Sound Blaster X3 Hi-Res External USB DAC and Amp Sound Card with Super X-Fi Holographic Audio, 7.1 Discrete Surround and Dolby Digital Live with Line-in and Optical-out for PC and Mac

Soundcards are typically a neglected feature of all computers and are frequently no more than basic. These days it's possible to hook a computer up to what is in effect a mini hi-fi system driving at the very least a pair of book-shelf speakers. That's if you have the cash and the available space.What we have here is a small Creative device, just 13cm square and 3cm high, which will instantly transform the sounds from your computer for a very reasonable price and a small footprint. If you make this leap directly from the onboard soundcard you will be truly amazed and delighted, assuming you already own a pair of computer speakers. So this represents a simple, cost-effective means of vastly improving your sonic experience without graduating to the types of mini hi-fi system I mentioned above.The device takes its input via USB from the computer and will output to headphones, to two or more speakers, an optical output or a sub-woofer as well. It's easy to use and I would highly recommened installing the Creative software available online in order to take full advantage of the full capabilities of this remarkable little device. I could make this Review much more technical but those who are interested will easily figure out the techncial specs and capacities.Keeping this Review straightforward, therefore, I have tested out this Creative device for several weeks and I feel able to say that it is an excellent product. If you have not dabbled with improving your computer's sound much beyond probably acquiring a pair of computer speakers I can assure you that you will be delighted by the immense improvements this device will provide. Music, movies, games - everthing will be transformed. The spatial spearation and clarity of detail is quite remarkable for a device of this size and price.Of course, it might set you thinking about investing in better speakers ... but such is progress!

Overall, at this price, it is a pretty solid investment for personal entertainment.PRO:1. Good sound quality with AK4458vn DAC2. Compact enough to put into schoolbag and use with a laptop3. Clearly marked output layout5. Nice package6. Loads of useful setup features, ie, speaker types, Sub crossover frequency, surround setting(stereo, 5.1, 7.1 ) etc.7. Direct Mode (Bypass the internal DSP = natural sounding)8. Adjustable sound profiles (Music , gaming, movie ,etc)9. Graphic EQCon:1. Mediocre headphone amplification (Sound wise, it can't even outperform some cheap palm-sized "Made in China" standalone HP amps)2. The bundled control interface is clunky!Severe lag can be found when you switch modes, or change settings. It's highly questionable that the development team has done enough testing before issuing the firmware and driver.3. Updating the firmware may lead to a total malfunction or control app crash down unless you uninstall the whole driver and unplug the device, restart and do it all again. The control interface finally works but far from being smooth.4. Crappy SFXI technologyLet's be realistic! Nothing can save a normal sounding audio device and make it sound pristine unless it is truly well-designed with top quality components installed and the whole system carefully calibrated. Forget about the scan-face- and-ear gimmick. Snake oil IMO! Adding heavily processed reverb-type FX and tons of EQ can only muddy up your music, instead of making it super-clear. Funny enough, X3 sounds the best when these functions are OFF!ConclusionIt's a handy companion for music lovers and gamers who would appreciate a neat desktop surround setup. X3 can perfectly complements active speakers and be used as a good sounding audio interface. It supports DSD, which is great. Thanks to the AK4458vn DAC chip, which is normally found on mid-range AVRs, it surely can deliver crystal-clear music reproduction quality. However, the less-than-carefully-tested control interface make tuning the sound a bit frustrating.

This is a great product with some notable downsides. It's great being able to control chat audio balance on the fly, and the audio quality is way better than what your in built motherboard sound chip will give you. The EQ settings produce non distorted results, and there's even lots of filters you can put on your mic.As for the downsides, it looks like you can only have one input and one output active at a time. I was hoping to hook up my TV via line in to reroute my audio through my PC to have chat audio via and game audio at the same time from my console. The reason it doesn't get more stars knocked off for this is because the line in port on my motherboard works with no issues for listening though the sound blaster.