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Sound Blaster X3
Hi-res 7.1 External USB DAC and Amp Sound Card with Super X-Fi® for PC and Mac
VIDEO
Features
Overview
Raising the bar for your desktop movie experience, X3 comes packed full of features that promise the best cinematic experience at home, regardless of your preference for speakers or headphones. It is the world's first external multi-channel USB DAC and Amp to feature our award-winning Super X-Fi technology, as well as 7.1 discrete surround on speakers, 7.1 virtual surround on headphones, and Dolby Digital Live1. Coupled with high-quality audio components that power hi-res 32-bit / 192 kHz playback at 115 dB DNR / SNR, you can be sure that audio is delivered with studio-level precision and clarity.
And when it comes to versatility, the X3 is unmatched. Featuring a myriad of connectivity options including a USB-C port, Optical-out, and Line-in that makes it compatible with most audio devices, X3 is set to redefine your movie and gaming experience at the comfort of your home.
1Dolby Digital Live is only available on Windows.
VIEW FULL SPECIFICATIONS Multi-Channel Surround
7.1 Virtual Surround
If you prefer the usual 7.1 virtual surround without headphone holography, X3 also supports up to 7.1 virtual surround for headphones.
7.1 Discrete Surround
That's not all — Sound Blaster X3 works beyond just headphones. With support for multi-channel audio output of up to 7.1 discrete surround in speakers, enjoy binge-watching on your latest series effortlessly with surround sound delivery that's distinctively positioned for audio envelopment.
Besides, there's no need to sacrifice your room's physical space for an actual 7.1 sound system! Simply connect the Sound Blaster X3 to your computer for immersive surround sound output which is perfect for gaming sessions with friends, or to impress that special someone during movie nights.
For Window users, there's also Dolby Digital Live1 for convenience of encoding any audio sources to multi-channel surround sound in real-time, all while transmitting data using only a single optical cable solution for decoding on a home theater system.
1Dolby Digital Live is only available on Windows.
Super X-Fi
What's Super X-Fi?
Introducing the world's first external USB DAC and Amp sound card to house the Super X-Fi technology, Sound Blaster X3 redefines your movie experience on PC, Mac and even PlayStation 4.
Critically-acclaimed by respected journalists all over the world and garnering 23 CES “Best-of” awards in 2019 and 2020, the Super X-Fi technology captures the listening experience of a high-end multi-speaker system set up, and recreates the same expansive experience — with the same original depth, detail, realism, and immersiveness — in your headphones. Not simply a 3D surround technology, the power of Super X-Fi lies in its capability to recreate natural, realistic audio holography that matches your hearing profile, to deliver to you a full theatrical experience.
Redefine Your Movie Experience
Imagine watching a film at home, putting on a pair of headphones, and feeling the audio move around you like the movie experience you get out of a real cinema. What's more, it works even on streamed content! Whether you're streaming the latest 4K movie off iTunes, or watching compressed clips off YouTube, the Super X-Fi processor in the X3 automatically transform videos into full-fledged, cinematic audio experience.
Concerts and Music Festivals
We can't physically bring you back to that last concert you've attended, but we can definitely help you relive the ambience and energy of that performance! When switched on, Super X-Fi brings you to the heart of a live concert with the same expanded soundstage as if you were there in person. Hear the crowd, feel the passion of your favorite band, and get absolutely pumped for the next concert.
Great for Gaming
Headphone fatigue? Thing of the past. Super Xi-Fi technology re-create natural sound in headphones that gives you a real sense of space and distance. With these Super X-Fi's spatialized effect, your game audio will sound natural to your ears, instead of sounding like the audio is piped directly into your ear canals like typical headphones, so you can extend your gaming sessions without headphone fatigue!
with Super X-Fi's hyper-realistic audio effects! Super X-Fi opens up the soundstage in your headphones and delivers incredibly immersive sound enhancements! Now with Super X-Fi Gen2, experience a whole new level of surround sound gaming with your open-world games.
GEN2 IS HERE!
Super X-Fi Gen2 is a result of our continuous research effort. With our improved AI engine and tweaks along the way, you can expect Super X-Fi Gen2 to work better across a broader range of content, especially for movies and games.
Specifically, there are 4 main areas of improvements:
IMPROVED SURROUND SOUND CONFIGURATION
Hear more details in your surround sound configuration and enjoy more precise audio cue positioning when watching movies or playing games
CLEARER DIALOGUES IN MOVIES
With Super X-Fi Gen2, dialogues are clearer than ever so you can pay full attention to what's happening on the screen
STUDIO-LIKE MUSIC LISTENING EXPERIENCE
Enhanced audio fidelity in Gen2 coupled with the Super X-Fi holographic audio effect gives you a listening experience as though you're at the recording studio
MORE EFFICIENT POWER CONSUMPTION
Improved AI engine also brings about more efficient power usage. This translates to approximately 10% lower battery consumption for SXFI AIR and SXFI AMP!
Gen2 is available for all SXFI customers! Once your setup is done, your device will automatically upgrade to the latest firmware version available. Check if your device has the latest firmware here.
