Introduction

We are already accustomed to the fact that sound cards are built into motherboards. Their quality and functions are enough for most users, but manufacturers also produce discrete sound cards for demanding enthusiasts. Our laboratory received one of these cards: Creative Sound Blaster Z. It is also aimed at gamers. In our review, we will look at how the card turned out better than integrated solutions, and what benefits you will get.

Creative Sound Blaster Z Specifications
Products webpage	Official page of Creative Sound Blaster Z
Price	About 3.3 thousand rubles
Supported audio output modes	Stereo/2.1 speakers Speakers 5.1 Headphones
Audio Specifications
Output Level (Full Scale)	Front channels: 2Vrms Headphones (33 Ohm): 1.3Vrms Headphones (600 Ohm): 2Vrms
Max. DAC resolution	Front channels: 24 bit, 192 kHz Headphones (33 Ohm): 24 bit, 96 kHz Headphones (600 Ohm): 24 bit, 96 kHz
Signal-to-noise ratio SNR (20kHz Low-pass filter, A-Wgt), @ 24 bit, 96 kHz	Front channels: 116 dB Headphones (33 Ohm): >105dB Headphones (600 Ohm): >105dB
Frequency response @ 96 kHz	Front channels: 10 Hz to 45 kHz Rear channels: 15 Hz to 45 kHz Center channel: 10 Hz to 45 kHz Headphones (33 Ohm): 10 Hz to 45 kHz
Frequency response @ 192 kHz (stereo only)	Front channels: 10 Hz to 88 kHz
Interfaces
Rear Connectors	Headphones 1 x 1/8" mini-jack with amplification 3 x 1/8" mini-jacks for speakers (up to 5.1) 1x TOSLINK - optical output 1x TOSLINK - optical input 1x 1/8" mini-jack (combo) - line input/microphone input
Bus interface in PC	PCI Express x1
Front panel audio connector	One 2x5-pin Intel HD Audio header

The Sound Blaster Z card is the youngest in the “Z” line. It has worse characteristics than the ZxR, but is still superior in quality to conventional sound chips built into motherboards. The SoundBlaster Z card is no different from the SoundBlaster Zx, but the second one also comes with an external module for sound control with a built-in microphone (the SoundBlaster Z model only has a separate microphone. Both have beam-focusing microphones).

Appearance

The Creative Sound Blaster Z printed circuit board is made of black PCB and is covered with a red metal plate. The plate itself is quite thick and protects sensitive elements from external electromagnetic radiation. It features the Sound Blaster and SBX Pro Studio logos. The plate has a transparent insert through which the Sound Core 3D chip can be seen.

Creative Sound Blaster Z connects to the PCI Express x1 bus; no additional power is required. Creative Sound Blaster Z's analog interfaces are gold in color. There are five of them in total: one line input combined with a microphone, a headphone output and three two-channel outputs for a 5.1 system. There are optical output and TOSLINK input, as well as a connector (on the opposite side under the metal plate) for connecting audio ports on the front panel of the case.

The analog connectors are standard for a computer - 3.5 mm mini-jacks, not RCA "tulips". Still, the Creative Sound Blaster Z sound card is designed for gamers, and not for professional audio users.

Overall, the Creative Sound Blaster Z looks quite attractive. There are no backlashes, everything is made with high quality, the metal plate creates a feeling of security and reliability. The red LED is constantly lit during operation and illuminates the card from the inside. This solution should appeal to users with a transparent body.

Contents of delivery

In addition to the Sound Blaster Z itself, the package includes:

1. Sound Blaster Beam Focusing Microphone
2. Quick User Guide
3. Installation CD including Windows drivers, Creative Software suite, user manual

It’s worth mentioning the microphone separately. Perhaps many people believe that it is unnecessary and only increases the cost of the Sound Blaster Z, so it is in vain that it is included in the package. But the microphone included with the Creative card is not quite ordinary: it has two membranes on the right and left, and thanks to special software it is able to focus the “recording beam” and effectively get rid of extraneous sounds.

We'll find out how well it works in our tests, but for now all we can say is that the microphone is comfortable - thanks to its shape, it can be mounted either on the monitor or under it - the microphone will be pointed towards your mouth.

Software installation

Windows automatically installs Sound Blaster Z drivers, but to get the full experience, we recommend installing specialized software from Creative: install from the included disk (updates will install automatically) or download the latest driver from Creative's support site.

