The Sound Blaster Play! 3 is a USB DAC and Amp that provides an instant audio upgrade from the motherboard's sound. It works with Windows and Mac and features a powerful amplifier for a wide range of...
The Sound Blaster Play! 3 is a USB DAC and Amp that provides an instant audio upgrade from the motherboard's sound. It works with Windows and Mac and features a powerful amplifier for a wide range of headphones, from basic mobile phone earbuds to gaming and studio-quality headphones. The downloadable Sound Blaster Control Panel software offers immense audio...
The Sound Blaster Play! 3 is a USB DAC and Amp that provides an instant audio upgrade from the motherboard's sound. It works with Windows and Mac and features a powerful amplifier for a wide range of headphones, from basic mobile phone earbuds to gaming and studio-quality headphones. The downloadable Sound Blaster Control Panel software offers immense audio realism and exciting sound effects and comes with optimized profiles for selected headphone brands.
Instant upgrade to high-resolution sound
Once you upgrade from the onboard sound, you will never go back. The Sound Blaster Play! 3 provides you with such an upgrade, delivering high-resolution 24-bit 96kHz sound for your music, movies, and games.
Studio-like Listening
The Sound Blaster PLAY! 3 has a wide range of headphones - from mobile phone headphones and gaming headphones to expensive studio headphones. The downloadable software also includes optimized profiles for selected headphone brands.
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Quite a good quality DAC, with plenty of settings and presets. I don't believe it can drive 300Ω headphones as Creative claims on its website, but it definitely has more power than it seems.
The equalizer didn't work and I was so frustrated that I almost threw it away. But then I formatted my laptop and it worked like a charm!!!! The equalizer works perfectly, it's very good and overall the sound has changed tremendously! It's worth every penny and more!!!!
I need a USB sound card that separates the headphone output from the microphone input, I have no complaints! The computer recognizes it perfectly (win10) and the result is very decent for its price. Good connection of the plugs and very useful that it has a little cable after the USB so they don't weigh down the connection. Plug and play. Use: video conference / music player
I bought it to connect the Stage V2 of the same company on it. Without being able to distinguish any noticeable difference compared to the onboard sound card of my laptop, however, the sound it produces is generally good and satisfies me completely. With the help of the accompanying software (control panel) that you can download from the company's website, you have the ability to create and save your own sound profiles, using the built-in equalizer, or use the ready-made profiles. The only negative is that the software interface is somewhat outdated and the company does not seem to release updates for it anymore... Overall, given its low price, I do not consider it an unnecessary purchase...
I did not see any difference with the integrated card of the motherboard in Linux. Practically no improvement option as the software does not run on Linux, which I use. However, it does its job for its price.
If you have a new motherboard, you don't need it. It has less power in terms of volume, it's a big lie that it can handle 300ohm headphones, not even 32ohm will play loudly, and what you hear from Greek YouTube videos is far from the truth. In terms of sound clarity, it is quite good. The accompanying program is simple and functional, but as I mentioned, if you have good headphones, don't expect to see a difference in volume, except for a warmer sound. It is preferable to use an external DAC to do your job decently if you are interested in volume in music tracks.
I have had this specific card for about a month now.
-Positive
Overall, the sound quality is very good and clear, and the volume is satisfactory. I use it with Roccat syva earphones mainly for music and games, and so far I have not noticed any flaws in terms of sound. It offers a range of options through the creative program, as well as the option for EQ or preset profiles. It also provides the option to drive 32 Ohm or higher impedance headphones, which can be useful for some.
-Negative
As with all creative products, there are issues with the drivers and Windows. It is really annoying when the sound cuts off while playing and you have to unplug and replug it to make it work. Note that these interruptions occur both when I play games and when I watch movies or videos on YouTube, for example. I have tried setting the computer to Max Performance from the power plans in the control panel, I have tried disabling the power supply suspension for USB ports, I have even tried adding a registry entry, but the problem persists. Personally, this issue bothers me a lot, and if the card wasn't so cheap, I would return it immediately.
Until this issue is resolved, I do not recommend it.
Edit: I do not experience these problems on my Honor magicbook 14 laptop. I assume it has to do with the power of the USB ports on my desktop computer.
I recently bought it during a period when I decided to get involved with Linux. Although it was recognized normally, the suite could not be installed (not even with wine). Unfortunately, the suite and the options it offers are what make the difference. I tried it on 5-6 different distros, with annoying interruptions every time I adjusted the volume or performed any other task in the background on the PC. Now, on the same computer with Windows 10, the difference is huge. With the Edifier r1700bt, with the Flat preset selected, and files like Flac/Vinyl rip/24/96 etc., with a size of 1 gb plus, listening to, for example, the Compton O.S.T., I heard details that were not discernible before! And for the price at which it is offered? I couldn't ask for anything more... Perhaps the ultimate value for money!
