Home Amp/DAC Comparisons Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3

Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3

by Stuart Charles Black

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Big shoutout to Creative for sending both the G6 and G3 for demo!!

At A Glance

Title
Creative Sound Blaster G3 USB-C External Gaming USB DAC and Amp for PS4, Nintendo Switch, Ft. GameVoice Mix (Audio Balance for Game/Chat), Mic/Vol Control and Mobile App Control, Plug-and-Play
Our Pick
Sound BlasterX G6 Hi-Res 130dB 32bit/384kHz Gaming DAC, External USB Sound Card with Xamp Headphone Amp, Dolby Digital, 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound, Sidetone/Speaker Control for PS4, Xbox One
Preview
Creative Sound Blaster G3 USB-C External Gaming USB DAC and Amp for PS4, Nintendo Switch, Ft. GameVoice Mix (Audio Balance for Game/Chat), Mic/Vol Control and Mobile App Control, Plug-and-Play
Sound BlasterX G6 Hi-Res 130dB 32bit/384kHz Gaming DAC, External USB Sound Card with Xamp Headphone Amp, Dolby Digital, 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound, Sidetone/Speaker Control for PS4, Xbox One
Combo Amp/DAC
External App
Capability
Drives up to 300 Ohm Headphones
Drives up to 600 Ohm Headphones
Connection
USB-C (Comes with USB-A Adapter), Mic input, headphone input (3.5mm) Optical/Line input
Micro USB, Mic input, headphone input (3.5mm) Optical/Line input, Optical/Line output
Compatibility
PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, Mac
PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, Mac
Output Impedance
Not Specified
1 Ohm
Features
Scout Mode, SBX, Mic Mode
Scout Mode, SBX, Gain, Mic Mode
Prime
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime
Price
$44.99
$119.99
Title
Creative Sound Blaster G3 USB-C External Gaming USB DAC and Amp for PS4, Nintendo Switch, Ft. GameVoice Mix (Audio Balance for Game/Chat), Mic/Vol Control and Mobile App Control, Plug-and-Play
Preview
Creative Sound Blaster G3 USB-C External Gaming USB DAC and Amp for PS4, Nintendo Switch, Ft. GameVoice Mix (Audio Balance for Game/Chat), Mic/Vol Control and Mobile App Control, Plug-and-Play
Combo Amp/DAC
External App
Capability
Drives up to 300 Ohm Headphones
Connection
USB-C (Comes with USB-A Adapter), Mic input, headphone input (3.5mm) Optical/Line input
Compatibility
PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, Mac
Output Impedance
Not Specified
Features
Scout Mode, SBX, Mic Mode
Prime
Amazon Prime
Price
$44.99
Learn More
Our Pick
Title
Sound BlasterX G6 Hi-Res 130dB 32bit/384kHz Gaming DAC, External USB Sound Card with Xamp Headphone Amp, Dolby Digital, 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound, Sidetone/Speaker Control for PS4, Xbox One
Preview
Sound BlasterX G6 Hi-Res 130dB 32bit/384kHz Gaming DAC, External USB Sound Card with Xamp Headphone Amp, Dolby Digital, 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound, Sidetone/Speaker Control for PS4, Xbox One
Combo Amp/DAC
External App
Capability
Drives up to 600 Ohm Headphones
Connection
Micro USB, Mic input, headphone input (3.5mm) Optical/Line input, Optical/Line output
Compatibility
PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, Mac
Output Impedance
1 Ohm
Features
Scout Mode, SBX, Gain, Mic Mode
Prime
Amazon Prime
Price
$119.99
Learn More

What are the main differences between Soundblaster’s G3 and G6? Should you bypass the G3 altogether?

Is The G6 a snap purchase? Who do these products benefit? All of these answers and more, comin’ up!

Greetings mate and Welcome aboard… Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions, leading to a beautiful audio experience that will make you fall in love with music .. all over again, so…

Table of Contents

Click to navigate the article!

