The Sound BlasterX AE-5 Owners' Club

[Mick-1965]

Is there really no way to switch between your headphones and desktop speakers with out going into the connect software? I just upgraded from the x-fi titanium and all the ports could work at the same time.

For Z-serie there's SBZ Switcher, which can be used to automate switching between headphone and speaker behind hotkey.
I don't know yet similar third party application for AE-5.
You better contact Creative, so that they might add hotkey functionality for that into future drivers.

There's a similar switcher like SBZ switcher for the AE-5 funnily enough called AE5Switcher No where near as comprehensive as SBZSwitcher though but does do the basic switch between speakers and headphones.
https://github.com/dainesch/AE5Switcher

 

[Bluntwrapped]

https://funk.eu/ssd/

I’ve used this in the past with great results. Will create a clickable shortcut on your desktop which will switch outputs. If you have a second screen you can bundle this shortcut with an ultramon shortcut in a single .bat and switch both your screen and sound device at the same time I used the combination of the two to switch between my monitor with soundbar, and tv with surround sound. Should work fine for headphones.

 

[Heinz57]

I was looking at these because I think my old X-FI Xtreme Music is getting old. Regardless of what is plugged into it, the left channel has started buzzing.

From reading reviews forums, there's two things I'm unclear about:
1) Does the card not support headphone detection or something? I've seen a lot complaining about having to manually switch settings. My Xtreme Music seems to disable the speakers and go into headphone mode automatically.
2) I don't usually bother with the audio ports on the case, but does the card the headphone amp also work through the front panel ports, or it's just the one on the rear of the card itself?

Ta

 

[Rroff]

1) Does the card not support headphone detection or something? I've seen a lot complaining about having to manually switch settings. My Xtreme Music seems to disable the speakers and go into headphone mode automatically.

The card supports a number of different output modes - such as "direct" connection where only one application gets control of the audio device at a time, lower latency and slightly higher quality sound and various modes that use processing such as virtual surround - there seems to be some kind of relays involved in switching modes which on boot up sometimes don't quite activate right - not so much a fault as such I think just that it switches between modes on first initialising and then when the Windows drivers kick in and if you have a fast booting PC it won't always have finished initialising the hardware before the drivers start to load - switching between an output mode and back manually in the connect software sorts it.

 

[Heinz57]

The card supports a number of different output modes - such as "direct" connection where only one application gets control of the audio device at a time, lower latency and slightly higher quality sound and various modes that use processing such as virtual surround - there seems to be some kind of relays involved in switching modes which on boot up sometimes don't quite activate right - not so much a fault as such I think just that it switches between modes on first initialising and then when the Windows drivers kick in and if you have a fast booting PC it won't always have finished initialising the hardware before the drivers start to load - switching between an output mode and back manually in the connect software sorts it.

Thanks for the info. Perhaps it sounds a little complicated/excessive for my needs then; I'm far from an audiophile.

I must have had my Xtreme Music for 12 years or so (and an Audigy before that). I've always left it on default settings, (I think... haven't touched the control panel for years...), with 5.1 speakers and it's sounded better than all onboard sound I've had in that time (including my present motherboard). I guess I was hoping to find a like-for-like.

 

[Rroff]

I swapped from an Xtreme Music to the AE-5 and highly recommend it overall - doesn't seem to be jack detection (probably due to the range of features it supports on the outputs) but the connect software isn't that complicated despite a lot of options. I'd say as an overall package the AE-5 is probably the best on the market at the moment (short of spending money on professional grade gear).

Sadly my X-Fi had seen better days and was definitely starting to decline sound quality wise.

 

[darael]

How is the AE-5 compared to the Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium. I'm particularly interested on how it performs on 5.1 systems, as this will be it's sole output.

About 2014 was when I last tried one of Creative's latest offerings, the Sound Blaster Z, and was bitterly disappointed. I'm hoping the AE-5 might be worth my time and money this time round.

 

[ToTheMax]

I see Creative have just released an external version of this, and has a wider usage since can be used with consoles as well.

https://uk.creative.com/p/sound-cards/sound-blasterx-g6

Potentially useful for home cinema setup as well since it can decode a dolby digital optical input.

 

[Wulfster]

Myself don't have AE-5 so can't check that.
(and likely don't upgrade from ZxR until head and ear shape customizable HRTF "Super X-Fi" products come out)

Looks like Creative are about ready to release Super X-Fi. Seen a Facebook post this morning from Creative with a countdown timer for Super X-Fi

Best

Wulf

 

[ToTheMax]

I see Creative have just released an external version of this, and has a wider usage since can be used with consoles as well.

https://uk.creative.com/p/sound-cards/sound-blasterx-g6

Potentially useful for home cinema setup as well since it can decode a dolby digital optical input.

Just ordered this for my cinema setup in the main room, primarily for DD 5.1 3D sound processing when I can't have the speakers on (needed a headphone amp anyway). Hopefully will sound just as amazing as the AE5 I have in the computer.

