RAM | 1 GB |
---|
Sound Blaster Z PCIe Gaming Sound Card with High Performance Headphone Amp and Beam Forming Microphone
Brand | Creative |
Hardware Interface | PCIE x 1 |
Audio Output Mode | 5.1 |
Platform | Mac |
Hardware Platform | Headphones, PC, Speakers |
About this item
- Includes an external high quality dual-microphone array standard with card. Supported operating systems: windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10
- Features Sound Core3D Audio Processor for accelerating advanced audio and voice technologies
- SBX Pro Studio sound technologies create unprecedented levels of audio realism including stunning 3D surround effects for your speakers and headsets
- Delivers 116dB SNR, plus audiophile-grade capacitors and gold-plated I/O connectivity and Stereo Direct lets you listen to your music pure and unprocessed at the amazing bit rate of 24-bit 192 kHz.
- Use the Sound Blaster Control Panel just toggle between you headphone and speakers system with a flip of a switch
- OS : windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10
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Price | Currently unavailable. | -11% $40.06$40.06 List: $44.99 | -18% $89.99$89.99 List: $109.99 | $9.99$9.99 | -14% $59.99$59.99 List: $69.99 | -17% $49.99$49.99 List: $59.99 |
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Customer Ratings | ||||||
Sound quality | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.2 |
For gaming | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
Volume control | 4.2 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 3.8 | — | 5.0 |
Easy to install | — | 4.4 | 4.3 | — | 4.6 | 4.4 |
Easy to use | — | 4.4 | — | — | 4.1 | 4.4 |
Sold By | — | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | MILLSO US | Amazon.com | Creative Labs, Inc. |
hardware interface | pci x 1 | pci express x1 | pci express x1 | usb2.0 | pci express x1, pci x 1, pci x 1, pci x 1 | headphone |
audio output mode | 5.1 | Surround | Surround | Stereo | 7.1 | Stereo Surround |
surround channels | 5.1 | 5.1 | 7.1 | 5 1 | 7.1 | 7.1 |
hardware platform | Speakers, Headphones, PC | PC | Speakers, Headphones | Headphones | Speakers, Headphones, PC | Speakers, Headphones, PC |
96 KHz | 192 KHz | 192 KHz | 48 KHz | 192 KHz | 192 KHz | |
signal-to-noise ratio | 116 decibels | — | 116 decibels | 120 decibels | 106 decibels | 120 decibels |
Product Description
Sound Blaster Z Internal PCI-e Gaming Sound Card with Beamforming Microphone
SBX PCI-e Gaming Sound Card
This Sound Blaster Z is an ideal all-round solution for your PC gaming and entertainment needs. It comes complete with the Sound Blaster beamforming microphone for crystal clear voice communication.
Our Sound Blaster product philosophy comes from a total system approach. We've designed the Z series cards to give the best experience for not only those wishing to experience content, but those wanting to create it as well. This includes optimizations for voice chat and recording in addition to all of the amazing SBX Studio Pro audio output enhancements.
High-quality Connections
The Z card is equipped with gold plated connection points to ensure the card delivers the best possible audio signal.
3.5 mm gold plated headphone jack driven by the 600 ohm Maxim MAX97220 amp
- 3.5 mm gold plated microphone jack
- 3.5 mm gold plated 5.1 channel connections
- TOSLINK digital audio input and outputs
What's in the box
- Sound Blaster Z sound card
- Sound Blaster Beamforming Microphone
- Quick Start Leaflet
- User’s Guide
Key Features
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116 db Signal-to-noise RatioA signal to noise ratio or SNR of 116 dB means your audio will be >99.99% pure audio which is 35.4 times better than motherboard audio. |
SBX Studio Pro TechnologiesExperience awe-inspiring audio with the SBX Pro Studio suite of technologies that immerses you in your games and movies with amazing detail and a 360-degree true-to-life sound stage. |
CrystalVoice TechnologiesExperience crystal clear commmunication with your teammates with the CrystalVoice suite of technologies that removes echoes, ambient noises and picks up your voice from within a zone (Voice Focus). It also maintains your voice level even if you are near or further away from the microphone. |
Key Features -- NEW Sound Blaster Command Software
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Sound Core3D Audio ProcessorThe quad-core Sound Core3D audio processor is to designed to offload SBX Pro Studio and CrystalVoice effects processing from your primary CPU, improving your overall PC performance, resulting in drastically superior audio and voice quality. |
Sound Blaster Beamforming MicrophoneWhen used with CrystalVoice's Focus, the bundled beamforming microphone creates an acoustic zone and suppresses noise outside it, enabling you to be heard with amazing clarity. |
Sound Blaster Command SoftwareAccess the full suite of Sound Blaster’s industry-leading audio processing technologies including Crystallizer that helps improve the dynamic range of audio, or Bass that provides bigger punch on the low end. All enhancements are fully customizable from the Sound Blaster Command software suite on PC. |
What's in the box
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Product information
Technical Details
Brand | Creative |
---|---|
Series | SB1500 |
Item model number | SB1500 |
Hardware Platform | Headphones, PC, Speakers |
Operating System | windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 |
