|
| Creative Labs Xmod USB Sound Card for PC & Mac | 
 enlarge
| Brand: Creative Labs
Category: CE
List Price: $101.47
Buy New: $55.99
You Save: $45.48 (45%)
New (31) Used (4) from $50.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  34 reviews
Sales Rank: 6010
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 7 x 3 x 9
MPN: 70SB072000000
Model: 70SB072000000
UPC: 054651136960
EAN: 0054651136960
ASIN: B000IZ96LQ
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Features:
| • | Device Type - Sound card | | • | Interface Type - External | | • | Localization - English | | • | Sound Output Mode - Multi channel |
|
| Accessories:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Turn your MP3s into your own personal concert. Hear your movies in virtual surround sound over stereo speakers or headphones. Plus the Creative Xmod Module for PC & Mac is truly plug-and-play. You can use it right out of the box-no software installation needed. X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer Restore the details and vibrance your music and movies lost during compression. X-Fi technology intelligently enhances the highs and lows so you'll hear it all-crisp cymbal crashes, wailing guitar solos, screeching tires and booming explosions. Slip on your headphones and X-Fi technology moves the sound away from your ears into the space around you. You'll feel like you're sitting in with your favorite band or in the best seat at the movie theater. Connect the Creative Xmod to your USB port and speakers to start listening to your music in seconds. There are no drivers to install for both PC and Macintosh. Restore the details and vibrance that your music lost during MP3 compression
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 29 more reviews...
 Does most of what it promises June 16, 2008
I got the Xmod because the line-out jack on my Mac was busted, so I needed to get sound out of the computer using the USB port instead. For this purpose, this device worked perfectly. I just plugged it in, set the Mac's sound output to be this device instead of the line-out, and it worked! As advertised, there are no drivers or other programs to install. It's also nice to have a system volume control knob on the Xmod instead of needing to go through the system sound preferences. The MP3 Crystallizer does make my music sound better (more dynamic), especially the MP3s that are recorded at 128 kbps or lower quality. However the "CMSS-3D" virtual surround makes the music sound terrible (distorted, hollow, and weakened vocals) even through my high-quality stereo speakers. Luckily it is easily turned off with a switch on the device.
 Awesome! June 16, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I got this just to have an external sound card, but didn't get what I was expecting. I got much, much more. The X-Fi crystalizer works extremely well, and the X-Fi CMSS-3D feature adds a nice touch, but doesn't always benefit the music. Definitely get it if you need a high performance sound card for your computer. This isn't really portable, just because of the power source limitation.
 Too much hype. March 31, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I had been looking forward to this product after being wowed by the demonstration on Creative's website. But unfortunately it doesn't do that well a job. It tries to enhance anything you're listening to, so alot of times it will try to make something out of nothing. They say it can make bad quality music into great quality, but it's just not happening. You can get lucky with some cd quality music, but don't think you're going to be able to watch YouTube music videos with greatly improved sound. I was thinking so, but it just distorts it, brings the wrong sounds louder, bass bigger, not really what the producer intended. The best pro I can find is that the unit itself is very good quality, along with the USB cable and pouch included. You can get lucky with some music, though. It's not always bad. If you can get one for cheap, go ahead and get one if you want, but don't pay full price.
You think your iPod sounds good now? Just wait December 30, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Earlier this year I bought a Creative X-Fi sound card for my desktop computer, and it made the sound quality exponentially better. Therefore, I began looking for a portable one for my laptop and iPod. It does EXACTLY what it says it does, it makes sound quality increase beyond belief. Not to mention, my laptop didn't get very loud through headphones, now I can't turn up past the third bar (out of over 10)! I only listened to my music (other than on my desktop) occasionally, now I listen to it all the time through headphones just because of this device. Personally, I only use the Crystallizer for music, but both for movies.
Now for the bad, I picked this up at Best Buy for only $34.99, not $71 like Amazon's current price. The ONLY other downside is that with iPod use, you have to be near a power outlet. However, I'm considering trying a USB Battery Pack such as this one Apple iPod / iPhone Portable Battery Starter Kit to see if the X-Mod can draw power (through its USB cable) from it so that it can be fully portable. It sounds like a lot of equipment but, personally, I think its worth it to listen in the highest quality possible.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO BUY A A/C POWER ADAPTER TO HAVE THIS WORK WITH AN IPOD
The USB cord that comes with the X-Mod can be used with an iPod's A/C charger such as this one: Apple MA592LL/A iPod USB Power Adapter
I will recommend a good sound card instead October 11, 2007
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
I like music and so when I saw this product and some good reviews, I thought this will enrich my listening experience. Well, I am not disappointed with it but I thin k there are better options. The price for the product is too high on what it is suppose to do.
I tried Xmod on logitech 2.1, klipsch 2.1 speakers(good speakers) and bose headphones with and without the crystalizer and CMSS on Xmod. I tried variety for format and sources of music from PC and ipod. I got consistent results which I would like to share.
First, Crystalizer does improve quality, CMSS has no significant effect on sound. I found sound more lively always when crystalizer is turned on, so much so that I wonder why there is on/off button. After researching various music scenarios, I found that it depends on what kind of music you are listening and what your speakers/headphones are! I got the best results for Bose headphones with concert kinda music with lot of people singing and lot of musical instruments.
What the Xmod is doing is basically boosting some frequencies that it think it should. What they say 'restores audio elements lost during compression' is very vague. I was able to reproduce same effects with a good sound card (creative Xtreme music) setups. Even with Sony's audio studio there was so many custom things I could do to song much better than Xmod. So my question is why would you buy this if you can get some good music software or good sound card for less price. Yes, for listening from a source like ipod, it is an option. But then you loose portability. By the way, this is bigger than ipod and needs USB power source. You carry this on one pocket and ipod in other and carry laptop with USB attached to this, who wants to do that?
I don't know what creative was thinking when they designed this. I don't know why they gave headphones with this and not gave power source other than USB.
In short, I do not feel this very useful tool for music fans. It is certainly not for casual listeners.
|
|
|
Copyright
©
2006 Adminpal LLC | |
