Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5 - The Return of Sound Cards!?

[Master Disaster]

9 hours ago, pas008 said:

Lol

99% can't even tell 16/48 from 24/48 output. 

 

 

It depends more on the quality of the speaker than anything else, believe me if you were in a nightclub with a lot of high quality speakers around you you'd easily tell the difference but at home with smaller and not as good quality speakers its much harder to tell.

[YoloSwag]

29 minutes ago, agent_x007 said:

Personally I don't care for 32-bit/384kHz.
Give me values for 16/44.1(48) and what Caps/Amps are used exactly.
I use Xonar Essence ST Deluxe (since 2012) and recently I bought a used Auzen Forte 7.1 R1.20 as backup in case I need PCI-e good soundcard (X-Fi 64MB X-Ram 109dB for stereo).

I borrowed my sister Titanium HD (since I don't need it right know).
So, how does this "AE-5" compare to Forte 7.1 and Titanium HD in terms of actual sound quality (do I need a "1k" sound system to hear the diffrence) ?

The last part you said is up to the actual owners to test but most can differentiate the sound with less than a "1k" audio equipment. You'll have to check some reviews in Head-Fi. But there isn't a review yet for AE-5 I think since rarely do people replace their sound cards or usb DAC/Amp combos just to try this.

[JupiteL]

16 hours ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

How long until we have PCIe add-in cards that just have RGB lights on them and nothing else?

Ready up your PayPal for a check from ThermalTake.

[Godlygamer23]

1 hour ago, kuddlesworth9419 said:

Total junk. All internal sound hardware is useless. It has to be external and shielded in some fashion. 

You can shield sound cards with the backplates that will be grounded through the PCIe ground connection. It's not perfect, but it's quite effective. 

[Ithanul]

17 hours ago, Taf the Ghost said:

The real problem with internal Sound Cards comes down to the fact it puts the outputs on the back of the case, furtherest from the user. So you either need a really long cables or attach it to the front panel.  First causes a lot of wonky problems for either headphones or most speaker systems, while the latter kills a huge amount of the improved quality.

 

And, for that cost? Just get a Schitt Stack. (Magni 2 + Modi 2) You'll actually get far more utility for your computer and more direct control.  That's really the problem Soundblaster finds itself in.

Yeah, I notice the new sound cards don't have the adapters like my old Titanium X-Fi has.

I think I still got the adapter somewhere for mine.  Still rocking it too.

 

 

Though, I think I will be upgrading to an external DAC/AMP for my stationary main rig.  I been spoiled by my Oppo HA-2 I bought at a nice used price about a year ago for my headphones when traveling. 

[Taf the Ghost]

1 minute ago, Ithanul said:

Yeah, I notice the new sound cards don't have the adapters like my old Titanium X-Fi has.

I think I still got the adapter somewhere for mine.  Still rocking it too.

 

 

Part of the problem was they used to charge way too much for the front panel part.  It also didn't help that getting solid headphones wasn't the easiest thing in the world. Plus, at this point, so many cases pretty much don't even have front panel slots. (And let's not ignore that on-board audio has gotten to the point of not being completely trash around 2008-2010. "Enough" can just be enough.)

[Ithanul]

1 minute ago, Taf the Ghost said:

Part of the problem was they used to charge way too much for the front panel part.  It also didn't help that getting solid headphones wasn't the easiest thing in the world. Plus, at this point, so many cases pretty much don't even have front panel slots. (And let's not ignore that on-board audio has gotten to the point of not being completely trash around 2008-2010. "Enough" can just be enough.)

Yeah, the front panel was not cheap at full price.  Myself, I wait for sells (only reason I got the full packaged X-Fi in the first place).  This back during Sandybridge chips.  A lot has changed since then. 

I see quiet a good amount of cases with front panels still.  No lose in selection, just greater selection in case layouts, appearances, and options.

 

On on-board sound for desktop motherbaords, yeah, they are decent.  ...Laptops though...buzz, buzz, buzz.

[Castdeath97]

18 hours ago, Taf the Ghost said:

And, for that cost? Just get a Schitt Stack. (Magni 2 + Modi 2) You'll actually get far more utility for your computer and more direct control.  That's really the problem Soundblaster finds itself in.

But does it have RGB? Thought so. /s

[Tam3n]

Um... Maybe I don't quite understand how audio works, but where does the average gamer encounter 32 bit, 348 kHz sources? Or actually anything higher than 16 bit, 44/48 khz?

[NumLock21]

Old skus are still the best.

 

 

 

[GoodBytes]

Except the remote is junk and useless (didn't work with Media Center or any other software beside Creative seriously awful pack-in "media software" if you want to call it even a software), and No Vista and above drivers debacle story, where, now, if you want compatibility, full featured, you need to get modded/hacked up drivers.

[AshleyAshes]

4 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

Except the remote is junk and useless (didn't work with Media Center or any other software beside Creative seriously awful pack-in "media software" if you want to call it even a software), and No Vista and above drivers debacle story, where, now, if you want compatibility, full featured, you need to get modded/hacked up drivers.

Who would ever make a PC remote that wasn't MCE compatible?! D:  I mean geez, even my Xbox 360 supports MCE remotes!

[Prysin]

19 hours ago, AnonymousGuy said:

For me it's the software.  Realtek's control panel is complete and utter dog shit and has zero features.  Soundblaster > HT > Dog Shit > Realtek.

