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Creative Sound Blaster X3 Hi-Res 7.1 USB DAC & Amp Sound Card $159.95 Delivered @ Creative AU

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Creative Sound Blaster X3 Hi-Res 7.1 USB DAC & Amp Sound Card $159.95 Delivered @ Creative AU
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emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 13:13 au.creative.com (3501 clicks)
Last edited 23/06/2020 - 09:23 by 1 other user

Promotional Price No Longer Available. X3 Back at Full Price.

User in the comments @ShrewedOrJustTight mentioned that he/she has seen the X3 go on and off sale every few days/week. So if you missed out, check the website every now and again in case it drops in price.

Creative Labs (Australia) are running a promo on their Sound Blaster X3 external USB sound card/DAC/Amp. It normally retails on their site for $179.99. However it’s sold at Australian retailers for $200+ plus shipping.

At Mwave for example it costs $210.90 including shipping.

At Scorptec it costs $209 including shipping.

I ordered one today via Creative AU and the estimated delivery date is from 26 June to 6 July. So up to a 2 week delivery time frame (I suspect it may be shipped from one of their overseas warehouses.)

This is one of the best external USB sound card/DAC/Amps you can buy if your main focus is on gaming while also wanting to enhance your movie or music listening experience and you aren’t a super audiophile.

Comparable products are the Sound Blaster G6 and Sennheiser GSX 1000.

The X3 fixes a major issue with the G6’s mic monitoring/side tone feature (hardware feature that allows you to hear your own voice without any lag) - the G6 has noticeable lag which hasn’t been patched yet (2 years ongoing), whereas the X3’s mic monitoring works perfectly according to reviews.

This is extremely important if you game online and need to communicate with others, especially if you use closed back headphones where you can barely hear yourself speak, and constantly raise your voice to do so.

The X3 also adds a couple of surround sound features that you may or may not be interested in.

The G6 on the Creative website costs $199.99 delivered (also currently on sale). It costs around $250 delivered at Mwave and Scorptec.

Online consensus is that the G6 has a slightly better DAC/Amp which is why it costs more. It’s probably not noticeable in real life, but is something to note. If you don’t need the mic monitoring/side tone feature or the surround sound features of the X3 then you might want to look at the G6.

(Windows does have mic monitoring in the sound options, but there is a massive lag/delay when you speak and it plays back your voice, not suitable for gaming or anything really).

https://au.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blasterx-g6

**
Vs’ the Sennheiser GSX 1000, the Sound Blaster X3 is better than it in almost every way (according to some reviews) and costs $200 less.

https://www.pccasegear.com/products/38118/epos-sennheiser-gs…

Even if you don’t really play games, using the X3 & G6 DAC/Amp will make almost every headphone sound better.

If you recently bought a Sennheiser HD58X via Ozbargain these dac amps pair well with it.

#

Reviews:

https://youtu.be/2uzy5kJv68E

https://youtu.be/AmbvujZzuek

https://youtu.be/Y2YsVTGdGoM

https://youtu.be/2FRdzKE9-ZA

Referral Links

Referral: random (1)

$5 credit for the referrer.

Electrical & Electronics Computer Component Creative DAC Sound Card

Related Stores

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closed Comments

  • samfisher5986 on 22/06/2020 - 13:18
    +2

    This is a great price! Thanks for posting this.

    • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 13:25
      +1

      No worries, i appreciate the kind words. I thought it was a pretty good price as well but it was sold out for at least a couple of weeks, it only came back into stock this morning.

  • combatant on 22/06/2020 - 13:30

    Literally just looking at these to replace my internal card. Any thoughts between the X3 and G5 on sale for $144.95?

    • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 13:42
      +3

      I would easily choose the X3 over the G5.

      The X3 supports higher quality audio 32bit vs 24bit and supports Dolby audio decoding.

      However the X3 doesn’t support Xbox but you said it’s going to replace an internal sound card anyways.

      The X3 is more a G6 competitor.

      • combatant on 22/06/2020 - 14:43

        Thanks. Unfurtunately had to go into a meeting and missed out. Hopefully it comes back into stock soon.

        • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 14:56
          +1

          Yup no worries. Cobra98 down below said he bought one on the 18th and it restocked this morning, so I’m guessing it’ll happen again in a couple of days.

          I’ll update the post if I see it’s back in stock.

