Creative X-Fi: Upgrade Your Laptop Audio Via USB May 13, 2008

Read more Digital Audio , Entertainment , Gadgets , Gizmodo UK , Laptops , PC , Peripherals

There’s few things more annoying than a laptop with tinny audio – which is just about all of the mainstream notebooks that use generic audio processors.

Creative Labs thinks it has a solution though without having to open up your system, with its USB Sound Blaster® X-Fi Surround 5.1, the first USB 2.0 audio solution for upgrading PC and laptop audio. This product follows on from Creative's earlier launch of Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio Notebook, a sound card that uses your laptop's ExpressCard slot.

Inside its shiny black unit is Creative X-Fi technology which will enhance whatever your listening too - or watching - using two key technologies.

The X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer aims to jazz up your MP3s by restoring the ‘details and vibrance’ lost during compression by intelligently tweaking all the highs and lows. The X-Fi CMSS-3D expands your 2.1 stereo CD and movie sound to virtual 5.1 surround sound – even over headphones - which would be a good trick.

The full specs are:

* Supports USB 2.0 for high quality 5.1 audio.
* X-Fi audio enhancement technologies.
* USB bus powered.
* Gold-plated RCA front outputs and mini-jack surround outputs for maximum fidelity.
* Optical output for connectivity to surround sound systems.
* 24-bit playback and recording (ADC, DAC).
* IR remote and Full Screen Entertainment Centre software turn any PC into a home cinema.
* Easily accessible headphone-out and mic-in for use with headsets.
* Convenient volume control with push-to-mute feature.
* Line-in monitoring.
* Host-based EAX Advanced HD 4.0 and OpenAL support.

It’s launching now in Singapore for £80 but due out here soon.-Martin Lynch

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