Do You NEED a Sound Card? -- Creative Sound Blaster Z SE

[@Nicolas11x12English]

Do you currently own a PCIe sound card or an external DAC? 🤗 If yes, which one? 😅 If no, have you ever owned a sound card or DAC in the past? 😋

[@Purjo92]

I own a PCIe sound card which has internal DAC and headphone amp. When my card eventually dies or driver support ends, I will get external DAC (with amp), since they don't have similar electrical interference internal cards do - not that I can really notice that, but still.

[@Rainbow__cookie]

I have a pcie soundcard i rather have a pcie soundcard than usb gets more cleaner and not as much cables My soundcard is a asus dgx pcie somehow my on board audio died so I got a pcie soundcard It was just 2 years old my b350

[@martinxyz]

I own SoundBlaster Z. In the past i had SoundBlaster Audigy 2, SB 5.1, SoundBlaster 32 ( i guess ) and even the one with 16bit in the beginning of the 90s

[@edmac1090]

Yep. I have a Sound Blaster Zx. I wanted a better sound solution than my onboard, and didn't want to take up a USB slot.

[@vikpar]

I have an asus strix 7.1 Raid Pro paired with a razer tiamat elite 7.1 analog headphones, it sounds really good in movies and games, much better than motherboard sound

[@HugoAguilera]

Great information. A solid soundcard is immensely underrated. I had originally skipped using my 5-year old Soundblaster Z in my recent Ryzen 9 build, but when I heard how quiet the onboard audio was I was so disappointed. Going back to my SBZ gave me better and more importantly LOUDER audio. I was blown away at the difference, and quite frankly was shocked more people weren't talking about this.

[@TheChrisDecember]

Hi, I'd like your opinion. I have a Ryzen 9 5900X. I'm not looking for louder, but more wider, open soundstage. I run Dolby Access, Sennheiser HD58X w/ Schiit Fulla 4, & Kanto Yu6+Sub8. Will this card help me achieve that? Only drawback is single toslink. I need 2 minimum.

[@Shendue]

A lot of younger people never even thought about using a dedicated audio card because they have no means of comparison, therefore they can't tell the difference.

[@fazum]

I really miss the EAX technology. That was a badass sound quality

[@Krystalmyth]

EAX was something else for gaming. We're honestly missing out. You used to be able to pick up sounds coming from the floor above or below you. It was insane.

[@DanzoSrife]

@@Krystalmyth Even on my high end mobo, Realtek positional audio is still subpar and few games have good directional audio, very few fps are actually up to par. Also, 5.1 surround was done extremely well in games

[@linkfreeman1998]

​@@Krystalmythscrew Windows vista for starting the trend of removing the function...

[@dieglhix]

hifi sound died in the 90s

[@terrapinflyer273]

There is a way to enable EAX with some Creative software (I forget the name of it atm, but there's one for specific Sound Blaster [X-Fi?] cards, and one Universal version of the program that allows EAX to be enabled in games for any sound device. Whether it outputs audio comparable to actual EAX enabled hardware, I cannot say. As I've never experimented with actual EAX or Aureal3D hardware. There's also OpenAL and OpenALsoft which I think does the same thing? I was able to switch EAX on in-game with them and noticed some difference in audio fidelity. What I'm most curious about is the integrated SC-55 capabilities with some Realtek on-board drivers. Still haven't figured out how to actually utilize it though.

[@ParvathyKapoor]

need help! I connected optical out from my DTH receiver to this card optical IN to record the sounds! But when i connected i can hear only hzzzzzz noise in high DB/ Can u tell me why?

[@ParvathyKapoor]

??

[@MaxiMuM1441]

i have a soundblaster z and i love the crystalizer. makes quite a big difference to my ears. im also using studio monitors

[@m3gami_]

I recently added a sound blaster z to my build and it’s night and day. I love it

[@dane4890]

Creative Sound Blaster is LEGENDARY!!!

[@Smokey4462]

I have a Creative Soundblaster Z SE card that I bought several years ago for a new Windows 7 PC. I have a 5.1 sound system. It worked so well and I loved it. It even worked well when I upgraded the OS to Windows 10. Then I bought a new PC with Windows 10 already installed, installed the Z SE and have had nothing but terrible sound problems ever since. There's distortion, crackling and random moving of sound from speaker to speaker. It's to the point where I'd almost not have any sound rather than put up with what I do get. I've traded information and emails with Creative support for almost a year without any good results - all the problems remain. Any suggestions would be appreciated, especially if you have had similar problems.

