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All-in-one audio wonder: Creative's Sound Blaster X7

By Marcus Wong - 18 Mar 2015
Launch SRP: S$499

Putting the Sound Blaster X7 to the test: Introduction & methodology

We first covered the Creative Sound Blaster X7 in an exclusive first-looks back in September last year, and you may recall that we were left duly impressed by the capabilities of this desktop USB DAC (digital-analog converter) and audio amplifier. Well, a couple of months have passed since, and we’ve finally been able to do a proper review of this incredibly compact system, and we focused largely in its music playback capabilities.

But first, a quick recap:

The Sound Blaster X7 is a high-end USB DAC that supports high-res 24-bit/192kHz, 127dB audio, and features a Dolby certified decoder (Dolby Decode 5.1) with a Class D amplifier that runs at a maximum of 80W with the provided adapter (40W + 40W @ 4Ω), and goes up to 100W (50W + 50W @ 4Ω) if you use the high-power AC/DC adapter (sold separately).

The X7 is designed to work as an audio hub for your home, and so features ports for analog cable speakers, optical inputs for connecting with televisions and other digital input sources, and a full set of line-out jacks with ports for a subwoofer and an additional set of rear speakers. It also features Bluetooth 4.1 with aptX for wireless connection with smart devices, and the switching between output devices can all be done easily through Sound Blaster Central, Creative’s smart device audio app.

 

Getting started

The software walks you through the entire setup.

Getting the Sound Blaster X7 setup is a relatively painless affair. Simply site the Sound Blaster X7 near your audio source (in this case, a laptop), install the drivers and you’re good to go. The software will walk you through setting up speakers or headphones, checking if you’re using the high power adapter with the set and adjusting the power output appropriately.

Fine-tuning the sound of your speakers is easy with the Sound Blaster Control software.

Profiles for every possible scenario are offered.

Once installed, the Sound Blaster Control software gives you a range of options to further fine-tune your audio based on what you’re listening to. Take gaming, for example. The Sound Blaster X7 has a Scout mode that’s supposed to heighten the sensitivity of your headphones so you can hear enemies from further away. Likewise, options have been provided to calibrate your headphones or speakers, and you’ll find the usual mixer and equalizer options, as well as a set of profiles that have been already created to best match various situations.

For our testing, we opted to test the Sound Blaster X7 using headphones as the final output device, thus letting us pit the Sound Blaster X7 against the DAC of an iPhone 6, as well as that of the Sound Blaster E5.

 

Testing methodology

The testing rig used.

Starting with our basic iPhone 6 with no amplification as a baseline, we moved up to using our laptop with the Sound Blaster E5 as a source before shifting to the Sound Blaster X7 for comparison and conclusion. In all cases, we stuck with the Beyerdynamics DT 880 Pro headphones as our output, and kept to the same testing tracks to ensure consistency. In this case, we looked at our usual set of test tracks and added two high resolution recordings - Rebecca Pidgeon’s Spanish Harlem, and Ottmar Liebert’s Fireopal (the acoustic version).

The Sound Blaster E5 and the Sound Blaster X7 were both connected to our laptop via USB, with audio profiles left on neutral and SBX effects left off. These gave a better comparison of the differences the hardware made, and also provided for better performance overall as we felt the SBX sound enhancements (SBX Surround, SBX Crystallizer, SBX Bass) colored the sound more than we preferred.

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9.0
  • Design 8.5
  • Performance 9
  • Features 8.5
  • Value 9
The Good
Small footprint makes it easy to shift around
Supports full 24bit/192kHz sampling
Bluetooth support
Great value given the features
The Bad
Software audio enhancements can be a little too much
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