CREATIVESound Blaster G8 – Hi-Res Gaming USB DAC with dual USB audio mixing, Dolby Digital, Acoustic Engine, 10-band equalizer, HDMI ARC, RCA in/-out, Optical in/-out, Mic-in, Headset-in for Gamers

Every bit as good as my AE5 soundcard, with the added benefit of being able to connect all my other devices. Unlike the G6 it also has regular software and firmware updates. Excellent sound quality, customisation and build quality.

Hmmm…. the Sound Blaster G8 - a device that promises to elevate your audio experience to celestial heights. In fairness it mostly sort of does, provided you’re willing to wrestle with some challenges en route.Firstly, it actually and efficiently mixes multiple inputs, meaning I could listen to my PC and TV at the same time. I can hear both my gaming noises (Sim City, so nonsensical language anyway) and the TV’s drumroll betrayal (see it coming a mile off) scene in perfect harmony. Finally, technology has reached its peak. Why haven’t I realised before what was clearly missing in my life was the need to mix all these noises together?So plus points…Great sound qualityMultiple inputs – because one source of noise is never enough 🙄Powerful and quality amp - loud enough to make your (and neighbours) ears bleedDecent software – when it worksSome negatives though…Volume knob is tricky – sometimes it mutes, sometimes it tells you where to goDesktop application can throw a strop - eg if you press the Direct Mode button the whole app crashesManual? Erm….what manual? – The instructions are about as helpful as a sat nav system that suggests you take whichever route you want 😬Overall though, I would probably recommend the Sound Blaster G8. The build quality is excellent, the sound quality is superb, it’s really easy to set up and use (even easier if resident teenager does it for you) and it’s not bad value. Teenager has now pinched it anyway, as his brain can cope with multiple sound inputs, whereas I just think I’m hearing voices…

I've been looking for an option to merge TV and PC sound signal into 1 output, so I can listen to both simultaneously. My old Sony Hi-Fi tower was able to mix RCA channels reliably, but it broke down and has been switching between TV and PC channels, but not anymore! The G8 will mix your digital inputs together and offer you a lot more! You can even set every input and output volume, signal bandwidth etc. If you want to be in charge of your multimedia setup and listen to your devices simultaneously, BUY THE G8!I have discovered some flaws as well though: the volume control knob does reduce master volume in Windows, but the device still forwards the signal to other devices such as AVR, so it won't have any effect. Not a deal braker as I can just turn the volume on the AVR instead which is right next to me on the desk, but I think Creative should really address this as not all customers may have another device with volume control for external speakers. The other issue is poor manual instructions and lack of English description (the one language that should be really there).

Great E-ARC Dac at a excellent price point

If you're looking for the best setup for Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite then this is it, made to power your gaming iem's properly. I've tried them all, the Soundblaster X1 G3 G6 GC7 and the Fosi audio K5 pro, the G8 is the one. End game in ear monitor gaming rig!!!

Creatives software is fine enough, for pc you need 2 usb to get the chat mix feature, would have liked one usb a to c instead of 2 usb c to c cables. The dac it's self sounds good easy to use gets loud, 30 - 40% is more than loud enough for me.Knocked a couple stars off. The usb 2 has developed a hum. It seems to happen when using the gamechat feature.

I found this pretty easy to set up. It has a diagram that shows where all the inputs and outputs are located. However, I didn't like the start guide. It is a single massive sheet of paper. All of the languages are mixed together - instead of in their own section and the printing is tiny. It also does not tell you what the different functions do - just assumes that you already know (you can find this information on the internet). It's a little hard to follow.The hardware is compact and looks good. It's weighted and sturdy. There are rubber feet on the bottom so it doesn't slide about.It has a quick toggle button so if you have headphones plugged in you can switch between them almost instantly. It isn't really useful to me as I use Bluetooth headphones and it doesn't support that.I use this a lot for day to day gaming and the sound quality does seem to be excellent for picking out specific sounds and speech over background noises. The sounds are clearer and more distinctive. The creative app for this hardware has equalizer presets (not just between games and movies etc.), but also for many popular games.Overall, I'm happy with this.

Terrible sent back within 30 mins of usethe controls are spread all over the place to alter the bass certain things must be switched onfrequently navigating across different windows within the app to control the sound it is very poorly laid outthe sound itself was awful it was not as good as my onboard sound which sounds bright and open in comparisonthe bass was all-over placevery disappointed