Thanks for the mod!
 
I was using EQ preamp to pad down some volume so there can be more adjustment steps, but this is a more elegant solution.
I am also using Volume2 (https://irzyxa.wordpress.com/tag/volume2/) alongside of this, it's a good volume OSD thing.

arata said:

  Both the E5 and ZXR have me needing to use under 15% volume [edit] with EQ at 0db. I.e. comfortable listening for me now at work on the E5 with gain on low for my IM-02 ranges (depending on content) from say 3% to 12%, hooking it up to my Windows 8.1 PC via USB. 13% up is getting loud with most content.
 
I use VolStep - Volume Step Adjuster @ http://sourceforge.net/projects/volstep/ - to make this a *lot* more manageable. Here's my volstep_start.bat :
 

Code:

 @echo off SET VOLUME_STEP=0.3 reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run /v volstep /f /t REG_SZ /d "\"%~dp0volstep.exe\" %VOLUME_STEP%" cd "%~dp0" start volstep %VOLUME_STEP%

 
 
Another edit, since I've already modified this post multiple times - a major difference between the E5 and the ZXR is the handling of multiple channels. The E5 is a stereo device, essentially, whereas the ZXR is not.  Haven't tried the E5 for gaming, and I'm not going to (sorry), but the ZXR's headphone surround is just fantastic (e.g. playing Insurgency).
 
Great sound on both; I'll do some A-B tonight if time permits.

I'm not using the ACM command module as I found it detracted from the sound quality.

Click to expand...

E5 too have the SBX Pro ( surround )
its not the same ?

paulguru said:

  E5 too have the SBX Pro ( surround )
its not the same ?

Click to expand...

 
E5 only presents as a stereo system to the OS. It will still work for decoding some sources of surround audio, however the ZXR does feature true multichannel support which will almost always be easier to deal with. I.e. a game can see that there's multiple channels, output surround to that without much effort.
 
See e.g. http://forums.creative.com/showthread.php?t=717470

 
If you want virtual surround sound do not buy any of the E series because none of them do it. I've said this earlier in the thread. Until the E series can appear to Windows as a 5.1 or 7.1 speaker system it is not possible to do virtual surround sound.
 
My setup for SBX virtual surround sound is here. Any DAC with optical input will work in that setup. It's frustrating but it's the best system to use until they make SBX Pro Studio just as software and works with USB DACs. X-Fi MB3 just doesn't work with USB DACs in my experience.

arata said:

   
E5 only presents as a stereo system to the OS. It will still work for decoding some sources of surround audio, however the ZXR does feature true multichannel support which will almost always be easier to deal with. I.e. a game can see that there's multiple channels, output surround to that without much effort.
 
See e.g. http://forums.creative.com/showthread.php?t=717470

Click to expand...

 
 

ausername501 said:

 

Spoiler: Quote: paulguru

 

 
If you want virtual surround sound do not buy any of the E series because none of them do it. I've said this earlier in the thread. Until the E series can appear to Windows as a 5.1 or 7.1 speaker system it is not possible to do virtual surround sound.
 
My setup for SBX virtual surround sound is here. Any DAC with optical input will work in that setup. It's frustrating but it's the best system to use until they make SBX Pro Studio just as software and works with USB DACs. X-Fi MB3 just doesn't work with USB DACs in my experience.

Click to expand...

 
So what you are saying is that if you plug a pair of headphones into the E5 (which in turn is connected to the PC via USB) and in SBX Pro Studio (for E5) tick the box next to Surround, it will not give any surround sound in games?

arata said:

  Both the E5 and ZXR have me needing to use under 15% volume [edit] with EQ at 0db. I.e. comfortable listening for me now at work on the E5 with gain on low for my IM-02 ranges (depending on content) from say 3% to 12%, hooking it up to my Windows 8.1 PC via USB. 13% up is getting loud with most content.
 
I use VolStep - Volume Step Adjuster @ http://sourceforge.net/projects/volstep/ - to make this a *lot* more manageable. Here's my volstep_start.bat :
 

Code:

 @echo off SET VOLUME_STEP=0.3 reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run /v volstep /f /t REG_SZ /d "\"%~dp0volstep.exe\" %VOLUME_STEP%" cd "%~dp0" start volstep %VOLUME_STEP%

 
 
Another edit, since I've already modified this post multiple times - a major difference between the E5 and the ZXR is the handling of multiple channels. The E5 is a stereo device, essentially, whereas the ZXR is not.  Haven't tried the E5 for gaming, and I'm not going to (sorry), but the ZXR's headphone surround is just fantastic (e.g. playing Insurgency).
 
Great sound on both; I'll do some A-B tonight if time permits.

I'm not using the ACM command module as I found it detracted from the sound quality.

Click to expand...

 

Could you comment on the differences between ZxR and E5 in terms of sound quality when using the same pair of headphones/earphones? Is there any noticeable difference at all?

It will not get 5.1 virtual surround sound. There will only be front left and front right speakers (2.0) which is useless and I wouldn't want to use it with music either. Game cannot send 5.1 or 7.1 channel audio to the E series as the E series doesn't appear as a 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound speaker setup to Windows. Do not buy the E series if you want virtual surround sound for games.

ausername501 said:

  It will not get 5.1 virtual surround sound. There will only be front left and front right speakers (2.0) which is useless and I wouldn't want to use it with music either. Game cannot send 5.1 or 7.1 channel audio to the E series as the E series doesn't appear as a 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound speaker setup to Windows. Do not buy the E series if you want virtual surround sound for games.

