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The Creative SXFI Carrier soundbar combines the immersive sound of Dolby Atmos audio with the unique virtual surround sound of Creative’s own Super X-FI technology. It also has a much smaller footprint than its predecessor, the SXFi Sonic Carrier. Its small size is a big plus, since not every room is good for a surround sound system and not everyone wants one. Not to mention that some popular sound bars don’t have subwoofers.
Creative tries to solve all of these problems with the Carrier, and it seems to work right out of the box. It’s also the first soundbar to work with Super X-Fi technology. The technology used to be in headphone dongles that amplified the sound, but now it’s in the brand’s own holographic Creative SXFI Air headphones. It scans your ear to create a personalized virtual surround experience by adding a 7.1 soundstage to your regular stereo sound.
Creative SXFI Carrier specifications
| Price | $999 |
| Speakers | 7 x soundbar drivers, 1 x subwoofer |
| Size | 3 x 34.6 x 5 inches (soundbar), 17.7 x 8.9 x 16.9 inches (subwoofer) |
| Weight | 7.9 pounds (soundbar), 28.2 pounds (subwoofer) |
Creative SXFI Carrier review: Design
The SXFI Carrier is a two-part kit that connects the soundbar to the subwoofer that comes with the kit. It’s a lot like a marriage, since they need each other to work right and make the sound that was promised. The soundbar is 34.6 inches wide, 3 inches high, and 5 inches deep, and the sub is 17.7 inches high, 16.9 inches deep, and 8.9 inches wide, which is a lot.
It also weighs 28 pounds, which gives it some weight on top of everything else. You can mount the soundbar on the wall if you want to, but it’s short enough to fit on almost any entertainment centre in front of your TV. You can buy this soundbar from its official website.
Creative SXFI Carrier review: Features
As well as HDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HDR10+, and support for gaming features such as ALLM and VRR that improve performance. There is also a USB audio output designed for an SXFI Bluetooth transmitter to connect a compatible pair of Creative’s own low latency wireless headphones.
A pair of SXFI Theater headphones were included with our test sample. We have tested this model before when it cost £190/$140 (about AU$332) on its own. It’s important to note, though, that while Creative’s UK website sells the soundbar and headphones together, this may not be the case in other places.
Creative SXFI Carrier review: Performance
The main thing about the Creative SXFI Carrier is that it can decode Dolby Atmos and play it back in a truly immersive way thanks to its 5.1.2-channel speaker layout. These speakers were made in collaboration with Dolby. They use new ways of thinking about sound to push the limits of what a small soundbar can do when it comes to three-dimensional sound.
Each of the seven speakers and the sub has its own amp, which is controlled by a digital signal processor. Creative has put in its own SuperWide technology, which is meant to expand the soundstage of stereo content to make the sound feel much bigger than its small size.
Creative SXFI Carrier review: Sound quality
The package comes with all the cables you need to connect the soundbar to your TV, and setting it up is as easy as plugging the soundbar and wireless subwoofer into wall outlets and connecting an HDMI cable from the soundbar to the TV.
Out of the box, the wireless sub is already paired with the soundbar, so when you plug it in, it will find the soundbar and connect to it. For the first calibration, you’ll need to use Creative’s mobile app, which lets you change the sound to fit your room.
Creative SXFI Carrier review: Price and availability
Since the SXFI Carrier isn’t out yet, you can only show interest by going to Creative(opens in new tab). When it finally comes out, it will cost $999 in the U.S. and £899 in the U.K. If you live in the U.K., you can check the Creative U.K. site. It looks like only Singapore has the honour of being the first country to get the game.
Final Words
It’s too bad that the SXFI Carrier works almost in spite of Super X-Fi and not because of it. Even if you ignore it, you’ll always have the feeling that you might have paid extra for a feature you don’t use.
Still, this might keep the SXFI Carrier from being one of the best soundbars of all time, but the sound quality, number of connections, and customization options mean you won’t feel like you got ripped off. There are times when you might want to switch to headphones.
Creative SXFI Carrier Ratings
Pros
- Loud and clear
- Comes with a subwoofer
Cons
- No voice assistant built-in
FAQS
What is SXFI?
The most recent version of Super X-Fi Headphone Holography is called SXFI LIVE. When it’s turned on at the source of a live stream, it makes a pair of normal headphones sound like a premium multi-speaker system. It lets content providers process and send live audio to their audience in real time.
Is SXFI good for gaming?
The Creative SXFI Air Gamer wireless gaming headset is one of the best for the price. In fact, its sound quality is just as good as that of some expensive headsets, but it doesn’t have any features that block out noise.
What is SXFI battle mode?
SXFI BATTLE Mode gives you the best audio projection and directionality you can get with headphones. It lets you hear every sound, from light footsteps to the faintest sound of a gun reloading. You’ll not only know where they are, but also how far away they are. You don’t need to hide.