Today we’re testing the Sound Blaster X1, a Hi-res USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier with Super X-Fi® from Creative, a reputation identified within the fanatic audio division. This new USB-C machine means that you can use your favourite wired ⅛″ / 3.5mm headset and join it to your PlayStation, Nintendo Switch console, and even your telephone. Come take a look at our evaluate of this new machine!
Discover particulars you’ve by no means heard earlier than with the Sound Blaster X1.
Designed particularly to ship highly effective and pristine audio to your headphones, the tremendous compact Sound Blaster X1 upgrades your audio high quality immediately to high-resolution playback with its built-in AKM 4377 DAC. Coupled with the Ti/Burr-Brown™ INA1620 twin audio operational amplifier, the Sound Blaster X1 amplifies and delivers crisp audio to additional improve your listening expertise. In easy phrases, the Sound Blaster X1 acts because the intermediary between your machine and headphones to provide your audio a clearer, louder, and extra impactful enhance together with Super X-Fi® Headphone Holography.
Connect it immediately by way of USB-C to your PC, Mac, PlayStation® consoles, or Nintendo Switch™, and it enhances your machine’s audio with little effort. It additionally comes with playback and mic mute buttons, in addition to SmartComms Kit by way of the Creative app on PC and Mac, for a fuss-free option to talk on-line throughout conferences and even in-game chats.
Presentation
The Sound Blaster X1 is a USB DAC – Digital to Analog Converter – that takes the audio of a tool like a pc, cellphone, or gaming console and converts it to an analog sign. This machine means that you can use your favourite wired ⅛″ / 3.5mm headset together with your newer gadgets, supplied they’ve a USB-C port.
The machine is barely larger than a typical USB key and is mild, weighing solely 15 g / 0.5 oz. I preferred how sturdy the machine appears and the textured steel end that’s smooth to the contact. I actually like the shape issue of this machine. I even used it for a few of my day by day walks whereas it was plugged into my cellphone in my pocket – the USB Type-C connector can also be solidly hooked.
Features
There are 4 buttons on the Sound Blaster X1. There’s one for Volume Up and one other for Volume Down for the built-in amplifier. The most important button on prime allows or disables the Super X-Fi® audio enhancer. The final button is used to regulate the microphone’s muted state. It would have been good to have a small notch on the Volume Up and Down buttons so as to have the ability to change the quantity when the machine is sitting in my pocket throughout a stroll, however that’s about it.
In addition to changing digital audio indicators to your analog headset, the built-in controls on the machine will let you amplify the quantity of your headset independently from the incoming sound sign utilizing a high-precision AKM 32-bit DAC that may ship as much as 115 dB SNR at 24-bit / 96 kHz.
Using this machine additionally means that you can drastically improve the incoming sound sign with Super X-Fi®, Creative’s sound expertise. By merely urgent the spherical button on the higher a part of the Sound Blaster X1 machine, the audio sign will immediately be enhanced to Surround, delivering a wealthy depth. The result’s actually spectacular and an enormous step above the common analog headphones’ sound high quality. I additionally preferred that when the machine is plugged right into a USB-C machine, the LED coloration adjustments relying on the Super X-Fi activation standing: when disabled could have an orange LED lit, and when it’s enabled, the LED is strong inexperienced.
You also can use it for workplace conferences, and there’s an lively two-way Noise Cancellation characteristic that works on the microphone recording and headset playback ranges. You can mute your microphone by urgent the spherical button between the Volume Up and Down buttons, and the X1 will affirm muting by altering the LED coloration to a strong purple for a number of seconds.
Sound Blaster X1 and PlayStation
I linked the USB Type-C connector to my PlayStation 5 console, and the Audio Output Device was virtually immediately acknowledged as a USB Headset. It then delivered the audio by way of my headset. Not solely does the PlayStation 5 acknowledge this as a 3D Ready USB Audio Device, however enabling Super X-Fi on the X1 in video games was really wonderful, including encompass sound and reaching sound results I wasn’t in a position to hear earlier than!
The Sound Blaster X1 is a strong machine permitting you to make use of your analog wired headphones with trendy {hardware}. I preferred the machine’s small and light-weight type issue and the way sturdy it was. Pressing the Super X-Fi button drastically enhances the audio high quality, and the result’s wonderful. If you will have a wired headset you wish to preserve, then it is a machine you must take into account.
Connectivity
– In: USB Type-C
– Out: ⅛″ / 3.5mm Headphone-out Jack (4-pole, CTIA)
Creative Sound Blaster X1 Package and Contents
1 x Sound Blaster X1
1 x USB Type-C to Type-C
1 x Quick Start Leaflet
You should purchase your Creative Sound Blaster X1 proper right here (MSRP $69.99).
Disclaimer
This Creative Sound Blaster X1 evaluate relies on a duplicate supplied by Creative.