        • emoticon on 19/07/2020 - 09:50

          The Creative Sound Blaster X3 is back on sale and in stock.

          https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/552658

      • Diji1 on 22/06/2020 - 14:56

        supports higher quality audio

        It's not higher quality.

    • Diji1 on 22/06/2020 - 14:54
      -1

      Never replace internal PCIe with USB. USB devices are annoying garbage.

      • samfisher5986 on 22/06/2020 - 15:33
        +4

        I disagree, internal PCIe are prone to audio interference from the computer.

        • combatant on 22/06/2020 - 16:09

          The Essence STX im looking to replace has no issues with interference, it's just a hassle havimg to reach around to the back panel to plug/unplug headphones.

          On the superficial side, my case also looks cleaner eithout it in there.

          • samfisher5986 on 22/06/2020 - 16:30

            @combatant: The Essence STX is actually what I currently have, probably the most interference is on the microphone port but it also exists on general audio, and most of that interference comes when the GPU is working hard.

            The actual sound card might have perfect sound, but its only as clean as the rest of the system/PSU/Motherboard.

  • thisisscotts on 22/06/2020 - 13:46
    +13

    Sound Blaster… oh the memories. Just posting for the nostalgia :)

    • xoom on 22/06/2020 - 14:17
      +2

      Still got my sound blaster audigy card and 5 1/4 drive bay controller. Nostalgia indeed.

      • MementoMori on 22/06/2020 - 14:46
        +7

        I sorely missed digital speech in Wolfenstien with only my Adlib.

        • ItsMeAgro on 22/06/2020 - 15:15

          I was stuck with bleep-bloop pc speaker until the Pentium era.

      • leftspeaker2000 on 22/06/2020 - 15:46

        I had an Audigy ZS 2 and it was fantastic. It would make a crap pair of speakers sounds much better.

      • nfr on 22/06/2020 - 15:56
        +2

        I had an AWE32 card

    • G-rig on 22/06/2020 - 14:44
      +1

      back in the day of DVD burning and Altec Lansing!
      An audio brand would be better but the price goes up steeply!
      Even my DAC Magic that was $350-400 costs about double now..
      Wouldn't mind an all in one with headphone amp that's decent M-Dacs bit pricey still

    • mshanann on 22/06/2020 - 15:47
      +1

      just a rip-off of the AdLib!

  • anicca on 22/06/2020 - 13:54
    +1

    Cheers OP for the heads up on restock, just grabbed one.

  • gugav on 22/06/2020 - 13:58

    AVAILABILITY- Back in stock soon 😕

    • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 14:03
      +1

      Darn, sold out already? Less than 1 hour. Plus they only restocked this morning lol.

      Don’t worry, it says it’s a part of their winter sale, so I don’t think the deal will expire anytime soon. Just bookmark this deal or register your email for stock updates on the website.

      They’ll release more stock just need to wait a bit.

    • EvilOverLord on 22/06/2020 - 14:04

      Gyped.

    • emoticon on 19/07/2020 - 09:50

      The Creative Sound Blaster X3 is back on sale and in stock.

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/552658

  • Matt86 on 22/06/2020 - 14:08

    Out of stock :(
    Says "be back in stock soon"

  • cobra98 on 22/06/2020 - 14:15
    +1

    I bought mine on the 18th and it's supposedly arriving today from Singapore via FedEx according to the tracker.

    • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 14:44

      Oh wow, lucky, I kept checking the website almost everyday and it was always sold out.

      Ah yup, that explains the estimated 2 weeks delivery time.

      Let us know how it goes/if you’re liking the X3.

    • stumbows on 22/06/2020 - 14:44

      I would believe it. I bought the baby brother the G3 the other week and it came within a couple days from Singapore.

  • YLD1 on 22/06/2020 - 14:15

    This or Schiit fulla 3?

    • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 14:42

      You can’t go wrong with either.

      https://youtu.be/-HLlmBtyYGw

      The Schiit Fulla 3 is around $260 locally though (addicted to audio). If you buy it direct from Schiit it’s around $220 delivered.

      $60 to $100 price difference between the Fulla 3 and X3.

      If you don’t need or want lag free mic monitoring, simulated 7.1, Dolby decoding and just want a small minimalist entry level dac amp sound card Fulla 3 is a good choice.

      But with this sale it makes much more sense to buy the X3 given the huge price difference and added “features”.