There you can also download additional applications such as Creative Smart Recorder and Creative WaveStudio, as well as download a user guide for getting started.

Pro Studio

The Sound Blaster Z control panel allows you to customize the sound for movies, games and conversations. Let's look at how flexible these settings are.

In the tab SBX PRO STUDIO You can enable various sound “enhancers”. Their action can be checked in real time on a test video right in the same window.

Surround– enable surround sound and control the “immersion level”.

Crystalizer– the function provides cleaner sound, the sound really becomes more pleasant to the ear. It’s just a pity that this is achieved simply by changing the equalizer settings, namely by highlighting high and low frequencies, while the “dirty” mid frequencies are drowned out.

Bass– highlighting low frequencies. When connecting a system with a separate subwoofer, you can set the crossover frequency for the front speakers, thereby avoiding sending low frequencies to the front speakers.

Smart Volume– allows you to avoid sudden changes in volume. For example, if in a film after dialogue there is a relatively loud explosion. You can choose to keep the volume at normal, loud, or quiet.

Dialog Plus– determines voice frequencies and improves their quality in the reproduced sound. Allows you to increase the intelligibility of dialogues.

Tab settings Crystal Voice is responsible for the quality of the sound recorded from the microphone.

• FX– giving the voice different shades and accents. The most plausible effects are “Demon”, “Elderly” and “Toddler”.
• Smart Volume– keeps the volume at the selected level, provides clear sound without the need to shout or whisper
• Noise Reduction– removal of noise in the recording.
• Acoustic Echo Cancellation– remove echo from recording.
• Focus– selection of sound capture angle

Scout Mode- technology for gamers, which should more clearly highlight the sounds of footsteps and other rustling sounds of the enemy, thereby providing you with an advantage.

Tab SPEAKERS/HEADPHONES speaks for itself and allows you to select the playback device. The latest version of the driver makes it possible to separately adjust the volume for headphones and speakers. Unfortunately, you can't output sound to both headphones and speakers at the same time, not to mention the sound output to them will be different. For example, music through speakers, and a conversation on Skype through headphones. This would be very convenient, for example, at a party.

In the tab CINEMATOGRAPHIC EFFECT You can choose an audio encoder: Dolby Digital or DTS Connect. There is a note that you can read in the picture below.

This mode will be useful if you have an external DTS/DD decoder with multi-channel acoustics connected to your computer. In this case, the sound card can encode sound (for example, in a game) and transmit it to an external decoder in encoded form.

MIXER allows you to adjust the volume separately for different speakers and the audio recording volume (separately for the right and left channels). It will help those whose speakers are asymmetrical.

In point EQUALIZER You can adjust the sound either manually separately by frequency, or select one of the preset settings.

In the tab ADVANCED SETTINGS You can only turn stereo sound mode on or off on the digital output.

On the menu PROFILE select one of the proposed profiles, download, save or export your profile.

From PRO STUDIO You can go to the Sound Blaster website or Sound Blaster Facebook page by clicking on the appropriate icon.

In general, the control panel turned out to be quite convenient and understandable. It will be quite easy for a beginner to figure it out. When you hover your cursor over a function or slider, a tooltip appears telling you what changes when you enable that function or move the slider.

Sound Blaster Z in action

Sound Blaster Z works stably and so does the driver. No crashes or freezes were detected during use.

Most of the announced features work well, but there are some from which we expected more.

For example, the Surround function. It, of course, works, but there is no big difference compared to the integrated sound card. The built-in sound card produces sound that has a surround effect that is no worse - progress in this regard has been noticeable over the past few years. Still, surround sound simulation has ceased to be a “feature” of discrete sound cards; today any audio controller can cope with it.

Boosting low frequencies using the Bass function works as expected, as does the Crossover function.

Scout Mode really highlights the steps and rustles in the game, but their direction is weak.

Otherwise, all functions work as stated.

What I was most pleased with was the elimination of noise. They disappear completely, rather than just being drowned out.

By the way, the stated gain for headphones with high impedance really helps. Any headphones connected to this sound card sound louder.

We do not use specialized equipment to measure sound quality, so all of our tests boil down to the subjective ratings listed above. You can listen to test recordings from the microphone yourself and evaluate the quality yourself.