Item Weight | 6.4 ounces |
Product Dimensions | 5.35 x 4.98 x 0.91 inches |
Item Dimensions LxWxH | 5.35 x 4.98 x 0.91 inches |
Number of Processors | 1 |
Department | sound card |
Manufacturer | Creative |
ASIN | B009ISU33E |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | November 15, 2012 |
Additional Information
Customer Reviews |
4.4 out of 5 stars |
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Best Sellers Rank | #36 in Computer Internal Sound Cards |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the sound quality, performance, quality and ease of setup of the sound card. For example, they mention that it works well in any host of games, the voice sounds very clear and the positional sounds are precise. They also appreciate the ease of installation and the intuitive software. Overall, customers say it's a great sound card for the money.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the sound quality of the sound card. They say it's great, with superb sounding speakers and deep bass. They also say the voice sounds very clear, and the positional sounds are precise and on-point. Customers also say there's no discernable noise being generated by the card through their headphones. They appreciate the volume control per channel and the transparent rendering of everything. Overall, customers are happy with the sound performance of the product.
"...It's an incredible microphone as I'm 10 feet away from the TV and in a normal voice it picks me up and my friends through chat can hear me just fine..." Read more
"...Sounds from far away sound spectacular too.Total War Shogun II - Okay on the strategy map. Very good when fighting battles though...." Read more
"...With no audio, or slow audio there is no discernable noise being generated by the card through my headphones. The result is clean sounding audio...." Read more
"...Great sound card.Excellent sound quality and is fully compatible with my PC (I'm using Windows 11). I also like the red LEDs...." Read more
Customers like the performance of the sound card. They mention that the bass boost option performs very well, and works fine right out of the box. The volume is very powerful, and the card seems to work well. It does well for gaming, and has a surprising microphone that works well in any host of games. So far, all the features work, and it does really well for accuracy and music. The beamforming mic works well, making that setup work even better.
"...So far all the featuers work. I've used the EQ and it's nice, scout mode, special effects. And saving the custom profiles work just fine...." Read more
"...Overall this card performs better and delivers clearer sound than the X-Fi, but has a few problems that keep it from earning 5 stars...." Read more
"...Everything started off great...." Read more
"...I used my X-Fi for about 10 years and loved it, but the drivers didn't seem to work right with Windows 10, even the modded "future proof"..." Read more
Customers like the quality of the sound card. They mention it's well-made, has good specs, and is still perfect after two years.
"...For the price ($100 or so) the difference in quality is overwhelming- Simple to insert into the PCIe slot..." Read more
"...at 116db it was more than noticeable with my setup of the vastly improved quality of the SoundBlaster Z. When I hear the audio come through using..." Read more
"...Great sound card.Excellent sound quality and is fully compatible with my PC (I'm using Windows 11). I also like the red LEDs...." Read more
"...stuck in Gamer mode - every time I would change modes, the sound drivers would crash any time it tried to play digital audio, and then I'd get no..." Read more
Customers like the ease of setup with this sound card. They mention that it is super easy to install and is reliable. They also say that the software is intuitive and easy to use. The control panel for the card is easy to navigate and has plenty of options to fine tune the sound. Customers also say it installs on Windows 8 without issue using the installation disc. They like the interface, saying that it's unintrusive and convenient to access everything.
"...I just installed Sound Blaster Z, and so far I had absolutely no problems installing it and making it work in Windows 10...." Read more
"...Simple to insert into the PCIe slot..." Read more
"...Z Series Control Panel which I now prefer because the interface is more to my liking...." Read more
"...Installation was really quick and easy...." Read more
Customers like the value of the sound card. They say it's well worth the $100 price tag, has good clarity, and is easy to install. Some say it comes with a free mic.
"...If you don't have a mic, this great card comes with a free one. Yay you!..." Read more
"...If you're looking for a good but reasonably priced sound card for Dolby Digital Live that is reliable and mostly hassle free, look no further...." Read more
"...For the features and quality of sound, the price is pretty good.CONS:This thing is crazy buggy...." Read more
"...It is terrible for general usage. If you want a good microphone input, look to be paying an extra $10 for a USB Dongle.Edit:..." Read more
Customers like the appearance of the sound card. They say it has a nice looking, well designed software suite, vibrant, and clear sound. They also say the highs are beautiful and not toneless. The sound card has a crisp and clear surround, making the sounds seem more unique. However, some customers have reported issues with the DAC.
