Note:
To see which mode you are in: click on the X-Fi icon on
the bottom
right corner of the screen
or open the Mode Switcher or Audio Console application
The modes are not exclusive to one type of operation. For example, you will still be able to play games in the other modes, but you will not get the full
benefits of the card when the best mode is not selected for that usage.
For a summary of software features available in these modes, please see below.
- Select Game Mode when you require the full power of the audio processor for the best gaming experience.
- Select Audio Creation Mode when you want to record audio with full fidelity ASIO support.
- Select Entertainment Mode for optimized movie soundtrack and music playback.
You may notice that there is a "click" sound when you switch
modes or restore the mode settings to their factory default. The sound comes
from the relays of your uniquely designed Sound Blaster X-Fi audio card.
In Entertainment Mode, your audio device is optimized for movie soundtrack
and music playback. With the Entertainment Mode console, you can:
- Adjust master volume, bass and treble levels.
- Adjust volume mixer settings.
- Configure playback settings for your speakers or headphones.
- Adjust equalizer settings.
- Enable environment effects.
- Enable multichannel upmixing.
- Enable virtual surround sound.
- Enhance detail and impact of audio with 24-bit Crystalizer.
- Configure Dolby and DTS decoding settings.
In Audio Creation Mode, your audio device is optimized to handle sophisticated
audio operations such as bus routing, multichannel wave recording and stereo
balancing. With the Audio Creation Mode console, you can:
- Mix and record multiple audio sources.
- Route audio to specific bus destinations.
- Apply studio-quality effects to all sources.
- Position MIDI output in three-dimensional space.
- Enhance detail and impact of audio with 24-bit Crystalizer.
In Game Mode, your audio device is optimized for 3D audio and EAX performance in games. With the Game Mode console, you can:
- Adjust the master volume or mute all audio.
- Configure playback settings for your speakers or headphones.
- Adjust the Bass Boost and Bass Management settings.
- Enable multichannel upmixing.
- Enable virtual surround sound.
- Enhance detail and impact of audio with 24-bit Crystalizer.
- Adjust equalizer settings.
- Adjust basic controls for common mixer sources.
| |
Entertainment |
Audio Creation |
Game |
| 3DMIDI Playback |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| 3DMIDI Interaction |
No |
Yes |
No |
| EAX ADVANCED HD 5.0 |
Limited |
Limited |
Yes |
| EAX ADVANCED HD 4.0 |
Limited |
Limited |
Yes |
| EAX ADVANCED HD 3.0 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Number of Auxiliary Effects |
2 |
4 |
4 |
| Maximum Number of Reverbs |
1 |
2 |
4 |
| Insert Effects |
No |
4 |
No |
| ASIO Out Channels: Dry |
1 Pair |
5 Pairs |
1 Pair |
| ASIO Out Channels: FX |
No |
4 Pairs |
No |
| ASIO In Channels: WUH |
8 |
8 |
8 |
| ASIO In Channels: Basic |
2 (1 Pair) |
2 (1 Pair) |
2 (1 Pair) |
| ASIO 2.0 Support |
Limited |
Yes |
Limited |
| ASIO 2.0 Direct Monitoring |
0 |
12 (6 pairs) |
0 |
| Bit-Matched Playback |
No |
Yes |
No |
| Bit-Matched Recording |
No |
Yes |
No |
| CMSS-3DSurround |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
| CMSS-3DHeadphone |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
| CMSS-3DVirtual (2 Speakers) |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
| CMSS-3DVirtual (4 Speakers) |
No |
No |
Yes |
| CMSS-3DInteractive |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| 24-bit Crystalizer |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Graphic EQ |
10 Bands |
10 Bands |
10 Bands |
| Smart Volume Management |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Bass Management |
Advanced |
No |
Advanced |