We conducted microphone recording tests with functions turned off and on while recording

• General test (enabling all Crystal Voice features) - listen
• FX check - listen
• Checking Smart Volume - listen
• Noise Reduction check - listen
• Acoustic Echo Cancellation check - listen
• Checking the Focus function - listen

All functions fulfill their purpose, the difference is noticeable by ear, without the use of special tools: Noise Reduction eliminates noise, Acoustic Echo Cancellation eliminates echo, and Focus really attenuates sounds outside the “recording wedge”.

We may not have understood the true purpose of Smart Volume, but the difference when enabling the function is not noticeable. The quiet voice is not noticeably strengthened, and the loud voice is not weakened.

It is worth noting a feature of the Focus function. This function is aimed at working with the voice, so it does not always completely “cut out” the music that sounds from the outside.

Conclusion

Of course, the Creative Sound Blaster Z has much better performance than conventional sound chips built into motherboards. There are also many functions aimed at optimizing the sound. But due to the progress of integrated audio solutions, the sound quality does not differ as much as we would like. It is unlikely that ordinary users will notice the difference.

However, this sound card is aimed more at demanding users and gamers. And for them, everything is done well here: Crystal Voice for comfortable communication in audio chats, Scout Mode for gaining an advantage in the game, special sound settings for shooters, racing and strategies. There is support for Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect, allowing you to play surround sound games in your home theater. Together with the SBX Pro Studio settings, you can get good sound when watching movies.

Don't forget about the design, which in this case is simply excellent. If your case is equipped with a window, you will probably like the style of the card itself and the lighting. The build quality is also not satisfactory.

The high-quality microphone with directional sound recording included in the package can be called an additional bonus; it will be appreciated by those users who want to record their voice as clearly as possible in conditions of external noise, for example, in games.

All this is, of course, good. But the price of Creative Sound Blaster Z is 3.3 thousand rubles. Audiophiles will probably pay more and buy a professional sound card, while those who are sorry for money will be content with the capabilities of built-in sound cards. Therefore, Creative should probably lower the price a little to expand the target audience of Sound Blaster Z users.

Benefits of Creative Sound Blaster Z:

• Convenient and intuitive control panel of Sound Blaster Z
• Variety of features (SBX Pro Studio, Crystal Voice, Scout Mode)
• Flexible settings
• Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect support
• Amplification of high impedance headphones
• Additional programs such as Alchemy (hardware effects in old games) and Creative Wave Studio (program for recording and cutting sound)
• The latest driver version adds support for ASIO, a low-latency data transfer protocol
• Excellent quality of sound recorded from the microphone

Disadvantages of Creative Sound Blaster Z:

• High price
• The average user will not notice a difference in sound compared to the integrated solution
• There is no way to connect a 7.1 system

29.01.2016 19:00

A sound card is as integral an element of a personal computer as a video adapter. But we are sure that not everyone thinks so. However, over the years, there is an increasing desire to convince people of the need to feel the difference. It's worth giving such devices a chance, with a decent external DAC. One of the wonders that any, even the most budget sound card (not built into the motherboard) reveals is a noticeable difference in sound even on the simplest and most affordable equipment, be it headphones, a gaming headset or a speaker system.

About 10-12 years ago, more attention was paid to this element of a personal computer (it is possible that this was due to motherboards, which were not always equipped with built-in sound). And even in the oldest and most budget systems, one of the PCI slots was occupied by a sound card, often from Creative.

This company still knows its business, and there is hardly a company in the world that can compare with Creative in terms of popularity in the multimedia market.

SBX Pro Studio's stream crystallization feature produces excellent, clear sound on compressed files, such as when listening to mp3 or internet radio.

All computer fans have heard about the Sound Blaster series in one way or another. gland. In 2016, the line offered an impressive number of devices (many appeared as a more functional replacement for previous generations), Creative Sound Blaster Z is one of them.

External features

The card comes with a disk containing firewood and software for Windows 7, 8 and 10, the box also contains an external microphone (3.5 mm input, frequency range - 100-20000 Hz) of very good quality, which looks like portable speakers.

The Creative Sound Blaster Z board is covered with a red metal casing with a window opposite the processor Sound Core3D, under hood bright red backlight (along with high-quality sound, there is also a claim for modding in the case). The product looks monumental and very high quality.

On the rear panel there are 3.5 mm jacks for multi-channel acoustics, headphones and stereo, as well as a pair of optical connectors (input and output) for modern receivers and systems.

Creative Sound Blaster Z is capable of recording audio in 24 bit/96 kHz, there is support ASIO 2.0 And EAX Advanced 5.0, however, the connectors necessary for this process are not provided on the Creative Sound Blaster Z (we are talking about full-size 6.3 mm jacks).

