Solid sound card at a fair price

Creative Sound Blaster Z Internal Sound Card (PCI-Express (PCI-Express, 116dB, 3.5mm Jack) bulk (Accessories)

Customer Review

Caveat: I had been the X-FI Xtreme Gamer Creative in use - this was no longer installed on my new motherboard, however, as it only has a normal PCI connector. Seems to be a dying breed.

Therefore: New Map appointed - to choose from were the Asus Xonar card and the Creative Carte Sound Blaster Z (whether bulk or not probably does not matter - who would like to have the red veneer and the stand microphone, should the non-bulk version grab.

Installation was carried out without any problems to a PCI Express x1 - slot of my choice.
The installation of the included driver CD is done on Windows 7 and on Windows 8.1 (in each 64 bit version) without problems - only the update by the Autoupdater (or download from the Creative website) is and will remain at Creative unreasonable insidiously slow affair (download speed). Has always been so and will probably not even change.

To terminals: Intern can the HD audio front panel of the card connect (pins at the rear of the sound card) in order to operate a headset on the front connectors of the housing, if for what are. Furthermore, I have my Logitech Z-5500 5.1 system via the optical digital connection and the same time my Sharkoon 5.1 headset and a microphone connected via the jack. The ports can be configured to both devices at the same time the identical signal received (for example, via the decoder DTS Neo or Dolby Digital Live) - but with a small time delay through the optical port - or both devices can optionally separate signals received (eg Skype on the headset, Windows Media Player on) the system.

The included software provides for my taste enough possibilities for individual setting. Various profiles can be created and saved. You can always switch between them.

For Sound: Yes, because the views are probably apart. For my taste, the sound is very good - depending on the setting (Crystalizer, Dolby Digital bass redirection, Equalizer, ...). Here probably everyone has to play around a little and test. Unfortunately, I have no means of comparison with other sound cards, since I use since the first hour Creative cards.

Compared to XtremeGamer mainly the possibilities of microphone settings have improved - here different filters are now possible. My voice is also very good to hear, despite the relatively poor microphone, background noises are removed automatically depending on the setting.

All in all I am very pleased with the card at this price.