Build & Aesthetic
Features
Sound
Final Word
Photo Gallery


With that, let’s get rolling.

We’ll start with the build.

Build & Aesthetic

Admittedly, both of these combo Amp/DACS feel pretty light and dare I say cheap in the case of the G3.

The G6 is rather plastic-y, but the G3 is even lighter, smaller, and feels rather flimsy in your hand.

To be expected for around $50.

The G6 actually feels pretty solid in your hand, it’s just kind of a lightweight, or a featherweight if we’re thinking in terms of Boxing.

Fortunately, both have padded feet on the bottom that prevent them from moving around too much.

The G3 sports 2 built-in horizontal pads towards the top and bottom, while the G6’s is one giant pad that covers the entirety of the unit.

Both of the pads do a fairly admirable job of keeping the units in place, so no real complaints there.

Aesthetically, the G6 is much cooler and more futuristic looking, while the G3 is more of a utilitarian type of product.

The G6 looks more like something Harrison Ford might purchase if he needed to blast his way out of a mess.

The G6 is a fantastic all-around Amp/DAC for the gamer in YOU

Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3

Both units have a 3.5mm headphone jack, a mic jack, and an optical input, but the G3’s optical in appears front and center while the G6’s is at the back.

The G6 also has an optical/line output, while the G3 does not.

This is a great feature if you plan to connect the DAC to separate speakers, but not everyone will utilize it.

Both light up, but the G3’s is a halo ring light vs. the X of the G6.

The G6 does also have a halo ring light behind the volume pot to indicate what mode you’re in. More on that in a sec.

Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3

While the G6 has a micro USB input on the back for connection to your various devices, the G3’s is a non-detachable mouse-looking tail that terminates in a USB-C.

It does come with a USB-C to A adapter, so don’t fret. You can plug it into your laptop, PC, Console with no problem.

For the Nintendo Switch, you’ll just remove the adapter.

You can also utilize the USB-C jack if you have a MAC, or in my case, a Lenovo X1 Extreme with USB-C ports.

To enter mic mode on the G6, simply push and hold the volume pot on the front.

The halo ring light will switch from a cool blue to bright red.

Creative SoundBlasterX G6 Amp/DAC Review

Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3

Now you’re ready to scream obscenities at people you don’t know and will never meet in person.

Aside from that, the G3 is a little different with regard to mic mode.

Instead of pushing the volume pot, you’ll simply use the switches on the side.

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.

Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3

Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3

To me, the G3 method is actually simpler and more straightforward.

For the G6, you set the game audio first, then press and hold the volume pot to enter mic mode and set the mic audio second.

It may take a couple of tweaks, but it’s still pretty self-explanatory at the end of the day.

Let’s get into some of the features for each though.

Features

Both the G6 and G3 have SBX, and Scout Mode features, but the G3 does not have the extra gain.

On the G6, you’ll tick a switch on the right-hand side for Scout Mode.

With the G3, just press the middle button once for a powder blue color, which indicates “Footsteps enhancer mode.”

Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3

Scout 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.

Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3

Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3

Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3

While I’d feel comfortable driving pretty much any headphones with the G6, I cannot say the same for the G3.

You’ll mostly want to stick to low-impedance, high-sensitivity headphones with it.

It will have trouble with many mid-fi offerings like the HD600, HIFIMAN DEVA, K702, etc.

It’s important to note that Creative doesn’t provide specific power output numbers, but they do say the G6 will drive up to 600 Ohm headphones.

Both have their own version of an add-on app: SoundBlaster Connect for the G6, and SoundBlaster Command for the G3.

You can also download an app for your phone for quick modifications while you’re PC gaming.

Creative has made things incredibly easy for you lazy a** couch potatoes who haven’t moved from your indentation for some 98 years.

Both of these apps do roughly the same things, but the G6 has the customizable color options that I did a separate video on, which you can see here:

SoundBlaster Connect Demo

You can tweak a lot inside the apps, from EQ to your SBX profile, the mixer, etc.