You can get by with mini-jacks, but this is not quite what you need. One way or another, Creative Sound Blaster Z is primarily aimed at outputting a signal to a gaming or multimedia PC.

By the way, this sound card offers the ability to simultaneously connect headphones and a speaker system without having to remove the wire each time. The Creative Sound Blaster Z has two independent connectors for these purposes, to switch the signal between ears and the speakers won’t need to go under the table, there’s software for that.

Software

In all red The Sound Blaster series has virtually the same software, although the sound differs slightly from device to device. But the software interface of the adapter under review is, for example, almost 100% similar, the options are the same.

SBX Pro Studio feature with crystallization stream produces excellent and clear sound on compressed files, for example, when listening to mp3 or Internet radio. For these purposes, the option is simply necessary, but for listening to FLAC it is not recommended to use any software improvers.

The software panel also includes a convenient equalizer with a huge number of adjustable settings. Every movement of the frequency slider has an immediate effect on the sound, the Creative Sound Blaster Z is a very sensitive and dynamic sound card. Any experiments with sound can be heard in headphones.

Sound quality

When listening to the FLAC format through the Creative Sound Blaster Z, you can expect a detailed reflection of the musical picture with dividing the overall mix into each track. The instruments sound as if they were live, but it is important to understand that this is digital sound (not analogue), although there is nothing wrong with that. I was especially impressed by the soft and literally enveloping low frequencies.

This sound card offers the ability to simultaneously connect headphones and a speaker system without having to remove the cable each time.

Let the Creative Sound Blaster Z be aimed at gamers and multi-channel audio systems, while listening to music in stereo format (especially since the maximum supported audio quality is 24 bit/192 kHz) through this sound card - a real pleasure. It would not be out of place to say that the signal-to-noise ratio in the Creative Sound Blaster Z is 116 dB, this is quite a lot for such a device.

conclusions

The Creative Sound Blaster Z deserves the attention of every user who wants to bring something new to their multimedia entertainment schedule. This card is not the only one in its class; it has good alternatives within the Creative range, for example, the wonderful Creative Sound Blaster Audigy Rx, which in our opinion sounds even better.

Great software, amazing sound, compatible with modern operating systems, easy to set up. The Creative Sound Blaster Z is definitely worth the money. We recommend.

Review from Yandex.Market

Advantages

- Good sound
- No interference
- Abundance of inputs/outputs
- Does not require additional nutrition
- Workmanship
- Presence of a microphone
- Price

Flaws

- Clicks in the speakers when turning on/off/rebooting the computer
- Card settings in application software are poor

A comment

I suppose, like many others, when replacing a computer I was faced with the choice of a sound card, I would gladly leave my favorite SB X-Fi Xtreme Audio, but the new motherboard simply does not have PCI slots, and the pci-e version of Xtreme Audio unfortunately does not contain X -Fi chip and has a different sound. In general, I hesitated for a long time between Asus and Creative, among other things, it was necessary to have analog outputs for 5.1, without any adapters (like in the ZXR), but directly to the minijack, and of course, so that it would sound no worse than my previous one: ). Considering the large number of negative reviews about the background in cards from Asus, the choice fell on Sound Blaster Z. By the way, for those who do not need an external module, I recommend buying Z, since the ZX has an absolutely identical sound chip from CS and there is no point in overpaying. So, what can we say, the card is quite decent, it sounds very, very good, there is no noise, interference or other negative things observed (review about the RTL version), there are no problems with the drivers either, I installed the latest ones from the site, everything works correctly. When objectively compared with X-Fi, SBZ has better sound. Much better, especially in Surround mode, the channel layout is simply wonderful. But there is also a small minus, where without it. This card (by default) has too few highs, and as luck would have it, my front speakers also have problems with highs, so the sound turns out a little muddy, in the end everything has to be tweaked in software with an equalizer and crystallizer, it becomes quite bearable, but this has its own nuances. Also, the disadvantages include a clicking sound when starting up and shutting down the system, and no matter what anyone advises (reinstall drivers/OS/directX, set pci-e x1 to 2.0, etc.), nothing helps. In essence, this may not be considered a disadvantage, but if there is something to compare it with, then this is hardly possible :) In general, the Creative Sound Blaster Z sound card is a good purchase and meets all expectations, despite the small disadvantages.

