Archaea
Active Member
Still on sale for $50 and definitely worth that.
-
WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!
Creative SXFI AMP Review (headphone adapter)
- Thread starter amirm
- Start date
in addition to the measurement that staticV3 provided 2 posts back, I personally found out about the resampling in Archimago's blog post about the SXFI amp; also I then verified that using RMAA and my EMU 0404 USB, output was, indeed, cut at 24 KHz
Yes, that little thing is definitely worth $50, I paid 60€ for mine and am happy with it
Buckaroo Shanzai
Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2019
- Messages
- 10
- Likes
- 7
It says "HiRes 24/96 playback" explicitly on the package... bit of a bummer.
Had some playback issues / USB disconnects with 2 different devices, don't know whether caused by the dongle or not.
Not sure if I would still recommend this. It's well performing at what it does well.
Had some playback issues / USB disconnects with 2 different devices, don't know whether caused by the dongle or not.
Not sure if I would still recommend this. It's well performing at what it does well.
Problem looks to be with mobile phones, the USB-C female in the phone is not a secure enough connection for a cable that moves around. They will loose connection intermittently. Problem is not as big with the super tiny USB-C dongles that often comes with the phone as they are very light and has a very flexible short cable. Also less problem with IEMs as they has thin and light cables. And, if you have a protective case, the USB-C cable wont reach in long enough and the drop outs will be even more frequent. A larger size USB-C dongle for mobile use is simply a bad idea.
Apart from that, it works great on my newer phones, but only real application is as a signal booster for hard to drive headphones. Just use cans that are easier to drive and you get by with the built in headphone jack, if you have one, or use one of the super mini Apple-like dongles.
The SXFI gizmo is just a gimmick, yes you get large surround but the sound quality is ruined. I only ever use it in straight mode, when I have used it.
Apart from that, it works great on my newer phones, but only real application is as a signal booster for hard to drive headphones. Just use cans that are easier to drive and you get by with the built in headphone jack, if you have one, or use one of the super mini Apple-like dongles.
The SXFI gizmo is just a gimmick, yes you get large surround but the sound quality is ruined. I only ever use it in straight mode, when I have used it.
Last edited:
staticV3
Master Contributor
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2019
- Messages
- 7,921
- Likes
- 12,685
@xeizo if you have connection troubles with the included, straight USB cable, give the xDuoo X-C12 a try. It really helped me:
zany.ninja
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2023
- Messages
- 4
- Likes
- 0
Could this be because of Android's Mixer which resamples all audio to 48kHz?
https://darko.audio/2021/07/tidal-is-quietly-rolling-out-a-bit-perfect-android-app/
You could hook up the SXFI Amp to a computer to avoid this. Personally, I bought a Lightning to USB Camera Adapter to hook up my SXFI Amp to my iPad, since iOS supposedly gives out bit-perfect audio output via USB/Lightning.
Most people will say the difference won't be perceptible, but to my ears Apple Music Lossless+SXFI Amp sounds better in iOS compared to Android...
staticV3
Master Contributor
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2019
- Messages
- 7,921
- Likes
- 12,685
No. This measurement was done via ASIO with bit-perfect playback.
You can't. The SXFI Amp resamples to 48kHz internally with no way to turn it off.
Please throw us a lifeline and say that it doesn't resample for 44.1 kHz content? The vast majority of music on streaming services is in 44.1 so I wouldn't care that much if it only affects content above 48 kHz.
zany.ninja
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2023
- Messages
- 4
- Likes
- 0
That's a valid question I suppose. I assumed the SXFI Amp only downsamples to 48kHz, rather than upsample to it as well (which is what Android does), but I couldn't say for certain, and have no way of confirming for myself...
I got these with the Aurvana SE headphones for about 30 USD from a local seller. I don't know where they got them for such dirt cheap prices but for 30 USD, these are amazing. I actually liked the SXFI for movies, videos, gaming, and occasionally music, it gives some sense of space. It powers my HD 58X and Hifiman HE400i just fine. Didn't notice any noise at all. Seriously, a steal if you can get it at this price.
purchase link please ?
I got it from a local seller (Indonesia). I don't think they ship internationally, but if you're curious here you go: https://tokopedia.link/40wvNnlsZBb
Has anybody noticed a difference recently using the SXFI to listen to music?
To me it sounds like Creative updated the sound processing a few months ago.
My experience before was that the SXFI effect added lots of reverb and boosted the treble significantly. The sound was pushed very far forward but, though 'speaker-like', was like listening in a very large, cavernous room. This only worked well for me with some sparse electronic music as it gave the impression of being in a large club. Anything else sounded messy and harsh.