[@nelsonpiedade61]

men do an uninstal of every piece of sound software on your pc and instal the last driver and sound blaster comand. then try it again.i also have the same sound card and also have that kind of problem but since the last comand center and driver i never had any problem at all.

[@LawAbidingSociopath69]

@@nelsonpiedade61 any update is this soundcard worth buying?

[@Shendue]

Did you try changing the speakers? Or the motherboard? Sounds like a hardware problem, maybe? Did you try upgrading to the latest drivers?

[@aregularguy44]

@@Shendue I've checked all of that with the exception of the motherboard (build a new computer around the sound card?). If you read the reviews on Amazon you'll see that I'm not alone, that it is a common problem with Windows 10. But try to deal with Microsoft, Creative or HP and it's like using one of those bot apps they love so well.

[@tivikemajom]

Soundblaster Z here, wouldn't game without it.

[@Angel_Espinal]

what headphones do you have?

[@tivikemajom]

@@Angel_Espinal Razer Kraken v2.0

[@Angel_Espinal]

@@tivikemajom do you have em connected to the sound card still right? im planning on getting the Beyerdynamic DT 880 ones, switching from the logitech g pro because it won't take them as they are USB generic audio type of headphones.

[@drunkhusband6257]

The soundblaster z sounds worse than new mobo sound not to mention interference sounds. The sound blaster Z is like...10 years old

[@tivikemajom]

@@Angel_Espinal with 3.5 mm, actually I have a Senheiser as well, but the Kraken pro is somehow better to my ears, suprising but I like it a lot. Soundblaster is also a good choice.

[@Diddycrats]

What is the difference between the Sound Blaster Z and the Sound Blaster Z SE? I can't find anything different in the specs?

[@metaleater9]

The SE doesn't have the 2 red leds installed and it has virtual 7.1 surround sound for headphones while the old Z only has virtual 5.1. Obviously not worth upgrading for or spending 50% more for over a used Z.

[@theCoverVerse]

After 20+ years with 2.1 speakers I bought a pair of Edifier speakers.... Then I got this soundcard... The sound is amazing!

[@mathesar]

Anyone know if this soundcard has a "Volume Leveling" toggle for boosting low volume sources, my previous Asus Prime Z370-A had it by clicking a DTS icon and selecting it there (Realtek S1220A onboard).

[@Patrick73787]

I own a Sound Blaster ZxR. An amazing sound card.

[@GasBrake]

im in it for the 7.1 surround sound, for some reason the audio from my motherboard only supports 2 channels. ive tried drivers and even the optical port, nothing. just stereo.

[@7elmAl7ayah]

well, actually, i have this sound card, but the point is, why this sound card came in a flipping face ? how I make it in the right face with red-light at the top instead the down, I can't did it anyway. thanks

[@jw11432]

I'm conflicted: while I'm using onboard audio, I have it going through a Sony STR-K7100 5.1 receiver. I have no issues with my audio, it sounds great to me. I'm wondering if my setup is an exception or if I would actually legitimately benefit from an upgraded card.

[@Reveers]

The only problem with Optical is that it only handles 2 audio channels, even if you are pushing a PCM signal. EMI isn't an issue when it comes to optical so soundcard vs motherboard makes no difference, imo. You can use the analog multichannel but WILL be susceptible to line interference. These days, running an HDMI cable to your receiver from your video card for audio will be your biggest upgrade. You can have true multichannel PCM up to bit-rates you'll never use.

[@sonnybowman]

I agree with you. My Yamaha sound system is fantastic.

[@matthewrobbins663]

@@Reveers Very confused. Optical supports several older 5.1 streams, not just 2 channel.

[@kcg795]

I was getting 5.1 audio in World of Warcraft with regular PC speakers. I've decided to upgrade to a 5.1 sound bar that supports Dolby Digital and DTS. I was hoping World of Warcraft would still output 5.1 sound to the sound bar, but it doesn't. If I upgrade to this sound card, will I get 5.1 surround sound with my new sound bar?

[@petermitchell6348]

How does it compare to ALC 4080?

[@Dmwntkp99]

Same as ALC 1220VB these are good chips, waste of money getting SB z se

[@Equality-and-Liberty]

Thanks for the information you provided in this video. I do have to say that I love the voiceover. It's relaxing to hear and clear.