23 5

For the price, you're unlikely to find anything better with the CS4398 DAC. Which, by the way, was used in the former top-end sound card Creative X-Fi Elite Pro. Which at one time cost from 11 to 14 thousand rubles.

I use entry-level studio monitors AXELVOX TR-88A with this sound card. Although they cost only 10+ thousand rubles for one monitor, for their price they produce amazing sound with the Sound Blaster Z sound card.
The sound is very detailed. In the same game, for example World of Tanks, I heard new sounds, in the sounds of the tracks - clanging links, hitting asphalt or stone, etc. despite the fact that these sounds are in remarkable detail. I really enjoy it. I used to have X-FI at home, the cheapest one. The difference between them is, as expected, amazing.
Finally, I have unlocked the potential of my monitors. Edit for example, the same sound tracks have become an order of magnitude more comfortable. Now, as before, I don’t strain my ears to hear the frequency that I need when working with an equalizer or when tracking the moment I need for editing. That is, everything has become clearer.
I think there is nothing more to write about this sound card, since a lot has already been written before me. Yes... the sound is really rich and detailed. The bass is tight and deep at the same time. The bass doesn't boom.

Excellent operating mode in the sound card. It's called Stereo Direct. As I understand it, this mode means direct sound output to the amplifier. Bypassing system filters, there is no effect on the sound from the card. And believe me, Windows always affects the sound. Even if you remove all effects in the system, and even in the sound card drivers. The only thing that Stereo Direct mode cannot control is the effect of Windows on the sound level. That is, you can use the Windows regulator to adjust the sound as before.
So why am I writing this... Try this map mode and you will hear a more truthful sound from your acoustics. For example, I heard the difference. My hearing is excellent, musical, I can distinguish any small details in sound that are accessible to humans.

Flaws

Yes. And there are disadvantages. The drivers are still buggy. For example, the “microphone level” drops from 100% to 67% every time the computer is rebooted. Possibly a bug on my computer. Need confirmation.

In some sound editors, when using ASIO, the sound suddenly begins to distort. It is not clear why this happens, but with different frequency. That is, it happens that there are no jambs, but sometimes it will pop out. Perhaps my Windows is to blame again.

I do not recommend using effects in the CRYSTALVOICE section, except for Noise Reduction and FX in the “neutral” mode, if you do not want a distorted and intermittent voice at the output. Other filters are too strong and kill the voice. Including "Focus".

It is clear that the included microphone is not a professional one. He has a cable that picks up interference. And the sound is actually captured from it, not stereo at all. In short... pseudo-stereo. In the settings of Windows7 x64, for example, there is no separate adjustment of the Left and Right microphone channels. And when recording sound from a microphone, it is clear that the tracks are absolutely the same under any circumstances, moving the sound source with a stationary microphone on the table.

In general, all the shortcomings of this sound card that I described are problems of my computer personally. So I don’t presume to say otherwise.

A comment

I highly recommend purchasing this sound card. The best, most likely, has not yet been given. The “Stereo Direct” mode for me is just a wildly joyful find in this sound card. By the way, I used to have a 5.1 speaker system at home... I switched to Stereo. I don't want to go back to 5.1. And there were no more problems with positioning in games. Just like with 5.1, I can clearly understand where the sound source is.

SBX PRO STUDIO turn everything off.

CRYSTALVOICE everything is turned off except... FX is on “Neutral” (or any effect to make your friends laugh on Skype), Noice Reduction is on.

SCOUT MODE turn off (it simply increases the overall volume, and also increases the sound frequency).

SPEAKERS/HEADPHONES configuration... "Stereo Direct", full-range speakers enabled. Everything else is turned off.

CINEMATOGRAPHIC EFFECT “There is no encoder.” Everything is turned off.

MIXER well, here are your preferences.

EQUALIZER off.

ADVANCED FEATURES depending on your configuration.

PS: Everything written above is not the final authority of opinion and conclusion. All these are personal impressions of the sound card, mental analyzes and results. Sincerely, Vladimir. :)

Complain Was the review helpful? 70 6

DTS 5.1, optical output, no need to run three cables to the receiver, a bunch of funny settings, but if you have a good receiver they are not really needed. EAX 5.0. Headphone amplifier up to 600 Ohm. Almost a professional DAC, quantization and sampling noise on YAMAHA via S/PDIF is almost inaudible. Shielded housing. Cool lighting. Convenient switching between headphones and speakers on your computer without switching.

Flaws

The microphone is superfluous and discredits the card.

