CREATIVE Sound Blaster X5 Hi-res 32bit/384kHz External USB DAC with Fully Balanced Xamp Headphone Bi-amp, Bluetooth Receiver, RCA in/-out, TOSLINK Optical in/-out, Mic-in, Headset-in for Audiophiles

Fantastic product. Bit pricey but if you have good speakers and good headphones it blows high end on board sound out the water. The difference in Driving Sims like Le Mans Ultimate is AMAZING! Worth it 😁 Works FLAWLESSLY on my Asus x870e-e motherboard no crackling or popping for me. Just download the creative app, install latest firmware and driver and it works perfectly. Happy Days.

Arrives well packed in a smart box with plenty of foam inside to protect the sound-card. Unpacking there is the main unit, three cables (USB, Phono and Optical), and some booklets, one of which is a quick-start. The main unit is quite big so you better check the dimensions. Oddly the manual doesn’t mention a PC until the last page. However, a quick trip to the Sound Blaster site and you download the app, which makes light work of setting up the device through a very simple, friendly interface. The app also seemed to switch my onboard sound-card off and set everything up so the new unit just worked and that was that. By the way, the unit is powered through the usb port so if you want to use it without a PC you will need a USB power supply. The USB-C cable they provide can be used just to power the unit or as a data cable for the PC. It’s a type A on the PC end so if you have or want anything different you will have to buy your own cable. As you would expect, it sounds very good indeed and worked flawlessly. I wanted mine to replace the rather poor effort on my motherboard. The app is simple but actually contains a lot of features. If you have used Sound Blaster products before, there are no shocks. Gone are the days of tons of different apps, there is just one and it highly intuitive. Plenty of different effects or none at all for the purists. My guess is that you can install the app without the product to see if it’s to your liking (I didn’t try that, but I don’t see why not.). Recommended. A serious upgrade from onboard sound and a a really nice external package.

this sound card audio quality is out of this world, with some minor bugs like usual sound blaster

Crackles and static cause the sound quality to be absolutely appalling. Overpriced and is simply not fit for purpose - numerous issues reported on forums about the awful sound quality, static and distortion. Sadly I only found these forum posts after I received my X5 and very quickly realising it was awful. The speakers connected to it are Bose so not exactly cheap ones nor were any of the leads I used to connect it all together. Creative known this is a problem and no resolution in sight.

Brilliant piece of kit if it's what you're looking for. I use it USB connected to my laptop and power two monitor speakers and also a soundbar/sub via the optical out option. I've also just purchased an Akai MPC Live 2 music production unit and this feeds into the line in option on the back of the SB unit. It sounds fantastic and although I don't really use all the available extra options for customised sound via the app on the laptop, it does the job of blasting music and enhancing game play dramatically as is for me.

As someone who’s cycled through a fair share of DACs and amps, I picked up the CREATIVE Sound Blaster X5 not expecting it to seriously compete with my more expensive setups — but I’m honestly impressed by how much value and flexibility it offers, especially at this price point. First, sound quality: the X5 delivers truly clean, detailed audio across the board. Running high-res 32bit/384kHz files, the clarity is immediately noticeable — excellent separation, wide but natural soundstage, and a tight, controlled low-end without any mud. Mids are clean and voices sound extremely lifelike. Treble is extended but smooth, avoiding the harshness you sometimes get in cheaper DAC/amps. It genuinely brings out the nuances in well-recorded tracks without coloring the sound too much. The balanced Xamp bi-amplification is the real deal — it drives my planar headphones (HIFIMAN Sundaras and a pair of Focal Clears) without any issue, and with noticeably better dynamics compared to single-ended setups. Even at higher volumes, the background remains silent with no audible hiss. Inputs and outputs are extremely versatile. RCA in/out, optical in/out, USB-C connection, mic/headset jacks — it's basically a full desktop hub. Bluetooth receiver quality is surprisingly decent too; not as pristine as wired, obviously, but perfectly acceptable for casual listening. Mic support is a bonus if you’re gaming or streaming. It’s clear Creative designed this unit to bridge between pure audiophile listening and high-quality general desktop use — and it does so better than I expected. Minor notes: No MQA support (if that matters to you), but native high-res support more than makes up for it. The software is robust but takes a bit of time to tweak if you want to customize everything (thankfully it remembers your settings). It’s not the smallest unit, so make sure you have space on your desk. Overall: If you’re looking for a serious, audiophile-grade DAC/amp that can also handle all the extras (mics, gaming, Bluetooth, optical setups), the Sound Blaster X5 is a phenomenal piece of gear. It punches way above its weight class and would be an easy recommendation for anyone who wants flexibility and genuinely high-end sound without getting lost in the £1,000+ rabbit hole.

Honestly, I would have given 0 stars or - stars!!! Very bad sound card! I can't believe that Creative's best is such horrible product! Static and sparks noise only, almost damaged my speakers! Terrible and expensive!

Yeah not too shabby