The internal sound card from Creative plugs into a PCI Express slot on your computer's motherboard to upgrade the sound quality when the on-board sound chip does not meet your needs. In recent years,...
The internal sound card from Creative plugs into a PCI Express slot on your computer's motherboard to upgrade the sound quality when the on-board sound chip does not meet your needs. In recent years, the on-board sound chips of motherboards have been upgraded to meet the requirements of an average user. Therefore, internal sound cards are recommended for...
The internal sound card from Creative plugs into a PCI Express slot on your computer's motherboard to upgrade the sound quality when the on-board sound chip does not meet your needs. In recent years, the on-board sound chips of motherboards have been upgraded to meet the requirements of an average user. Therefore, internal sound cards are recommended for those who have demands for high-quality sound and more processing capabilities.
SABRE-class DAC
The Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus is a PCI-e SABRE-class DAC that is perfect for high-resolution audio for gaming, music, and movies. It provides an ultra-clear audio stream with a DNR of 122 dB at playback up to 32-bit / 384 kHz with ultra-low distortion and jitter.
Aurora Reactive Lighting System
Enjoy a symphony of lights and sound with the Aurora Reactive Lighting System! The Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus features customizable RGB LEDs on its body and also includes an RGB LED strip. Program up to 16.8 million colors in different patterns with the free downloadable Sound Blaster Command software for PC.
Specifications are collected from official manufacturer websites. Please verify the specifications before proceeding with your final purchase. If you notice any problem you can
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Thank you to all the friends for the positive reviews of this card. I was indecisive for a long time about whether it was worth it, going in and out of the skroutz cart. Is it worth it? Of course, it really makes a huge difference compared to the On board in both sound quality and volume. I invested solely for music and I am more than 100% satisfied. Just make sure to pair it with two decent speakers or headphones to utilize it as it truly deserves.
Unfortunately, I didn't like the sound it produces; for its price, the sound is not good. First of all, what it claims to be 32bit 384Hz is only when the sound card plays flat, meaning without processing from the DAC (processor). When you disable the direct mode, it only gives you the option of 96Hz 24bit, which is a major disadvantage of the card. In direct mode, you lose processing but gain frequencies; in the other mode, you lose frequencies. Unfortunately, the sound has a generally harsh quality; it doesn't work for the music I wanted. The Creative Z SE is far superior and cheaper. I don't know about games and movies; it might be better for those, but if you want it for music and you have good hi-fi speakers, it doesn't work at all. It's better to stick with the motherboard than this one. I emphasize for music; it might work for movies and games
Thanks to the guy who wrote that he feels sorry for how many people get sound from the motherboard. I put on The Lord of the Rings and I was moved by the quality of the sound. It was like I was watching it for the first time. I can't explain it in words. Now I've put on Frank Sinatra and it makes my whole body tingle from the eargasm. Before, I had put on Eminem and the sound was so nice that I became 15 years old again. When I got the Z906, I thought it was the best thing I could get for sound. How wrong I was. First sound card, then good speakers!
1st update. I'm still excessively happy. There's a small issue with the software, sometimes (maybe once in days or even 2-3 times in the same day.. whatever happens) it bugs and only sounds from the center speaker of the 5.1 and you have to change the setting to 4.1 or 2.1 or whatever else and put it back to 5.1 for it to work properly again. Mainly when I play a game it does this, but not always. With a restart, the PC stops doing it completely if it happens to me 2 times in a row. From what I've searched, some others on Reddit have experienced it too. I hope it gets fixed in the future. Anyway, even so, it doesn't bother me because the sound difference is night and day.
2nd update. From the 2 PCI x1 ports, I put it in the top one and the problem seems to have completely stopped.
3rd update. 03/27/2024 The problem has only happened to me once in the last 1-2 months.. maybe it was a driver (it keeps updating the drivers and sometimes improves the sound even more!!) I read somewhere that there might be a compatibility issue with Gigabyte motherboards, but now there is no problem, once every 1-2 months is nothing.
4th update. The problem no longer exists and every driver update continues to make the sound better.
With the following settings, I have found the sweet spot for me for 5.1. The bass can be high depending on the track, so it might need a little adjustment so it doesn't shake the room. The surround is minimal, the crystalizer does a very good job overall, and the dialog minimal does an amazing job. Don't set everything to 100, it will become a mess. The smart volume is only worth it for midnight so you can listen relatively loud without disturbing.
Transitioning from the Sound Blaster Z, there is a noticeable difference. I have the Logitech Z906 connected with a 3.5mm jack, so the DAC of the card does the job. The sound is cleaner with better highs and lows, which I noticed as soon as I plugged it in and tested it with music. Additionally, the software (Sound Blaster Connect) works better. The Bass Redirection works very well, unlike the Z where the sound was somewhat distorted when activated. The equalizer also works much better, with no noticeable distortion in sound, and by playing with the settings, you can achieve a good result. The 32-bit / 384 kHz, 122db SABRE DAC makes a difference compared to the 24-bit / 192 kHz, 116db of the Sound Blaster Z. Furthermore, it has extra advantages, such as the Discrete Xamp Headphone 600Ω Amp, Dolby Digital Live and DTS Encoding, and support for virtual 7.1 surround. Finally, it also has RGB for those interested, which works directly without extra power supplies and can be adjusted through Sound Blaster Connect (it also comes with an extra LED strip in the package if you want to connect it, the card has a 4-Pin input and 1 molex).