A comment

I am a supporter of quality sound. I don’t understand gamers who invest thousands of dollars into FPS and spend $100 on high-quality sound. It feels like gamers have hearing problems. I did all the builds for myself with discrete sound, it was understandable, before the built-in sound was generally lousy. But then I assembled the system on ASUS Z170-A. There seems to be a sound with bells and whistles. Capacitors, gold plating, shielding, sampling rates, reviews, S/PDIF, built-in headphone amplifier up to 600 ohms rocks your ears, it doesn’t seem to be a problem. For a long time I doubted whether discrete sound was needed in a new computer. I honestly spent a month with all sorts of settings, changing cables, selecting headphones and microphones, trying to get something better than what I have on my main computer with SB Live 10 years ago nevermind... Heaven and earth. So if you want to hear in games where they are killing you and how the shutter clicks while listening to the surrounding sounds of birds chirping... definitely buy it. Even if you are wearing headphones (only good ones). Well, if you don’t have high-quality speakers or headphones from your cell phone, or you listen to sounds on a monitor, then this is completely unnecessary for you (I don’t understand why then play cool toys).

Complain Was the review helpful? 24 12

Good sound for the price. I pumped up the 241 axelvox well, there was a powerful bass, good mids and good highs.
Good power reserve. On the built-in I barely had enough volume, but now you can go deaf if you turn it up to maximum. I set the volume in Windows to 20% and it turned out as before at 100%. Very good gain
Drivers. There are a lot of built-in technologies and all sorts of twists. Not bad.
My M-Audio Nova condenser microphone sounds a little clearer. But this microphone itself is not bad and I didn’t see any significant differences. I tested it with a microphone that was included with the card. It certainly doesn’t sound like a good studio condenser microphone, but it’s good for voice chat or chatting with friends. And considering that it was given as a gift, it’s generally excellent.

Flaws

I barely fit into my mother. The distance to my 1060 mm is 2-3, very poor airflow. I think the video card will heat up above 60-70 degrees because of this and make noise, and this is not good.
Red design and lighting. This is my personal quibble since I have a Zalman z5 case and it has a blue design. All my lighting is blue and the red color stands out and falls out of the overall design of the computer. But this is a matter of taste.

The following devices were used as “reference” devices:

• In-ear headphones of the “bud” type (with replaceable silicone tips) Sharp HP-MD33-S (nominal impedance 16 Ohms, non-critical roll-off at high frequencies).
• Monitor Hi-Fi headphones Denon 500 AH G-500 (28 Ohm, sensitivity is low, adequate amplification is required).
• Studio headphones Sennheiser 265 Linear (150 Ohm).

Speaker systems involved:

• Active stereo pairs JetBalance JB-382 (Brilliance! Oh, I wish I had some HF headroom...) and the unforgettable Solo-1.
• Studio monitors Event.
• Receiver Yamaha HTR-5640 RDS (European silver version of the famous 440 model) with a 5.1 set of AVE-700 acoustics.

Alternative sound sources:

• The Creative MuVo C100 sports MP3 player is one of the best in terms of sound and ease of use.
• PCI sound card Audigy2 Platinum
• Pioneer 565 household DVD player

The tested X-Fi XtremeMusic failed to beat the sound of the Pioneer 565, but to establish this, it required studio monitors (plus professional headphones) and well-trained ears. The XtremeMusic sounds very close to the Audigy 2 Platinum.

The headphone output of X-Fi XtremeMusic is combined with the output for front speakers and does not reach the level of the specialized output on the remote modules of its counterparts. However, even here, not everyone will hear the difference even on hi-fi headphones.

The much-vaunted CMSS-3D mode did not impress both in headphones and on multi-channel acoustics (obviously, the algorithms themselves are weak).

Listening confirmed: in the case of uncompressed recordings, the “crystallizer” pleasantly compresses and embellishes the sound when played on mediocre speaker systems.

Connecting the receiver with a decoder to the digital output of the card using a coaxial cable (characteristic impedance 50 Ohms, plus an adapter from RCA to mono audio jack 3.5 mm) went without problems. By the way, the cable was more than 20 meters long (taken from an old Ethernet network), so you can transfer the audio signal digitally from another room, rather than carrying a computer.

