Creative Sound Blaster E5

Started by Elantric, July 14, 2016, 10:00:39 PM

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Elantric

Creative Sound Blaster E5

Swiss Army knife worth knowing about

Adds stereo 24 bit I/O to your iPad /iPhone /Mac /Windows PC
Adds optical SPDIF I/O to your  iPad /iPhone /Mac /Windows PC

Drives Audiophile Headphones or IEMS

Works as a Bluetooth Audio Reciever supporting AAC and APTX Low Latency



http://www.head-fi.org/t/732171/creative-sound-blaster-e5-headphone-amp-usb-dac-with-otg-toslink-aptx-recording-more


http://us.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-e5
http://headfonics.com/2015/01/the-sound-blaster-e5-by-creative/


! No longer available

SOUND BLASTER E5
High Resolution USB DAC & Portable Headphone Amp
The Sound Blaster E5 is a 24-bit/192kHz high resolution USB DAC and portable headphone amplifier. Built with precision audiophile components, a best-in-class 600 ohm headphone amplifier and aptX technology for Bluetooth, the Sound Blaster E5 is the perfect audio component for music lovers, whether they are on the move or beside their PC/Mac.

EXTERNAL USB DAC FOR PC / MAC

The Sound Blaster E5 is the result of Sound Blaster's relentless audio innovation since the PC era, backed by decades of legendary audio engineering expertise. With a proven track record of providing high-fidelity PC audio for discerning ears, the E5 now brings a high-resolution audio experience for your use with laptops, smart phones and tablets.


DESIGNED FOR THE AUDIOPHILE IN YOU

The Sound Blaster E5 is designed from the ground up, to reproduce high-fidelity audio with minimum distortion and noise. It is built on the flagship Cirrus Logic CS4398 Digital-Analogue Converter (DAC), with an impressively high 120dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) that supports sample rates of up to 24-bit/192kHz resolution.

HIGH-RESOLUTION AUDIO PLAYBACK

Sound Blaster E5 is able to decode audio files ranging from MP3s and CDs (16-bit/44kHz) to high-resolution 24-bit/192kHz files, be it from your PC / Mac or other smart devices.


24-bit / 192kHz


LOW GAIN - 16Ω - 120Ω (GAIN: UP TO 5 dB)

HIGH GAIN - 120Ω - 600Ω (GAIN: UP TO 15 dB)
POWERS HIGH-IMPEDANCE HEADPHONES, WITH A DUAL GAIN SWITCH.

A best-in-class Texas Instrument TI6120A2 headphone amplifier enables you to power any of the headphones available in the market, giving you clarity, details and a total harmonic distortion value plus noise (THD+N) of <0.005%.

The headphone amplifier utilises a current-on-demand design in the headphone output, which enables the amplifier to respond quickly without the risk of output distortion. When a large amount of power is suddenly needed, the amplifier can respond extremely quickly without raising the noise floor and thus degrades the signal-to-noise ratio.

Have a variety of normal and power-demanding headphones in your collection? The dual gain switch also allows you to match your headphones to the correct impedance from the Sound Blaster E5. This gives you flexibility in listening to music at the most optimal playback volume.


HI-FI COMPANION FOR YOUR MOBILE DEVICES

You can play digital audio direct from your iOS or Android* device via the Sound Blaster E5 to your headphones. Digital audio signals are sent from the device directly to the Sound Blaster E5, which decodes them without any degradation in audio quality. What you get is audio playback at its highest fidelity.

Click here for phone models that are compatible with this feature.


ENHANCED AUDIO REALISM WITH SBX PRO STUDIO

Enjoy immersive audio realism, with SBX Pro Studio when you are watching movies or playing games.

SBX Pro Studio can be switched off, when listening to high-quality lossless audio, so that you may get to enjoy the songs unprocessed, in the way you desire.

Click to learn more about SBX Pro Studio.


STREAM MUSIC WIRELESSLY VIA BLUETOOTH™

The Sound Blaster E5 features Bluetooth 4.0 with NFC technology for one-touch, fuss-free Bluetooth pairing. A wide range of Bluetooth streaming codecs such as aptX Low Latency, AAC and SBC which enhances audio quality wirelessly, are also supported.


7.1 VIRTUAL SURROUND SUPPORT

Sound Blaster E5 supports virtual 7.1 channel audio input signals to deliver realistic gaming effects and audio cues with near-perfect accuracy and positioning via your headphones!3


VERY LOW OUTPUT IMPEDANCE - 2.2 OHM

Headphones, like consumer speakers, have defined classes allowing manufacturers of amplifiers, receivers, etc to design with those standards in mind. Generally different types of headphone fall between 16-32 ohm for consumer or home applications and 600 ohm for broadcast applications.

When designing the Sound Blaster E5, our engineers pushed boundaries by specially engineering the headphone amplifier circuit with a very low output impedance of 2.2 ohm. This allows the Sound Blaster E5 to accommodate both extreme ends of headphones in the market - from the most demanding high-impedance studio headphones to the most sensitive low-impedance in-ear monitors - while minimizing the introduction of distortion to audio content caused by variance in frequency response.