I have Windows 11 with the latest version of Connect and the latest driver. Overall, I am satisfied with the transition.
I have had it for about a year and I am satisfied that it produces quality and crisp sound (a clarification: if you don't have good speakers and headphones, it can burn them). I highly recommend it if you want quality sound and nothing less
I have 3 !!!
At home, two and one at work terminal.
Okay, we just feel sorry for those who are willing to get sound from the motherboard....
They don't know.
There is nothing to compare even in the most expensive boards. The difference in quality and performance is UNBELIEVABLE!
EVERYTHING IS CRYSTAL CLEAR
I would not recommend it ONLY for use with small speakers without a sub.
Simply amazing with the Logitech Z-5500 and on Windows 11.... The sound on the PC, with the appropriate settings, has nothing to envy from high-end amplifiers and speakers worth thousands of euros... If you want to forever forget about movie theaters, simply buy it
It is a very nice sound card if you know that it will fit your PC
(1. be 100% sure that it is compatible with your PC case + with your motherboard, 2. if you have a powerful graphics card and very high-quality headphones, it will make coil whine (ONLY when playing heavy games) and it will pass through to your headphones.
I have the card in my possession for over a year. I have never regretted the money I spent to get it. I replaced the sound blaster z, which for some reason stopped producing sound suddenly from the rear speakers in 5.1! I have paired it with the logitech z906 and I have never been able to turn them up to 100%. I have never experienced any disconnections as others have mentioned, nor any issues with the software. The card is a gem!
Very powerful sound card.. Those of you coming from x-fi don't be disappointed with the first contact, just play with the Classic settings and especially with the equalizer and the sound is much better than x-fi.. With z906, the sound quality reaches very high levels for PC..
I upgraded my Sound Blaster Z that I had for 6 years, and the difference in sound quality is very noticeable. With 122 Dynamic Range (DNR), compared to the 116 of the Z, the sound sounds cleaner and more "rich" on my 5.1 speakers and of course on the headset I use.
No problem with the drivers and the Command Software of Creative on Windows 11 that I am running.
The card is very good... when it works. On the other hand, the software is terrible, many times it doesn't recognize the card and I have to restart, flip a coin and if it lands on heads then it sees it, otherwise restart again.
I come from the outstanding Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatality Titanium Pro, which I have had for 12 years and is still in perfect working condition, even now, and fully compatible with win10. Unfortunately, I regret getting the AE-5 Plus, I could have bought something else with this money. I believe that the main reason is mainly the software, which has nothing to do with the X-Fi, where it solved everything for a musician with settings for everything, especially for MIDI, which personally interests me. It does not utilize the capabilities of the card in any case.
My speakers are Logitech 5.1. In order for all the speakers to play, the Surround must be above 50%. In movies, the center speaker is very loud (because no matter how you adjust the volume per speaker, it plays as it wants). In music, each song is played differently. With the X-Fi, I didn't have these issues. I had both DDA and DTS. I will keep my old computer for TV and movies, so with the X-Fi, I will watch my movies decently. Not that the sound is not good now, but I have to change settings every 3 hours... Well, that's not possible... It's Creative's mistake for not continuing with the old software or at least evolving it, not this thing that is a disaster and a shame for the card. I should note that my old PC is Intel and the new one is AMD. I have disabled the onboard card from the BIOS, of course. Initially, I had installed the X-Fi on the new one and it was truly amazing, but I wanted something more and I messed up...
The sound is, in a few words, MAGICAL and with high intensity in the headphones.
The intensity in the headphones compared to the motherboard (Asus ROG Maximus XI Hero) is like having the motherboard at 100% with the Sound Blaster at 28%.
The Sound Blaster program has many preset settings depending on what you want to hear, and compared to the motherboard, the sound quality is literally night and day. I used good headphones with the motherboard, and no matter what setting I used, it sounded like I was in an empty basement, and I thought the headphones were the problem. With the Sound Blaster, it feels like I had an issue with my ears before, and now I can hear crystal clear.
1. Remove the audio drivers of the motherboard.
2. Restart, enter the BIOS, and disable the onboard sound card of the motherboard, saving the change.
3. Shut down the computer and connect the sound card. Remove it from the motherboard and connect it on top, along with the cable from the tower that provides sound to the front connectors of the PC. If you want the LEDs to work as well, provide the extra power they need.
4. When in Windows, install the latest Driver-App from the official website of the sound card.
At first, I was skeptical about whether to get it or not. I thought I might be wasting money and not see any difference. Luckily, I ended up buying it. It's amazing. One of the best purchases I've made for my PC.