The PCI Soundcard Blues

I'm running the onboard audio on my DFI Lanpary NF4, but I've discovered that I really don't like the little pops and other annoyances. I got a snazzy new Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi, and I'm 71% done downloading its latest drivers. I'm on dialup, so its been slow-going. But the extra time online has given me a chance to read all kinds of information on computer audio. Almost all signs point to the X-Fi really not being worth the money, but I figured I'd post here and get some more advice.

Good looking alternatives include:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829127001
and
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=29-120-103&depa=0
or perhaps something older from the Audigy 2zs or Audigy 4 line, or something for enthusiasts from m-audio.

The only thing that the X-Fi has going for it is the supposedly amazing positional audio over headphones using CMSS-3D. That seems to be a software solution, though - I don't think it relies on anything specific to the x-fi.

So should I get my money back from Best Buy and get a reliable card without bloatware, or should I install the X-Fi and give it a spin?

Thanks, everybody!
-George

 

I have strong negative personal feelings toward creative labs especially their new x-fi series of cards,the simple fact is audio quality can only be as good as our ears will allow,the only way for creative to sell new product is to attach a gimmick to the new cards that can 'claim' to make better than perfect sound quality or to make the previous soundcards incompatible with current games "battlefield 2" forcing you to buy the new x-fi

Check out post 13

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=76199

The reason IMHO the x-fi sounds great in battlefield 2 is because no one has heard what the other cards can do

 

That's the funniest thing I've heard all day. Thanks for the reply.

The Chaintech with its optical out so I can use a home theatre receiver if I so choose is looking more and more like a great option...

 

Scratch that. The bluegears is sounding good because I never got to have a motherboard with Dolby Digital Live

 

Anybody know when the Xraider or the Xplosion will be out?

 

Anybody know about this card or how it compares to HDA's or Creatives stuff? Yay for DDL on a dedicated card