DUAL ORIENTATION RECORDING WITH CRYSTALVOICE™ TECHNOLOGY

The Sound Blaster E5 records via built-in dual microphones with auto-orientation sensor that reacts to landscape or portrait orientation, allowing stereo recording to smartphones or tablets.

The Sound Blaster E5 also features CrystalVoice™ Technology, a suite of audio recording enhancements built into the digital signal processor (DSP) that reduces noise and provides for clear calls and voice recordings, be it from mobile phones or via Skype conferencing.

Communication profiles such as A2DP, HFP and AVRCP are supported for voice calls.


DUAL HEADPHONE OUTPUTS

Dual headphone output lets you and your loved one enjoy your favourite tracks simultaneously!


MULTIPLE INPUT CONNECTIVITY OPTIONS

Sound Blaster E5 sports a Cirrus Logic CS5361 114 dB, 192kHz stereo Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) that allows audio recordings of the highest fidelity to your device, be it PC, Mac or even smart devices.

In addition, Optical I/O supplements the Line I/O to offer unparalleled connectivity options from and to digital and analog sources, such as today's gaming console, high-definition media player and even modern TVs.


JITTER-FREE AUDIO PLAYBACK

The Sound Blaster E5 supports asynchronous mode which is superior to other USB data transfer modes. Data is 'pulled' from the computer under the control of the Sound Blaster E5, not 'pushed' to the DAC.

This allows the DAC to process the digital signal at its optimal timing, thereby ensuring the lowest possible output jitter and best possible sound quality with minimal distortion.


MFI-CERTIFIED FOR APPLE IOS

The Sound Blaster E5 is a MFi-approved product, designed to work seamlessly with iPod, iPhone, or iPad, and has been certified to meet Apple's performance standards.


LONG BATTERY LIFE

The Sound Blaster E5 is equipped with a 3200mAh battery, which offers up to 8 hours1 of playback, even when using the Bluetooth connectivity option.

Sound Blaster E5 also allows Android users to charge their smart phones while on the go.

Sound Blaster E5 adopts the Android Open Accessory Protocol, which allow users with compatible Android devices (from version 2.3.4 onward) seamless control.


SCOUT MODE

This gaming centric technology allows you to hear your enemies from further away and gain a distinct tactical advantage in combat.2


OPTIMIZE YOUR SOUND, WITH SB-AXX1™ MULTI-CORE PROCESSOR

Sound Blaster E5 is built to also entertain. Incorporated into Sound Blaster E5 is a SB-Axx1 multi-core processor, designed to improve audio experiences, such as increasing the depth and spatial width of the audio you hear, be it in movies or gaming.

The SB-Axx1 processor also saves all your audio EQ settings so that you can enjoy your personalised sound, whether the Sound Blaster E5 is connected to a computer, or as a stand-alone headphone amplifier.



BACKED BY MULTI-PLATFORM SOFTWARE FOR IOS & ANDROID™

Get extensive audio control right in the palm of your hand with the free Sound Blaster Central app for iOS and Android devices. Use it to wirelessly customize all your Sound Blaster audio E5 settings so you hear audio, just the way you want it.

PRODUCT DIMENSION


1 Actual battery life will vary with usage scenarios, settings and environmental conditions.

2 Driver & firmware update required for added Scout Mode functionality.

3 Software & firmware update required for added 7.1 virtual surround sound functionality, and is for Windows only.

REVIEWS CLICK TO EXPAND CONTENTS
SPECIFICATIONS CLICK TO EXPAND CONTENTS
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS CLICK TO EXPAND CONTENTS
PACKAGE CONTENTS CLICK TO EXPAND CONTENTS
WARRANTY CLICK TO EXPAND CONTENTS


A CLOSER LOOK AT YOUR PRODUCT

SPECIFICATIONS
Audio Technology
SB-Axx1™
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR)
120dB (DAC)
Connectivity Options (Main)
microUSB
Line / Mic / Optical In: 1 x 3.5mm jack
Headphone Out : 2 x 3.5mm jacks
Line / Optical Out : 1 x 3.5mm jack
USB Host Streaming: 1 x Type-A USB Port
Max Channel Output
Stereo
Audio Technologies
SBX Pro Studio, CrystalVoice, Scout Mode
Microphone
Microphone Type: Built-in Mic with auto-orientation sensor (Landscape / Portrait modes)
Learn More
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Windows
Intel® Core™2 Duo or AMD® equivalent processor (2.8 GHz or faster recommended)
Intel, AMD or 100% compatible motherboard
Microsoft® Windows® 10 32/64-bit, 8.1/8.0 32/64-bit, Windows 7 32/64-bit, Windows Vista® 32/64-bit SP1 or higher
1GB RAM
>600 MB of free hard disk space
Available USB 2.0/3.0 port (High Speed recommended with driver)

Macintosh
Macintosh running Mac® OS X® 10.6.8 or higher
1GB RAM
>600 MB of free hard disk space
Available USB 2.0/3.0 port (High Speed recommended with software)

iOS
iPhones/iPads running iOS 6.0 or higher for Bluetooth
iPhones/iPads running iOS 6.0 or higher for USB Host Audio streaming via Lightning port

