Pros: Simultaneous waveform playback, digital I/O, two audio-out ports, excellent sound quality, good software bundle, incredible low price Cons: Cons? Ha!
Overall Rating: (5 out of 5)
Designed specifically for the purpose of providing unmatched, exceptional performance in high-end PC games, the SBLive! XGamer delivers exactly
that - an experience that will leave you begging for the chance to frag your friends in pure, unadulterated surround sound.
Introduction
It all started one day when I was fed up with my Ensoniq Audio PCI. I couldn't teleconference over the Internet with it, and my overall sound
experience was far less than satisfying. But, hey, it's a ten-dollar card…what did I expect? Time to upgrade, I told myself. I set forth on a
quest to find the perfect sound card - one that could play an MP3, enhance my Quake 3 game play, and alert me of ICQ events all at the same
time. What did I find? A miracle in a box - the SoundBlaster Live! XGamer.
Out of the Box
The first thing I noticed after the simple installation of the PCI card was that, quite frankly, it sounded incredible. The analog wave playback
of system sounds in Windows 98 was crystal clear, and there wasn't any ambient "hissing" from the speakers. My MP3s sounded like they had been
re-compressed at a much higher sample rate, and playback was much smoother. The skips and pops I had become accustomed to with the Ensoniq were
nonexistent. Even in an inexpensive Optimus headset ($30, Radio Shack), the missiles in Quake 3 actually sounded like they were moving past me
realistically. I could even hear ICQ message alerts while I was playing - I was just too awe-struck to reply. What's more is that I had yet to
install any of the bundled software.
Software/Drivers
After the quick installation of Liveware, Creative Labs' collection of audio controls and utilities, I began to truly experience the XGamer.
Creative Player and Recorder provide an efficient means of creating, managing, and enjoying audio files in a variety of formats. I was
especially pleased with the ingenuity of the recording manager in Creative Recorder - it's a big step up from the Windows Sound Recorder.
(Note: This is a fantastic utility for creating custom audio alerts and taunts for close combat games.) MIDI output from the Player is very
rich as well; the instruments and drum kits provide the most realistic reproduction I've ever heard.
EAX - One Word: "WOW!"
While the software package is indeed impressive, what truly astounded me at this point was EAX. Having no previous experience with EAX
(Environmental Audio Extensions), I was blown away by the card's ability to actually take me places. Environmental Audio essentially
allows you to specify where you want to be as you use your computer. Some of the dozens of factory settings include locations like
tunnels, pipes, stadiums, halls, and underwater areas. Incredibly, the SBLive! XGamer can (efficiently!) enhance your music and game
audio to sound like it's being experienced in any of these locations. I played Quake 3 with Stadium EAX selected, for example, and the
sound was more intense and life-like than I previously thought possible.
Okay, this is all fantastic, you might be saying, but why should you choose Creative's Environmental Audio Extensions over its competitor,
Aureal A3D? Quite simply, the EMU10K1 chip on the SBLive! is reprogrammable, meaning that as technology changes, updating Liveware will
reprogram the chip to perform in compliance with current industry standards. Aureal currently offers the only true competition to the
technology in this card, and unless they've got some other tricks up their sleeves, there's still no contest. Hands down, EAX provides
the best overall 3d sound solution.
Other Areas of Excellence
After I picked my jaw up off the ground, I decided to see what the XGamer could do for my system aside from its effect on 3d games.
In addition to its stunning performance in titles like Quake 3, Descent 3 (included in the package) and Thief (also included), the
XGamer had a tremendous overall effect. There is a perceptible difference now in the speed at which my computer operates while audio
applications are running - not only do I have dramatically improved playback performance, but my computer doesn't slow down when audio
is being buffered.
Internet teleconferencing is a pleasure with the SBLive! installed. While using the Ensoniq, I was plagued by an audible echo during
online conversations (http://www.dialpad.com, NetMeeting, etc.). The XGamer not only provides exceptionally clear vocal reproduction
through the web, but it's actually clearer than talking on a telephone.
Interestingly, the specs for the SBLive! MP3+ are almost identical to the XGamer. The packages differ mainly in terms of what software
is included. Creative seems to be using this age-old marketing technique to target two different market demographics, but this isn't
necessarily a bad thing.
One final noteworthy attribute of the XGamer is its ability to function in both digital and analog modes. If you've got digital speakers
and digital input from a game or a DVD-ROM, prepare yourself for an even more immersive experience. Everything is moving towards digital
these days, and with the SBLive! XGamer, you won't be left behind.
Bundle/Packaging
As usual, the box is enormous considering the size of the card. This is to be expected, though, since it's a packaging ailment that exists
across the industry. On the positive side, the package design leaves no question as to the nature of the product and includes a ton o' specs.
It may be a plain rectangular box, but it's eye-catching and informative.
Conclusion
The bottom line here is that you're getting far more value than you're actually paying for - the games in this package retail for more (total)
than the price of this magnificent card. With such incredible results, an upgrade option, and the power of EAX enhancements, this card is a
steal at only $99. Am I satisfied? Completely. Do I recommend this card to serious gamers with high demands and refined taste in PC audio?
Yes.