Step 1
Download SXFI App on your mobile device and register for a Super X-Fi account.
(This is different from your Creative Store account).
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Step 2
Create your Super X-Fi profile via the SXFI App, select ‘Personalize' via the menu tab, and follow the guided Head and Ear-Mapping process.
Step 4
Load your Super X-Fi profile onto Sound Blaster X3 by logging onto your account (as registered in Step 1) on Creative app software via the SXFI tab.
Connectivity
The X3 is highly versatile and compatible with many devices! Featuring a myriad of connectivity options, X3 is specially designed to be used with many platforms — you'll be spoilt for choice.
Hover over the devices to see how to connect it with the X3.
Analog Speaker System
Mobile device / Audio player
AV Receiver
PC / Mac / PS4 / Switch
1. Analog Speaker System
2. Mobile device / Audio player
3. AV Receiver
4. PC / Mac / PS4 / Switch
Controls
The Perfect Chat and Game Mix
Find the perfect harmony between two audio sources with X3's Audio Balance feature — perfect for use during conference calls while listening to music or podcasts at the same time. X3's Volume Control Knob allows you to toggle your audio control between the SPDIF interface and speaker sources simply by turning the knob left to right, and vice versa.
You can also control the volume mix between your gaming audio and voice audio of your teammates to hear them better.
Customize Your EQ Modes
Right out of the box, there are three specially-tuned EQ modes that are designed to enhance audio for different usages. Simply press the “Mode” button on X3 to cycle through the different modes — Music, Movies, and Footsteps Enhancer.
These EQ modes are also customizable so you can further tweak them to your liking, and save your preferred settings to each mode via the Creative app software or mobile app.
| Mode 1 — Music | Get instant bass enhancement to your current tune. | |
| Mode 2 — Movies | Hear the characters dialogues clearly without compromising the background effects. | |
| Mode 3 — Footsteps Enhancer | Bring your team to victory with that footsteps enhancer that allows you hear beyond what you see. |
Audio
Powerful Audio Performance
The Sound Blaster X3 features a 600Ω headphone amplifier that's capable of driving studio-grade headphones with ease. Coupled with 32-bit / 192 kHz playback, enjoy detailed audio with clarity and accuracy. Thanks to the extra power from the amp, you'll get a load more volume!
Audio Processing
Industry-Leading Audio Processing
To further boost your audio experience with the X3, we've also included our industry-leading audio processing technologies — featuring Sound Blaster Acoustic Engine's full suite of audio enhancements and delivered through the redesigned Creative app.
Streamlined and optimized, it's now easier than ever to customize your audio quickly for your specific needs. We've upgraded the software support for Sound Blaster X3 from Sound Blaster Command software to the latest Creative app! For existing users, you can download and update the Creative app here.
DOWNLOAD THE CREATIVE APP SOFTWARE
Customization
Personalize Everything
Take full command of your audio setup and customize them to your preference! For PC users, there are loads of customizable settings for the Sound Blaster X3 on the Creative app. The best part? You can choose to tweak each and every element, or switch them off completely.
Mobile Remote Control
For more convenience, you can also manage Sound Blaster X3 from your mobile devices using wireless Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) via the Creative app app. Without the hassle of switching between PC and console, you can customize and save EQ settings, switch between EQ and SXFI, or switch between Headphone and Speaker output — all the necessary controls on your mobile phone.
Compatibility
Platform Compatibility
We have also summarized the features of X3 and their feature compatibility across platforms in this table.
Windows Desktop / Laptop
Mac OS
PS4
PS5
Nintendo Switch
*Via Creative app app for Android and iOS devices.
REVIEWS
Tech Radar
Creative delivers a bevy of different sound options worth listening to with its latest external sound card that's worth it if you're tired of bad-sounding computer speakers.
4/5 Stars
Wyattlecadre
Personally, I like the X3 a lot and in my opinion Creative Labs put together an excellent product and implemented it with precision. I say this because there were moments were I listened to specific sections of a movie long after what I needed to hear had past. The sound experience kept me engaged even when I was suppose to move on to something else. This is what good audio is about. Capturing and captivating you and not letting you go which is something you can not physically measure.
Eurogamer.net
Great audio processing, both 7.1 speaker and headphone outputs, good software.
Customer Reviews
m. Homan
great bit of kit. external, easy to set up and use.
C. Hare
Absolutely love this product. After buying endless headphones for my gaming and music consumption, I have finally found what I was missing. If you are looking for something that brings to life your music and your games. This is a necessity for any set up. The software was extremely easy to use and within 10 minutes you'll have everything setup and ready to go. Plus it looks great on my desk!
C. W. Y. Huat
Great sound and great software. Expected from Creative. My sound experience has been elevated to another level.
