First third party manufactured X-Fi soundcard!

LordOfLA

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Creative has allowed Auzentech to be the first third-party audio card manufacturer to build a soundcard based on their X-Fi audio processor.

To the best of my knowledge this is the first time Creative has permitted a third arty to make a card based on their chips for consumer level audio boards.

Due some time over the next few weeks apparently. Lets hope they can develop decent drivers. I'd like to not use creative bloatware if possible :)

Link: http://www.auzentech.com/site/company/press.php

Edit: Specs from overclockers.co.uk who estimate 06/06/07 as their stock arrival date

- Creative X-Fi CA20K audio processor
- One AKM AK-5394 super high performance 192kHz 24-bit ADC for analog input
- Four AKM AK-4396 192kHz 24-bit advanced multi-bit DAC for analog output
- 64Mbytes of memory for audio processing
- High fidelity audio OP-Amps for analog input and output
- Front L/R output OP-Amp is replaceable by end-user
- Dual mode S/PDIF receiver and transmitter
- One 3.5mm MIC input connector in rear panel
- One 3.5mm line input connector in rear panel
- One 4-pin AUX connector on board
- Four 3.5mm 8 channel line output connectors in rear panel (FL/FR/C/SW/RL/RR/RSL/RSR)
- One S/PDIF combo input connector in rear panel for receiving either coaxial or optical digital
- One S/PDIF combo output connector in rear panel for transmitting either coaxial or optical digital
- 16-bit to 24-bit recording sampling rates: 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 and 96kHz
- One 10-pin front panel connector on board for MIC input and headphone support
- One 40-pin digital extension header on board to support AD-Link and other digital functionality
- 24-bit Analog-to-Digital conversion of analog inputs at 96kHz sample rate
- 24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion of digital sources at 96kHz to analog 7.1 speaker output
- 24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion of stereo digital sources at 192kHz to stereo output
- 16-bit to 24-bit recording sampling rates: 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 and 96kHz
- ASIO 2.0 support at 16-bit/44.1kHz, 16-bit/48kHz, 24-bit/44.1kHz 24-bit/48kHz and 24-bit/96kHz with direct monitoring.
- Enhanced SoundFont support of up to 24-bit resolution
- 64MB of X-RAM
 
Creatives drivers aren't really bloatware, but the fact is why buy a card that is now completely useless in Windows Vista?
 
Because it's not?

EAX 5 s accelerated with OpenAL not DS3D :)

With alchemy too you're on to a winner. Gaming prowess of the X-fi, HTPC prowess of the X-Meridian 7.1. Probably the best consumer audio card available for windows :)

Forgot to mention. Does realtime DDL output and will have an HDMI 1.3 Addon board available later in the year :)
 
I have the X-fi Fatal1ty and am highly unimpressed that I can't mutlitask without having an mp3 stutter.
 
I don't get any issues at all. Currently using the Xtreme Music edition.
 
I've got the Xtreme Music but I get the same problems as EP - hopefully the new drivers might help :)
 
I haven't tested the new drivers extensively, but do read the Creative forums alot and they should reduce CPU usage, but it is CPU usage non-the-less and no longer a hardware solution.
 
The X-Fi hardware accelerates OpenAL audio. Vista passes that straight through to hardware. It is ONLY DirectSound and DirectSound3D that are software. As long as you set your audio player to use the default system audio device instead of directsound it will be hardware buffered.
 
Inconsistent manufacturing is a hallmark of Creative Labs. You can go into their forums at any given time and find mammoth flamewars between people who do and people who don't have problems.
 

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Also Hi EP and people. I found this place again while looking through a oooollllllldddd backup. I have filled over 10TB and was looking at my collection of antiques. Any bids on the 500Mhz Win 95 fix?
Any of the SP crew still out there?
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Impressed you have kept this alive this long EP! So many sites have come and gone. :(

Just did some crude math and I apparently joined almost 18yrs ago, how is that possible???
hello peeps... is been some time since i last came here.
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