      • YLD1 on 22/06/2020 - 14:47
        +1

        Thank you sir

        Let’s hope stock returns

      • duyth on 22/06/2020 - 14:48
        +1

        this!
        the 2 products are completely different. you should go with this sound blaster if you are into gaming/netflix.

    • Terra Australis on 22/06/2020 - 14:56
      +1

      The schiit is shit
      Jk i dont know schiit about these

    • ItsMeAgro on 22/06/2020 - 15:16
      +1

      Schiit fulla

      An audiophile product with that name has to be a joke, right…?

      • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 15:32
        -1

        You’d think so right? But it’s actually a pretty well regarded DAC brand.

        • ItsMeAgro on 22/06/2020 - 19:26

          This must be like when those dudes decided to sell bottled water as a joke, even spelling it "Naive" backwards, but the gullible public loved Evian so much they pretended it was serious.

  • Zaddo on 22/06/2020 - 14:33
    +1

    OZBargain sux!!! It seems that everytime there is a bargain I want to jump on, damn thing is out of stock :-(

    • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 14:49
      +2

      Don’t worry, the sale is still active - I’ll update the post when it comes back into stock. The website says it’ll be ”soon”.

      You haven’t missed out yet.

    • 1st-Amendment on 22/06/2020 - 15:04
      +4

      You should ask for your money back

    • emoticon on 19/07/2020 - 09:51

      The Creative Sound Blaster X3 is back on sale and in stock.

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/552658

  • kingrektor on 22/06/2020 - 15:07

    Has anyone used this and the Sound Blaster software along with Voicemeeter?
    If so, any issues or challanges?

  • misu p on 22/06/2020 - 15:14
    +1

    I got a Sennheiser GSX 1000 second hand with 150 AUD. I am not sure how but this is the best thing I bought for my computer in ages.

    It takes a little tinkering to get it running on Linux but afterward it is great (if anybody is interested I can share what it worked for me). Works great in Windows, probably Mac too. The best thing is the 4 presets that you can save. I have:
    1) stereo for music, this has some extra bass
    2) stereo for gaming, with lots of treble for hearing steps
    3) 7.1 when I am in conferences and I want to feel more like I am with people in the room. It is quite fun, but not really needed
    4) one that just outputs to my amp

    I will probably buy another GSX 1000 for the office. Great little device.

    Some features for Windows and gaming mainly:

    It installs 2 output devices, one for voice the other for everything else. It also has an additional volume wheel for voice only so I have control over how loud I can hear people on discord. The voice output is mono so you can hear people perfectly while the game sounds have other settings (like 7.1 processing).

    The cons according to Z Reviews is that it cannot drive all the headphones. I have decent headphones but easy to drive ones so not an issue for me.

    • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 15:30
      +1

      Wow $150 is a great price for that, it sells for like $350 brand new. I was researching it as well when looking at what to buy, but it’s just so much more expensive.

      If you like the GSX 1000 you’ll like the X3, it’s a very comparable alternative and it improves on the GSX 1000 in almost every way and can drive more headphones (if needed). It doesn’t have that convenient touch screen interface on the 1000 though.

      You should check out this review, especially from 10:25 where he gives a summary.

      https://youtu.be/2uzy5kJv68E

      It might be tough finding another GSX 1000 for around $150 though so have a look at the X3 if price is a concern.

      • misu p on 23/06/2020 - 07:48

        I looked at the X3 before buying the GSX 1000. What scared me away is the fact that you have software that you need to run. I did not look it but usually, the Linux support is not existent. When I bought my GSX 1000 there were 3 of them for sale on Facebook for the same price, I see there are none now.

        I think the 2 items are quite different from looking at the inputs/outputs. This is probably geared more for listening to music compared to the GSX 1000 that is more gamery.

  • dts88 on 22/06/2020 - 16:06

    still have my Sound Blaster Omni Surround 5.1 5.1 Sound card

    is this worth to upgrade?

    • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 17:02
      +1

      I’d say it’d be a solid upgrade over what you currently have. Your sound card was released around 6 or 7 years ago from what I can see online.

      The software and hardware of the X3 would both be an improvement over the Omni 5.1. Better quality DAC/Amp plus feature set.

      Plus the X3’s are great value at this price and much cheaper compared to similar external sound cards.

