Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5 RGB soundcard launched at E3

[HEXUS]

PCIe card includes Sabre DAC, Xamp headphone amplifier, Aurora lighting controller.

Read more.

[Dashers]

Oooo lights. Worst thing about my Sound Blaster Z is the super bright red LED. Been meaning to go in there with some wire cutters and snip the thing off.

I was disappointed that I could never get digital surround to work with the Sound Blaster, and I bet that it's the same with this one. The latency AC3 encoding generates means the sound lags your screen, which is very irritating for gaming. Doesn't look any of their hardware actually handles this very well.

[tonyd2233]

I had an X-Fi back when I used to play Battlefield 2... since then not really seen the need for s discrete card

[bitbucket]

How much remains to be done as far as consumer sound cards are concerned? I mean, if your marketing tag line boasts an RGB controller then I'm guessing "very little".

[EvilCycle]

Surely most who would be willing to purchase an RGB filled "pro gaming" soundcard would most likely already have an RGB filled "pro gaming" motherboard with perfectly adequate on-board sound? Back in the day a dedicated card would be great for DJ mixing or whatever if you needed the extra channels, but as above, I've not really understood the need for a dedicated card for many years unless I am missing something drastic. I also would have thought that anybody needing something more professional than modern on board sound would be using completely different equipment in general anyway?

[Jonj1611]

Still using my x-fi gamer.

[wyte_w0lf]

Currently using an xfi fatal1ty pro. And im not ashamed to admit i would like this too. Was looking at a newer soundcard like the z or zx. I know motherboards have decent sound now i just prefer having a dedicated sound card. This may well be on the upgrade list...

[Ttaskmaster]

I have a Soundblaster USB card of some kind. X-fi or SBX sort of thing. Can't actually recall which, at the moment.
So long as it has (near enough) zero latency monitoring, I'm generally happy. I had to ditch my Xonar card as it failed dismally.

I still have problems in Steam chat, though.

[Iota]

I've not really understood the need for a dedicated card for many years unless I am missing something drastic.

The only thing I can think of is to have one running sound to a TV while having another providing sound to a game. At least that's what I used to do years ago with an X-Fi card. The other problem I have with these, is I'm happily on a wireless headset now and I'd never go back to cables annoying me.

[SHSPVR]

Oooo lights. Worst thing about my Sound Blaster Z is the super bright red LED. Been meaning to go in there with some wire cutters and snip the thing off.

I was disappointed that I could never get digital surround to work with the Sound Blaster, and I bet that it's the same with this one. The latency AC3 encoding generates means the sound lags your screen, which is very irritating for gaming. Doesn't look any of their hardware actually handles this very well.

That because there hardware doesn't do any real-time encoding just like with decoder it done in software if I recall rigth.

[LeetyMcLeet]

"PRO-GAMING" AND "RGB" Oooo

Thanks, but no thanks, Creative. They haven't made a quality soundcard for about 20 years lol

[pastymuncher]

Why on earth does everything have to be RGB these days? I hate it and it gives them yet another excuse to bump the price up.

[Jonj1611]

It's a phase, it will be glow in the dark next

[Andi-C]

Maybe because I'm old, I don't get this RGB crap & fancy "pimp my PC" stuff. I see peoples cases, Mobo's, GFX cards, Ram, cooling fans, mouse, keyboard, mouse mat's, monitors, now sound cards. All these affect lights & other fancy geek porn in their PC's & I bet hardly anyone actually see it (apart from the forum posts that they've lorded about) ! At least when people pimp their cars people see it

Oooo lights. Worst thing about my Sound Blaster Z is the super bright red LED. Been meaning to go in there with some wire cutters and snip the thing off.

I had the same card, the LED was stupidly bright ! I got round it by using electricians black insulating tape, that way its intact when you sell.

[shaithis]

Surely this just adds extra EMI to the soundcard?

[Ttaskmaster]

Maybe because I'm old, I don't get this RGB crap & fancy "pimp my PC" stuff.

No, it's because you're on Hexus - Nobody here likes RGB, apart from me, it seems.

I bet hardly anyone actually see it ! At least when people pimp their cars people see it

It's not something you really do for other people...