I really like how you open up and view what's inside, all the products you review 🤘!!

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Glad you like them! Its always important to see exactly what you're buying... some makers don't like it... and sometimes with good reason... Thanks for watching.

I really liked the review and convinced me to buy it! Also brought me some memories with my grandpa, he was an electronic technician and he was always teaching me stuff 🙂

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

:) well its all great if someone learns something from this stuff. Not that easy to review, but it really is pretty good at doing what it was designed for. My grandson has it there and I intend to try and coax him in to telling his opinion more. Thanks for watching.

Thank you! The best review I could ask for! I have a xG6 for gaming. I think this one is better for multiple sound boxes and also good for games.

@tonymckenziecom

3 ай бұрын

Glad you liked it!

This is by far the BEST review of this product.

@tonymckenziecom

5 ай бұрын

Well thanks Sergio... appreciated. And thanks for watching.

Thanks for the in-depth hardware review and for including Harvey demo recording, I wish if there was a demo on the sound differences between these modes in the app.

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Noted! But I literally DID give the unit to Harvey after the review. In any case thanks for watching...

Excellent video, thank you for this wonderful integrated explanation

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

You're very welcome! and thanks for taking the time to post and watch the video

This review is very comprehensive and i bought it for myself confidently.

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Great! You should post your opinion on the item... and thanks for letting me know. Also thanks for watching.

Thanks for giving your nice and valuable information regarding the product. I like your deep unbox info video.

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

My pleasure 😊

Please, tell me, is this definitely not an advertisement? You described that subject so beautifully. 1- does it really play music with high quality? 2- can the equalizer adjust the frequencies separately? (31 hertz, 125 hertz...)? Very high quality review, even with disassembly. Thanks, I haven't seen this anywhere.

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

No, it is not an advertisement - I don't do those. For this review Creative did send me the device - but before I agreed to review it, I confirmed that I could create a video based on exactly what I found and Creative were happy to do that. It can play music through it (it's a sound card!) but the benefits from what myself and my game playing grandson saw was the enhanced effects of the playback. For movies, for games and that sort of thing that was part of our testing. I have to say that I did not try and use the device as an audiophile might, but I did try it in the recording studio and particularly depending on what you want to do it could have a place. I have to say that I did NOT try the equalizer in the way you asked sorry - but check the software as I showed it and there might be a bit on it. My grandson has the device currently and he still insists the unit is (in his words) 'brilliant'. Thanks for watching - the unit looked good to be and the quality was there certainly. Creative have been around for many years, and it was of the level that I would have expected, and I liked the flexibility too. Thanks for watching.

best review Sound Blaster X4! 👍🏻

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Well thank you kindly for watching and for that great comment!

I had one of their external cards back in like 2004 or something. Got it so I could use a remote to play mp3s on my computer. But the latency was way too high to use for recording, so I ended up selling it so I could invest in a new computer and a firewire interface. Anyway this sort of stuff is still pretty cool for the right use cases.

@tonymckenziecom

10 ай бұрын

Yes I agree - its changed too for the better... Thanks for watching

It was a very nice review, thank you. I have a question for you, should I buy Creative BlasterX G6 for music or should I buy the one that sells Blaster X4?

@tonymckenziecom

Ай бұрын

Honestly, I can't really advise... try and listen to both and also check connections etc. to see its right for you. Thanks for watching.

Thanks for another great review. Well, it's pretty. About the software, the smartphone app, it's not my thing. Being an USB audio device, it should work with no additional software (but then it would need more physical controls). About the eq, ambience, etc, I'm divided. On one hand, the host computer could deal with it. On the other hand, it releases your processor from such tasks, and I suppose it does a better job. So, IDK. My device of choice is an audio interface, mostly because it's made to handle microphone and instrument signals. This thing is made for people who want high quality audio with their computers. There's a bit of a difference between the applications, so I guess that the product does not fit my necessities, this is why I look at it weirdly. But probably a great product for the right users. A last thing that concerned me (not particularly about this product) is the dependence on proprietary software to control resources that are in the hardware. As an example, I use my audio interface on Linux, plug and play. The controls are on the interface, the computers just gets some in/out channels. On Windows, the property software allows to switch the phantom power or turn on the air filter, I can't do it on Linux, but guess what? The interface has buttons for it. I guess that even if Linux recognizes this device, the fancy parts (e.q., crystal, etc.) wouldn't be usable. This also means that if they stop supporting the software for future versions of windows (like, in 8 years), you wouldn't be able to use a functional product. I'm just blabbing about the inevitable, products are becoming more disposable.

