Sound Blaster X3 Hi-Res 7.1 External USB DAC and Amp Sound Card Review

Testing audio quality is very subjective and cannot be measured without thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment.  Even then, no two people hear sound quite the same way.  Still comparing audio provides a way to determine how clearly you might hear different instruments on a music track or how well you can identify direction in a surround sound game.

For real world testing I connected my trust Sennheiser PC 363D headphones in and played some extended sessions of 7 Day to Die. Ambient sound clarity was outstanding making for some unexpected jump scares!  Turning on and off the Super X-Fi processing provides an amazing difference in sound quality that you truly need to experience for yourself!

The same could be found with a couple sessions of Battlefield V.  I fired up The FPS profile and got to work.  Wow the 5.1/7.1 directional sound is crystal clear!  How did we survive without knowing when someone is walking around just out of sight?

To test audio I used my Sennheiser HD 6xx speakers in Direct mode and in the Music preset. The HD 6xx headphones are a industry recognized 300ohm setup that really thrives under the individually amplified audio channels. I fired up some of my favorite FLAC recordings. As always, I like to start with Pink Floyd’s Money to get a good impression of the richness of the sound stage.  The improvement over my X7 setup was so much more noticeable than I expected for a DAC at this price point! I am truly impressed!

I just did not expect this level of features and performance from an AMP/DAC in this price point. Truly I am floored at the level of difference you can get from Creative and Super X-Fi. Provide you take the time to set up a profile and use the right mode, the SoundBlaster X3 puts a smile on my face every time I use it!  With good AMP/DAC combinations finally getting affordable your onboard solution is already obsolete.

We have said it before but it bears repeating: You really need to experience Creative’s Super X-Fi technology for yourself. It’s a game changer! And at this price point, you can take it everywhere you go.

Incredible Connectivity Options
Sounds Fantastic with X-Fi Enabled
Great Price Point
Properly Sized Device

No hardware memory for storing profiles
Lack of a visible volume indicator
Would have liked a 1/4 headphone jack