Creative partners local startup to put Super X-Fi tech on video platform

CREATIVE Technology has partnered a Singapore-based video publishing platform to promote its much-vaunted Super X-Fi audio technology, the home-grown consumer electronics company said on Thursday.

Super X-Fi, which has been billed as "holographic audio" or "3D sound", will be available for free on a limited basis for users of iVideoSmart, a media startup that has been accredited by the Infocomm Media Development Authority for its advertising technology offerings.

Lee Sze Chin, chief executive of iVideoSmart, said that "users streaming content from smart devices and headphones will be able to experience audio as if it was coming from an elaborate home entertainment system speaker set-up" once the technology is available on his video players. No timeline was given.

But Creative has plans for more such partnerships - which will see Super X-Fi built into third-party platform engines - in a strategy that it said "will enable the rapid scaling up of the Super X-Fi user base".

As part of the tie-up, iVideoSmart will also advertise Creative's Super X-Fi products, such as the maiden SXFI AMP headphone amplifier, on its platform. SXFI AMP sales began in the United States in early November, after the product debuted in the Singapore market in late September.

Darran Nathan, Creative's business director for Super X-Fi, said in a media statement that Creative has expanded its engagement for the brand since Super X-Fi products hit the market, and these efforts will now include international streaming platform partners. 

"This partnership is part of our goal to deploy Super X-Fi to every headphone user on the planet," he added.

Creative - which has experienced spurts of bullish interest from punters, who hope that Super X-Fi will return the company's fortunes to the glory days of its flagship Sound Blaster sound card - closed lower on Thursday by S$0.02 or 0.35 per cent at S$5.69.

The company most recently reported a net loss of US$6.1 million for the three months to Sept 30, with turnover down by 18 per cent year-on-year to US$13.2 million. But it has touted Super X-Fi sales as an expected source of revenue growth in the coming quarters.