One thing to keep in mind is that the G3 is not compatible with a SexBox One, while the G6 is.

Just make sure to use the supplied optical/line cable from the XBox to the G6.

PS4 users will simply plug and play via USB. Both are also compatible with Nintendo Switch as well.

Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3

The most important distinction here is sound.

Does the G6 sound markedly better than the G3? Let’s take a gander.

Sound

 

  • Headphones Used: Koss KPH30i
  • Source: Tidal Hi-Fi, Spotify Premium

For the purposes of keeping things consistent, streamlined, and pragmatic, I used the easy-to-drive Koss KPH30i to compare.

This prevents me from having to worry about power requirement issues with other headphones and constantly trying to achieve the right levels when going back and forth.

You’ll notice the G3 is clear and fairly crisp sounding, but it’s dry in comparison to the more lush, inviting sound of the G6.

This makes sense to me; the G3 sounded better when I was gaming than it did when I was simply listening to music on my laptop.

The dry nature of it reminds me of the Audio Technica ATH AD900x, a long-respected and recommended gaming headphone with some of the same characteristics.

Like the G3, it’s perfect for picking out tiny details and sounds in a fast-paced environment.

In other words, it’s raw, transparent, and fairly unforgiving.

Still…

It’s simply not as elegant sounding as its more expensive counterpart, and to me, this is part of where your extra money goes. The G3 is certainly no slouch, but it doesn’t measure up.

Dry is perhaps the absolute best way I can describe it.

By that I mean it’s a bit papery sounding, while the G6 dons a more professional type of presentation. The G3 is just a bit outclassed here, and it shows.

So what do I mean by “papery”?

Why you askin’ so many questions, homie?

Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3

It’s hard to explain. Voices and instruments just don’t have the depth and realism they do with the G6.

The G6 also has a slightly warmer tone to my ears, just a tad north of neutral at about a 1 Ohm Output impedance.

Video Comparison

Closing Thoughts and Update

When I first heard the G3, the only real issue I had with the G3 was its lack of cable slack.

Then some months later I tried it again and realized how bad it sounded. It’s too raspy, dry, and thin for any sort of serious music listening.

For gaming? Meh. It’s a bit better in that regard, but still not something I’d rely on for full-time baddie-slaying duties.

Also, because the G3’s mousey tail thing is not detachable, plugging it into the PS4 and sitting on my couch with a pair of headphones is barely doable.

With the G6, I have plenty of cables and can sit comfortably in almost any position.

It’s simply a better product in every way.

I use it more, I rely on it pretty much every day, and it’s super easy to transport from my living room to the studio.

I keep 2 micro USB cables in each spot, so it takes less than 30 seconds to get set up and running.

This is one case where I would absolutely recommend the more expensive product because to me it’s worth it to own a G6 and then some.

Out of the 9+ Amps and DACS that I had on my desk right when I first wrote this article, the G6 certainly got the most use.

And I still use it today!

It’s incredibly versatile, it’s power-packed with more features than an industrial-sized vibrator, and sounds incredible.

I mean that. I really was not expecting a product specifically tailored to gamers to sound like something an audiophile would fawn over, but boy was I ever wrong.

The G6 very well could be all anyone could ever need, and I truly mean that. It is a snap purchase, so…

What are you waiting for?

Learn More:

 

 

Well that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3, and are better equipped to make a purchasing decision!

If you love what I do here and want to support the blog and channel in a more personal way, check me out on Patreon and discover all the value I have to offer you.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!

Which of these options sounds best to YOU? I would love to hear your thoughts. Until next time..

All the best and God bless,

 

 

-Stu

[Xtr@Ba$eHitZ]

Can’t decide which headphones to purchase? Interested in a complete buyers guide outlining over 40 of the best options on the market? Click on over to the best audiophile headphones to learn more!!

Be sure to also check out my Reviews and Resources page for more helpful and informative articles!

Photos..

Photo Gallery

Click to see them in action!

Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3Creative SoundBlasterX G6 vs. G3

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