[@chillgamer8376]

What I wonder is how do I use all the channels. What audio system do I use?

[@hallmonitor98]

can you get an external pcie slot and use it as an external sound card

[@Team_Reaper.]

What ?

[@kl0wnkiller912]

Now I just need to figure out the best way to connect my Zse to my Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro wireless headphones and be aboe to switch between that and the surround speakers without unplugging...

[@stanislao_criscuolo]

have you noticed any bumps from the speakers when turning on the pc with the Sound Blaster z se ?

[@riskymusic96]

Just a clueless lady here who had one of these given to her & im just trying to figure out if there’s any value in the product if I do not have a sound card, just the part with the headphone jacks and knob.

[@HAL_-sg1up]

Thanks for the video I still have mine, I'm a old school and for there is a difference regarding positional audio I find it better, I play Quake Live and Quake Champions.

[@bhaskarbhattacharyya9357]

Hi , what's the use of this creative sound blaster z se? Why u need this ? Can't we connect to speaker or headphone to pc without this sound card ?

[@Reveers]

I recently just switched my audio sources to run from HDMI. It's a better solution with more bandwidth for more channels, and less prone to EMI, and just about every computer has a video card these days. Granted, not everyone uses a home theatre receiver at their desktop, but there are better solutions, and I don't think sound cards are nearly as important as they used to be.

[@user-yv2cz8oj1k]

QLED TV setup, using audio outputs would be a step backwards.

[@CrashCarson14]

Yeah if they had hdmi that would make it pretty cool, and in input so you could decode too

[@IndieCthulhu]

I have always had issues with onboard sound not outputting 5.1 via SPDIF/Optical. Does this sound card resolve that issue?

[@futureshocked]

If you have to use a 3.5mm to 1/4" converter cable will that cause any audio degradation?

[@birdsoup777]

Won't forget my 1st Creative Sound Card in 1998. Bought Creative and Asus sound cards till I started using dac/amps in 2017. Graphics cards taking up space and heat lead me to dac/amps

[@crsnik]

i bought this very same one playing FF15 (also other games). it sounded way better than the realtek onboard for 5.1 configuration. speech and BGM almost at the same level.

[@billtsit9347]

Ι want to ask something,iam sure that you know guys!!!! I have this sound card,can i connect this sound card with spdif optical cable, in my LG home theatre 2015 model, and take 5.1 channels?????

[@matthewrobbins663]

HEADS UP!! Nov 2022. The regular Z version is on sale at Creatives website for $49.99. Worth the buy just because. I am getting it to run old EAX sound format PC games mostly natively without a zillion hacks.

[@harjassingh9357]

Does this have a red led?

[@patrick.bastiaensen]

can you test whif a external soudcard like the pioneer ddj 400 and the ddj flx6

[@krisztiannagyszeder1095]

I have this sound card some how it's does not work . Is it works in any slot ?

[@JeffrayCrownwell]

I bought the same sound card but it came with an additional unit with volume control and connectors for headphones and microphone 3.5 mm and 1/4 also red and black. The sound quality is really amazing though I would much appreciate a different equalizer with 7 to 10 bands so I could have the sound exactly the way I want it!

[@chasen432]

Does this particular model have a port for the c/Sub like the cheaper versions do? I need to get one for my new pc to get my Sub working again. Windows 11.

[@emsj86]

I use that exact creative sound blaster card with my hd558 and it’s night a d day to me. Specially being able to keep the volume at 10 rather than 99 with in board audio. Is it needed no but it makes a difference worth it for me

[@auntiepha8343]

I already own an ASUS Xonar sound card so I simply came to thumbs up Nicholas11x12 video. 🏆

[@Nicolas11x12English]

Thank you, I really appreciate that.

[@auntiepha8343]

@@Nicolas11x12English You are welcome. Your videos are amazing. I now favor Enermax PSU's largely due to your Enermax Revolution DF video. The last three PSU's I have bought have been Enermax Revolution Df and MarbleBron units. Thank you.

[@Ludvio]

i have server motherboard i want to use it for music production... i have and option for USB 2.0 or PCI only... can you recommend something?

[@tiagoamaral2371]

I use a z607 + AE-7 and it's amazing! I watch movies, games, music with the highest quality. And I play old games with EAX thanks to ALchemy, and the audio is better than many current games.

