Greetings mate and Welcome aboard!
Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions, so…
Today’s writeup will encompass all of Creative’s SoundBlaster DACs that I’ve tried including the G3, G6, G8, and X4. We’ll also throw in a comparison to Fosi Audio’s very competitive and awesome K7, helping you decide which one is most worthy of a purchase.
By the time you’re finished reading this, you’ll know which stands out most. We’ll cover build, features, versatility, connectivity, and more.
With that, let’s dive in!
#4
Creative SoundBlaster G3
Price: Check Amazon! | Check B&H! | Official Review: Here!
The SoundBlaster G3 is one of the very few DACs (heck, it might be the only one) out of the 80+ that actually sounds legitimately bad.
As many who frequent my blog and channel know, I don’t believe that DACs “sound” any specific way, but if there’s an exception, it’s the G3.
While a perfectly functional device, the digital-to-analog conversion, in my opinion, wasn’t handled well. I’m not entirely sure what the culprit is, but I’d go ahead and bypass this one. It’s not very intuitive or user-friendly, and compatibility with various devices can be hit or miss.
Users have also reported dropouts/disconnects while gaming and/or listening to music.
Build
Build Quality is OK and there are 2 pads on the bottom, but it feels flimsy and cheap, which isn’t surprising given its price point, but doesn’t present itself as something I’d want to own.
The unit has a 3.5mm headphone jack, a mic jack, and an optical input on the front.
There’s a switch for the mic on/off on the left with a volume rotary dial, and a switch on the right for when you’re simply listening to music (VOL) or mixing your voice with the game audio.
The G3 has SBX and Footseps Enhancer Mode (Basically Scout Mode) features, but no extra gain.
For the equivalent of Scout Mode on the G6, just press the middle button on the G3 once for a powder blue color, which indicates “Footsteps Enhancer Mode.”
Ticking the switch to “MIXING” results in a Green, Amber, or Teal color depending on where the volume is at. Now, just adjust to taste.
Another reason to skip this one is power output. If, for whatever reason, you buy it, I’d stick to low-impedance, high-sensitivity headphones.
#3
Creative SoundBlaster X4
Price: Check Amazon! | Official Review: Here!
Creative’s X4 is certainly a good product, in my opinion.
Resembling a JDS Labs Element, its volume pot also sits on top, and it’s about as thicc as a JDS ATOM.
Like all Creative products I’ve tried, the X4 is built well and feels a lot more substantial than my previous favorite G6.
Related:
With built-in rubber feet on the bottom, it holds its position well and won’t move around on your desk or entertainment center.
To be clear, both the G6 and X4 hold their positions nicely.
The G6 has a uniform pad that covers the entire bottom area, while the X4 has 4 round pads. Neither move at all, and this is something I appreciate greatly when considering ultra-light DACs like the iFi Uno which move around and/or topple over if you so much as fart in the wrong direction.
With a brushed aluminum finish, the X4 has a microphone jack and 3.5mm headphone output on the front, in addition to 3 buttons on the top: Audio Balance, Direct Mode, and “Super X-Fi.”
Settings include Green, Blue, Orange, and Direct mode.
Green provides a very nice Soundstage and sense of height, depth, width, and length, in effect making it feel as if you’re listening to speakers in an open environment.
Much of this depends on the track and how it was engineered, as certain recordings sound a lot more realistic and seem to occupy an actual space, while others don’t. This effect also fades a bit as you’re listening and is most noticeable at the beginning of a track, film, TV show, etc.
Shows like “The Chosen” and “Jimi Hendrix: The Uncut Story” are 2 great examples of shows that feel like they’re in the room with you.
In other words, the sound seems like it’s coming from my Andrew Jones Pioneer speakers, and with headphones like the Arya/Arya Organic and K702, that sentiment is greatly enhanced.
In addition, podcasts like “Dogman Encounters” on YouTube sound like they’re in the room with you. This is most noticeable the moment you press play, but it does kind of taper a bit throughout the session. Please keep this in mind.
It’s a great effect, but it kind of fades a little as your brain gets used to the stimuli.
A good example would be the opening of La Fille aux cheveux de lin, L.117, which sounds like it’s coming from my Yamaha HS7s at first.
Blue mode, SXFI Battle mode, is pretty uninspiring and doesn’t sound good. I’m unsure of what I’d use this for and haven’t once turned it on.
Orange
This turns off SXFI.
All in all, I’m mostly satisfied with Super X-Fi and feel as though it adds quite considerably to the immersion factor, given you’re in green mode.
Other features include Direct Mode, Audio Balance, and the Creative App, which has an array of EQ options in addition to the standard music mode, movie, and gaming mode (general).
There’s a feature on the app that supposedly personalizes the listening experience by tailoring everything to your specific head/ear shape, but I found it to be a bit gimmicky.
