Page 4 - Software

The Software

Creative products have never been short on features. So, what is new? Just a few of the new features are the 24-bit Crystalizer, CMSS3D v.4.0, and, of course, the new EAX 5.0 Enhanced HD. The MediaSource software has been also upgraded, but I chose not to install it, except for the DVD-A player, Karaoke, and SmartRecorder.

The driver 'package' weighs in at ~22MB, and the full deal will set your hard disc space back nearly 500MB. Please remember to use the setup on the CD and not Windows' Found New Hardware wizard. That'll mess things up. At time of writing there are no kX drivers for the X-Fi.

There are the usual bunches of processes that get installed, of course, like the DVD-Audio player, cthelper, etc. I installed the full drivers (we sacrifice ourselves for our readers!), which added at least 6 new identifiable processes. A few of the processes are new enough that there isn't a description of them on the net.

With any install, the uninstall still leaves the cthelper and ctxfihlp processes running. I guess some things don't change! You can remove them by hand, but if you ever need to totally uninstall your X-Fi, a full WinXP re-install may be the safest bet!

The Modes

Creative is known for rather extreme drivers. I might also say notorious for its drivers. The X-Fi drivers are no exception, however I like what they have done. With so many features available, Creative broke it down in to three separate modes of operation: Game, Entertainment, and Creation.

I've seen this one so much I get queezy now.

Each mode has similar features available, but they are grouped for the easiest access for common tasks. Creative's driver remembers the settings from mode to mode, so all you have to do is remember to plug in your headphones for Game mode and you are gold.

The one stand-out is the Audio Creation mode, which gives you access to the sample rates for the X-Fi.  It also gives you a mixer type layout which allows you to customize effects, patches, and routing.  With the Audio Creation mode you can record almost any audio stream you hear, into wave, MP3, and WMA. It has a lot of bells and whistles. The results are excellent, I might add. It won't record DVD-A, for example, all you get is silence. But for the rest of it, it is great.

You only get one input with the Xtreme Music X-Fi.

All of the effects are customizable to an incredible degree. The reverb is out of this world complex. I killed a couple of hours playing with it, and I really like the flexibility of it. I miss a breakout box, though, so I can't do a whole lot at one time. The Digital Delay is awsome, with much more to play with than any DigiTech or Boss stompbox. There is only one input on teh Xtreme Music version of the X-Fi, which seriously hampers recording possibilities.  For those who are looking, you should look higher up in the X-Fi line. You will also need much more of a program than just the Audio Creation mode to really make things happen.

You can also expect to find a few familiar panels from Creative's previous Audigy cards, like the THX setup panel. Why re-invent the wheel?

One new redesigned panel is the Creative System Info wizard thingy. It rivals dxdiag, and certainly looks better. There's also a new Audio Console, which gives you access to all the settings, and even vary the amounts of some of the effects. Then there is the Smart Recorder, which I believe used to be the Record Now applet, which I guess is smarter than other recorders. I was able to record CD streams with Smart Recorder, up to 24 bit, 96 KHz resolution, that I wasn't able to do in Creation mode.

You can also record internet audio streams, too, with scheduling so you'll never miss Fresh Aire again. The only thing it will not let you do is record in other formats. You only get WMA, WAVE, or MP3.

There's also the requisite Karaoke player, which honestly, is impressive. 

One bug I found is that the separate headphone volume is nonfunctional, and thankfully so as it also has a habit of resetting itself to FULL VOLUME. The volume window will also close if you click outside of it, forgetting its setting. You have to close the volume pop-up for it to remember.

I like the separate modes. It makes things much cleaner. I also like the look of them too, like the old Marantz receivers of yore. They also seem to be faster running. There's nothing more frustrating than driver applets that waste your time.