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Well it is a different review than much of what I look at I know, but I know of Creative Labs going right back in my career to the 80's. If someone wanted really 'clever' sound from a laptop (for example you can watch movies with it and it does sound exceptional) then this external device could be a very good choice. Gamers do often use laptops, but like Harvey the gamer on here, he is a PC through and through and those are usually very powerful - it worked great on his PC and after the sculpting with the app on his phone it really did come in to its own. The demo BTW was direct out of the card and my guess is it would sound maybe a little different when actually in the headphones or speakers. Because it was something different I was not sure how it would go re with guitarists but I guess there are many guys that play games too. I did not check Linux, but worth checking form the link in the text to see about that support. I have in older PC's here Creative sound blaster cards going back a good while and relatively newer ones also and never had one fail, but the drivers could prove harder at some stage, although I could bet that Creative would support those for some time - a big company and they have a good reputation. The controls on the hardware box look like almost just three buttons but as you will know if you watched it all there are many more controls from just those three buttons and I liked that - just a bit hard remembering them at first :) especially for someone like me. Ha blab on... I do it too :) and I never seem to make a 10 minute review. In any case thanks for the post info and for watching.

wow, nice video

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the visit

I can remember paying almost £200 for the top of the range creative Labs sound card complete with an interface. This one at £129 seems a bargain, except that it is an external one and is crippled for me by expecting you to use a smartphone. Hopefully the issues in the software will be resolved with updates. The addition of a weight to give an air of a quality product is old hat, they did this years ago with Hi-Fi gear that was made with lightweight plastic, with only a metal front to give any sense of quality, they didn't fool me then and don't today. Sorry to sound a bit negative, but i am still old fashioned and prefer a tower pc with seperate cards for audio and video. Thanks for your excellent review Tony.🙂👍

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Personally I did install the software and then later removed it from my personal phone. When its all installed you can use a different unit than just a phone, but I wished it had not used the phone in the way it did. In so much a privacy really... but the demo guy (Harvey) did not care and he loved the unit. Indeed the weight IS old hat but I have not seen that in a while :) - and indeed I also use a 'real' PC but for anyone with a laptop this card was pretty good I thought.... and hey thanks for watching. I was not going to create a review as its not really strictly guitar stuff, but on the other hand, I can bet a lot of guys could use one of these so I went ahead and did it. Regards... and hey thanks for the posts too those are always useful and they throw a different perspective on things....

@Barbarapape

Жыл бұрын

@@tonymckenziecom At least a lot of players will now be aware that this external one is available and can be used with other devices. I checked what other models they do, and more modern PCIe cards are available basic ones are cheap, but if you want the best they are still £199. At least you didn't have to buy your review sample, owt for nowt as they say! Take care and i will keep checking for any new videos.🙂

💥👍💥

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Hope you liked it and thanks for watching.

cool

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching.

Does the surround sound speaker outputs, like front vs left sound different in stereo mode or is it only virtual surround sound with the speakers also?

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Honestly I don't remember... I likely covered it in the review. Thanks for watching.

The Creative X series is build for 7.1 channel. My intent is to watch mostly online movies and listening to musics on my laptop. Have a 2.1 creative speaker system. 2 questions: 1/ Can X4 connect to 2.1 setup? I have an old Creative Omni external sound card. It is downright disappointing in setting it up right for my usage. It allows only 7.1 or 2 speakers configuration - no 2.1 support. I end up putting Omni into storage room. 2/ There is an optical jack in X4 (I think Omni also has one). Can this optical connection (connecting X4 to laptop, use optical jack to connect X4 to creative 2.1 speaker) solve my 2.1 configuration problem?