      This is just from what I can see online, you’ll get the following over the Omni’s:

      • Hi-Res 32 bit/192khz audio vs 24 bit/96khz audio
      • 7.1 surround sound vs 5.1 - as well as two different implementations of virtual 7.1 surround sound. SBX and the newer Super X-FI.
      • Dolby audio decoding (Netflix for example)
      • You can separate game audio volume (sound effects/music) and voice chat volume and control the two individually.
      • Lag free mic monitoring/ side tone (not sure if your omnis have this feature.)
      • You can use it with a PS4 or Nintendo Switch

      It’ll be an improvement overall but I’d also like to point out that you got extremely good value out of your sound card, it lasted a really long time.

    • emoticon on 19/07/2020 - 09:51

      The Creative Sound Blaster X3 is back on sale and in stock.

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/552658

  • anicca on 22/06/2020 - 16:56
    +1

    Can anyone recommend some headphones to pair with this? Noted OP mentioned the recent Sennheiser HD58X deal but its since gone back up in price.

    • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 18:47
      +1

      Yeah I wanted to buy the Sennheiser HD58X as well but I saw the deal a week or so too late.

      HD58X + Modmic will probably be my endgame when it comes back on sale. It’s the perfect all rounder.

      Depending on your budget you could also check out these headphones:

      Massdrop x Sennheiser 6XX
      Massdrop x AKG KXX
      Beyerdynamic DT990
      Audio-Technica ATH-AD700
      Phillips SHP9500

      Really any open backed headphone will be good.

      If you’re planning on getting a headset with inbuilt mic:

      Audio-Technica ath-adg1x
      Massdrop x Sennheiser PC37X
      Sennheiser GSP 500

      I currently use an Audio-Technica ATH-AG1X which is the closed back version of the ADG1X. The closed back version is okay but I can’t hear myself talk, I don’t like the feeling of not being able to hear myself. Your own voice sounds muffled and you don’t know if you’re talking at the right volume. I’ll definitely test it out with the X3’s mic monitoring feature.

      The best value/cheapest “audiophile” headphones you should buy are the Phillips SHP9500. You can buy them for around $110AUD delivered from Aliexpress, but delivery will take around a month. If you can wait they’re excellent value and also work well for gaming.

      Pair them up with a VModa Boom Pro microphone ($57] and you have one of the best gaming headsets.

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/401551

      https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32833416556.html

      https://youtu.be/Y4hmyUi5K28

      https://youtu.be/CLPa1ejmKXE

      https://youtu.be/euoVAmgp0Lw

      • anicca on 22/06/2020 - 20:52
        +1

        Wow thank you for the comprehensive reply, much appreciated! Will check out the Phillips SHP9500 for sure.

        • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 21:41

          Happy to help. Yeah that would be my pick as well. The Phillips SHP9500 or Sennheiser HD58X.

          Have a look on YouTube, there are a lot of videos praising the Phillips. It’ll be hard to find anything better and cheaper.

      • G-rig on 23/06/2020 - 06:54

        Just built a new pc for some light gaming (and work sometimes), thought I'd ask if onboard sound is reasonable these days? Sounded ok with my DT990 Pros ($50 off at a Manny's sale), was going to get a better quality 3.5mm-RCA as i got a (M-Stage headphone amp). I did notice a bit of noise, but probably ok for gaming. An all in one DAC/Amp be good but may as well use what I've got already - My DACMagic is being used elsewhere with some monitors but great setup with PC so wondering what else is around without spending a fortune.
        Cheers

        • emoticon on 23/06/2020 - 10:50

          This guy explains it better than I could: https://youtu.be/2RL-IumWJK8

          But in general yes a dac/amp makes a difference.

          You have one of the best audiophile open back headphones, using it with a DAC/amp would make it sound even better.

          For a dac/amp with a mic input for the budget conscious there aren’t that many choices.

          Cheapest even when it’s not on sale is the X3 @ $179.95 full price/ $159.95 on sale.

          The G6 is still on sale @ $199.95.

          The only other option I can think of is the Schiit Fulla 3 @ $210 via Schiit.

          If you want mic monitoring/side tone the X3 is your only option at a low price point.

          If not either the G6 or Fulla will work as well.

          • G-rig on 23/06/2020 - 13:11

            @emoticon: Yeah mate it sounds great with the DAC + Headphone amp combo, both being decent gear just didn't want to pinch the DAC from my other setup. Will test it out once i get the 3.5mm-RCA cable but usually best to go optical out and doesn't matter about the onboard sound quality (used to be pretty lousy back in the day).

