Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi External USB - 5.1 Channel eXtreme Fidelity Surround Sound Audio Solution For Notebooks

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.

Supports USB 2.0 for high quality 5.1 audio.
X-Fi audio enhancement technologies.
USB bus powered.
Gold-plated RCA front outputs and mini-jack surround outputs for
maximum fidelity.
Optical output for connectivity to surround sound systems.
24-bit playback and recording (ADC, DAC).
IR remote and Full Screen Entertainment Centre software turn any PC
into a home cinema.
Easily accessible headphone-out and mic-in for use with headsets.
Convenient volume control with push-to-mute feature.
Line-in monitoring.
Host-based EAX Advanced HD 4.0 and OpenAL support.

The Creative USB Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 will purportedly retail
for around the $70 price point when it becomes available next month
though, of course, you'll also have to factor in the cost of a decent
5.1 channel speaker system unless you're happy to get by with
headphones. That said, being that this device is aimed specifically at
notebook users, one can only wonder as to just how many people will want
to cart full 5.1 speaker solutions around with them. Still, for home
use, we don't doubt that Creative's Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 will
prove particularly alluring for both audiophiles and gamers alike.

Creative