Creative X-Fi 5.1 USB

Creative have announced their latest Sound Blaster X-Fi (eXtreme Fidelity) based sound solution for notebooks in the form of the Sound Blaster X-Fi External USB sound card which brings full multi-channel surround sound capabilities, as well as Creative’s X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer technology, to any notebook sporting a USB connection.

The Creative USB Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1, to give it it's full official title, simply plugs into any USB 2.0 port and is billed by Creative as being the first USB 2.0 audio solution that provides users with 'the easiest upgrade from basic, built-in audio to a premium Xtreme Fidelity experience on PCs and notebooks'.

Notably, just like internal Sound Blaster X-Fi sound cards, the Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 comes complete with Creative's X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer and X-Fi CMSS-3D technology offering enhanced clarity of downloaded audio files - compensating for audio detail lost during file compression - and dynamic processing of 2-channel stereo audio - either music files or game audio - into surround sound with virtual positioning, even when using headphones.

Read: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi External USB - 5.1 Channel eXtreme Fidelity Surround Sound Audio Solution For Notebooks >> TFTS - Technology, Gadgets & Curiosities

There are two other features on X-Fi technology comprises:

1. X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer:
The X-Fi 24-bit Crystalizer revitalizes downloaded music and movies by restoring the details and vibrance that music and movies lost during compression. The X-Fi technology intelligently enhances all the highs and lows so everything can be heard in crystal clarity, making MP3s sound even better than CDs.

2. X-Fi CMSS-3D:
The X-Fi CMSS-3D technology expands stereo MP3s and digital movies into virtual multi-speakers or headphones. Voices are centered in front of users with ambient sounds accurately positioned all around them, similar to a live performance.

With the Creative Sound Blaster built-in X-Fi technology, Creative said users of the Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 can now enjoy all their music, movies and games with one easy-to-use device that gives them cinematic sound quality and realistic surround sound effect on most speaker systems or headphones. Plus more, those using Windows Vista, can experience a great gaming fun with the creative Alchemy.