The game "Battlefield 2" (EAX sound) on the two above-mentioned stereo pairs of speaker systems went with a bang. The location of the sources of shots and explosions was guessed blindly without thinking. It was even possible to determine exactly where the spent cartridges were flying. The sound of a boat motor when moving along the river, to be honest, simply surprised me with its realism. Things were somewhat worse with the roar of tank engines (apparently, the creators of the game saved money).

Everything would be great, but it was not possible to ensure that advanced digital processing effects (compressor, reverb, distortion, etc.) sounded in real time when a signal was received from the analog input. In the recording, please, the results of the effects will already be present. When playing back previously recorded clean material, all effects function. Whereas “on the fly” digitizing, processing and sounding something stubbornly did not fit together. It’s frankly a pity, since assessing the “drive” of the applied effect is extremely difficult, because there are a lot of settings, and each one must be carefully set, empirically selected by ear. So guitarists can continue to rely on Guitar Rig (fortunately, ASIO allows you to work without an audibly noticeable delay) and wait until we, together with Creative, figure out what the problem is.

Conclusion

By releasing a powerful audio processor, Creative not only wants to demonstrate its leadership, but strives to globally improve the quality of digital audio processing.

To unambiguously draw a conclusion about how successful the processor turned out and what its reserves are in the future, you will need to carefully test different cards from the X-Fi line in practice. Now one thing is absolutely clear: adding or updating software or a plugin is not a problem, the main thing here is the hardware.

In the junior model of the newly minted line from Creative - Sound Blaster XtremeMusic - only recording is modestly implemented, everything else is the envy of those who dream of X-Fi. Among other things, the gags of the Audigy2 ZS have been eliminated, in particular the sine wave of several volts at more than a hundred kHz in automute mode. We were pleased with the X-Fi drivers, which installed without a hitch in the factory version. The tested X-Fi XtremeMusic card is wholeheartedly recommended not only for super-equipped gamers, but also for avid music lovers.

Well, whether the flagship model X-Fi Elite Pro will appeal to audio professionals and audiophiles will be shown by separate testing.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Vladimir K.

Pros: For the price, you're unlikely to find anything better with the CS4398 DAC. Which, by the way, was used in the former top-end sound card Creative X-Fi Elite Pro. And at one time it cost from 11 to 14 thousand rubles at the old rate - 35 rubles per dollar. I use entry-level studio monitors AXELVOX TR-88A with this sound card. Although these monitors cost only 11-12 thousand rubles per monitor (at the old dollar rate), for their price they produce amazing sound, with the Sound Blaster Z sound card. The sound is very detailed. In games, for example, I heard new sounds in detail. I really enjoy it. Previously, I had X-FI at home, the cheapest one, which does not have a processor. The difference between them is as expected - amazing. And I greatly unlocked the potential of my monitors. Editing, for example, the same sound tracks has become an order of magnitude more comfortable. Now, as before, I don’t strain my ears to hear the frequency that I need when working with an equalizer or when tracking the detail I need in the sound for editing. That is, everything has become clearer. I think there is nothing more to write about this sound card, since a lot has already been written before me. Yes... the sound is really rich and detailed. The bass is tight and deep at the same time. The bass doesn't boom. Excellent operating mode in the sound card. It's called Stereo Direct. As I understand it, this mode means direct sound output to the amplifier, bypassing the operating system filters. That is, this means minimal impact on the sound from the OS. Let me just remind you that I described my opinion with studio monitors. And this is completely different. Even Hi-Fi systems cannot be compared with them. Not to mention low-budget speaker systems. And by the way... at my work in the cinema there is a sound system for 700 thousand rubles (35 per dollar). You won't believe it. I have better sound at home than at work. The only thing better about the sound at work is the presence of infrasound due to the high-quality subwoofer, which is 2/3 of my height. But in terms of detail in the house, the sound is more gorgeous!

Disadvantages: Light bulb! The red sun started up in my system unit! Who came up with the idea to make it non-disabled?! There are trolls at Creative! 0_0