"...to check out everything this sound card can do, but so far it has beautiful, reliable, crystal clear sound...." Read more
"...Bass is much rounder, much more depth- Highs are beautiful and not toneless- Everything in between is great as well-..." Read more
"...right or left I can respond much faster using the scout mode and it's vibrant and clear...." Read more
"...The result is clean sounding audio. Despite the circuitry being well designed in my case, the DAC itself has poor to average audio quality...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the brightness of the sound card. Some mention that the very bright RED LED light on it is pretty cool, while others say that it's really stupid bright.
"...Also, the red LED is SUPER bright. Obnoxiously so...." Read more
"...I also like the red LEDs. I'm using it with a ROG Strix B550-F Gaming (WiFi)...." Read more
"...It is very bright however and there isn't a cover on the "back" of the card to block the led's from shining in your eyes...." Read more
"...The red shield may be acceptable for some but that LED is something! Horribly bright with no way to dim it or turn it off...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the software. Some mention that the software is really the best part about it, with lots of good options. They like that it comes with its own software that lets them tweak the sound. However, other customers have noted that the driver software is wonky, and the implementation is stupidly buggy. Some say that the design is dated and the software has issues.
"...- Comes with its own software you can install on your system that lets you tweak the settings and modify the different levels...." Read more
"...Aside from this, the drivers and software aren't great either...." Read more
"...And that brings up another nice point. Creative has unbloated the software...." Read more
"...The software/driver has issues. It is not consistent, as if some features turn on/off at different times...." Read more
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Top reviews from the United States
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I just installed Sound Blaster Z, and so far I had absolutely no problems installing it and making it work in Windows 10. I am not a gamer, and haven't really gotten to check out everything this sound card can do, but so far it has beautiful, reliable, crystal clear sound. I loved the X-Fi Platinum (especially all the I/O ports), but I will be so happy to leave the cumbersome mode switching in the past. I use this card mostly for listening to music and sequencing synth tracks on a Korg M3. Hoping for at least a small system performance boost with the upgrade, but not expecting much.
UPDATE:
Equipment connected to SPDIF-In seems to have small but noticeable delay. I have a Korg M3 Keyboard connected to it, just as I did my X-Fi, which seemed to work great. With the Sound Blaster Z, there is a fraction-of-a-second delay that is just long enough to throw a musician off while trying to play keys! In most other cases, this should not cause any problems for anyone... in the case of hooking up a musical instrument to Digital Input, it's unacceptable, and I'll have to find another solution. This is a bummer because I bought this card over ASUS Xonar because it had an optical SPDIF port. I have not contacted Creative support about this, but their forum members only told me to "update the drivers" which was a lame and ineffective response. Otherwise, this card still sounds wonderful, and survived the build 10122 update.
UPDATE #2"
I did find a work-around to the above problem. Search for and download the PAX drivers. You will have to disable driver signing, and then use device manager to "update" the Sound Blaster Z driver. I've read that PAX drivers are poorly coded, but in this instance, it completely solved my problem.
Build 10130 presented a new problem....suddenly no sound. To fix this, you can change the playback frequency. For mine, I set it at 24-bit @ 96,000 Hz and I had no problem. SPDIF only works at 48,000 Hz also. Hopefully this will be addressed in the next build.
____________________________
My System:
Dell XPS 410 (It's old, but it runs beautifully with some newer parts!)
Intel Core 2 Quad QX-6800 2.93 Processor
8GB RAM
Windows 10 Pro Technical Preview (current build 10074)
NVidia GTX 750 ti
Speakers - x2 Alesis M1Active 520 via Analog Out
The original reason that I purchased this card was because I got a couple amazon gift cards for my birthday and decided that I would give it a shot, and partly because it seemed to me like my on-board sound was giving out, and I didn't want to pony up the cash for another motherboard and have to take everything out of the old one and put it into the new one. By giving out, I mean that it seemed like it was playing sounds quieter than it used to and there seemed to be some anomalies being introduced into the sound, such as some crackling and such. Not enough to cause worry, but a little annoying. For a bit of background info on my sound setup: using an Asus motherboard, although I got it probably 6 or 7 years ago, and I have a pair of decent quality turtle beach headphones.