Essentially, you have to take some pictures of your right ear, head, and left ear with your phone. It then uses the images to create a sound profile for you, but it’s not very intuitive and hard to do without someone to take the pictures for you.
My official Creative SoundBlaster X4 Review goes into more detail!
Back Panel
The X4 is pretty versatile in that you can connect it to 2.1, 5.1, or 7.1 analog speakers via its outputs on the back. It also has a line/optical input (for use with a mobile device/DAP and an optical output in addition to the updated USB-C slot; a much-appreciated upgrade from the G6’s annoying micro connection.
While the X4 comes with an optical cable, you don’t need it for connection with a console, as the unit utilizes a plug-and-play USB connection and is recognized immediately. I’m glad they kept this feature as it’s super easy to start gaming or watching films with my PS4 immediately.
Obviously, the USB slot also works with your PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, etc.
Sound
The Super X-Fi feature is great for its speaker-like experience, but the quality of the signal itself can sound a bit distorted and not in line with the true character of the music if you’re listening that way.
In other words, unless you’re watching a film, TV show, or listening to a podcast, you’ll likely have it off since it doesn’t quite sound true to the source.
The element of realism is there, but it can sound kind of jagged and uneven.
Other than that, the regular mode sounds fine, and the unit boasts plenty of power. A very inefficient headphone like the K702 needs a fair bit of juice to get pumpin’, and the X4 is more than up to the task.
Overall, the X4 is a solid value if a bit finicky. Many have reported issues with this one, but I haven’t experienced them. I also feel like they tried to jam pack it with features, and while that’s admirable, you may not really need/find use for all of them + some of them aren’t necessary.
#2
Creative SoundBlasterX G6
Price: Check Amazon! | Official Review: Here!
My, how time flies.
The G6 was my mainstay gaming recommendation for many years, dating back to 2019. That is, until the #1 option came long.
- Required Reading: The BEST Headphone Amps, DACs, & Soundcards for Gaming
Even so, it’s still a great product, and I keep one around for sentimental value.
With a rubber pad on the bottom, it’s pretty light and made mostly of plastic, but has held up remarkably well over the years.
It’s also very useful, with a line/optical input and output on the back, a 3.5mm headphone output and mic input on the front, mic mode (hold the back lit volume pot on the front for 2 seconds to cycle headphone/mic mode), Scout Mode, SBX, X Amp, and gain.
So if you’re gaming and there’s a loud sound on your left (like an explosion), the amp doesn’t compensate by using some power from the right channel.
All sounds are given equal treatment. This is great for consistency and balance.
Speaking of balance, how does this puppy perform?
Long-pressing the Scout Mode button disables all DSP inside the unit and activates direct mode; the only mode that supports 32-Bit/384kHz PCM.
And, with a ridiculous amount of power, the G6 has been a real workhorse since I first received it. With an HD600, I’m only at 22/100, and there’s plenty of headroom for 99.946% of headphones.
Sound
- Source(s): Tidal Hi-Fi, Spotify Premium, Playstation 4, Netflix and chill dog.
- Headphone(s): Philips SHP9500, AKG K702, AKG K612, Sennheiser HD600
- Support: Up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD 64/128 (DSD over PCM, or DoP)
- DAC Chip: Cirrus Logic CS43131
With an output impedance of less than 1, you can expect a clean, neutral signal free of distortion.
A low output impedance ensures consistency across various impedance loads, and the G6 understands this well.
Additionally, the G6’s Scout Mode feature has gotten by far the most amount of mileage over the years, as it opens up the soundscape, helps you identify footsteps and other directional cues, and just sounds incredibly clear and resolving.
Overall, the G6 was and still is an excellent product, but is the next and final option even better?
#1
Creative SoundBlaster G8
Price: Check Amazon! | Check Creative! | Official Review: Here!
The G8 represents a marked step up from the G6 in many ways and was a welcome surprise from Creative.
One radical difference they implemented is the overall build and design. The G8 is sturdier (1.19 lbs.), resembles a workstation, and reminds me of making beats. Everything is right there at your fingertips, and it makes setup a breeze.
Because the G6’s switches were on the side, it was kind of a pain to adjust in the dark playing vidya games or watching movies.
With the G8, everything is on top, easier to read, and the unit is much more intuitive/fun to use. The volume pot is also quite enormous and situated right of the Game/voice knob.
This enables you to quickly and easily calibrate in-game music and voice chat (called “GameVoice Mix”), which tailors to your specific headphones and unique vocal inflections.
And, the knob sort of snaps into place when you’re at 12 ‘o clock: a really thoughtful feature from Creative and very useful for OCD homies such as myself.
Moreover, SoundBlaster’s logo illuminates quite nicely and looks rather handsome in the dark.
