X-Fi TiTanium Series

[InternetOwl]

If anyone cares at this point, Creative is releasing two new X-Fi sound cards that run on the PCI-E bus. Check them out over at VR-Zone:

http://www.vr-zone.com/articles/Creative_Unveiled_XFi_Titanium_Fatal1ty_Series/5781.html



Sound has become very odd thanks to Microsoft and some bumbling by Creative. And the future of hardware sound looked so bright just a few years back.

[PP Mguire]

http://www.bjorn3d.com/forum/showthread.php?p=147840#post147840

Already posted ;)

[tyle6]

Anyone seen these for sale anywhere yet?

[HSMTruman]

Knowing how screwy those creative card drivers are, imagine on PCIx :help:

[PP Mguire]

Actualy they should be better on PCI-E and this one now has native Vista support. They have them for sale of across the big pond so should be around here pretty soon.

[Schwarz]

Actually I agree with Truamn it was said a while back that it was harder to make an audio card for PCIx because of the higher bandwidth.
Anyways I dont have the technical details.
But I dont see why if they had a hard time programing on normal PCI it would be easier to them to do it on PCIex.
Everyone who owns a creative sound card (X-Fi) has a story about bad driver experiences.
Actually in my personnal opinion, creative went bad with their X-Fi series.
I mean they had what like 2 or 3 driver updates in a few years...
I dont think thats enough when so many problems have been shown.
There is a HUGE probability that creative will have a few bugs to deal with going PCIx.
All im saying is that if we already have problems with the X-fi PCI version and that those bugs werent fixed... why would it be better with PCIx.

[PP Mguire]

Im not saying the bugs will be better, im saying the hardware in general will be better becasue it has more bandwidth to work with. I agree on the drivers, i do not own one myself (not that dumb) but many of my friends all have one. Who do they come to to fix their pcs? Me. So i have to deal with them anyways. I think it will be better with native Vista support.

[tyle6]

Its too bad that azuntech doesn't make a nice front panel connection for there prelude.:frown:

[Schwarz]

Actually Creative did not want to release a PCIe card just yet.
They have had problems exactly as you state it with the Higher bandwidth.
Asus came out with a PCIe card before creative called the Xonar.
So basically Creative had no choice but to follow in.
Basically its will be a rushed card just to compete with Asus and im sure it will be buggish like most of their recent products.
Let me try to find the article where creative stated that it was hard in the sound realm to have too much of a high bandwidth.

[PP Mguire]

Well my peeps in the UK will have them soon enough for review. We'll see how these things fair out. Ill admit its one of the best "looking" creative cards though.

[Schwarz]

That I agree with you.
Anyways its covering the cheaply soldered caps :p
Well the one I have right now is fine but I had a first gen one and it was riduculous.
I mean all the caps were soldered and pointing in different directions...
You may think im a creative hater and to tell you the truth i really am not.
I had lots of their cards...
The only thing I find sad about creative is the 1 year warranty.
I mean do they really have so little trust in their products :p

[PP Mguire]

I think its more they want more money. They trust you will like their product enough to buy a new one when it goes out, outside of warranty.

[Schwarz]

Why would I buy one of the same card a year after...
Its not like creative puts out sound cards by the year...

[PP Mguire]

You didnt understand what i was saying. They are hoping you like their cards enough so that way if one dies outside of warranty youll buy another one to replace it.

[Goliath182]

You could always be cheap like me and use onboard. :lol: