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X-Fi and the Elite Pro: SoundBlaster's Return to Greatness

 by Derek Wilson on August 30, 2005 11:59 AM EST
110 Comments | Add A Comment
110 Comments

X-Fi Processing Elements: The Quartet DSP

Audio effects and processing can be done on a CPU. The latest audio solutions from Intel employ software from Sonic Focus that performs audio processing without the aid of dedicated hardware. If an end user wishes to enable advanced filtering or processing features, the Creative X-Fi has the advantage of being able to perform these tasks without tasking the CPU (thereby freeing up resources for other applications).

As is often the case, a general purpose CPU is not the most efficient hardware for the job. The Quartet DSP is able to make quick and efficient work of audio data. As mentioned before, the Quartet is made up of 4 independent two-issue SIMD engines, which Creative calls a TIMD architecture for Thread Interleaved and Multiple Data. The configuration of the SIMD paths in Quartet lend themselves well to audio processing.

Creative didn't tell us how wide the data path is down each SIMD pipe, but Quartet is able to handle either integer or floating point data, making it more flexible than DSPs used on older Creative parts. Special instructions allow differing operations to be performed on SIMD data to enable more efficient audio processing. For instance, the FADDSUB2 instruction performs an add-on-one data path and a subtract on another. The DSP is also able to perform complex floating point math with the real and complex results completing in different paths.

In traditional DSP architectures, raw speed often wins out over programmability. Tradeoffs are always necessary, but the Quartet offers a good balance. The result of one instruction can be used in the next with no stalls or reordering necessary and any instruction can be performed after any other instruction without any conflict. Also, any register can be used as any operand in any instruction. While we don't have all the details on the hardware, a high level language compiler could easily target and optimize for this architecture.

At this point, an easy to develop and efficient compiler only really helps Creative write driver and feature code more easily. It could be possible for Creative to allow developers access to their compiler in order to develop specialized DSP code. We don't know if Creative will actually pursue this in the future, but the option is there should they choose to do so.

To sum up the capabilities of the Quartet DSP, we have this list of features:
  • 2 SIMD units per each of 4 simultaneous threads
  • fixed and floating point data supported
  • 235 opcodes
  • up to 1200 MIPS
  • can perform up to 4 moves per instruction
  • easy to compile and optimize
Bringing the entire Audio Ring architecture together, Creative has quite a powerful solution that can handle lots of quick and efficient processing. Multiple audio streams with multiple sample rates can be floating around, being processed and reprocessed with high efficiency and low latency. This gives Creative a good deal of freedom in how heavily they can process audio without needing any assistance from the CPU.

X-Fi Processing Elements: Exploring the SRC New Features, Possibilities, and Modes
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  • DerekWilson - Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - link

    That's not a game port, its a digital connector to the break out box. The breakout box has optical in and out, spdif out, RCA out, quarter inch out, and problabaly a few things I'm forgetting right now.

    There is no daughter card connection. The thing that looks like it is a dell case front panel connector. For whatever reason.

  • Saist - Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - link

    I'm trying hard not to be the wet blanket, but why in the world is everyone so gung-ho about creative products? I know I'm not the only one whose suffered from scratchy sound, static generation, swapped speaker channels, and dropped speaker channels with Creative cards. I've lost count of the number of games I've played where a sound issue has been specifically traced to a Creative driver set or Creative hardware problem. I don't want to even think about leaving the "well supported" windows world and looking towards systems that use ALSA, ARTS, or OSS sound systems. The lack of documentation makes setting up and running creative cards a pain in the rear.

    Quite frankly, given what I've seen of Creative's products and experienced, I'll stick with my Via Envy and wait for Via Envy2 if I'm going to upgrade. Just doesn't seem to be any sense to stick to Creative's path which invariably either winds up with less than desirable products and higher than desirable prices.

  • flexy - Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - link


    i take 10 ! :)

    a) any REAL pro will probably NOT get a creative soundcard

    b) a gamer/casual PC enthusiast will probably NOT spend $400 on a soundcard.

    c) i had to stop reading the article and laughed when i read "$400"...and i laughed even more when i read that " Unfortunately, there are not a great many games out there that support X-Fi yet. On our list are Doom 3 and Battlefield 2. We tested both of these games and attained good results. We weren't able to create accurate and repeatable sound tests, but from our subjective analysis of gameplay, we couldn't really discern a quality difference between older hardware and the X-Fi."

    in other words: You did NOT see (hear) any difference between a Audigy 2 and this card - besides the sad fact that there's barely a game out which supports X-FI.

    What (please ?) is the point of this card/review ? Makeing us PC enhusiasts want to spend $400 on a soundcard which has no real-life use at all - or convince the *real* audio-professionals that now Creative is a contender in the "pro-market" ?

  • DerekWilson - Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - link

    Creative is a contender and active member in the pro market with their EMU line.

    I wouldn't use a consumer product for professional applications. I also woulnd't use a pro card for gaming.

    I don't recommend the Elite Pro at the $400 price point. But to people who want a gaming card with excellent sound quality and lots of recording features (and have money to burn), the Elite Pro fits their needs.

    to be clear, games that support EAX do support the X-Fi ... just not X-RAM -- the defining performance feature. It would be more accurate to say that no game exploits all the features of X-Fi.

  • JNo - Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - link

    Unfortunately Derek, you failed to make it VERY clear that the bottom of the range x-fi card (which most gamers would probably be happy with) is $130, which is very much more in people's spending range for an everyday soundcard. Obviously you didn't get to test it, having the elite pro instead, but because the basic model is very similar with only very slightly worse DACs (only audiophiles can tell), no extra RAM (no/v little impact today), no remote or break out box, some intelligent guesses could have been made as to its value.

  • AnnihilatorX - Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - link

    "The SoundBlaster X-Fi Elite Pro is the best non-pro sound solution for audio listening, features and recording"
    Ironic isn't it lol

  • PenGun - Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - link

    What's the deal with the 1 K spikes in Dynamic Range and THD? The Gina at least is smooth. The creative stuff is all over. You should be aware graphs are useful but are not a good indicator of how a card sounds.

    PenGun

  • SDA - Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - link

    "The SoundBlaster X-Fi Elite Pro is the best non-pro sound solution for audio listening, features and recording. "

    That's like saying that a Prescott is the best non-low-wattage, non-AMD solution for games. Yes, whoopee, but what if you don't have stupid limitations?

    To make myself clearer: a pro sound solution at the same price point or below would offer better sound quality, more features, and better recording capability.

  • Googer - Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - link

    quote:
    The SoundBlaster X-Fi Elite Pro is the best non-pro sound solution for audio listening,


    I Love the irony of this statement.

  • Eskimooo - Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - link

    Wherever I search web before spending any larger sum there are always people complaining about the stuff they have never seen an/or have no clue about.
    Why do you post opinion like that and give no example? What is the point?
    I mean I am reading reviews and I am trying to make a well informed decision about how to spend my money. If you draw a comparison, do it really, so that it is a valid point.
    So what is the soundcard that would give me better quality of sound at recording, playback and more features at the same time at the same price?
    I did not have opportunity to listen to music played back with system using X-Fi so I am looking for opinions from those who did before I eventually decide to order it online, too. Thanks to Derek this review. I have read about X-Fi enough to believe it is worth the price and that it will serve me well for a good few years like the Live card did.

    Enlighten me, cus I am looking better feature set
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