[@greenmarine5]

Almost all onboard sound cards don't have a stand alone amplifier like sound cards do. The only on board sound cards that have a decent amplifier are the high end Gaming motherboards and even then most of them don't have it. However both are limited no matter how high end you go because tosslink can only handle 2 channels, it lacks the bandwidth to support true surround. Another reason why GPU manufacturers put HD audio in the video cards via HDMI.

[@PeterStrange-oy9ev]

The Windows sound architecture is all done in software. What is this going to buy you?

[@BeHempy]

Joking right?

[@MISmooth420]

i used to do a sound blaster audigy because for 20 years i've had a 5.1 speaker system...but my last built (i built in 2019 before the covid crash so i was lucky) i bought sound blaster AE-9...i bought this because i used to dj and back in those days you'd have to buy studio monitors and a usb audio controller to get you DJ mixers....i did this before i built my PC mind you...But still with the AE-9 sound blaster i don't need the studio monitors and usb controller from a dj manufacturer....i can listen and here everything through my speakers...from my games...my dj software...my DAW all through on set of speakers rather than two....only reason i still use a PCI-E sound blaster card

[@orville126]

been awhile since I see this brand in action long live creative sound blaster

[@JesusChristReturn]

I have a problem with my motherboard making buzzing sounds whenever I use any headset mic to speak. Will this fix it?

[@Zombie_Burger]

Is the buzzing actually coming from the motherboard or do you mean through the headphones when the mic is on while connected to the onboard sound system? Since you don't mention the onboard sound I will assume it's a Realtek (ver ?) and a generic headset. Most probably it's a grounding issue with either the headset or maybe cheaper components on the mobo or lack of shielding. While there is no guarantee the add in soundcard will improve on this with the current headset (unknown). maybe try multiple brands or borrow another from a friend and see if it still makes the Buzzing? or try usb microphone. Hope some of this helps.

[@JesusChristReturn]

@@Zombie_Burger I was gonna upgrade and get a whole new mother board anyway. Im sure has to be a fix lol.

[@Zombie_Burger]

@@JesusChristReturnTLDR; While current onboard sound has improved with the more op brands opting in some cases for SoundBlaster chipsets onboard, this is no guarantee of a "no buzzing" situation, (see below).: There is no one size fits all solution. sound quality is subjective. On a personnel note. I have always had a soundcard installed some good some not so and also had that buzzing when plugged into onboard. I kind of solved it by getting a high impedance headset which negated the buzzing I could hear as the buzzing was only on my end and never heard in recordings. So maybe try a more expensive headset or just a usb mic. Current headset has a great mic but also not cheap Sennheiser ( Massdrop Sennheiser PC37X Gaming Headset). Upgraded whole pc last year and opted for a usb hyperx studio mic. but still use the headphones part as it's excellent for me.

[@JesusChristReturn]

​@@Zombie_Burger So a High end headset or usb mic. Sure, would a hyper x quad case definitely rid the buzzing?

[@Zombie_Burger]

@@JesusChristReturn probably. But nothing is certain. Try borrow and test. Or buy and return. Everything is subjective. Nothing is certain.

[@mickaeldavid1304]

The card partially blocks my GPU air intake and I can't use the lower PCI-E slot due to some interference with a cable on the MOBO. What do you think of removing the red shroud or should I better return it?

[@gojog59]

I have a question, I have a pair of Logitech z625 speakers which are a 2.1 system and a pair of hyperx cloud stinger headphones. My PC currently has a high-end z490-e gaming motherboard with a SupremeFX chip for better audio quality. Knowing my audio setup, would I still be able to hear the difference in audio quality with my 2.1 speakers. The Soundblaster Z SE doesn't mention anything about 2.1 setups. What would you recommend?

[@crobbin86]

it would be a massive difference

[@KLiNoTweet]

SB 5 AE-Plus. Just awesome. Well made vid btw.

[@Nicolas11x12English]

Thank you! :)

[@jmoss99]

Sound cards for video editing. I have the MSI PRO Z790-P with it's own sound card built in, but I am thinking not to load there video portion down. So I am going to try a Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus board. It has Xamp Discrete Headphone Bi-amp, Up to 122dB SNR . I ill only be driving a stereo amp with it. What do you think?

[@tunedskillsz]

Does anyone know why a 2.1 speaker system sounds way better connected to the headphone jack vs the L/R plug which its supposed to go in? I also have headphones so i have to always switch the plugs out.

[@Paradoxwhirl]

So if my setup is HDMI audio from GPU to a hifi receiver, I would have no use for this, because the receiver functions the same as a sound card, correct?

