Tag: #soundblaster

Creative launches Sound Blaster Blaze V2

Creative Technology today launched Sound Blaster Blaze V2, which succeeds the original Blaze gaming headset with new features to energize the gaming experience on PC, Mac, Playstation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch consoles.

The Sound Blaster Blaze V2 looks the part, with an all-black color theme that means the business; plush premium velvet padding on the circumaural ear cups and headband combine with a lightweight form factor (187g) to raise the level of comfort for extended gaming.

But beyond making gamers look and feel empowered, they hear it too. Precision-tuned 40 mm Full Spectrum Neodymium drivers deliver impactful bass and crisp audio designed to create an exhilarating experience. With Creative app (on Windows), users get to access the Sound Blaster Studio Essential suite to enable sound processing technologies like virtualized 7.1 Surround Sound, Acoustic Engine (with features like Surround, Crystalizer, Smart Volume, Dialog Plus), built-in audio presets for various gaming profiles, movies and music, and CrystalVoice (with features like Acoustic Echo Cancellation, Smart Volume, Microphone Equalizer).

Sound Blaster Blaze V2 is equipped with a detachable, noise-cancelling microphone so that gamers can communicate efficiently without unwanted distractions. A gold-plated 3.5 mm 4-pole combo jack makes connecting easy, with its high-purity oxygen-free copper wire cable helping to transmit distortion-free audio. An inline remote control provides instant access to volume adjustment and mic mute.

Sound Blaster Blaze V2 simply expands the possibilities in all aspects, so that users can enjoy every gaming adventure.

Pricing and Availability

Sound Blaster Blaze V2 is priced at £39.99 and is available at the Creative online store.

For more information, visit creative.com/SBBlazeV2.

Creative launches Sound Blaster X1

Creative Technology today launches Sound Blaster X1, the ultimate USB DAC and headphone amplifier which offers the heralded Sound Blaster Acoustic Engine technology, together with the multiple award-winning Super X-Fi Headphone Holography first seen in the iconic SXFI AMP. As small as a finger, it serves up a huge treat of multi-channel, high-resolution and immersive audio, with authentic reproductions down to the last detail, powered by a high-end 128dB AKM4377 32-bit DAC and Ti/Burr-Brown INA1620 dual audio operational amplifier.

Sound Blaster X1 is best used with PC and Mac, and with the Creative desktop app, users gain access to the Sound Blaster Acoustic Engine, where they can tap on the full suite of sound processing technologies to enhance their experiences for both work and play.

With Sound Blaster Surround Virtualization, users get to enjoy a phenomenal mesh of depth and range in audio immersion across movies, music and games. CrystalVoice technology caters for a host of smart adjustments during conference calls with features like SmartVolume and Acoustic Echo Cancellation; there is also SmartComms Kit which helps to reduce background noise effectively and auto-mute users when they are not speaking. There are professionally-tuned audio and game presets to further please gamers; Scout Mode detects subtle audio cues and makes them obvious to keep gamers one step ahead of their competitors all the time.

Users also get to enjoy Super X-Fi headphone holography, an acknowledged game changer which redefines headphone listening by recreating the soundstage of a premium multi-speaker system for an expansive experience. Furthermore, ear-mapping via the SXFI app tailors to users’ ears and helps them immerse in all their audio, especially movies and games, in the most natural way.

Sound Blaster X1 is quite simply a compelling audio solution that is impossible to ignore for discerning users.

Pricing and Availability

Sound Blaster X1 is priced at £ 64.99 and is available at the Creative online store.

For more information on Sound Blaster X1, visit creative.com/SoundblasterX1.

Creative Launches Sound Blaster Katana V2

Creative Technology today announced the release of Sound Blaster Katana V2, the successor to the original Sound BlasterX Katana which had been regarded by many as the definitive gaming soundbar. Completely redesigned with an all-new sleek form factor, it delivers 68% more power than before, features improved audio dynamics and transforms the headphone experience with Super X-Fi Headphone Holography – this new Katana is a menacing weapon for desktop and console gamers alike.

Gaming Sounds Exciting Again

The Sound Blaster Katana V2 personifies the culmination of Creative’s best audio technologies as it brings games and movies to life through its 5.1 channel playback. Delivering the sound signature of a high-end Sound Blaster, built with more than 30 years of audio processing expertise, it retains the acclaimed tri-amplified design of its predecessor, where each of its 5 drivers is powered individually by Creative’s proprietary multi-core DSP controller. The audio quality is enhanced further through improved fabric dome tweeters for cleaner and more refined highs, and a larger, more imposing subwoofer for deeper yet impactful bass performance.

For users who prefer to shut out the world or battle away late into the night without disturbing others, Super X-Fi Headphone Holography, a multiple award-winning technology which recreates the soundstage of a high-end multi-speaker system in headphones, is the compelling solution. Built into the Sound Blaster Katana V2 with the integrated Super X-Fi UltraDSP chip, users will experience holographic audio that is personalized according to how they hear sound, and enjoy an unprecedented level of realism as they fully immerse themselves in a movie, or dive right into the gaming battlefield.

Enemy-spotting gets easier than ever before – with SXFI BATTLE Mode, a sound mode which is specially designed to give FPS gamers an unprecedented edge in enhanced audio cues, both for directionality and distance. There is also Scout Mode, a familiar Sound Blaster feature which focuses on sound detection so that opponents are heard before they are seen moving on screen.

