ott wrote on 2025-07-10, 09:18:

Surprisingly, my X-Fi Fatal1ty (SB0460) works very well on the Windows 11 24H2. I installed the latest official Win10 driver (SB […]
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sharangad wrote on 2025-07-10, 08:16:

If you're in Win 11, the x-fi isn't officially supported., which is a shame.

Surprisingly, my X-Fi Fatal1ty (SB0460) works very well on the Windows 11 24H2.
I installed the latest official Win10 driver (SBXF_PCDRV_L11_2_30_0012.exe) without any issues. OpenAL EAX games works as expected.

The attachment Screenshot 2025-07-03 212716.png is no longer available

Of course, Creative X-Fi driver is incompatible with Core isolation/Memory integrity feature, but who cares about that in retro builds.

The attachment Screenshot 2025-07-04 153230.png is no longer available

I did not know that. I still have one of my xfis, a pci extreme music with 4mb of ram. Several of my machines randomly failed to detect it so I retired it, I found it in a box recently though.

My pcie extreme gamer fatality edition with 64 mb of ram disappeared when I moved between countries. Those were great cards, still are.

x8009 wrote on 2025-07-10, 06:20:

Windows 11 24H2

if I try to use 7.1 with headphones I usually have BSOD, with Headphones and STEREO in windows speakers it works perfect, if I put 7.1 I will have freeze and BSOD

I don't notice such issue on the X-Fi Fatal1ty (SB0460). Have you tried the latest official X-Fi Titanium driver?

I'll be surprised if the "newer" PCIe (CA20k2/EMU20K2) versions works worse than the original X-Fi (EMU20K1) on the Windows 11.

sharangad wrote on 2025-07-10, 10:14:

I did not know that. I still have one of my xfis, a pci extreme music with 4mb of ram. Several of my machines randomly failed to detect it so I retired it, I found it in a box recently though.

EEPROM bug? It seems this issue still occurs on X-Fi cards.

ott wrote on 2025-07-10, 11:00:

I don't notice such issue on the X-Fi Fatal1ty (SB0460). Have you tried the latest official X-Fi Titanium driver? […]
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x8009 wrote on 2025-07-10, 06:20:

Windows 11 24H2

if I try to use 7.1 with headphones I usually have BSOD, with Headphones and STEREO in windows speakers it works perfect, if I put 7.1 I will have freeze and BSOD

I don't notice such issue on the X-Fi Fatal1ty (SB0460). Have you tried the latest official X-Fi Titanium driver?

I'll be surprised if the "newer" PCIe (CA20k2/EMU20K2) versions works worse than the original X-Fi (EMU20K1) on the Windows 11.

sharangad wrote on 2025-07-10, 10:14:

I did not know that. I still have one of my xfis, a pci extreme music with 4mb of ram. Several of my machines randomly failed to detect it so I retired it, I found it in a box recently though.

EEPROM bug? It seems this issue still occurs on X-Fi cards.

The official is 2.40 no different than Daniel's one and with all the programs. Also the issue with 2.30 or 2.40 is that the THD is bad compared to 2.17 and I can't install the 2.17 because it complains about unsigned drivers and freeze BSOD. somehow it worked before but I don't know how or what change.
No one have idea how to guide me, I explained it through many forums and threads. I am just tired

x8009 wrote on 2025-07-10, 11:19:

The official is 2.40 no different than Daniel's one and with all the programs. Also the issue with 2.30 or 2.40 is that the THD is bad compared to 2.17 and I can't install the 2.17 because it complains about unsigned drivers and freeze BSOD. somehow it worked before but I don't know how or what change.
No one have idea how to guide me, I explained it through many forums and threads. I am just tired

I understand, but I can't help without the same card.
How much bad is THD? I haven't noticed any impact on sound quality from the different drivers yet.

ott wrote on 2025-07-10, 11:52:

x8009 wrote on 2025-07-10, 11:19:

The official is 2.40 no different than Daniel's one and with all the programs. Also the issue with 2.30 or 2.40 is that the THD is bad compared to 2.17 and I can't install the 2.17 because it complains about unsigned drivers and freeze BSOD. somehow it worked before but I don't know how or what change.
No one have idea how to guide me, I explained it through many forums and threads. I am just tired

I understand, but I can't help without the same card.
How much bad is THD? I haven't noticed any impact on sound quality from the different drivers yet.

did you test the modified 2.17 or 2.18?

x8009 wrote on 2025-07-10, 13:08:

did you test the modified 2.17 or 2.18?

