Upconverting – a new way to make MP3 sound better then CD

Today Creative Labs makes the claim their new Xmod will improve music playback quality from MP3, WMA, iTunes or AAC songs beyond that of original CD quality. Well well, I’m sure a couple studios will have something to say about that backhanded compliment.

The Xmod is a small device which connects between your computer and speakers that digital enhances the sound quality through Creative’s X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity audio technology.

The X-Fi technology enhances the low and high frequencies while improving audio dynamics for a cleaner and richer sound. So now we have a new buzz word of “upconverting” a compressed audio file to that of Xtreme Fidelity – done in realtime thanks to Creative.

Through standard connections from your speakers to the Xmod then from Xmod [via USB] to your PC, laptop or other USB enabled device the technology starts to work. No software needed – no new audio formats to blow your cash on – use what you have.

So the X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity technology is comprised of two functions. The X-Fi Crystalizer factor and X-Fi CMSS-3D factor.

X-Fi Crystalizer analyzies the MP3 and determines which parts where truncated through the compressions process, then intelligently rebuilds the file.

X-Fi CMSS-3D is Creative’s method to create virtual surround sound through speakers or headphones by expanding the audio channel to a multi-channel level. It does this by specifically expanding particular elements of the audio like spoken voice and special effect sounds.

The Xmod will become availabe mid October for just around $80USD – which is a steal if it can produce quality sound like Creative claims.