Review on 🔊 Enhanced Audio Experience with Creative SB1040 Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio PCI-E Sound Card by Chris Willis

A long time ago I would have settled for a little PCI sound, although for my best rigs I would have bought a Soundblaster like the AWE64. That was long ago). They gave a richer sound. I then settled on Soundblaster in their entire PCI range and Live! and Audigy 2 and X-Fi, the best they've ever made. I stumbled across their new X-Fi Xtreme Audio (this is the one that takes any PCI-E or "pci express" slot, remember that the PCI slot is NOT the same as the PCI E slot). It wasn't much more expensive for the price, but when connected to large speakers such as refurbished white Altec Lansing satellites + subwoofers, the sound really came out! It was like wow! The sound is excellent. If you are reading this review, my friend, your advice is: buy a set of genuine Altec Lansing ACS 500 speakers from a place you trust. They're used, but they make ANY computer sound great. The satellites are 1.5 feet tall and 8 inches by 6 inches. You've got Dolby Pro Logic, surround sound (both at your fingertips) and a GREAT subwoofer. Try them out with your current sound, then go back and buy a SoundBlaster Xtreme Audio Pci-E sound card. I'll admit I'm nothing more than a 2.1 sound specialist, this card supports anything up to 7.1 (and surround) THX certified 24-bit 96kHz audio. Come on try it! I've been a computer designer for many years and wouldn't give you bad advice. Project Cost: Speakers ($70) Sound Card ($35). One more thing, for most computers and OS software, now you don't have a microphone on sound cards made by this company before X-Fi. (Live!, Audigy, Audigy 2.)