Do you mean the Antes533's modified driver? Nope, but I'll check it later.
--
Joseph_Joestar, my apologies for offtop - discussion of X-Fi drivers should be in another thread.

ott wrote on 2025-07-10, 18:28:

Do you mean the Antes533's modified driver? Nope, but I'll check it later.
--
Joseph_Joestar, my apologies for offtop - discussion of X-Fi drivers should be in another thread.

No worries, as long as the driver talk is in the service of getting a good EAX experience, it's not really off topic here.

That said, we do have a dedicated thread for Antes533's drivers, if you guys want to discuss those in more detail. See here: X-Fi's [CA20K1 & CA20K2] Driver MOD compatible with Win10 & Win11.

For Windows 25, powered by advanced AI simulation technology, everything just works.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2025-07-10, 19:39:

No worries, as long as the driver talk is in the service of getting a good EAX experience, it's not really off topic here.

That said, we do have a dedicated thread for Antes533's drivers, if you guys want to discuss those in more detail. See here: X-Fi's [CA20K1 & CA20K2] Driver MOD compatible with Win10 & Win11.

If only someone could modify the Creative console panel so that when you switch between headphones and speakers, the switch happens.
After 10 years, I'm tired of crawling under the table...
P.S. I guarantee that on the Titanium HD the switching is purely software-based via the GPIO that controls the analog switches from the Intersil.
That is, the headphone jack has a "jack presence" contact.
If a jack is inserted into this jack, then no settings in the control panel will allow the sound to be output to the RCA.
The CMSS3D algorithm switches from headphones to speakers, but the sound goes strictly to the headphones.
And this is definitely controlled by software via GPIO.

F.E.A.R (FEAR) EAX on Audigy RX:
https://youtu.be/q9Y1hvbVnLs

Hey there. I guess low-profile cards with EAX and Windows XP support aren't so common? Any models to keep an eye out for? Big thanks.

ultra wrote on Today, 02:35:

Hey there. I guess low-profile cards with EAX and Windows XP support aren't so common? Any models to keep an eye out for? Big thanks.

• Creative SB Live! 24-bit (SB0410) / Sound Blaster 5.1VX (SB1070) / Audigy SE (SB0570) - based on Creative CAO106 chip, up to EAX 3.0 support. Note: Low-profile bracket may not be included, so you need to buy it separately.
• Creative X-Fi XtremeGamer (SB0730) - based on Creative CA20K1 (E-MU 20K1) chip, up to EAX 5.0 support, so it the best choice.

sharangad wrote on Today, 00:37:

F.E.A.R (FEAR) EAX on Audigy RX:
https://youtu.be/q9Y1hvbVnLs

To my knowledge, that game has one of the best implementations of EAX 4.0 alongside Thief: Deadly Shadows.

ott wrote on Today, 03:52:

Creative X-Fi XtremeGamer (SB0730) - based on Creative CA20K1 (E-MU 20K1) chip, up to EAX 5.0 support, so it the best choice.

That's a great card, but from what I understand, it didn't come with a low-profile bracket by default back in the day. You had to request it specifically at time of purchase. Just saying, it might be more difficult to fine one with that bracket nowadays. Of course, it's possible to use the card without a bracket, or alternatively make a custom one.

I noticed on Win11 with Audigy Rx, if I have the music playing in AIMP, number of voices reported by DOOM 3 reduces from 63 to 55. Same if I just open Pale Moon. Playing multiple YouTube videos in Pale Moon doesn't reduce this number any further.

Latest Creative ALchemy seems to always report 128 voices to games. Looking at the dsound.dll, dsound.ini supposedly supports MaxVoiceCount setting, but setting it doesn't change the number of reported voices.

Another game was mentioned where it was suggested to reduce number of voices through the game's INI to prevent dropouts on Audigy cards. I'm curious how that would prevent dropouts. Doesn't sound logical to me, if you have more than 64 monsters screaming at once, not all would fit, would they? Either new ones don't play or old ones drop.

About CMSS and in-game music I brought up earlier, so far, I got impression that it's particularly bad in GTA: San Andreas specifically, but I haven't gone analyzing if this game actually plays the radio through some other means.