That said, while the LED light is pretty awesome, Creative missed out on an opportunity to provide more color schemes and modes, as the only option is white.
Unfortunately, there’s still no dedicated power on/off, and this is something that I think Creative should implement in future releases.
Despite that, the unit itself is small and compact, so you can pretty much place it anywhere, and it also adds a nice flair to your setup without being overly flamboyant or showy.
Below that are 3 buttons: SBX, Mode, and HP/SPK (Headphones/Speakers).
The HP/SPK button allows you to toggle between headphones or active speakers like the FiiO SP3 or Eris e3.5), the middle button enables direct mode, and the left button cycles between Scout Mode (Blue), the Acoustic Engine (White), and OFF.
White is essentially surround sound, and it does result in a livelier, more open presentation. You can adjust all of this with the Creative App as well.
With direct mode, you can bypass all effects and use the DAC as is. The app also provides a crystalizer, bass boost, smart volume, and a dialog button.
Smart Volume minimizes abrupt volume changes by automatically adjusting the loudness of your audio playback. Dialog+ enhances voices in music and movies for a drastically clearer vocal range.
All of the settings can be useful, but you’ll likely find yourself using Surround and Crystalizer the most.
Scout mode makes another return, and it’s probably my favorite feature in the lineup, allowing you to hear more of what’s going on like Marvin Gaye; whether in game, watching a film, or listening to music.
The G8 doesn’t have “X” in its name, but like the SoundBlasterX G6, it too contains Creative’s custom-designed Xamp discrete bi-amplifier, which drives the left and right channels individually.
As with the other DACs on this list, surround mode is fantastic, and you can expect all of the same sensations with the G8: a deeper level of immersion/intimacy with regard to dialogue, voices, and overall environmental cues and sounds.
Continuing in the vein of “The Chosen”, expect to hear all sorts of notable artifacts, ambiance, indecipherable dialogue, and plenty of background stuff that you’ve never heard before. Interestingly enough, this actually helps me concentrate better as I’m hyper-focused on hearing everything I can.
In this way, the G8 is incredibly useful for a myriad of different listening scenarios (mixing, film, gaming, general listening, etc.) and, like the G6, proves itself a valuable commodity over time.
Back Panel
The reason why the G8 gets the nod over the others is that it’s even more vertaile, with dual USB-C inputs (allowing you to stream audio from 2 USB devices simultaneously (your PC and phone for example), an HDMI ARC for use with consoles, TVs, Soundbars, AV receivers, etc. an optical output (also can be used with an A/V receiver), an optical input for use with a console like my PS4, a low/hi gain switch, the optical/arc switch, a line out (for use with active speakers as discussed) and a line input (tablet/mobile device).
Moreover, its dual USB-C inputs let you connect two devices at once and switch between them with a button press—no unplugging required. This is ideal for users juggling setups like a gaming PC and a music production laptop. It simplifies workflow, eliminates cable hassle, and offers flexible use across both professional and casual environments.
Front Panel
Like the G6, the front contains dual 3.5mm jacks (mic/headphone), making it really easy to use with something like a Mod Mic or V-Moda Boom Pro; both of which I own.
That said, I would have liked to see Creative include a splitter in the package for those who don’t have one lying around. Fortunately, the K7 mentioned below does include one, so I think Creative should up their game here (no pun intended).
Overall, the G8 is incredibly useful and even more so than a G6. You can connect it to darn near anything, and it has loads of power with a low output impedance.
For a more detailed write-up, have a gander at my SoundBlaster G8 Review.
Video Discussion
Fosi Audio K7 vs. SoundBlaster G8 Comparison
Fosi’s K7 is a fantastic product and a clear competitor to the G8. While both are excellent DACs, they do have some subtle differences you should be aware of.
Each features USB and optical inputs with support for up to 384kHz, but the K7 stands out with its balanced 4.4mm headphone output, DSD support, and Bluetooth 5.0. Additionally, it includes bass and treble adjustments but lacks the G8’s dedicated app, Scout Mode, SBX, and virtual surround sound capabilities.
Video Discussion
Both of these happen to be my top recommendations now for gaming, and both deliver a clear, neutral sound output overall.
It’s pretty tough to rank them, and I’d choose based on what features you need/think you’ll use most.
Final Verdict
It’s been quite a journey with Creative over the years, and though the G6 is a fantastic unit, the lineup was due for an upgrade.
I think the G8 is a perfect next step and highly recommend it. It’s built well, more versatile, looks nicer, and is easier to use.
All in all, I think it’s the best out of the SoundBlaster series, so choose it or the K7 based on your specific needs.
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Creative SoundBlaster DAC Shootout/Review and came away with some valuable insight.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please leave them down below or Contact me!!
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Which of these seems like the best purchase? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