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Sorry I did not try this aspect out. Its a great question though. Anyone else out there have the answer? but hey thanks for posting and for watching.

So i dont have 5.1 output on my Motherboard, Do you think is good option to have 5.1 for my 5.1 external speakers like (Logitech z906 ? ) ty for ansver and u get my like and sub :)

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

I can't really advise you about that... I have not used the Logitech speakers... but hey, thanks for visiting and the post - and of course for watching.

Compare the sound from headphones, for example, with professional cards like RME! Write who compared it is very interesting to know!

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

It was not me ... but god point and thanks for watching.

I'd like to see someone use the line outs and show which receivers or other devices they hook it up to and how; I've seen a zillion vids and no one does this. NO ONE I've seen so far. BTW: I have one and I bought it to hook up to my stereo. The toslink is inferior to hdmi. Why they did not put an hdmi out has me fuming. It does sound nice with headphones.

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Yes we thought the sound IS good too and my grandson lives on the device... certainly worth the price we thought. Thanks for watching.

can this play two different audio streams? i want to connect my headphones to the front panel and speakers to the backpanel for my pc setup

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Not sure and I can't go back to look.

How to stop it making a popping noise every time I wake up or turn on my computer?

@tonymckenziecom

11 ай бұрын

Fair point...

The sad part of it is that Creative stopped making 7.1 speakers to utilize the 7.1 discrete channel output. I have my Creative Soundblaster SBX Prostudio (5.1) USB soundcard bought in 2014 still powering my Creative PCWorks LX520 5.1 speakers from 2004 !. Using JRVR i downmix/upmix all audio to 5.1, although i would have upgraded to this 7.1 card if 7.1 Creative speaker systems were still available in market

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

A very interesting point and I'm sure that it won't be missed by Creative Labs. Thanks for this great post - and of course for watching.

I recently bought this sound card. as I understand it, the sound is the same as that of the built-in AC97 sound card. If you tweak the equalizer, it's already a little better. probably really good sound only in sound cards that are built on transistor tubes and cost $1000 and more.

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the info.... appreciated.

@Anton_Zh

Жыл бұрын

@@tonymckenziecom Sorry for my English. I myself am Russian and write through Google translator)). But even turning the equalizer, I didn’t hear much difference between the AC97 built-in sound card)) there is simply no noise and a slightly stronger sound. Maybe I'm too picky about sound or illiterate in sound equipment, but this is my opinion about this sound card ... As a child, I listened to a tube amplifier through Soviet headphones and this is very different from the Sound Blaster sound card. Maybe that's why I did not accept the quality of the Sound Blaster)) And it's hard for me to say this about the Sound Blaster (((For $ 139 they could have done a little closer in quality to a tube amplifier and Soviet headphones)))

One of those ‘light pipe’ connectors

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Well different people call them different things... 'toslink', 'spdif optical' 'optical digital audio', and many more names... even lightpipe from some of the sectors I have worked in. Hope it helps and thanks for watching.

@MuppetChops

Жыл бұрын

@@tonymckenziecom do you know if the x4 can decode Dolby digital and output 5.1 over toslink for M1 Max Mac Studio?

Does the software offer theater mode where you can speak with echo?

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Honestly I did not try that myself... but my guess is that if the X-fi would normally offer it then it will be in here. There was literally so much to look at inevitably I could not cover it all. Harvey loved to use it. Thanks.

I still need to try to listen to the flac format. sound quality 5 out of 10.

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

I did not try the Flac myself, so if you do get the answer then please do post it. Thanks.

@Anton_Zh

Жыл бұрын

@@tonymckenziecom I listened to the flac format. in terms of frequencies, it didn’t get much better, but the stereo reflection in two headphones or speakers became much better, but unfortunately this format is not very common and there are no songs I need, for example, songs from 2000 in this format)))

Why would I buy this POS? I have had customer buy it and then I just show them what they already HAD!

@tonymckenziecom

Жыл бұрын

Well some might already have, but also many might not have... thanks for watching.