A Closer Look
Specifications
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Weight
- 330g
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Dimensions
- 129 mm x 129 mm x 40.6 mm
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Dynamic Range (DNR)
- 115 dB
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Audio Technology
- X-Fi, Sound Blaster Acoustic Engine, Super X-Fi, GameVoice Mix
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Max. Playback Quality
- Sampling Rate (Playback) :
Direct Mode:
Playback Resolution (Stereo): PCM 16/24/32-bit / 48.0, 96.0, 192.0 kHz
Playback Resolution (Optical Out): PCM 16/24-bit / 48.0, 96.0, 192.0 kHz
Surround 7.1: PCM 16/24/32-bit / 48.0, 96.0, 192.0 kHz
Dolby Digital Live: 16-bit, 48.0 kHz
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Max. Recording Quality
- Line-in:
16/24-bit, 48.0, 96.0, 192.0 kHz
Mic-in:
16/24-bit / 48.0, 96.0, 192,0 kHz
What-U-Hear
16/24-bit, 48.0, 96.0, 192.0 kHz
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Recording Resolution
- Mic-in: 16 / 24-bit 48.0, 96.0, 192.0 kHz
Line-in: 16 / 24-bit 48.0, 96.0, 192.0 kHz
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Connectivity Options (Main)
- 1 x TOSLINK Optical Out, 1 x ⅛″ Rear Out, 1 x ⅛″ Center / Sub Out, 1 x 1/8″ Headphone / Headset Jack, 1 x ⅛″ Front-out, 1 x ⅛″ Side Out Jack, 1 x USB-C port for PC / Mac, 1 x ⅛″ Line-in Jack
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Headphone Amp
- Supported Headphone Impedance: 32–600Ω, Low Gain: 32–149Ω (1.2V RMS @ 32Ω, 1.5V RMS @ 150Ω), High Gain: 150–600Ω (2.3V RMS @ 150Ω, 2.9V RMS @ 600Ω)
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Max Channel Output
- 7.1 Channels
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Supported Operating Systems
- Windows® 8.1, Windows® 10, Mac OS X v10.12 and above, Windows® 11
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Included Accessories
- USB-A to USB-C Cable (2m / 6.56 ft)
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DAC
- Dynamic Range (Stereo): 115 dB, THD+N (Stereo): 0.0004%
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ADC
- Dynamic Range: 104 dB, THD+N: 0.0017%
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Power
- USB Bus Powered, USB-C
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Recommended Usage
- Movies and Music
System Requirements
- Intel® Core™i3 or AMD® equivalent processor
- Intel, AMD, or 100% compatible motherboard
- Microsoft® Windows 10 32 / 64-bit, Windows 8.1 / 8.0 32 / 64-bit, Windows 7 32 / 64-bit
- 1 GB RAM
- > 600 MB of free hard disk space
- USB 2.0 / USB 3.0 port
- Mac OS X® 10.12 or higher
- Supports Intel-based and Apple CPU chipsets
- 1 GB RAM
- USB 2.0 / USB 3.0 port
- Firmware Ver 5.0 or later
- Available USB port
- Firmware Ver 20 or later
- Available USB port
- Switch OS 5.0 or later
- Available USB port (in docking mode)
- External USB Power (not included)
- Voice communications is title dependent
- Android OS Ver 7.0 or later
- Device must have built-in Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) support
- iOS Ver 11.0 or later
- Device must have built-in Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) support
^ Use as a remote controller for Sound Blaster X3 on PS4 / Nintendo Switch only, does not support Bluetooth audio streaming
Package Contents
- Sound Blaster X3
- USB Type-A to Type-C Cable
- Quick Start Guide and Leaflets
- Warranty Leaflets
Warranty
2-year Limited Hardware Warranty (EU Countries)
1-year Limited Hardware Warranty (Non-EU Countries)
Featured Questions
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What is Audio Balance?
Audio Balance allows user to control and attenuate the output volume of 2 separate playback endpoints by turning the volume knob in a clockwise/anti-clockwise direction. The 2 playback endpoints on Sound Blaster X3 are Speakers and SPDIF Out respectively. Applying this concept, user can launch 2 different software with one output/playback its audio to “Speakers” and the other playback its audio to “SPDIF Out”.
User can apply such configuration in various scenarios such as listening to music while chatting with friends on a VoIP software, you will want to listen to the music and reduce the chat volume when the conversation is not of interest to you; or watching a movie while listening to a podcast; or when playing a FPS game with team mates when the game audio over-powers your team mates' chat volume, you will want to reduce the game audio so that you can hear your team mates' chat clearer, or vise-versa.
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Why does the Super X-Fi feature automatically switches off when I turn on EQ?
Super X-Fi is an audio technology that naturally recreates the sound stage of a high-end, multi speaker system. So, users can enjoy the maximum capability of Super X-Fi.
When Super X-Fi is turned on, the EQ modes will be switched off. Similarly, when the EQ mode is switched on, Super X-Fi will be switched off.
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What is the Creative app and what happened to the Sound Blaster Command software?To make our product and software more efficient, we have built one app to replace them all. The Creative app comes with new enhancements such as smart communication features and features to personalize audio settings. Existing users are still able to use the Sound Blaster Command software. However, we recommend upgrading to the latest version to receive the best audio experience. Visit creative.com/support/sbx3 to download the latest firmware.