Comment: Previously, there were problems due to the drivers for this card - the “microphone level” dropped from 100% to 67% every time the computer was rebooted. In some sound editors, when using ASIO, the sound suddenly began to distort. With the latest drivers - August 2015, ALL THESE PROBLEMS ARE GONE! The drivers don't crash, no matter what you mess with in the settings in the driver panel. Everything has become VERY stable. Personally, I have ZERO problems! Switching from acoustics to headphones occurs automatically, without any errors. I stuck my ears in, the studio monitors went out - the sound was in the headphones. I pulled out the headphone plug, the studio monitors turned on - there was sound in them. I have been using the card since the summer of 2013. I highly recommend purchasing this sound card. The best, most likely, has not yet been given - in its stability and versatility! If you need excellent, detailed sound in games, music, movies, or working with sound - take this card. I worked professionally with sound on regional television for 7 years using this CS4398 DAC. He's wonderful! Especially with the latest drivers! My settings in the sound card driver panel: SBX PRO STUDIO - everything is turned off. CRYSTALVOICE - everything is turned off. SCOUT MODE - off (just boosts mids and mid-highs). SPEAKERS/HEADPHONES - Configuration... "Stereo Direct", full-range speakers enabled. Everything else is turned off. CINEMATOGRAPHIC EFFECT - “There is no encoder.” Everything is turned off. MIXER - well, here are your preferences. EQUALIZER - off. Since I have studio monitors. ADVANCED FEATURES - depending on your configuration. My settings in the OS control panel - sound>playback devices: ADVANCED tab... Default format. 24 bit, 48000 Hz. Exclusive mode, both checkboxes are enabled. All programs and players that reproduce sound must be configured in the same way - 24 bit, 48000 Hz. Thank you all for your attention. (:

Rating: 5 out of 5

Andrey U.

Pros: Excellent sound (see comment on how to turn it on). Not buggy software. Price.

Disadvantages: All sound converters distort the sound too much. For those who are not in the know, read the comments.

Comment: 1) It is very important to know that a good DAC only processes the Front Out output. This is the third 3.5mm output (in the middle among 3.5mm). This is where it is better to connect the front speakers or headphones. This is not written anywhere, and I only found out about it months later. 2) Together with the sound card, Softina is installed, in which you need to switch the operating mode ("Speakers\Headphones") to DIRECT STEREO. Otherwise there will be no good sound (read the disadvantages). This disables all SBX audio conversion functions and sends the sound directly to the speakers, giving you pure, original sound.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Pros: installed. works. doesn't ask for bread.

Disadvantages: the driver shell froze a couple of times.

Comment: I bought it in the spring of 2014. to replace X-Fi, which after 8 years of operation began to behave strangely - clicking and rustling. and there were already problems with drivers for X-Fi. In general, I bought this simple one, without additional devices, installed the Z blaster, and added the drivers. and that's all. Well, I played a little magic with the settings, turned off all the gadgets and additional processing. In the end I have a sound that I like. I like it in games, I like it in movies, I like it in music. I have never regretted the purchase.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Advantages: - Good sound - No interference - Abundance of inputs / outputs - Does not require additional. power supply - Build quality - Microphone presence - Price

Disadvantages: - Clicks in the columns when turning on/off/rebooting the computer - Card settings in the application software are poor

Comment: I suppose, like many others, when replacing a computer I was faced with the choice of a sound card, I would gladly leave my favorite SB X-Fi Xtreme Audio, but the new motherboard simply does not have PCI slots, and the pci-e version of Xtreme Audio is unfortunately not available contains an X-Fi chip and has a different sound. In general, I hesitated for a long time between Asus and Creative, among other things, it was necessary to have analog outputs for 5.1, without any adapters (like in the ZXR), but directly to the minijack, and of course, so that it would sound no worse than my previous one: ). Considering the large number of negative reviews about the background in cards from Asus, the choice fell on Sound Blaster Z. By the way, for those who do not need an external module, I recommend buying Z, since the ZX has an absolutely identical sound chip from CS and there is no point in overpaying. So, what can we say, the card is quite decent, it sounds very, very good, there is no noise, interference or other negative things observed (review about the RTL version), there are no problems with the drivers either, I installed the latest ones from the site, everything works correctly. When objectively compared with X-Fi, SBZ has better sound. Much better, especially in Surround mode, the channel layout is simply wonderful. But there is also a small minus, where without it. This card (by default) has too few highs, and as luck would have it, my front speakers also have problems with highs, so the sound turns out a little muddy, in the end everything has to be tweaked in software with an equalizer and crystallizer, it becomes quite bearable, but this has its own nuances. Also, the disadvantages include a clicking sound when starting up and shutting down the system, and no matter what anyone advises (reinstall drivers/OS/directX, set pci-e x1 to 2.0, etc.), nothing helps. In essence, this may not be considered a disadvantage, but if there is something to compare it with, then this is hardly possible :) In general, the Creative Sound Blaster Z sound card is a good purchase and meets all expectations, despite the small disadvantages.