Creative X-Fi: A New World of Sound
Game
Game mode displays a very compact screen with many of the previous adjustments, but specific functions for games are also present. On the mixing board you can enable EAX effects, and adjust environment effects for the microphone if you're using a mic/headphone. In addition, you get the most powerful version of EAX: 5.0!
For gaming, you can activate the EAX effects and alter your voice by processing the signal from the microphone
Creation
Creation mode will usher you into another world, if you're not familiar with professional audio equipment or equipment meant for musicians. What you'll see in front of you is a mixing board with extensive possibilities. We won't go into detail about them, because they're extremely wide-ranging and, as of this writing, no structured information seems to be available. The help that accompanies the software is fairly limited, but the existence of buses and user-assignable inputs and outputs clearly opens up some highly interesting possibilities for numerous users. For example, you can assign an input to any output, or send the mix to one or several outputs. DJs and event organizers should find a lot here to have fun with...
For musicians, aside from a broad palette of effects, the big novelty is 3D MIDI, which offers the possibility of positioning a MIDI sound in space very simply - it's a new creative option accessible to amateurs! Naturally, Creation mode opens the door to ASIO 2.0 mode and lets you freely choose your sampling frequency from among the standard values. If you opt for 96 kHz, you won't see the effects modules disappear as with earlier Creative cards - with X-Fi, they remain functional regardless of the frequency chosen. Be careful, though, because the files get very big!
In Creation mode, it's possible to send stereo sound to the eight channels of a 7.1 system. An interesting possibility for certain users...
You can insert a parametric EQ correction onto an input to correct a fault in the source, or obtain a specific effect
Stay on the Cutting Edge
Join the experts who read Tom's Hardware for the inside track on enthusiast PC tech news — and have for over 25 years. We'll send breaking news and in-depth reviews of CPUs, GPUs, AI, maker hardware and more straight to your inbox.
Diablo IV's new ray tracing update is live — Outpost: Infinity Siege also gets DLSS 3
Google keeps trying to force feed me its hideous new Chrome design. Here's how to revert to the classic one.
SK hynix reportedly planning for a $4 billion chip packaging facility in Indiana — for HBM and other exotic memory types
Most Popular
By Matt Safford
By Ross Rubin
By Matt Safford