[@AllGamingStarred]

COD united offensive supports EAX but I can't run EAX. Why aren't creative cards standard in most PC's. The best buy IBUYPOWER PC's being an example of them NOT being installed.

[@stanislao_criscuolo]

to you does a bump when you turn on or restart your pc?

[@mer1boss_883]

do sound cards matter even though i use a usb type c wireless headset ?

[@Jouco]

Need this in order to connect my Z-5500 speakers to my windows 11 pc, thank you for your informative and well made video!

[@ronch550]

A good sound card will definitely offer a noticeably better audio experience if you have proper speakers to go with it. Still, I appreciate onboard audio too. It's practically free but sounds pretty ok. It's pretty much comparable to Sound Blaster cards in the early 2000s, I think.

[@DOSStorm]

Depends. A Sound Blaster Live from 1998 still sounds better and cleaner than most modern onboard realtek chipsets in my experience.

[@user-yv2cz8oj1k]

My audio goes from the motherboard over HDMI to the signal box and QLED screen and speakers, so a soundcard is pretty irrelevant now.

[@frankfarago2825]

@user-yv2cz8oj1k You get your audio -- from HDMI? Ha-ha-ha-ha. You're all set then, huh?

[@frankfarago2825]

@@DOSStorm I have a SB external card from the year 2002. I would not trade it for anything being made today.

[@ronch550]

@@frankfarago2825 I don't see why you gotta laugh at him. I've actually done that too, plugging a 42" TV to my PC though HDMI, although the HDMI port is found on my Nvidia card. Nvidia and AMD graphics cards contain some audio functionality to provide audio over HDMI, although I'm not sure if they even use the Realtek audio codec on the motherboard (probably not). It's probably still processed by the CPU though. And yes, if you output to your TV via HDMI to watch movies and play games on your TV (which is actually pretty cool), I don't see why you need a sound card.

[@technoir2584]

I have had this card for about a year now. I have had no trouble with it. Overall, it's a good card. Creative has sent out a number of updates for the SoundBlaster Command software and it works as intended in Windows 11. The only problem I have with the card is that if (like me) you put it in a normal standing PC tower you can't see the cool shroud or the chip inside. Its upside down. So, you only see the bottom of the card which looks like any other card. I can't believe they didn't think of this when they designed the card as the majority of gaming pcs out there are standing towers.

[@user-yv2cz8oj1k]

Well they have to put the chips where they can be shielded and won't interfere with a GPU or other cards. But they could have screen printed the PCB.

[@Pat14922]

The "look" is to make you buy it. Once you've bought it....

[@adrianchioto]

i vertically mounted mine, looks cool

[@sir.harlock323]

Does thi sound cartd effect an usb wireless headphone? or it just worj with directly connected headphones via minijack?

[@yorkmanngaming5888]

I recently bought a new system and decided at the advice of a friend to not get a sound card... Now I still have my old PC with a 7 year old Sound Blaster Z in and I can confirm the audio is MUCH better quality on my old sound card than the the onboard from an ASUS ROG STRIX motherboard. Internal sound cards are absolutely worth getting, especially considering how cheap they are relative to other hardware.

[@Shendue]

Yeah, people that say nowadays onboard got much better and it's the same are clearly just reading marketing and didn't test the thing themselves.

[@yorkmanngaming5888]

@@Shendue Absolutely mate. I bought a new sound card for my recent build and it's night and day. I think people who've never experienced the difference think it's not worth it, but I could never go back to onboard again.

[@TheInvoker78]

creative told me i can have different settings for speakers and for optical out (for settings i mean equalizer, crystalizer and those base things). Is it true?

[@cusoonmyfriend3738]

hi there, can i plug my old logitech 7 serie (3x 3,5 jacks) on this card and also how do you use a usb headset with it ? thx

[@Greggg57]

I have a gigabyte x470 that has a completely useless realtek audio system onboard. I stuck in a small sound blaster audio FX and it works perfectly.

[@NikkilAlexander-cm1jm]

Bro is there any new mother board with 5.1 audio onboard in 2025? Or sound card ?

[@1985r5]

I had a lot of internal PC cards including sound blasters and xonary DG DS STX U5 and I don't know why but they played worse than the current small DACs on CX31993. I don't need these bells and whistles in the form of additional software because I use easyeffects under Linux

[@BryanAM7]

9:32 that is for gaming mos tlikely real time dolby and dts encoding for optical output

[@Mierzeek]

I Have a SoundBlaster ZxR and love it!

