Works perfect,low price for quality sound.Nothin...g can be compared to this one at its price range. Again,Creative proves its status by producing reasonable products since SoundBlaster was made.This one can be used as either notebook or PC sound card to improve quality of integrated sound cards. In addition,external audio cards are always better then integrated because they don't absorb inner noise of motherboards. Thought,i would recommend to use Asus audio for real audiophiles or M-Audio. And again,Creative are great products!
When I started building... my home theater room, I started from scratch, buying components as my pocket could pay for them, and I knew it wasn’t the best approach but it sure was what I could handle. Over time this led me on purchasing a great computer, or at least that’s what I thought, then I invested a lot on my surround speaker system, because I wanted my movies and games to sound great on it, but these came in the 5.1 Dolby Surround format, which honestly speaking, I didn’t exactly know what was it about, till I tried connecting the 3 speaker wiring to my PC, which only had one input. For me this was a big problem, and that’s when I started learning more about 5.1 systems and found the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1, which for me was the answer to my problem, because I couldn’t afford to change my computer. My connection was a breeze, and the Installation was easy, it came with basic setup for different uses, but the application had a lot of options if you wanted to teak and squeeze more of your sound system. Finally it sounds awesome, it looks nice and the quality is great.
It doesn't do everything an internal card would ...do in a desktop, but as a laptop replacement or tool for recording from a mixer, this gets the job done. With all the outputs and sleek black look, it is great for "docking" to your desk at home or if you're an audiophile on the road who has to have something better than on-board sound. Go for this, and just like any Creative Product, never lose the Driver CD!!!!
I got this extra sound card for its flexibility..I ...can use its optical out to transfer music to my minidisc recorder/player or any other personal player without needing computer software. I can attach a microphone to it or even a tape deck or record player..even my mobile phone. I connected it to my home stereo for watching videos or listening to music. Home Audio equipment is much better sounding than "computer speakers" or the lousy speakers you usually get with 5.1 stereo systems..even at $1000. The sound is much superior to internal sound cards...plus the volume knob is a great convenience..and when you use it it also displays on your computer monitor..closest thing to have a remote for your computer. It also has much more headroom than the internal sound cards I've had in the past. Great when recording live music. No clipping.
Pros: -Crystal Clear sound and other useful sound enhancing ...qualities -Convenient volume knob -Adds the ability for my computer to output 5.1 -Allows me to hide long wires to my speakers behind my desk rather than a mess leading to my headphone jack. -Avoided the problem of internal sound card driver issues -Works great for laptops to prevent needing to open up the case Cons: -Uses up a USB port -No other negatives really Summary: This external sound card is one of the best sound cards on the market and for under $100, this is a steal. Buying it used is a great choice to save half the price for the same exact thing. Also, I would like to add that this sound card is exceptional for voice chat such as through skype or other voice chat programs.