The first thing I noticed after getting it set up: massive increase in simple volume. You don't quite realize how important this is until you have all your volume sliders set to 100% and you're still wishing you could turn it up another 10%. Then, all of a sudden, you have to turn them down to 20% just so your ear drums aren't bursting in your headphones. A lot of people think volume is everything, but this is not so, especially with this card. Once I got the volume down to a tolerable level, I then noticed the depth of the sound that was now being pumped out by this card. Bass was much more bassy, and the highs were much more toned. Listening to some of the music I listen to and drawing comparisons from memory, I started to notice certain things that I never noticed before: some particular highs I probably had never heard before and the bass was so much more solid all the way around. Not to mention that the crackling and other assorted anomalies that seemed to be creeping into the on-board sound were no longer present.
The only negative things that I can come up with is the fact that it doesn't work immediately with Windows 8.1 (which is what I have). This new feature in Win 8.1 that involves quick shut down prevents the system from recognizing that the card is in the PCIe slot, unless you turn off the quick shut down feature. The reason I'm still giving this card 5 stars is because it only took one simple google search to find out the reason and change that - the speed of shut down / start up has not changed one iota since doing that and now the card is recognized every time the computer turns on. Besides that, the packaging was slightly difficult to open up (it had twisty ties at 4 different places that were holding the card into the foam), but it was a simple thing to grab a pair of scissors to snip them. The other negative thing (and this isn't truly a negative) is that I don't use the attached microphone since the turtle beach headphones I have include a built-in microphone which is easier to use.
On to pros and cons:
PROS:
- Giant increase in overall volume
- Bass is much rounder, much more depth
- Highs are beautiful and not toneless
- Everything in between is great as well
- For the price ($100 or so) the difference in quality is overwhelming
- Simple to insert into the PCIe slot
- Comes with its own software you can install on your system that lets you tweak the settings and modify the different levels. I use the "flat" default setting, and it's fantastic. I may tweak it a bit in the future, but for now, I enjoy the default setting.
CONS:
- Doesn't immediately work with Windows 8.1 until you change the quick shut down function
- A tiny bit difficult to get out of the packaging
I don't have a 5.1 setup at home to test how well it works with a surround speaker setup, but with a pair of decent headphones and stepping up from on-board sound, this is definitely a worthwhile purchase if sound quality is important to you. Just remember to turn your volume down low and move up from the bottom once you get it into your system!
Top reviews from other countries
* La encargué un domingo y para el martes ya tenía la tarjeta entre mis manos. La instale y quedo como un guante, en mi caso los leds en rojo no molestaron en lo absoluto gracias al vidrio templado del gabinete.
* Apenas montar la tarjeta e iniciar el ordenador ya estaba funcionando a la perfección y haciendo de sus maravillas. No tuve que desactivar el audio integrado de la placa base ni nada parecido, tambien compatible con el sistema operativo Windows 10 Profesional. Todo fue como lo la seda, descargue e instale los drivers directamente de la página sin problema.
* Apenas empezar a hacer las pruebas con mis bocinas 5.1 Logitech z506 quede sorprendido de la amplificación del sonido, es como sí mismo bocinas cobraran vida y además con un gran empujón de calidad. Ya me queda claro que algunas bocinas necesitan de una tarjeta para hacer bien su trabajo.
* El sonido es mucho más limpio, las voces de los artistas se escuchan con una claridad fenomenal. Se escucha matices de sonido que antes no parecían presentes o simplemente pasaban inadvertidos, el procesador ayuda a separar logradamente los instrumentos de la música. El 5.1 canales se puede personalizar haciendo que frontales se escuchen menos o más, lo mismo con las bocinas traseras, se puede modificar parametro de distancia de parlantes o altura en relación con tu posición.
* La tecnología Crystalizer es de lo mejorcito, también se puede regular alcanzando una adecuada configuración para todos los oídos a la par del efecto Sorround. Aconsejo rebuscar y hacer uso del software continuamente hasta encontrar el punto de audio que más se adecue a tu gusto musical. Sin preocuparse, ya que afortunadamente da la opción de grabar perfiles, tendrás cuantas personalizaciones quieras.
* Si con la música quedaras contento ni que decir en los videojuegos, eso si tendrás que activar la tecnología Scout, cuando menos en mi caso jugando The Witcher 3
* El software cuenta con lo suficiente a pesar de sus años, no hay más que decir. Increíblemente cuenta con actualizaciones hasta la fecha año 2021. Esta tarjeta para mi vale cada centavo.
En conclusión:
* Hazte un favor y compra una tarjeta de sonido dedicada, es un brinco que vale la pena en comparación con cualquier chip integrado de placa base premium. Si eres quisquilloso con la música, tus oídos te lo van a agradecer :)
Reviewed in Mexico on June 10, 2020
* La encargué un domingo y para el martes ya tenía la tarjeta entre mis manos. La instale y quedo como un guante, en mi caso los leds en rojo no molestaron en lo absoluto gracias al vidrio templado del gabinete.
