This is my latest purchase, I bought this just to replace my onboard sound on my laptop since the headphone jack sounds disgusting. At first I plan to buy Xonar U1 but I opt for X-Fi because it have more feature that I wanted for a few more ringgit, like RCA out for my speaker, TOSLINK out to connect to other DAC if I wanted so, separate headphone out and most importantly volume knob, for easier volume control for headphone.
I don't expect much from it in terms of sound quality at first after I read on the box it written 'based on XtremeAudio', which if you don't know, a chip that is not based on X-Fi DSP, not even Audigy in the first place. But I'll tell you what are the biggest surprise from it.
After installing it, it automatically detect it without any driver needed but it won't work with WASAPI for unknown reason so I download the latest driver and install it, work like a charm afterwards. Sound quality wise, there is nothing to shout about really, loose and out of place bass with bright high mids especially female vocals, so I eager what is inside. Opening it up is easy for someone who like to hack stuff, but I be surprised by what I found inside
There is no single usual cheap component in Creative cards (not including cheap caps on mic input). Everything seems brand new, the usual JRC5532/ST4558 opamp is replaced with TDA1308, not great but its different at least, no Jamicon/Samxon or whatever cheap caps on analog stage, and to my surprise they use ELNA electrolytic caps on the headphone section, others are all SMD caps. The DAC it uses are unknown CS4361 6-channel output. The digital volume knob is not a cheap rip off know, it’s from ALPS! The DSP it uses are CA0189 which support up to 24-bit 192kHz sampling rate, the important I2S is used as well, but the surprise is it support native 44.1kHz via separate crystal clock from 48kHz clock. Even X-Fi chips run single clock, but it has high quality SRC (sample rate converter)
From what I first heard it and see the component used, I know this one got a huge potential to sound good at least, so after 1 hour buying it I heat up my solder iron and start ripping the stock opamp and replaced it with LME49723. First impression are good, typical wide and airy soundstage, but the bass is super tight its nearly nonexistence and a bit shrill on top. Worse still, it crack at max volume, I noticed this even on X-Fi PCI cards, it turns out it needs rail-to-rail opamp and replaced it with my other favorite, LT1364. It sounds heavenly, the usual cold sounding National opamp is gone, everything is slightly warmer and the entire spectrum integrates well with the music, nothing is out of place. It sounds great on my laid back Senn HD437 so does on extremely bright Monitor Audio R252
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