Android
Phones/Tablets running Android 2.3 or higher for Bluetooth
Phones/Tablets running Android 4.1 or higher for USB Host Streaming *

* Devices firmware must implement AOA2 protocol that support USB Host Streaming







Elantric

#1
Related to above
Creative Labs Sound Blaster AXX 200 Intelligent Wireless Sound System - A portable wireless speaker with Bluetooth, NFC and microphone array, record phone calls, record to built in SD card at 16khz or 48khz

And its  a full 24 bit USB sound card for PC, Mac,  iPAd , Android

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F3GT5BG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I like it - because its another swiss army knife,  allows spontaneous recording of ideas, without fumbling a user interface , and its big enough not to misplace when inspiration strikes


In depth review
"The coolest gadget you didn't know existed"

https://web.archive.org/web/20150321142726/http://www.custompcreview.com/reviews/creative-sound-blaster-axx-200-review/19552/




VOICE RECORDER - Take advantage of the impressive quad microphone array to record anything, directly onto the microSD card slot. This is great for recording phone conversations, speeches, discussions or even your own demo track.
BUILT-IN MP3 PLAYER - One of the trade offs of using your smart phone as your audio source is that your phone can run out of battery pretty quickly. That's why we've built in an alternative: the integrated WMA/MP3 Player. Simply pop in a microSD card containing your favorite music and press the play button. It's that easy.
MOBILE WIRELESS TELECONFERENCING SYSTEM - Simply pair your smartphone to it via Bluetooth and you're ready! With the SBX Pro Studio & CrystalVoice technology, you can eliminate surround noise and focus the call on you by activating the VoiceFocus and Noise-canceling function. What's more, all conversations can be recorded simply by inserting a microSD card into it.
KARAOKE ON THE GO - It doesn't matter if nobody wants to go to the karaoke with you because with the AXX 200, the world's your stage. Our clever microphone reverb algorithm amplifies your voice to sound better than it really is! Simply stream your favorite karaoke tunes from your smartphone and start singing along!
PORTABLE BATTERY PACK - You know what is frustrating? Having your smartphone run out of battery! That's why we've designed the AXX 200 to double up as a portable backup battery for your smartphone, so you've got up to 5200mAh of emergency power right when you need it most. Check out http://www.creative.com/axx200/ to find out more!


gregjon

How would I hook this up with my iPad Pro, with FTP ? I just want to use SampleTank.
Will run Magnetic Pickups into a Boss ME-25 Multi.



Thanks
Fender 50th Anniversary Strat with GK3 pickup.
Godin Freeway SA
Godin Multiac Nylon SA
Fishman Triple Play
GR-55
GR-20
SUGS Selector
RFX Midi Foot Control Pedal
Ipad Air, Apps: Bias, Jam Up Pro, Flying Haggis, Tone Stack, Audiobus, Garage Band,

Elantric

#3
The Creative Sound Blaster  E5 is just another USB class compliant audio interface

This thread describes how to connect to iPad

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=9581.0

But there are more versatile audio interface for iPad ,so not sure why you want this for FTP and Sampletank

My main purpose of E5 is in standalone mode as an EQ  tool to tame the Flecher-Munson effect during DSP Amp modeler patch programming for live gig using headphones as described here
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=18865.msg134564#msg134564


repost from
Re: GR-55- Lack of success editing patches with headphones
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=18793.msg134034#msg134034
I know from years of playing guitar live that its important for each musician to stay clear of the audio frequency spectrum of the other musicians in your band and don't solo when the vocalist is singing.

For example its all too easy to create a patch that sounds wonderful in headphones at home, but at the live gig are way too boomy with far too much low end below 250 Hz , and too much brittle sizzle above 8kHz  - so at home I intentionally use an outboard EQ that boost those frequencies and cut the midrange during patch creation at home .


As an aid in programming live patches at home with any DSP Modeling unit,  I feed it's output into a multiband EQ that boosts the low end below 250hz  and  bit of the high end above 8kHz)  - this "smiley face EQ" enhancement with a third party box I feed my DSP Amp Modeler dujour into  is only used at home during "live" patch creation to compensate for the Fletcher-Munson effect and the wider frequency response of a large Professional PA system 

The net result: When programming patches,  this forces me to cut the bass and high treble and dial in more Midrange (frequencies between 250hz  thru 8kHz)  with my live patches  on my DSP Modeler and that helps get in the ballpark for  live patches that translate better when feeding a large PA in a live band context

my current trick weapon for this while on the go is a portable headphone Amp with built in EQ

Creative Labs E5
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=18649.msg133059#msg133059




The live PA mix engineer can often compensate using the EQ on the board  - and Ive never been told i have too much mid range EQ content in my live signal feed to the PA   

Solo musicians can ignore most of this strategy as they can get away with covering a broader frequency spectrum at a live show.

Metal guys love low sub  - frequencies, but that typically translates into trampling  / competing with your Bass players audio frequency domain and creating a terrible muddy live sound mix  and a train wreck with no groove with the rhythm section