Tired of music files that sound like a pocketful of change? For some, the quality of sound produced by
your typical 128 kb/s Mp3 is simply not good enough. Considering the fact that most compact discs provide a much superior resonance, when listening to a file burned from a CD and one downloaded from iTunes, the difference is sometimes very clear. Don’t you hate that? Well, today digital media gurus Creative are announcing the impending release of a new device that can – magically, it seems – improve the quality of those grainy music downloads. It’s called the
Xmod, and it uses X-Fi technology. Whatever that means.
According to Creative, this latest gadget drastically improves the sound quality of your average music source, including its own Zen and
Apple’s iPod. In addition, it can also squeeze a better sound from the Mp3s burrowed deep within your computer, too.
What kind of sound quality is possible?
According to Creative, not only will the technology push your music back to CD quality, but beyond, in fact. Creative believes the device is such an improvement that most listeners will liken the experience to being right next to their favorite artist in the studio. Shyeah, I’d like proof that Paris Hilton can actually sing.
How is this sound quality reached, you ask?
That’s where the X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity technology comes in. Yes, the name sounds like a new shaver from Gillette, but in reality it’s Creative’s way of remotely improving the clarity of your favorite tunes. Creative promises that the Xmod will replace the “vibrance” of sound lost during compression. If you aren’t already aware, many audio formats, like Mp3 and WMA, use a compression procedure that can, in fact, reduce the quality of sound every time it is coded and decoded. Thus, there is a market for this kind of thing (so long as it works).
The device, which looks like a new-age version of the
Atari 2600 controller and isn’t much bigger than the old-school Shuffle, can be placed between speakers and the music source. It sucks power from a computer port, so for those interested in using the Xmod for portable technology, they’ll need to purchase the AC adapter separately.
It’s an interesting invention, and one that will only run $79.99. It’s hard to imagine – for that price, at least – that wonders in sound are being unleashed, but it might be worth checking out for music junkies on a budget.
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