WARNING: Products with the words "Soundblaster" or "Creative"  may contain bad DACs and distorted AMPs, components known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects and other reproductive harm. Please wash hands after handling "Creative" products, and avoid listening to the sound-output if at all possible. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

[Prysin]

The only modern sound cards does better then older ones is NOT USING MOLEX for power.

My several years old ASUS D2X is still competing with ASUS's and Creatives latest models. Components simply hasnt improved much in computer audio, because there simply isnt financially reasonable to build a high end audio card and put it inside a PC due to the inherently noisy enviroment. And you aint going to have good enough cooling for the huge ass amps and processors if you encase the whole thing shut... Simply put, if you want a high end DAC/AMP combo soundcard INSIDE a PC, it is going to cost you close to 300$ or more for what would be a 120-200$ standalone USB powered product

[pas008]

5 hours ago, Master Disaster said:

It depends more on the quality of the speaker than anything else, believe me if you were in a nightclub with a lot of high quality speakers around you you'd easily tell the difference but at home with smaller and not as good quality speakers its much harder to tell.

Lol

Nightclubs?really? That's what you bring

 

Sounds like you know what you are talking about Lol

You have no idea of the Cost what i and many friends have spent on higher quality sound

But its ok

People like you still get triggered being in the 99%

[SSL]

No specifications, no PCB shots, and LED lighting on an audio card. Who the hell calls this the "return" of sound cards?

[Dackzy]

9 minutes ago, SSL said:

No specifications, no PCB shots, and LED lighting on an audio card. Who the hell calls this the "return" of sound cards?

Creative lovers, that's who.

[NumLock21]

Just now, SSL said:

No specifications, no PCB shots, and LED lighting on an audio card. Who the hell calls this the "return" of sound cards?

Well it's obvious, you didn't bother to click on the source link.

Yes, that white thingy on the edge is, a 4 pin molex power connector.

[Juanitology]

If you're serious about desktop audio don't but a sound card, but an external DAC

[mr moose]

8 hours ago, YoloSwag said:

I could tell it a bit, only if the studio mixing done was really good that would be the absolute difference but then again, very rare. But anything beyond 48KHz is really hard.

No one really can, and this has been proven. 

 

EDIT: dithering is done on nearly all recordings to reduce noise audibility, but this is mostly because no one can agree if it actually works or not and it has not other consequences to the audio signal.  After 16bits it doesn't matter how good you're gear is or how the recording is mixed/mastered, you won't hear a difference.

https://www.sonicscoop.com/2013/08/29/why-almost-everything-you-thought-you-knew-about-bit-depth-is-probably-wrong/3/

[Master Disaster]

2 hours ago, pas008 said:

Lol

Nightclubs?really? That's what you bring

 

Sounds like you know what you are talking about Lol

You have no idea of the Cost what i and many friends have spent on higher quality sound

But its ok

People like you still get triggered being in the 99%

Funny cause it really seems to me that the only person whose triggered here is you, lol.

 

I used an example that was relevant and easily understandable, I genuinely don't care about your setup in any way because I'm never going to experience it but it's a safe assumption that most people will go into a nightclub at least once in their lives so by banging on about your studio grade monitors , DACs and the 1% all you are doing is making yourself sound like an elitist.

 

"Look at me and all the money I spent on something you'll never be able to experience"

 

Also you shouldn't make assumptions about people you don't know because you'll usually make yourself look not very clever.

[mr moose]

44 minutes ago, Master Disaster said:

Funny cause it really seems to me that the only person whose triggered here is you, lol.

 

I used an example that was relevant and easily understandable, I genuinely don't care about your setup in any way because I'm never going to experience it but it's a safe assumption that most people will go into a nightclub at least once in their lives so by banging on about your studio grade monitors , DACs and the 1% all you are doing is making yourself sound like an elitist.

 

"Look at me and all the money I spent on something you'll never be able to experience"

 

Also you shouldn't make assumptions about people you don't know because you'll usually make yourself look not very clever.

 

Assumptions aside, trying to compare the sound quality in a night club to any half decent headphone and onboard audio solution is like trying to compare a jack hammer to a dremel for fine work.

[DeScruff]

6 hours ago, Ithanul said:

  ...Laptops though...buzz, buzz, buzz.

Oh god yeah. Reason I got a USB DAC. I couldn't stand the buzzing in my headphones, it was like a fly buzzing around somewhere in the room.

[leadeater]

2 hours ago, Master Disaster said:

I used an example that was relevant and easily understandable, I genuinely don't care about your setup in any way because I'm never going to experience it but it's a safe assumption that most people will go into a nightclub at least once in their lives so by banging on about your studio grade monitors

I think his point was more that night clubs don't actually have high quality equipment. Most PA gear used in nightclubs is actually rather cheap and of not the best sound quality, focus #1 on these products is loudness and the ability to throw the sound far. And to be fair when you are in a nightclub the quality of the sound really isn't what anyone cares about, nobody is stopping to listen to the lyrics heh.

[mach]

3 hours ago, Master Disaster said:

Funny cause it really seems to me that the only person whose triggered here is you, lol.

 

I used an example that was relevant and easily understandable, I genuinely don't care about your setup in any way because I'm never going to experience it but it's a safe assumption that most people will go into a nightclub at least once in their lives so by banging on about your studio grade monitors , DACs and the 1% all you are doing is making yourself sound like an elitist.

 

"Look at me and all the money I spent on something you'll never be able to experience"

 

Also you shouldn't make assumptions about people you don't know because you'll usually make yourself look not very clever.

I just lol'ed at nightclub and high quality speakers. You can't be serious right?