Now I hear much less reverb and the sound is not as bright. This means even busy music like rock and metal is listenable. The virtual room is much smaller, in fact it doesn't really sound like a room any more but pushes the sound forward just a bit. I'd describe it like listening to near-field monitors but leaning forward in your chair.
Any thoughts?
To me it sounds like Creative updated the sound processing a few months ago.
My experience before was that the SXFI effect added lots of reverb and boosted the treble significantly. The sound was pushed very far forward but, though 'speaker-like', was like listening in a very large, cavernous room. This only worked well for me with some sparse electronic music as it gave the impression of being in a large club. Anything else sounded messy and harsh.
Now I hear much less reverb and the sound is not as bright. This means even busy music like rock and metal is listenable. The virtual room is much smaller, in fact it doesn't really sound like a room any more but pushes the sound forward just a bit. I'd describe it like listening to near-field monitors but leaning forward in your chair.
Any thoughts?
I've not used mine in quite some time. Been totally into apples spatial audio for movies.
Just tried it out again. It really gets the out of your head feeling and checking your speakers aren't on feeling. Not sure if it's changed but still enjoy it when I can be bothered with cables. It really reminds me using impulcifer to do my own speakers.
Just tried it out again. It really gets the out of your head feeling and checking your speakers aren't on feeling. Not sure if it's changed but still enjoy it when I can be bothered with cables. It really reminds me using impulcifer to do my own speakers.
Thanks for your reply, is that with movies or music as well? I haven't tried impulcifer but for me the SXFI doesn't work so well as to have that checking the speakers aren't on feeling. I've tried the head and ear mapping process multiple times as well and it never sounds any different unless I purposely do it very wrong, which makes me wonder if my ears aren't a good match for any of the profiles they have made even when they're photographed well.
It's for both music and movies. I do agree you have to get a good map - I've taken multiple photos and only on a couple profiles do I get pin point accurate out of your head feeling but on the others it's really diffuse and not precise. It's easy to verify this by running white/pink noise test tones & then listening to channel ID call outs, quickly flicking back and forth. I also get this with Apple doing the same thing. With Apple the generic profile really isn't pin point for the rear channels but when you turn personalised on - it's bang on.
I had a listening session this afternoon & actually did a back and forth between SXFI and my Kef R300 setup. I actually preferred the SXFI! My living room isn't an ideal setup so it's hard to get speaker placement perfect for stereo imagining so I rely on Dolby Surround upmixer for music. SXFI sounds much better for stereo content - the phantom center literally sounds like it's coming from my center speaker even without head tracking.
It's a shame that with Apple you can't select the virtual room so are limited to the iphone version even on the Apple TV when you listen to YouTube or Apple Music. Thankfully Infuse, a third party player has selected the theater room which sounds more like loud speakers - so I can watch concert videos etc.
Creative have a sound bar that has Atmos SXFI decoding built into it but it's £800 which is a bit pricey when Apple's is already here for no additional cost and has head tracking. Thankfully Infuse is bringing Atmos support soon too.
I had a listening session this afternoon & actually did a back and forth between SXFI and my Kef R300 setup. I actually preferred the SXFI! My living room isn't an ideal setup so it's hard to get speaker placement perfect for stereo imagining so I rely on Dolby Surround upmixer for music. SXFI sounds much better for stereo content - the phantom center literally sounds like it's coming from my center speaker even without head tracking.
It's a shame that with Apple you can't select the virtual room so are limited to the iphone version even on the Apple TV when you listen to YouTube or Apple Music. Thankfully Infuse, a third party player has selected the theater room which sounds more like loud speakers - so I can watch concert videos etc.
Creative have a sound bar that has Atmos SXFI decoding built into it but it's £800 which is a bit pricey when Apple's is already here for no additional cost and has head tracking. Thankfully Infuse is bringing Atmos support soon too.
Thanks for the heads up. I have updated the fimware on my SXFI and created a new profile. Due to the not so convincing effect and sound quality of the previous version I never really used the spatialization function. With the new version it has gotten much better. It is, however, still not on the same level as Apple's 3D-Audio feature for the Airpods Pro /Pro 2.
The previous SXFI version mostly sounded to me like listening to a live performance on a stage in a large hall, but from a 1*1*1 meter wooden box. After the update it sounds less artificial and for some genres it works so well that after a while I even sometimes forget about it. When I then deactivate the effect, the playback sounds thin and narrow.
However, the presentation by the SXFI is still quite strange. While the treble is not that bad, the bass mostly is too strong for my liking. My main gripe, however, is with the vocals that tend to sound somewhat nasal, tinny, and withdrawn.
Similar threads
- Poll
- Poll