The EQ doesn't work, which was one of the reasons I bought it, but neither does the surround sound. None of these work, unfortunately, and it's a shame because it produces good sound that could be improved with the EQ if someone knows about frequencies.
It was purchased due to microphone issues, as the motherboard's port suddenly stopped working and also the front microphone port started distorting my voice after 2 years. I preferred to get this sound card instead of a more expensive USB microphone. Simple and easy connection, plug and play on Windows 10. Initially, they immediately noticed it and I thought I had changed my speakers! Then, the soundblaster play3 control panel was installed and while playing with the settings, I realized that I now have the best sound I've had since using my PC. Incredible sound improvement in games and songs through YouTube. It upgraded my Logitech speakers. I am very satisfied with the purchase. It offers great value for money and I imagine if I had better and more expensive speakers, I would be speechless. It is worth its money (€19.90 on 24/9/21) and its performance is very honest.
Particularly good and clear sound, concise and straightforward menu with everything necessary, ideal for use with a laptop due to its small size, significant difference from a laptop's built-in sound circuit. The equalizer works as an equalizer should work, with options to select/deselect surround, bass, ready-made presets, and the ability to create our own presets and many other features. Users mention low sound volume and moderate usability of the software, but this is not true as the volume can be adjusted through the equalizer (there is a central level with values of + / - 12 db), and regarding the software's usability, I disagree as the software can be easily downloaded and installed even more easily. As for the use of the software, there is nothing smoother and simpler.
Very good for its price. I have it on an old desktop computer from the 90s and I was using a cheap Chinese sound card. With this one, there is no difference. Very clear and powerful sound, it's perfect for movies and music.
Well guys, because I see that many people have issues with the software and the volume, I decided to write my own comment.
- In terms of sound quality, no matter how high I set the volume, there was no distortion whatsoever!
- For the volume in the software, choose headphones instead of stereo and set it to high impedance. Also, you can simply not download the drivers at all and the sound will be louder without a doubt.
- Some people have issues with the software, which seems to do almost nothing. I looked into it and found a solution that has been working for me up until now. Download the free and safe Equalizer APO for Windows and select play 3. After a reboot, suddenly everything will work. (Equalizer APO is essentially an equalizer for the entire computer, but it seems to fix the software issues with play 3).
- Now, regarding the volume. If you have one of the newer motherboards, for example, a cheap Asrock B450 Pro4, you won't notice much difference in volume. It is more suitable for laptops! HOWEVER, the sound card does not have distortion compared to that of the motherboard. My Sony speakers sounded mediocre at high volumes without bass on the motherboard, but with play 3, suddenly the music leveled up. At such volumes, with such quality and at such a price, you won't find anything better anywhere else. If you have no volume at all, check your headphones/speakers for the issue.
That's all I have to say after five months of continuous music use.
Today's purchase surprised me unpleasantly. I had both the Play 2 and the G1 and I was completely satisfied. With this card, the sound is three times lower than the motherboard's. In order to hear even a little, you have to increase the volume above 50% and the control panel is as if it doesn't exist. No difference and no increase in sound volume no matter what setting I made. Maybe I got a faulty piece. It will be returned and I will come back if I see any difference with the new one. I finally took it back and got the G1 and I calmed down. No comparison. Day and night.
The card was mainly purchased to isolate a strange mechanical noise occasionally created by the Dell Inspiron 15 5000 laptop with audio jack connection to the Audio-Technica ATH-M40x headphones, and secondly to improve the sound. It should be noted that the sound produced by the laptop's sound card is amazing except when it presents the aforementioned problem.
However, the quality of the Creative Sound Blaster Play! 3 card was inferior to that of the laptop, with the sound not being as clear. Furthermore, the card never managed to deliver the maximum that the headphones can support, as the maximum volume of the headphones is 98 dB while the card guarantees a volume close to 93 dB.
Of course, these specific headphones are aimed at studios but also at devices with mediocre sound cards, so an average user who does not have high demands will not encounter any problems.
A sound card either for simple use, or for replacement of the motherboard card, or even for recording with a dynamic microphone (with the appropriate connectors from XLR to TRS cable with TRS to 3.5mm Jack connector). Very good quality, very good construction despite being plastic, very good software for additional settings. The connection of the card with its own USB via the small cable is very convenient, especially if accidentally pulled. Instead of buying a new internal card for a PC/laptop, it is better to spend 20 bucks to get this one. Value for money.
Personally, I tried it for music mostly and gaming.
Buying it was a secondary priority from a store because I mostly wanted headphones, and since I once said that I wanted this specific external sound card, I decided to get it since the same store had it.
The thing is, I also saw the Creative Sound Blasterx G1 which is much better, but unfortunately the store didn't have it in stock. And it wasn't worth getting it from another store because I would have to pay extra 11 euros for cash on delivery and shipping.