[@mirc9676]

I still use my Creative X-Fi titanium sound card from 2009, even then i bought it used. Its been more than 12 years now and it still works great. But my question is it worth to upgrade to this card? Or even get the new model of this card Sound Blaster Z SE ? Its probably the same but it would be nice to upgrade a card hehe. Awesome review !

[@ofacesig]

I went from an X-Fi Ti to the SB X3 DAC... Never looked back.

[@badcat8162]

But if i use a usb microphone and bluetooth headphones do i need a sound card?

[@ScbyPwr]

Built a new pc with one of the latest codecs. I use the logitech z5500 surround system using the optical out. There are no options for 5.1, so is the logitech converting the optical audio signal into dolby digital pro logic II? Would this soundblaster card allow me to output a better 5.1 experience using a more current surround format? Thanks

[@RunningInSuits]

Great video! I have my PC connected to my home theater receiver with a 5.1 setup all sound and video going through the GPU HDMI. Will I hear the difference if I buy one of these sound cards or is my receiver doing all the heavy lifting anyways? Will I need to run the sound by a different wire or can I continue to use my HDMI? Thanks in advance.

[@Giedrius_Savickas]

Does your receiver have digital input?

[@davideverett2]

If I had a 5.1 or 7.1 speaker system I might've gone with a good sound card but I'm on a 2.1 set up so I don't see the need as my motherboard does a good enough job, that said my surround headphones are completely broken in games like those in the Borderlands series so maybe a dedicated sound card could fix that? I still have an ancient 5.1 sound card in the cupboard so I might dust it off & play around with that to see if it helps & if it does look at getting a newer sound card. In Borderlands the problem's with the megaphones. I can stand near one & hear it loud & clear but a 90 or 180 degree turn can completely turn it off as does walking away where it will switch off instantly rather than gradually grow quieter as it does on the speakers.

[@abbba2]

Does that card also have a blinding Red light like the previous one >?

[@williamtopping]

The main issue I have with PCIE sound cards is USB DACs. If I have a nice pair of headphones (which I do), I am limited to reaching around BEHIND the PC to connect to the sound card, (And if anyone suggests I jack into the front panel... lolzzzz, riiiight)... OR you can plug your headphones into an external USB DAC that can be used on ANY computer with a USB plug, offering a wider range of audio options, with far greater convenience. If, like me, you already have a gaming 5.1 setup, I can see how these may be useful. Especially if you have a static tower PC. But to be honest, the onboard sound is adequate for my 5.1 system, as they are rather old at this point, and if I was going to replace them, I would certainly go a different route this time around. Again, this would involve an external DAC yet again.

[@Vara91391]

The AE-5 Plus I ordered did not work. PC detected it, but just would not run. Since 1995 I have had huge problems with Creative (Detection and drivers), but once I made them work, it was a blast (literally). This time I could not be bothered, after 4-5 hours and a shit load of negative comments about the AE-5 Plus, I replaced it (at no loss) with an X3 external. Here all worked just perfectly. Only downside is that headset and mic only plug in the front of it... I also miss the remote controls from back in the day !

[@G.Romulus]

De ce nu folosesc producători plăcilor de baza chipset creative..și găsești ac cel mai naspa

[@janedagger]

I've had my SB Z in my rig for years now... I can hear the difference w/out it.. VERY easily. I think I"ll keep it. Just gotta store the drivers somewhere safe cos they can be a bish to find.

[@MkUnboxed]

Thank you for this in depth overview 👌🏻

[@Nicolas11x12English]

Thank YOU for watching and commenting! :)

[@realuriziel]

Is the Front panel header for headphones amplified like the back Jack?

[@Zombie_Burger]

As far as I remember No. Only the back main is amp'ed

[@leonk1ll3r43]

Definitely need one if you want the best sound output. Onboard and sound cards are like day and night

[@perseo007]

Great video! A score of 10/10. I learnt a lot about sound cards and gaming headset. I have been used a good sound card, Soundblaster Audigy 5RX for about 4 years, and still working very well. If I decide for an upgrade on 2023 or 2024 about a new sound card, do you reccomend me the Blaster Z SE or other?

[@Ravent79]

how do you compare this with fiio k5? witch is better? thank you

[@OlettaLiano]

I used sound cards for years. But the sound I'm getting from of my MSI X570 Unify is as good as my ears can handle.

