Creative X-Fi ELITE retail - $305 AR

[TheBluePill]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102191

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail
Model #: 70SB055000002
Item #: N82E16829102191

$385.00 - ($305.00 after $80.00 Mail-In Rebate)

[venm11]

To me, $300 for a sound card doesn't sound that appealing. Maybe as a source for a truly good audio system...

Maybe nvidia/ati will get into the sound game and provide audio processing/acceleration using the GPU, as they're doing with physics.

[GhostDog]

Just because I was shopping for a card recently. ZZF has the same deal but $279.99 AR w/free shipping.

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=290239

[Oh4Sh0]

Yeah I certainly don't think paying $300 for a sound card is remotely hot.

[TheBluePill]

Yeah I certainly don't think paying $300 for a sound card is remotely hot.

The $280 price is great, Good find.

For you (and me), paying $300 Might not be a great option, but there are many people that want this level of a sound card with all of its features. Finding it for 25% off isnt a bad deal, this card retails for $400.

[General Crespin]

Yeah I certainly don't think paying $300 for a sound card is remotely hot.

You're wrong. As TheBluePill said, this card normally sells for $400, so $280, even $300, is an excellent price.

[Apallohadas]

You're wrong. As TheBluePill said, this card normally sells for $400, so $280, even $300, is an excellent price.
Being 'wrong' on an 'opinion' is very interesting. How does that work?

[nilepez]

To me the problem is that it's a very expensive game card masqarading as a card for a home recording studio. Unfortunately, it's not very suitable for that. X-fi still resamples on digital inputs, even if the input sampling rate is the same as what you're recording at.

IMO, if you want to record music or transfer DAT to your HD, get a card made for that (M-Audio has plenty of reasonably priced models....and I'm sure many expensive ones too). You could probably buy an m-audio card and a cheaper X-Fi for gaming and still pay less.

Maybe I'm missing something, but even the surround decoders seem less than useful. Surely if this goes into a HTPC, you're using a receiver of some sort to power your speakers. And if you're using a PC speaker setup, don't most of the surround setups have built in decoders? In both cases, a model that can pass the DTS/AC3 info to the receiver are all you need.

If this is the card you want, it's a hot deal, but IMO it's too much for a gaming card and it's not good enough for home recording and in most cases unecessary for home theater.

[Kyle_Bennett]

This is Hot Deals, discuss its merits elsewhere.