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Juicephile
24
Apr 13, 2016
Can anyone plz tell me the pros and cons of comparing between the m9xx and the Creative X7? In my layman point of view they seem to be on similar levels on audio but the X7 has some added features and the cost is less. Im not an audiophile to know about the internal components of each, but I'm in the market to buy either one to use with the Fostex Purpleheart.
varranis
1
Apr 13, 2016
JuicephileI'm in the same boat as you... The X7s have more features such as scout mode for gaming plus bluetooth, but i think the m9xx is slightly better when it comes to music(not that I would be able to tell the difference). Still, i don't know which one to pick
JuicephileFull disclosure..I'm the Product Marketing Manager at Creative / Sound Blaster. Now with that out front I can tell you a bit about the philosophy we took with the X7 and the X7 LE.
The intent was to build an amazing dac / amp primarily made for music and then apply our tech on TOP of that. Without having the solid foundation of stellar audio playback it really would defeat the purpose of the push and move we were making to enter the external dac / amp space.
I can tell you that time after time and show after show people have come and seen the X7 (and E5) and asked us "Why do you guys sell this for so cheap?". OR they've been surprised when we told them the price point after they thought it was easily going to be $999 or higher, especially with all the features that we've added to the product. I'm sure you could ask this to users on Headfi and they'd back it up. I wouldn't make the claim if it wasn't true.
The answer has always been we wanted to make a product that was approachable to a large audience yet delivered with products easily twice as expensive. I think the reviews from users on Headfi and press speak for themselves. The X7 is a pretty amazing piece of kit for the price point and performers well above the price paid. Maybe we missed an opportunity to charge more for it...but at the end of the day it falls in line with what we set out to do. Create a piece of gear that would deliver above and beyond the price paid for it.
As an aside: I use the X7 with a pair of Mr.Speakers Ether C's and it drives them sublimely (in fact we partnered up with them at this years CES in our booth!).
Varholiaglimp
939
Apr 13, 2016
DigitalRonynDigitalRonyn: Thanks for the information. I'm about to buy a new pair of smaller studio monitors (they're replacing NS-10Ms) and am wondering whether I'd need the LE version to power them. Can either the X7 or X7 LE drive a pair comfortably? I'll be using the X7 with my entertainment/gaming rig and not my composing/recording setup, but I happen to like the sound of reference equipment. If I pick up a pair of self-powered speakers (JBL LSR305s, for example), it won't matter, but I like to have options. Also, do you plan to release a 32-bit DSD-decoding DAC/amp in the next year or so?
Starlare
15
Apr 13, 2016
DigitalRonynThat sounds really tempting. I think I know the answer but would you recommend this over a Magni 2U or Vali 2 + Modi 2U stack?
MassDerp
13
Apr 13, 2016
JuicephileFrom what I've come to understand (after participating in both threads) both the M9XX and Creative depends on what you plan on doing with the device in question.
The M9XX is strictly about sound quality, It does only one thing, but it does that one thing extremely well. 32 bit audio appears to be the key selling point.
The X7 is about a lot of good quality functions. It has a DAC, bluetooth pairing, the ability to connect to speakers, 1/4inch headphone and 3/8 inch headphone jacks, built in dual microphones and a headphone stand (might have missed a few extras,) It has 24 bit audio.
So It's a matter of taste. I personally will be going for the X7 Limited Edition as it has a bit more to its audio from the standard and will probably be a compromise between the two, and I can use my current 3/8 headphones and optical cable sound bar with it until my order of Fostex Purplehearts arrives. I can use it to make bluetooth phone calls on or use VOIP with hilarious modulation results. Plus I can see myself being able to re-purpose the X7 for other sound setups if I decide to buy a M9XX in the future. (Like managing cables out of a DJ booth, home theater, out door speaker system or something to that effect)
So the decision, in my opinion, is High Sound quality vs Gaming Sound Quality + Features
MassDerp
13
Apr 13, 2016
DigitalRonynHey Digital, Is there anyway I could modify the X7's LE's appearance to make it match the rest of my accessories? The Pearl white is nice, but my setup is mostly a black and red theme. (Akin to the 3d tactic RAGE (Which I own) and the e# and ZXR card/heaphone color scheme )
Yakov
1420
Apr 14, 2016
MassDerpWith some handyman skills you could easily change it to your preferred looks. Got a great white base to start with too.
Varholiaglimp
939
Apr 14, 2016
DigitalRonynHey, you never answered my question, DigitalRonyn:
Do you know whether Creative Labs will release a 32-bit DSD-decoding DAC/amp in the next year or so? I'd hate to pick up the X7 LE only to watch you release a DSD version two months later.
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