UCyborg wrote on Today, 08:15:

I noticed on Win11 with Audigy Rx, if I have the music playing in AIMP, number of voices reported by DOOM 3 reduces from 63 to 5 […]
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I noticed on Win11 with Audigy Rx, if I have the music playing in AIMP, number of voices reported by DOOM 3 reduces from 63 to 55. Same if I just open Pale Moon. Playing multiple YouTube videos in Pale Moon doesn't reduce this number any further.

Latest Creative ALchemy seems to always report 128 voices to games. Looking at the dsound.dll, dsound.ini supposedly supports MaxVoiceCount setting, but setting it doesn't change the number of reported voices.

Another game was mentioned where it was suggested to reduce number of voices through the game's INI to prevent dropouts on Audigy cards. I'm curious how that would prevent dropouts. Doesn't sound logical to me, if you have more than 64 monsters screaming at once, not all would fit, would they? Either new ones don't play or old ones drop.

About CMSS and in-game music I brought up earlier, so far, I got impression that it's particularly bad in GTA: San Andreas specifically, but I haven't gone analyzing if this game actually plays the radio through some other means.

NFS High Stakes: CMSS On and Off https://youtu.be/pabOQ_4ZH2w

Unfortunately I didn't try selecting the same track for each go, but the difference is audible. There're quick jump chapters in the video details.
I think it's safe to say stereo music loses something with CMSS turned on.

ott wrote on Today, 03:52:

[…]
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ultra wrote on Today, 02:35:

Hey there. I guess low-profile cards with EAX and Windows XP support aren't so common? Any models to keep an eye out for? Big thanks.

• Creative SB Live! 24-bit (SB0410) / Sound Blaster 5.1VX (SB1070) / Audigy SE (SB0570) - based on Creative CAO106 chip, up to EAX 3.0 support. Note: Low-profile bracket may not be included, so you need to buy it separately.
• Creative X-Fi XtremeGamer (SB0730) - based on Creative CA20K1 (E-MU 20K1) chip, up to EAX 5.0 support, so it the best choice.

Thanks, I've also been thinking about building a mini ITX APU setup for Windows XP, those boards usually only have one PCIe slot. Are there any low-profile "PCIe" cards with XP drivers and EAX support?

If I use an Audigy RX (up to EAX 4.0) in Windows XP, and play a game with EAX 5.0 only (like Colin McRae: Dirt), will I still get EAX 4.0 effects, or will EAX not be enabled at all?

Barley wrote on Today, 14:12:

If I use an Audigy RX (up to EAX 4.0) in Windows XP, and play a game with EAX 5.0 only (like Colin McRae: Dirt), will I still get EAX 4.0 effects, or will EAX not be enabled at all?

Depends on the game.

Some like Quake 4 have fallback to EAX 4.0. Others might not. When in doubt, check the readme to see if Audigy cards are supported.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on Today, 14:19:

Barley wrote on Today, 14:12:

If I use an Audigy RX (up to EAX 4.0) in Windows XP, and play a game with EAX 5.0 only (like Colin McRae: Dirt), will I still get EAX 4.0 effects, or will EAX not be enabled at all?

Depends on the game.

Some like Quake 4 have fallback to EAX 4.0. Others might not. When in doubt, check the readme to see if Audigy cards are supported.

Right. According to https://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/List_of_ … ith_EAX_support Colin McRae: Dirt only has an X in the EAX 5.0 column, while Quake 4 has an X in the 4.0 and 5.0 columns. So what happens if I use an Audigy RX card with Colin McRae: Dirt? Do I get no EAX effects at all?

Barley wrote on Today, 14:24:

Joseph_Joestar wrote on Today, 14:19:

Barley wrote on Today, 14:12:

If I use an Audigy RX (up to EAX 4.0) in Windows XP, and play a game with EAX 5.0 only (like Colin McRae: Dirt), will I still get EAX 4.0 effects, or will EAX not be enabled at all?

Depends on the game.

Some like Quake 4 have fallback to EAX 4.0. Others might not. When in doubt, check the readme to see if Audigy cards are supported.

Right. According to https://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/List_of_ … ith_EAX_support Colin McRae: Dirt only has an X in the EAX 5.0 column, while Quake 4 has an X in the 4.0 and 5.0 columns. So what happens if I use an Audigy RX card with Colin McRae: Dirt? Do I get no EAX effects at all?

I'll test this tonight with the demo and post a video. Hopefully the demo has eax support.