            The DT990 Pros are pretty comfortable and good open stage, think quite good for gaming. I don't personally think they are that hard to drive but obviously the sound is a fair/bit better. Sennheiser HD650 would be better or the 1990 Pro, both a lot more $$. The 990pro has a little harshness around 10k khz have tried out some EQ programs that sort it, but good when PC is source (but wouldn't notice it for gaming).

            Was just seeing what was about, Audiolab m-dac (/m-dac plus/m-one) would be a little probably get stuff all if sold mine.

  • mctubster on 22/06/2020 - 17:36
    +3

    If you have a modern motherboard with decent built in sound and you want virtual surround for games you should check out https://sourceforge.net/projects/hesuvi/

    They have captured all of the different sound virtualisations to binaural (headphones) including the GSX1000 and various others eg

    • Dolby Atmos Headphone
      – CMSS-3D
      – SBX Pro Studio Surround (also found in BlasterX Acoustic Engine & THX TruStudio Pro)
      – Dolby Headphone
      – Sennheiser GSX Binaural 7.1
      – DTS Headphone:X
      and many others.

    It also has eq curves for most headphones. Great bit of software and puts the surround processing software supplied (like Creatives) to shame. Better off spending your cash on a decent headphone amp imho. Cheers

    • Jiv on 22/06/2020 - 22:54

      Didn't think anyone else would mention HeSuVi.

      Tried other options, but many seem to miss the mark on the importance of equalizing headphones to achieve accurate head-related transfer function (HRTF), or only have limited preconfigured headphones.

      HRTF is a simulation/replication of how the shape of your ears shifts sound waves such that you can tell the position of the sound source (e.g. front or behind). Headphones without flat frequency response (or equalized to flat) distorts that HRTF.

      HeSuVi offers both HRTF of many well known products (Senn GSX1000, Dolby Atmos, CMSS-3D, SBX Pro), and equalizer for multitude of headphones.

      HeSuVi is a bit fiddly to configure, but once you've got it you can get a good positional audio queue. Things behind you actually sound like it's behind you.

      The best bit is HeSuVi is all free.

    • Bunnyburger on 22/06/2020 - 23:55

      Thanks Mctubster, you da real MVP. I already have good headphones and dac/amp combo. It works a treat!

    • G-rig on 23/06/2020 - 13:02

      wondering what decent built in sound is, got a B450m Mortar Max. Has the quality changed from about 8 years ago on these things?
      Not usually one for sound effects and can't imagine gaming with a mic personally, just some casual playing

    • G-rig on 24/06/2020 - 07:38

      Agree rather spend on good cans, DAC & headphone amp, the gaming sound quality experience should be just as good (particularly with open headphones) without needing all the surround effects and gimmicks IMO.

      I'm actually considering the Ifi Zen Dac for the PC setup, pretty good for $199. Just checking if it can decode MQA (Tidal, master quality - not that I have it but good to test out the trial perhaps).

  • isaachary on 22/06/2020 - 17:41
    +1

    I am so sad I literally bought this online last night……..

    • sukablyat on 22/06/2020 - 18:14

      It's worth shooting them an email and asking if they can knock it off post-purchase (refund the difference).

    • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 18:54

      Oh wow, unlucky. I’m guessing you bought from Mwave or another retailer?

    • ItsMeAgro on 22/06/2020 - 19:27

      28 degrees mastercard price guarantee thingo?

  • tebbybabes on 22/06/2020 - 18:15

    I'm perfectly happy with the stuff that comes out of my on-board sound. I'm a long time user that started with an SB16, then an SBLive!, then a Xonar DG. My current build no longer has a sound card and I haven't really run into any issues.

    However, up until recently, I've never really hooked up a mic because I've never communicated with anyone in games before. I have a closed-back headset and yes, I find mic monitoring is invaluable. Like the OP, I have noticed the delay, but find it workable. I'd enjoy a lag free experience, but am not sure I can justify the extra cost. My biggest gripe with the windows 10 mic monitor is the number of clicks to get to it. I only enable it when I'm in voice comms and not anytime else because having it on prevents my windows from sleeping. I wish there was a simple app for toggling this off and on like there was when I was using the Xonar DG.

    As a side note, are there any other, more affordable, ways to get this type of lag free mic monitoring/side tone?

    • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 19:33
      +1

      Yeah I know exactly what you mean.

      Right now I have a closed back headset so I have no choice but to use the mic monitoring option on Windows otherwise the expensive gaming headset i bought would be unusable when I need to talk to people online.

      I didn’t know the difference between open back vs closed back headphones back then since it was my first gaming headset.

      That voice lag using windows mic monitoring is so bad but I put up with it.

      I’ve read many reddit threads and searched online for the exact same thing but I’m pretty sure the only way you can achieve a zero latency/lag free mic monitoring is via a hardware solution which specifically supports the feature (side tone).

      As far as I know the Sound Blaster X3 is the cheapest device that allows you to do this flawlessly.

      The Sound Blaster G6 is supposed to let you do this but still lags (software issue) and hasn’t updated yet to fix it and probably won’t since it’s been a couple of years.

      The next alternative I can think of is the Sennheiser GSX 1000 but that costs $200 more.

      I’ve read of some paid software solution but it still lags a bit, not as much as windows though. I don’t remember the name though but I remember it wasn’t worth it.

      If anyone can chime in on mic monitoring without lag, I’m also eager to find out more.

      P.S. with the X3 you can enable/disable the mic monitoring using the volume wheel. I’m pretty sure you hold it down for a few seconds or something like that.

  • ClintonL on 22/06/2020 - 18:31
    +1

    Instock again for backorder.

    • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 18:53

      Wow that didn’t last long, less than 15 minutes. it’s back to showing Back in Stock Soon.

      They’ll release more stock soon. Make sure you sign up for stock updates on the website.

    • combatant on 22/06/2020 - 18:53
      +1

      Got an email about 25 mins ago saying back in stock, but missed out again and it's showing as "back in stock soon".

      • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 19:00
        +1

        Yeah nearly 2000 clicks for a deal that “expired” within an hour of posting. I’m guessing a lot of people signed up for stock updates as well.

        They’ll definitely release more stock, I hope you get yours soon, you were one of the first to comment on this deal.

      • emoticon on 19/07/2020 - 09:52

        The Creative Sound Blaster X3 is back on sale and in stock.

        https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/552658

  • skyjava on 22/06/2020 - 19:31
    +1

    Which one is better? The X3 or the G6?

    • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 20:03

      They’re very comparable.

      If you need/want mic monitoring (being able to hear your own voice in real time without any lag), then go for the X3.

      If you want the latest in virtual surround sound (being able to hear as if there are physical speakers all around you while wearing headphones), go for the X3.

      If you want slightly (subjective) better quality audio or a slightly stronger/louder amp, then go for the G6.

      They’re very similar, the biggest difference in my opinion is the mic monitoring ability on the X3. But that only matters if you plan on gaming online and speaking with people.

      Have a look at the YouTube reviews I’ve linked, you’ll be able to find many more comparisons/reviews online.

  • ShrewdOrJustTight on 22/06/2020 - 22:00
    +2

    Creative have had it at this price on and off for the last three months. If you missed out, wait a few days to a week and stock will become available and price will drop again.

    More impressive is the Sound Blaster X7 at $395 delivered (RRP $649… $699 at PCCG, Scorptec, CPL): https://au.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-x7#buy

  • CalmLemons on 22/06/2020 - 22:56

    I'm still using an xtrememusic pci sound card from ages ago.

    I've got z623 2.1 logitches, will i even hear any difference?

    • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 23:42

      Possibly, I can’t say for sure if you’ll hear a difference.

      Im hoping I googled your sound card right, it’s well over 10 years old?

      The X3 is basically a portable sound card, even if you’re not using the dac and amp with headphones, it’s still a 2019 (released in Sept 2019) sound card vs one released in 2005.

      There would’ve been improvements in processor, sound processing, codecs made in the past 10-15 years, I can’t say for sure if it’ll be noticeable to you but I’m going to take a guess and say yes.

      Someone on reddit is using the exact same speaker of yours with the X3, so I’m guessing it’s worth while, instructions on how to connect the speakers to the X3 are in the link.

      https://www.reddit.com/r/SoundBlasterOfficial/comments/f8n4u…

      Someone else with more knowledge might be able to chime in and answer your question better.

  • Matt86 on 22/06/2020 - 23:01
    +1

    I'm super keen to get mine. Been wanting to get a DAC for some time, so this will be my first and possibly not last if it impresses me.

