to stick to crawling on my hands and knees to get to the headphone jack on the rear of my new computer as well...

Or buy speakers with a headphones port? The Logitech Z-5500 has one on the side of the control module, and my older $50 Logitech 5.1 system had a headphone port on the center speaker..

I used to have the standard Audigy2 ZS before upgrading.. and I never had to crawl behind the computer to hook up my headphones.. the speaker systems made that easy.

Do they still use the 6-pin (I think) connector, but with the pins in a diff order? The reason I ask is with that my case, the front-panel connector has the standard connector and then 6 (I think) individual connectors you can arrange in any order.

I have a razer barracuda..and just put up a review..you should check it out..

Yeah, I read your review; the Barracuda looks interesting. I really like my Razer Copperhead, and the new Barracuda headphones look really nice. I'm in the process of accumulating parts for a new build, and need to decide on a sound card... I was planning on getting an X-Fi, since it's basically the "standard". My favorite sound card that I've had so far was an Aureal A3D, though, not a Sound Blaster. I wouldn't mind trying the Barracuda when more is known about it.

Your review was helpful, but I'd like to see some more. It seems like hardware sites would be jumping all over this card, since non-Creative sound cards are so rare these days.

Your right..I thought sites would be all over it also..I don't get it..I was a huge aureal fan as well..I was totally bumbed when they went under...I'm telling you..If you don't have a sounds card,get the barracuda..I bought it to try it and take it back..But I think I'm gonna keep it..I'm that impressed..The sound is just so clean and sounds diff..Try one,if you don't like it ,take it back..no worries..   irocem

Just a quick question.

How do the X-Fi cards work with line-in / mic-in?

There are four sockets; orange, green, blue and white. Does this mean that you can choose between having 5.1 sound + microphone and 7.1 sound - microphone? From what I can see the mic takes up a line-out socket.