My ‘new’ audio experience with X-fi AudioCreationMode

Recently I replaced my Vista with Windows Seven build 7077 and pretty happy with it except on how my SoundBlaster X-Fi Platinum output. Yeah, I know this is not seven fault but more on creative buggy beta driver.

So, in order to listen my mp3 collection as they was in their prime time, I installed WinXP in my other hard disk and update its driver as usual. I was amazed how good my mp3 sound in xp compare to seven lol but what I am going to share today is not related to xp or normal entertainment mode in x-fi but X-Fi Audio Creation Mode + Clock setting + Bit Match setting + Foobar with Noise Sharpening DSP.

I found out that, my music (mp3) sound much waaaaaaaaaayyyy better in audio creation mode when :

• Clock = 96 kHz
• Bit Match = ON
• and….Foobar + Noise Sharpener

The music sound clearer (voice), warmer and more vivid (instrument). I compared with Entertainment mode (with or without crystalizer) and I notice that some of the instruments that I never heard in Entertainment Mode clearly highlighted in Audio Creation Mode (96 kHz and BitMatch activated).

But, the drawback of BitMatch activated is there are no equalizer and crystalizer. So, I compensate this one with Foobar Noise sharpener plugin and equilizer dsp plugin.

Result : Hours of smile and amazement. (never thought that my mp3 could sound this way).

For those who has X-Fi sound card, you may try to play your music collection from Audion Creation mode and experiment yourself.

Link for Foobar : HERE

Link for Noise Sharpener : HERE

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Instruction on how to use Foobar Noise Sharpener.

1. Extract the zip file
2. Copy foo_dsp_delta.dll and paste it in C:\Program Files\foobar2000\components
3. Open Foobar2000 => File => Preference => Playback => DSP Manager and put “Noise Sharpening” on the Active DSP list. Make sure its at the top.
4. On Noise Sharpening settings, slide the bar to 50-125%. (Whatever sounds reasonable, I personally use 75 percent)
5. Play any audio file and notice the increased clarity. Activate it and deactivate it while its playing over and over to see the difference.

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To enjoy the power of x-fi ASIO, download ASIO (for x-fi) plug-in and copy/paste it into foobar component folder.

After that, from Preference –> Playback –> Output (set to either 24bit or 32 bit) and at ASIO virtual device, click Add (Creative ASIO).

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Additional Reading :

http://www.overclock.net/sound-cards-computer-audio/226541-guide-setting-up-z5500-x-fi.html

How to setup foobar theme : http://www.neowin.net/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t576549.html

Another good setup : http://www.overclock.net/3202137-post9.html

Google Chrome + ‘Ads Block’

I always love google chrome.

I love it simplicity, elegence, speed, small footprint, detachable tab, small download size and best of all.. it doesnt use much screen space.

However, there is one thing that keep make me double click firefox instead of Chrome…which is Chrome has no adblock pluss plug-in which is a very handy plugin in my opinion.

Fred not, here is the work around…say bye bye to ads :p

Download and install Privoxy at http://www.privoxy.org/
Click on the Wrench icon in Chrome in the upper right corner.
Choose options>Under The Hood>Change proxy settings.
In the Internet Properties dialog’s Connections tab, click on the LAN settings button.
Check off “Proxy settings” and in the address setting add 127.0.0.1 and in the port 8118.
If you have the option, you can also check off “Bypass proxy for local settings”.
Click “OK,” close Chrome and restart it.