* Apenas montar la tarjeta e iniciar el ordenador ya estaba funcionando a la perfección y haciendo de sus maravillas. No tuve que desactivar el audio integrado de la placa base ni nada parecido, tambien compatible con el sistema operativo Windows 10 Profesional. Todo fue como lo la seda, descargue e instale los drivers directamente de la página sin problema.
* Apenas empezar a hacer las pruebas con mis bocinas 5.1 Logitech z506 quede sorprendido de la amplificación del sonido, es como sí mismo bocinas cobraran vida y además con un gran empujón de calidad. Ya me queda claro que algunas bocinas necesitan de una tarjeta para hacer bien su trabajo.
* El sonido es mucho más limpio, las voces de los artistas se escuchan con una claridad fenomenal. Se escucha matices de sonido que antes no parecían presentes o simplemente pasaban inadvertidos, el procesador ayuda a separar logradamente los instrumentos de la música. El 5.1 canales se puede personalizar haciendo que frontales se escuchen menos o más, lo mismo con las bocinas traseras, se puede modificar parametro de distancia de parlantes o altura en relación con tu posición.
* La tecnología Crystalizer es de lo mejorcito, también se puede regular alcanzando una adecuada configuración para todos los oídos a la par del efecto Sorround. Aconsejo rebuscar y hacer uso del software continuamente hasta encontrar el punto de audio que más se adecue a tu gusto musical. Sin preocuparse, ya que afortunadamente da la opción de grabar perfiles, tendrás cuantas personalizaciones quieras.
* Si con la música quedaras contento ni que decir en los videojuegos, eso si tendrás que activar la tecnología Scout, cuando menos en mi caso jugando The Witcher 3
* El software cuenta con lo suficiente a pesar de sus años, no hay más que decir. Increíblemente cuenta con actualizaciones hasta la fecha año 2021. Esta tarjeta para mi vale cada centavo.
En conclusión:
* Hazte un favor y compra una tarjeta de sonido dedicada, es un brinco que vale la pena en comparación con cualquier chip integrado de placa base premium. Si eres quisquilloso con la música, tus oídos te lo van a agradecer :)
The included mic has two microphones in it, which is how it does the cancelling effect for thing snot in front of it, but that's a pretty weak effect. You'd need to have the cancelled sound some from the other side of the room to be reduced by any useful amount. This mic also has a fairly high noise floor, meaning you'll hear a lot of background static, but otherwise is alright considering it's bundled in for nothing. There are some effects you can add to clean up the noise but then you trade off in audio quality so I don't consider that worth it. Having two mics does mean that it will record stereo and be able to hear you shift side to side, but again you'd have to move to the side of the room to get a noticeable effect.
The software makes it easy to switch between outputting to headphones via the dedicated headphone jack, or speakers without having to unplug or turn off one or the other which is nice. I'm also using the optical in to hear my HDMI capable consoles(HDMI to optical splitting switch) that works quite well. For my non HDMI consoles, a component switch where the audio is routed to a RCAx2 to 3.5mm plugged into the "mic" jack which is just an input, you decide how it should be treated in software. You can change the balance and whether you hear these things at all without having to unplug them as well. Finally, you can setup an equalizer that affects all sounds leaving your computer. and save all these settings in a profile to switch between whenever.
Reviewed in Canada on January 21, 2018
The included mic has two microphones in it, which is how it does the cancelling effect for thing snot in front of it, but that's a pretty weak effect. You'd need to have the cancelled sound some from the other side of the room to be reduced by any useful amount. This mic also has a fairly high noise floor, meaning you'll hear a lot of background static, but otherwise is alright considering it's bundled in for nothing. There are some effects you can add to clean up the noise but then you trade off in audio quality so I don't consider that worth it. Having two mics does mean that it will record stereo and be able to hear you shift side to side, but again you'd have to move to the side of the room to get a noticeable effect.
The software makes it easy to switch between outputting to headphones via the dedicated headphone jack, or speakers without having to unplug or turn off one or the other which is nice. I'm also using the optical in to hear my HDMI capable consoles(HDMI to optical splitting switch) that works quite well. For my non HDMI consoles, a component switch where the audio is routed to a RCAx2 to 3.5mm plugged into the "mic" jack which is just an input, you decide how it should be treated in software. You can change the balance and whether you hear these things at all without having to unplug them as well. Finally, you can setup an equalizer that affects all sounds leaving your computer. and save all these settings in a profile to switch between whenever.