 

[V F]

Looks like Creative are about ready to release Super X-Fi. Seen a Facebook post this morning from Creative with a countdown timer for Super X-Fi

Best

Wulf

I don't know what to make of it reading the information on Creative's site.

Hey we’re still at CES 2018, and I just finished the best demo of the show.

It's not a curved TV, it’s not 8K it is… Wait for it, Creative Labs’ new Super X-Fi technology that they’re calling basically “holography for your ears”.

In the demo I did, we modelled by putting microphones in the ears, then we modelled the entire room using a Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 system. Then we listened to clips from that multi-thousand dollar reference speaker — Elac reference speakers, and compared them to just headphones with what will eventually go into a little tiny dongle.

And it just floors you.

 

[Wulfster]

I don't know what to make of it reading the information on Creative's site.

And so it begins

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/co...er-x-fi-amp-sold-in-first-20-minutes-creative

Best

Wulf

 

[ToTheMax]

Just ordered this for my cinema setup in the main room, primarily for DD 5.1 3D sound processing when I can't have the speakers on (needed a headphone amp anyway). Hopefully will sound just as amazing as the AE5 I have in the computer.

Just got it all installed and the sound is just as amazing as the AE but now it's fed via optical Dolby Digital 5.1. 3D sound processing. For moves/TV this really is amazing and massively adds to immersion over a simple stereo signal for headphones.

 

[Mik3]

Anyone seen any review for X-fi chip yet?

I hope they do a sound card version of this, it would be nice if you can use 5.1 speakers and switch over to headphones in the drivers to use this new tech.

 

[EsaT]

I hope they do a sound card version of this, it would be nice if you can use 5.1 speakers and switch over to headphones in the drivers to use this new tech.

Yeah, would be major screw up from them if they didn't start implementing this tech in sound cards.

Now if we also got back some HW processing for sounds to have customizable HRTF applied on real 3D sound data of game instead of lossy discrete channels flattened on plane.
Microsoft should be ashamed of how they've caused regression of game sound development.

Just got it all installed and the sound is just as amazing as the AE but now it's fed via optical Dolby Digital 5.1. 3D sound processing. For moves/TV this really is amazing and massively adds to immersion over a simple stereo signal for headphones.

And with optical cable you can be sure there's zero chances for any ground loop/electrical connection based interference.

 

[Mik3]

Yeah, would be major screw up from them if they didn't start implementing this tech in sound cards.

Now if we also got back some HW processing for sounds to have customizable HRTF applied on real 3D sound data of game instead of lossy discrete channels flattened on plane.
Microsoft should be ashamed of how they've caused regression of game sound development.

Indeed, theres been nothing interesting on the sound front for over a decade as you said if anything we have gone backwards.
The reaction they got from that demo has really sparked my interest. In that demo their are saying theres little transition from speakers to headphones, if true this could be a game changer for games and movies

 

[V F]

Yeah, would be major screw up from them if they didn't start implementing this tech in sound cards.

Now if we also got back some HW processing for sounds to have customizable HRTF applied on real 3D sound data of game instead of lossy discrete channels flattened on plane.
Microsoft should be ashamed of how they've caused regression of game sound development.


And with optical cable you can be sure there's zero chances for any ground loop/electrical connection based interference.

I only found out about that within the last few months. Cannot remember where at the time but it was mentioned because of kernel issues the way the drivers communicate through the OS to the hardware... That could bring the OS to a crash. That's why we've been in this mess for so long.

 

[EsaT]

I only found out about that within the last few months. Cannot remember where at the time but it was mentioned because of kernel issues the way the drivers communicate through the OS to the hardware... That could bring the OS to a crash. That's why we've been in this mess for so long.

Yeah, have heard that excuse.
Just never had myself any problems which could have been tracked to sound cards and XP was overall darn stable.
At least when keeping PC clean of common bloatware/shovelware crap.

And if problem was in how Win95 era (no one will miss that) designed DirectSound worked Microsoft should have then done better API.
So stinks lot more like just crippling PC's advantages over X-box.

 

[V F]

Yeah, have heard that excuse.
Just never had myself any problems which could have been tracked to sound cards and XP was overall darn stable.
At least when keeping PC clean of common bloatware/shovelware crap.

Oh I agree. XP Pro was as solid as Vista, 7 and 10 for stability. I remember one time I went 7 years without a clean install on XP and that was with several motherboard upgrades and other parts.

And if problem was in how Win95 era (no one will miss that) designed DirectSound worked Microsoft should have then done better API.
So stinks lot more like just crippling PC's advantages over X-box.

What else would it be for the reason they went down that path? As I could never find any concrete information on it.

Since there is discussions out there they weren't wanting code tampered through the kernel.

 

[darael]

I have taken the plunge and ordered an AE-5, which should arrive early next week.

I am looking forward to seeing if this is a viable replacement for my X-F Titanium, if not an upgrade. Everything I read and hear about it says it ought to be.

My biggest concern is regarding surround sound on my 5.1 setup. I have seen screenshots with a surround setting, so I am hopeful I will get good output on my rear speakers.