[mockerkin]

Can the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio accept phono input from a turntable thru' the front panel mic/line in socket?

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No. While the connector may physically fit, the output from the phono cartridge (stylus or "needle") is very weak and does not have a "flat" frequency response curve. So stereo and home theater receivers that support phono input have a "phono preamplifier" in their phono stages that provide "RIAA Equalization". Sound cards do not have phono amps. So you will need to insert one between the turntable and the sound card input. Something like this. There are others that convert to USB.

[Digerati]

No. While the connector may physically fit, the output from the phono cartridge (stylus or "needle") is very weak and does not have a "flat" frequency response curve. So stereo and home theater receivers that support phono input have a "phono preamplifier" in their phono stages that provide "RIAA Equalization". Sound cards do not have phono amps. So you will need to insert one between the turntable and the sound card input. Something like this. There are others that convert to USB.

[mockerkin]

Thanks for that. I think that I am OK with the signal into the X-Fi Audio card because at the moment, my turntable output is channelled thru' my hi-fi amp to a Sound Blaster external card's line-in socket & that works OK to record from vinyl. I am thinking of buying the X-Fi Audio but I am hesitating as Creative don't mention phono input which I thought they would as it is popular now.

[Digerati]

I am thinking of buying the X-Fi Audio but I am hesitating as Creative don't mention phono input which I thought they would as it is popular now.

Not really. It may seem like there are a lot of people that want to convert their vinyl to digital, but there are not that many in the grand scheme of things. Sound cards have a hard time competing with today's on-board audio, especially on higher end motherboards, so most people do not need or even want a sound card. And also, when you can buy a turntable that will convert your records directly to digital, some real cheap, there's even a smaller market for a card with a phono input.

If that $37 player and it's 10 penny nail for a stylus gave the audiophile in you a stutter, there are some quality vinyl to USB turntables, such as the Stanton TT55USB.