Creative Sound Blaster X5: New sound card for audiophiles

The audio experts from Creative have a new sound card in their lineup. With the Creative Sound Blaster X5, the Singapore-based company wants to meet even the high demands of music lovers. This is not only made possible by high-class hardware and software. On top of that, the manufacturer promises extensive connectivity options and a chic design.

Creative Sound Blaster X5 promises high-end sound

Creative’s latest sound card also marks a premiere at the same time. After all, this is the first Sound Blaster type card to come in a dual-DAC design. This means that you get a total of 2x Cirrus Logic CD43198 DACs. According to Creative, this should not only provide for a sound with high resolution. On top of that, the company promises lossless playback. Even high-fidelity audio streaming should be able to be played back here in the best possible sound quality.

Also in the mix is discrete Xamp headphone bi-amplification technology. Friends of Creative might already know this from the Sound Blaster AE or the Sound BlasterX G6. However, Creative has given the technology an extensive update in the Sound Blaster X5. With the help of Dual-DAC and Dual-Xamp, a fully balanced headphone output has been created. This is supposed to result in an optimal sound image.

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Noise such as hiss, crosstalk, or interference are said to be eliminated by the two dedicated Xamp circuits. Here, the Sound Blaster X5 separates the left and right channels and amplifies them in isolation from each other. This is something you rarely find in this price category. With the help of the handy Creative app, you can make individual adjustments to the sound card. Especially experimenting with the 10-band equalizer will certainly be a lot of fun for audiophiles. But on top of that, you should be able to add various effects here.

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Sound card with connectivity versatility

On top of that, another hobbyhorse of the Creative Sound Blaster X5 is said to be connectivity. Thus, the sound card comes with a wide range of connectors. You should be able to accommodate a lot of devices here. Two-way RCA and optical TOSLINK connections are available. In addition, there is USB-C audio and power, 3.5-mm microphone input, 4.4-mm connector for balanced studio-quality headphones, and of course a classic 3.5-mm jack connector for conventional headphones.

According to Creative, it uses gold-plated ports, which should not only ensure high transmission quality, but also durability. To ensure that wireless transmissions are no problem, Creative has also equipped its latest sound card with a Bluetooth 5.0 receiver. The whole thing is rounded off with a USB-A host port, which is supposed to be especially suitable for external USB speakers and also wireless audio transmitters. The manufacturer also emphasizes the good usability of the Creative Sound Blaster X5. The corresponding buttons and switches are located on the front of the sound card.

Price and availability

With the Creative Sound Blaster X5, the audio expert seems to have a really good deal on offer for both music lovers and gamers with a demanding listening organ. An MSRP of 309.99 Euros at least sounds really fair considering what’s on offer. You can buy the sound card now on Creative’s official website.