[@Nicolas11x12English]

:D

[@Shendue]

Good for you. For me the ZXR compared to onboard audio is a night and day difference. It's like watching a movie on TV or in theaters with Dolby Surround.

[@ragtop63]

Creative Labs was the pinnacle of gaming audio before gaming was a marketing term. Their cards were always in my builds going back decades. Unfortunately, I’ve gone almost completely wireless in most of my daily driver builds and don’t like headphone wires (or any wires) anywhere near my desk. I wish there was a way to get the amazing signal from one of these cards into a non-biased high end analog set of headphones. The Steelseries Nova Pro headset seems to be the only real candidate for this scenario but I wish there were other more “pure” options out there.

[@ONeill1421]

Looking to use this for dt990s instead of a dac and amp

[@laszlozoltan5021]

code 52 unsigned driver - how did you get get it to install?

[@Nicolas11x12English]

Interesting error. Have you tried running the installer as an administrator?

[@digitalis0101]

I have X-Fi Titanium. It's still very good sound card. And as I can see in this video or in other similar content on web, the difference between SB Z (SE) or SB Recon 3D, is still small.

[@medhicalmant8283]

and the recording mode !!! no ???

[@fabiogiehl2627]

Simula 2.1 a partir de midia estéreo?

[@sitaroartworks]

Yes, even 4.1 Surround configuration.

[@euso2008]

Is an Audigy FX (1st gen) better than modern onboard audio?

[@dallasolsen4412]

I have installed this sound Card (New) and no i have no Video :( Has anyone had this problem ?

[@Edward135i]

I wish PC gaming would move beyond 5.1 and on to the newer 3d soround formats like Dolby Atmos, I'm probably one of 20 people in the world who PC games on his home theater set up, but once you hear real soround sound like that it's hard to go back, no set of headphones is going to shake your whole body when a bomb goes off in battlefield.

[@ChadLuciano]

Can't beat the real thing...I have okay headphones (JBL) I use for video editing (LOL)...but my 5.1 gig kills any experience you could have with headphones...the first time the PC got connected to a big screen meant having big sound too...there is no substitute for a 10" sub

[@MigotRen]

I use an external DAC/AMP because of the high impedance headphones i have.

[@ale7700]

can it be suitable for active speakers edifier from pc? 😏

[@MystiqEevee]

do you need sound blaster/creative labs speakers if you use a sound blaster sound card or do any speakers work?

[@LawAbidingSociopath69]

have u found out?

[@MystiqEevee]

@@LawAbidingSociopath69 unfortunately no but to my knowledge you do not need the same brand from what I have researched the only purpose of the sound card is to make the sound sound better so really if you use a high end speaker system with the sound card it will sound much better as opposed to something like cheap logitech usb speakers you would get free from buying a new dell or something

[@LawAbidingSociopath69]

@@MystiqEevee what sound card u bought was it worth it with little to no problems?

[@MystiqEevee]

@@LawAbidingSociopath69 I haven't bought one no but I have heard good things about the Soundblaster ae5

[@dragonbleu1205]

Thank. This is THE video i was waiting for to understand well audio technica of soundcard. Hello from France.

[@anachronicmind1922]

Thank you for the excellent job you did. I wasn't looking for the tech-oriented explanation. However, it comes in handy if someone is really trying to go the prosumer route. You covered many things and the things I was listening for were very basic but specific and you nailed my list of questions. Excellent job!! I will consider getting this for my line of work and that's thanks to your video. Creative Labs should reward you somehow and if they already did, then they did the right thing.

[@franciscobeltran4913]

If the motherboard says it has a 7.1 audio channel, do you still need a sound card?

[@Koeras16]

No you don't need one.

[@ThisOLmaan]

Brother Even though these newer Boards are better in other aspects the MAG Msi Z690 TomaHawk wifi DDR4 has no good Audio Qluity, Least my OL Asus Prime Z390-A came with DTX HeadHead X which make all the difference in Qulity sound, so want to ask anyone who bought one of these Sound card will it Bring Better Sound Quality, rather then this MSI Z690 ???

[@roddypiper5146]

Creative that was specialized in cheap audio card (and was clone of adlib at the beginning.... not to mention multichanel pc speaker as their first project) always stood for quality? Meaybe you meant Roland or Gravis (from that era, because now you can have 10 000 dollars dac - no problem)