    Driving ATH-M40x's, ATH-PDG1's, Creative T40 II's and possibly even my classic Microlab Solo 6c's via my Shield TV.

    • emoticon on 22/06/2020 - 23:48

      Same here, it’ll be my first.

      I’m guessing you were able to place an order after it was sold out the first time?

      Just received the notification that mine was shipped via FedEx. Someone above received theirs in 4-5 days. So hopefully it’ll arrive soon.

  • Raj09 on 22/06/2020 - 23:46
    +1

    I don't need an x3 as I've got the g6. Definitely a recommended upgrade to your sound. I use it to drive a grado gh3 and a focal clear. Amazing.

  • Lucien on 23/06/2020 - 00:07
    +2

    Looks like the sale price ended without any more stock being available.

  • Davesday on 23/06/2020 - 00:14

    Strange I got a notification that it is back in stock but it goes out of stock again.

    Anyway I am current using iFi-Audio iDAC2 and the sound quality is excellent. However it doesn't support mic-in so I have to rely on the onboard audio for that application. Would the X3 or G6 or even the GSX1000 be any better in this case? I care more on music quality.

    • emoticon on 23/06/2020 - 10:12

      Ah okay so you need a DAC/Amp with a mic in?

      The DAC you have costs like $550!

      If you want/need mic monitoring (being able to hear your own voice in real-time without any lag) The X3 or GSX1000 would be a good choice.

      X3 > GSX1000

      Mic monitoring is essential if you use closed back headphones to communicate, less so with open backs.

      Try speaking with open/closed backs on, if you can hear yourself properly and are comfortable with it, you probably don’t need mic monitoring.

      Now if you don’t need mic monitoring you have a couple more options that would suit.

      Schiit Fulla 3 ($260 Australian retailer or $210 direct via Schiit)
      Schiit Hel ($550 Australian retailer or $350 direct via Schiit)
      Creative Sound Blaster G6 ($199 via Creative AU)

      Any of those would be good. Have a look online/YouTube for reviews.

      • Davesday on 23/06/2020 - 12:53

        Yeah I bought the DAC on gumtree from a random audiophile for like $400 many years ago. It was so good I bought the iDSD Black Label years later for personal enjoyment. I don't use headphones during gaming sessions (just didn't like my ears squished during long sessions) but rather just like a mic input. Maybe I should just buy those USB Mic that are decent quality.

        • emoticon on 23/06/2020 - 15:06
          +2

          Ahh okay, I have a better sense of what you need now.

          Yeah don’t bother getting another dac/amp, yours is no slouch.

          Plus you’re not going to be using headphones for gaming anyways, so that rules out most analogue 3.5mm mics like the modmic/audio technica atgm 2 or dedicated gaming headsets which use 3.5mm. Plus you won’t need mic monitoring.

          So getting a dac with a 3.5mm mic input doesn’t make much sense since you probably won’t have a mic to use it with. There aren’t that many 3.5mm mics used separately from a headphone/headset.

          Since you’re not using headphones that means you’ll be needing a desktop mic and most of those are USB based, again getting rid of the need for a dac/amp with a mic input.

          There’s plenty of mics you can choose.

          Blue Yeti / Yeti X
          Hyper X Quadcast
          Rode NTUSB
          Audio Tedhnica AT2020
          Samson G Track Pro
          Razer Seiren / Seiren Elite

          Plus heaps more.

          In your use case it makes more sense to keep your current dac and use a separate USB mic when gaming. Saves money plus you won’t be doubling up on a new dac/amp you don’t really need.

    • emoticon on 19/07/2020 - 09:52

      The Creative Sound Blaster X3 is back on sale and in stock.

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/552658

  • EvilOverLord on 23/06/2020 - 08:53
    +3

    Now taking backorders, but at full price. Oh well.

  • Matt86 on 05/07/2020 - 20:16
    +1

    Got mine today (it was shipped to a mates, as we got one each and split shipping).

    First impressions in direct mode it's nice, the sound is definitely a warmer and more full sound (in direct mode) then my on-board sound with my Gigabyte Z370 Aorus Gaming 7.

    It's also nice and convenient for me as I have speakers and a headset so I can switch with it easily as well which is nice.

    I'm yet to test it more in-depth with the other sounds effects or even for chat.

    The other thing I didn't expect is that it supports 4 post (as opposed to 3 post) headphones too (that is mic and left/right on the same cable).

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