Anyway, I know I'm boring you now, but keep reading below to know more.
I put everything in place, the headphones got louder, and much clearer.
I initially used it with the HyperX Cloud Pro, everything was perfect, and then I used it with the Sharkoon Skiller SGH1.
And there, everything was perfect, and I thought once I install the Creative application, everything will become even better! Right?
No, as soon as I downloaded the drivers and restarted, suddenly the sound became 30-40% lower. I thought maybe the volume level was automatically lowered to half. But no.
After a simple search, I came across some guys on Reddit, and it was a mess. Everyone says it's better to never download the Creative drivers because it did the exact same thing to them!
I simply uninstalled them and let Windows install the default ones.
Generally, don't expect much, their job will be seen mainly on old computers with old sound cards.
But in terms of volume and sound clarity, I give it a 5 out of 5.
Sorry for making it longer than it should be, I'm just sharing my experience in case someone has the same issue as me!
Sorry again and happy shopping!
It offers very good sound, impressive I would say for such a cheap product. The harmonics are low and there is only a slight distortion at full volume. A great advantage is that it supports speakers up to 300 Ohms.
For the Play! 3, the control program is called Sound Blaster PLAY! 3 Control Panel and it appears much simpler as it has significantly fewer options compared to the G1's corresponding program. This particular card is not aimed at gamers, so it doesn't need a plethora of options.
VFM sound card. "Cleans"/improves the sound from the integrated sound card on the motherboard. I didn't look into it further. It also works on the POCO X3 mobile phone. I uploaded photos with the equalizer and sound effects settings of its operating system. I didn't bother to find apps that it can collaborate with.
The best sound upgrade for laptops for Headphones use. Works perfectly with Apple Mac OS as long as you install the Drivers. Overall, it is the best value for money option out there. I have already purchased 6 for relatives and friends.
I am very satisfied with the small item. I bought it because of a broken socket on my desktop computer. It produces very clear sound. The best feature it has is that it supports a jack with four levels, meaning with a microphone. You can simply connect the 1 jack to the audio port and have a microphone as well. The most negative thing is that the software is not user-friendly and difficult to access, but it doesn't matter for the average user.
Very good tool, if you want to listen to quality music (not noise). Two tips for its best utilization: 1) To work properly, download the software with the driver from the company's website (Creative). 2) It needs to run for 5-6 hours to "settle" and deliver its full quality. 3) In its settings (from the control panel of the card), do not touch the "SBX Pro Studio" option (leave it enabled with its default settings). As for the sound equalizer, I chose the "country" option, which I think is the perfect setting if you listen to folk music, ballads, and blues. It brings out the clarity of the vocals and instruments. Enjoy listening!
Excellent! It greatly improved the performance of my computer speakers as well as the soundbar connected to this specific sound card. Highly recommended
Okay, I wonder how I struggled for so long to connect headphones (Senheiser 201 HD and JBL T110) to my Xbox controller to listen to music and play games, since the onboard sound card produced audio quality similar to 80s movies found on YouTube in 144p. Let's not talk too much, the sound card does what it promises, much stronger sound, clearer, the Creative software is awesome with many options for all needs, plug & play. I bought a USB extension and have the Soundblaster on my desk, my hands are finally free. As for changing inputs, it's simple with the sound icon in the bottom right of the taskbar, you click and choose which device you want to output the sound.
Control Panel\Hardware and Sound\Sound
Here you can rename your audio devices and easily distinguish them.
My graphics card is connected to 2 TVs via HDMI, I have Logitech speakers and the Soundblaster plugged in. It looks like this:
24' LG (Nvidia High Definition Audio)
32' LG (Nvidia High Definition Audio)
Logitech Speakers (Realtek)
Headphones (Soundblaster)
The quotation marks are automatically added by the system. Now I know what and why it produces sound when I switch to the other screen without getting frustrated.
One last thing, there is a program called Equalizer APO on SourceForge, by far the best thing out there for "enhancing" sound, especially on speakers, day and night. Play around with its settings and you'll understand.
Edit 13/04/21. I had to format my computer, I reinstalled Windows 10 directly from Microsoft and in this specific build of Windows 20H2 (19042.906), a lot of things no longer work, including the Soundblaster Control Panel. Classic Microsoft, I had to reinstall the 1911 version for the soundblaster software and the Asrock 3tb Unlocker to work. The product is still plug and play, but that's about it, none of the software features work except for setting the dB to ohm and adjusting in the latest version of Windows 10. Microsoft once again showed how small they are, they create one thing and break 30 others.
I bought it so that I could connect a microphone and speakers or headphones to my macbook at the same time, without having any idea how much it enhances the sound coming out of my Harman Kardon speakers! Amazing little thing :)
Translated from Greek ·
Sound quality
Volume
Value for money
Number of connections
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