With an integrated Dolby Audio decoder, users get to enjoy the cinematic experience not just while gaming, but also while movie-binging on streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime.

All-in-One Audio Hub

The Sound Blaster Katana V2 can be customized to sound and look just the way users like it. When connected to the Creative app (both desktop and mobile), users can choose from various EQ settings and tune the audio with the Acoustic Engine suite. Furthermore, the redesigned RGB lighting strip features various illumination mode selections across 16.8 million colors, which intuitively reactive to the playback content.  These settings can be saved as customized profiles on either the app or the programmable buttons on the remote control.

It is comprehensively decked out with a multitude of connectivity options, with HDMI ARC and optical ports, wireless Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C port for USB audio support, 3.5mm AUX-in and SXFI-out for certified Super X-Fi products. It is compatible with desktops and consoles alike, including PC, Mac, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

All in all, the Sound Blaster Katana V2 provides a complete entertainment experience which transcends beyond what is expected of a gaming soundbar.

Pricing and Availability

Sound Blaster Katana V2 is priced at £299, US$329.99 and is available at Creative.com.

For more information, visit www.creative.com/KatanaV2.

Creative launches Sound Blaster Z SE. #Creative #Tech #Gaming

Creative Technology today announced the release of Sound Blaster Z SE, the latest addition to its well-established Sound Blaster Z-series. This Special Edition comes with updated features designed to deliver an even better audio experience backed by 30 years of audio processing legacy. Sporting a myriad of newly added gaming profiles, as well as microphone and headphones EQ presets, the Sound Blaster Z SE is the ideal sound card for gaming and even video conferencing while working from home.

Sound Blaster Z SE comes with updated software features designed to deliver an effortless audio boost for gaming and entertainment.

Featuring the same high-quality audio specifications as its predecessor with up to 116 dB SNR at an amazing bit rate of up to 24-bit / 192 kHz, the Sound Blaster Z SE offers users an extra boost to the entertainment and gaming audio. It includes additional gaming acoustic profiles optimized for the hottest games like PUBG and microphone EQ presets tuned for crystal clear communication. Sound Blaster Z SE now also supports 7.1 virtual on headphones and discrete 5.1 on speakers with an expanded list of headphone profiles to include the latest model to offer the best-optimized listening experience for users.

These new features are all conveniently accessible via the updated software suite, the Sound Blaster Command where users can enjoy the latest audio technologies and enhancements that are fully customizable. For existing Sound Blaster Z customers, the latest Sound Blaster Command software can be downloaded via the support page.

Pricing and Availability

Sound Blaster Z SE is attractively priced at US$109.99 and is available at Creative.com.

For more information, visit www.creative.com/sbze

Creative Technology Releases Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus Pure Edition. #Creative #Gaming

Creative Technology levels up the aesthetic game with the Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus Pure Edition, to bring on a symphony of lights and pristine audio that sets the stage for PC gamers to clinch every victory in style. Only available through a limited production run, gamers can transform any PC set up into an RGB masterpiece of light and color, matched only by the powerful audio befitting a Sound Blaster.

The Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus Pure Edition comes in a sleek metallic white finish and features four additional customisable RGB LED strips that show off Creative’s very own Aurora Reactive Lighting System. With 16.8 million customizable colors, it offers gamers the creative bandwidth to build the ultimate gaming rig with spectacular sound and mesmerizing lighting effects.

As with the standard Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus launched a month ago, the Pure Edition supports Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect encoding, to offer more delivery options to external audio devices. It also sports the latest Sound Blaster Command software, which features a more user-friendly interface and fuss-free customization settings.

Pricing and Availability

Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus Pure Edition is priced at GBP169.99 and is available at Creative.com.

For more information, visit creative.com/AE5pluspure.

Review – The Creative Sound Blaster G3 USB-C DAC. #Creative #Gaming #Tech

The Creative Sound Blaster G3 is a Portable External Console Gaming USB-C DAC Amp for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mac, This enhanced gaming audio experience has voice chat balance capability, a customizable EQ preset with custom-tuned Footsteps Enhancer, and on-the-fly audio adjustments without having to exit your game’s screen.

 

The first impression of the unit was the feel of the unit, the plastic seems flimsy, with the buttons/switches not as comfortable as I would expect for the well-know Singapore-based Creative, Technology company.  The inclusion of the USB Type-C to Type-A Converter reinforced the UpToDate technology with the fibre optic cable. 

 

Package contents,

  • Sound Blaster G3
  • Optical Cable (1m / 3.28 ft)
  • USB Type-C to Type-A Converter
  • Quick Start Leaflet
  • Warranty Leaflet

Compatibility.

 

Setup:

The basic setup was easy in terms of the units was designed for use with gaming consoles with No software required, no drivers just plug and play. When using the advance features via the Creative app, this had challenges in the connection to the unit, the app had to removed from the android phone and reinstalled as did not pair immediately to the Samsung S10 phone. After reinstalling this worked ok. The setup was done via a PS4 Slim which does not have an optical port (The standard Ps4 and PS4 does), this was easily connected directly to the optical port on the TV and worked. 

Overall.

There were a few niggles in the build quality the app setup and the length of the cable option.  On the positive, once the set up was done there is an abundance of features tailored to specific games in the app, which can be adjusted from your phone and saved on the unit or via the app. The audio difference was noticeable in terms of isolation out specific sounds to your colleagues on the games or enhanced sound which often go unnoticed on the game. This is a real gamer paradise in terms of sounds. 

Available from https://en.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-g3