How are these drivers?

[someguynamedmatt]

Yep. I'm back again.

I just have a few quick, specific questions this time. Shouldn't take too long.

I've been looking at Creative's X-Fi Titanium HD PCIe card now, and am wondering whether or not it uses any auxiliary power. I saw the large IDE-looking plug on the rear of the card, and am assuming that it's for their front 5.25" I/O drive...

Secondly, how is the software for this card? The one thing I absolutely loved about Asus was the console that they use - the blue and black thing that looks as awesome as the card itself. I've heard that Creative uses something similar, but I haven't seen any reviews on it specific enough to tell whether it's just a generic driver like what my Realtek looks like, or if they give you something comparable to Asus's system.

Once again, much appreciated.
-Matt

 

[mosox]

Why not the Asus Xonar DX (PCIe x1)? It uses an auxiliary floppy power connector (the cable is in the package) or the Xonar D1 (same card, no supplementary power connector, on PCI). You need DTS encoding?

 

[gamerk316]

Secondly, how is the software for this card?

BAD. Seriously, do NOT use Creatives drivers if you must go Creative (which I advise against); use either the Daniel_K or PAX drivers instead.

Secondly, I can't remember offhand if the Titanium needs an extra connector or not.

 

[someguynamedmatt]

Why not the Asus Xonar DX (PCIe x1)? It uses an auxiliary floppy power connector (the cable is in the package) or the Xonar D1 (same card, no supplementary power connector, on PCI). You need DTS encoding?

No reason at all. I was just looking at the Titanium HD because it appeared to be on a PCIe x1 with no auxiliary power requirements, plus it supports full EAX 5.0. All of that's no good to me, though, if the card will be constantly crashing my system, which it probably will be.
I'd say that the D1 is still my first choice. I doubt that the PCI slot will be eliminated any time soon seeing how much hardware already uses it, and it's been said that there's barely any difference between headphone quality between it and the D2.

Oh, I almost forgot... what about Auzen's X-Meridian drivers? I know that it uses the same processor, but they're a world apart otherwise, and everyone else has said that their drivers show it. What all do you get with one of Auzen's cards? I've heard it's just your basic, stock C-Media driver package, which I'm really not impressed by...

 

[gamerk316]

ASUS, HT Omega, Auzentech [non X-fi cards] are all really just re-branded C-Media chipsets. Same features, just different skins.

Also, if you go the Meridian route, make sure its the newer 2G model, and not the origonal Meridian [good card, but aged].

Here's a review of the Meridian 2G if you're interested, which also explains the driver control panel a bit. [Guru3D also has most other soundcards reviewed; credit Robscix over there for keeping tabs on new audio cards]:

http://www.guru3d.com/article/auzen-xmeridian-71-2g-soundcard-review/

 

[someguynamedmatt]

Yeah, I've seen that.

I've read that review over quite a bit. I just can't help but feel like I only really need something $90 though, since I don't really need all of the added features centered around 5.1 and 7.1 surround, and the likes.

Another really specific question: How much of a difference will Dolby Headphone make? That would be pretty hard to answer if you've never actually heard it before, I guess...

 

[craige1]

I recently bought the Titanium HD, I was hesitant at first tho. I was an owner of both a soundblaster audigy 2 and of an x-fi extream audio. So I was one of those people who got screwed with the drivers.

After saying that, creative have done an amazing job with this card. I bought it for my gaming PC which it does an awesome job, and now I'm going to buy it again for my HTPC. Thanks to the mode switcher it work just perfect for both roles. It uses the thx trustudio pro technology in entertainment mode (movies, music, etc) and that my friend is bloody amazing. Then it uses its more classic x-fi technology's like cmss-3d and crystallizer for the gaming mode. Both the gaming x-fi technology's and the entertainment trustudio pro have the advanced multi-channel up scaling, the crystallizer, smart volume, etc, but each do their own side better. I have yet to record anything with it, but I doubt it will cause any trouble.

I do highly recommend this card, but the one thing to watch out for that you might have noticed; there is no 2.5mm audio jacks for 5.1+ sound. Make sure you have a sound system with digital connections that support Dolby technologies like dts.

With that connection on the back of the card, its not for power I can tell you that. I don't actually know what its for, but I imagine that it is for a front drive bay device. The connection itself looks like a giant IDE connector.

If your worried about drivers for the card, with windows 7 the drivers are amazing. One trick tho is to install the drivers from the CD it comes with first, then upgrade to the latest ones on the site. The latest ones on the site don't include the taskbar mode changer icon, so if you install the ones off the CD first, you'll get it.

 

[Idonno]

I had the exact opposite experience to "craige1" with the the Titanium HD. Lot's of driver issues and terrible mode switching. From my time (trouble shooting) on the creative forums I know that while there are certainly owners like "craige1" with 0 issues, there are also quite a few like me that had issues in-spite of multiple drivers-weeps and clean installs.

That said it is a decent sounding card for stereo when it does work, however my problems were bad enough to prompt me to replace it with a HT | OMEGA eClaro. The eClaro sounds just as good in stereo and has excellent sounding analog 5.1 & 7.1 as well. The drivers are fairly simple but they just work (all the time).

If you check the newegg user reviews you'll find that the only new PCIe soundcard that has a 5 star average is the HT | OMEGA eClaro and if you go on to further read the reviews you will find that the biggest difference between the eClaro's reviews and the other contenders is eClaro's lack of driver issues.

Anyway "someguynamedmatt" I read in one of your other posts that you weren't crazy about HT | OMEGA but, in the case of the eClaro i think you should take another look. As far as the company goes when I first bought my card I emailed tech support with a question and received a prompt reply with a phone # which I called and spoke to a knowledgeable tech who's native tongue was English believe it or not.

With Creative the only support I was able to get was generic computer generated email responses which were equivalent to no help at all and the forums which in the end produced no solutions either. Mainly just a bunch of other people bitching about driver issues and the occasional "worked great for me" post.

As far as additional power connectors neither cards (eClaro & Titanium HD) require them.

Good luck whatever you choose.