Click to expand...

Have you tested this yourself, by ticking the Surround box in SBX Pro Studio and then played a game with the E5? I thought virtual surround was all software and only required a pair of stereo headset?
 
Is there any solution to make the E5 recognized as 5.1 or 7.1 surround speaker in Windows?
 
 

icte said:

   

Could you comment on the differences between ZxR and E5 in terms of sound quality when using the same pair of headphones/earphones? Is there any noticeable difference at all?

Click to expand...

Yes, the differences are absolutely there. I've just listening to The Dark Knight Rises now, doing some A-Bs between the E5 through my phone and the ZXR on the desktop. Source was Spotify (I also have a 24 bit version - which is even better, but I haven't put that on my phone), for fairness, and am sitting down to write this now. I am using the ATH IM02 in ears, which have about 60 odd hours on them I'd guess. 
 
So, the E5 is much warmer, if I may, and the ZXR feels (perhaps significantly) more open and far more detailed, overall more controlled (better timbre for sure).  It's worth noting that the EQ on the ZXR goes from +- 24 db, whereas the E5 is only +- 12db.
 
Having said that, I still greatly enjoy my E5s - it's fantastic for work and on the go. I'd be surprised if the ZXR didn't sound better, given the amount of engineering they've managed to cram into that card. The E5 is physically much much smaller and has to pack a battery as well. Now, I've used the bluetooth connection here as for some reason my USB cable (not the one SB provided me, that's at work) had some issues, but I don't believe there's a significant difference between the two.
 
For the best comparison I guess I ought to install the E5 software alongside the ZXR one on the desktop, and run both from there, however I really don't feel like doing that as it's a relatively clean install. Suffice to say I'm using the E5 directly connected to my work computer and there sound is just about identical from that and the phone; I've done some A-Bs there.
 
(As a PS, very happy with the IM-02s which seem to get somewhat better every week. Didn't like them that much on zero hours, surprising how playing time has helped.)

icte said:

 
Have you tested this yourself, by ticking the Surround box in SBX Pro Studio and then played a game with the E5? I thought virtual surround was all software and only required a pair of stereo headset?
 
Is there any solution to make the E5 recognized as 5.1 or 7.1 surround speaker in Windows?
 
 

Click to expand...

 
For virtual surround sound to work it requires the game to send 5.1 or 7.1 multi-channel audio to the playback device. This requires the playback device to appear to Windows as a 5.1 or 7.1 speaker system. As the E series does not do this the game cannot send the multi-channel audio to the playback device. Therefore virtual surround sound doesn't work because the virtual surround sound software isn't receiving the audio channels for the center and rear speakers.

New Creative product ! :
 
[size=24.5699996948242px]Creative Sound BlasterX G5: 7.1[/size]
 
Have anyone seen it ? 

paulguru said:

  New Creative product ! :
 
[size=24.5699996948242px]Creative Sound BlasterX G5: 7.1[/size]
 
Have anyone seen it ? 

Click to expand...

Very interesting, hopefully it'll be on-par with ZxR and may be a future upgrade for me. From the feedback I can tell that E5 is not as good as ZxR in terms of sound quality (for me, at least) and the lack of virtual surround support for stereo headsets is a dealbreaker for me. Hopefully G5 will be what the E5 could not be for me!
 
EDIT: Here is some more information on this upcoming product:
 
http://www.creative.com/corporate/pressroom/?id=13476

icte said:

 
Very interesting, hopefully it'll be on-par with ZxR and may be a future upgrade for me. From the feedback I can tell that E5 is not as good as ZxR in terms of sound quality (for me, at least) and the lack of virtual surround support for stereo headsets is a dealbreaker for me. Hopefully G5 will be what the E5 could not be for me!
 
EDIT: Here is some more information on this upcoming product:
 
http://www.creative.com/corporate/pressroom/?id=13476

Click to expand...

how can it to be 7.1 ?
Then it will not only stereo like E5 ? supporto multi channel like ZXR ?

http://www.creative.com/corporate/pressroom/?id=13476
 

 Sound BlasterX G5 is priced at USD149.99 and will be available at the online store at creative.com November 2015.

Click to expand...

 
This not what I wanted at all and I'm certainly not going to buy something that expensive just for SBX Pro Studio 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound. Might be a nice alternative to buying a Modi/Magni for some people but I doubt it's suitable for IEMs.
 
Still haven't got the output impedance under 1Ω either. Bet the volume control is still linked to the OS as well.
 
The only reason I have an X-Fi Surround 5.1 USB (SBX version) is because I can do optical out to another DAC with VSS processed audio.
 

paulguru said:

  how can it to be 7.1 ?
Then it will not only stereo like E5 ? supporto multi channel like ZXR ?

Click to expand...

 
Virtual surround sound processed audio is stereo because headphones are stereo.
 
What they are saying is that it appears to Windows as a 7.1 speaker system so you can get 7.1 virtual surround sound with films and games.
 
http://www.blasterx.com/
 
They really need to make SBX 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound that is purely software and can output to any DAC. There is too much resistance and people want to use their own DACs and Amps rather than be stuck using Creatives.

why to be 7.1 if SBX pro is 5.1 ?