By
Brian Murphy (AxelCloris)
On paper the Creative Sound Blaster X7 Limited Edition looks to be the gamer’s equivalent of a multi-tool. Its feature list includes almost every tool we could want, with a few extras thrown in for good measure. It serves as a DAC, ADC, headphone amplifier, speaker amplifier and Bluetooth receiver. It can decode Dolby Digital and processes a 5.1 signal into their proprietary SBX Surround virtual surround for headphone use. It’s compatible with the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Windows and Mac. It even comes with its own built-in headphone stand. For most gamers these features make an enticing package, but can Creative do what Victorinox has managed to pull off for generations? Is this the Swiss Army knife of the gaming world?
In a word: yes.
In more words: the Creative Sound Blaster X7 Limited Edition is able to perform all of the necessary tasks expected of a gaming-focused DAC/amp with a few extras thrown in for good measure.
The X7 LE’s most important features are the virtual surround processing, headphone amp, DAC and ADC. If any one of these weren’t up to snuff I wouldn’t be mentioning an all-in-one device, I’d be recommending an entirely different solution based on the needs of the user. An all-in-one has to perform adequately in the majority of situations and the X7 LE manages to pull it off.
While I was absorbed in games like Overwatch and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the X7 LE’s headphone amp was driving my ETHER Flow with ease. In fact the X7 LE worked wonders with almost every headphone I paired with it. The MrSpeakers ETHER Flow, Philips SHP9500 and Sennheiser HD 800 all had no trouble reaching higher volumes. However, any HIFIMAN HE-6 owners will want to use the line out with another amp because no, the X7 LE cannot drive it. Unless someone is trying to use headphones that require a small sun to serve as the amp, the X7 LE is ready for whatever they throw at it.
Headphone pairing is something that should be considered with the X7 LE. It sounded better paired with my ETHER Flow than it did the SHP9500 and HD 800. The Philips and Sennheiser have a brighter presentation compared to the planar magnetic MrSpeakers. The X7 LE also has a brighter, leaner sound out of the box and plays well to the ETHER Flow’s signature but not as much the other two. Those who own brighter headphones need not fret, as Creative allows the user to swap the X7 LE’s opamps and tweak the sound via the hardware rather than software. Want a warm and smooth sounding X7 LE? Buy a set of warm and smooth sounding opamps and pop the hood.
I haven’t changed the opamps in the X7 LE, but Head-Fi user @Evshrug has. In his review of the Burson Audio v5i opamps he says that they made his X7 “...more dynamic, full of interesting details and atmosphere, while also easier to listen to.” If that doesn’t sound like an improvement, there’s an a bevy of other opamps available to personalize the X7 LE for anyone’s tastes.
While it’s not a factor for single-player games like Skyrim, a good ADC is necessary for games where communication is essential. Voice chat can make or break competitive games like Overwatch and League of Legends, and while the X7 LE’s mic input has room for improvement, it was acceptable for my teammates. I was using the V-MODA BoomPro, a cable with an in-line boom mic that I’ve used for years and absolutely adore. From their perspective my voice was unusually low through the X7 LE and sounded as though I was speaking into a plastic cup, but once I boosted the volume they were at least able to hear me clearly. I was told that my voice still wasn’t as “natural” as it is with other ADCs, sounding compressed and hollow, but it was functional. The ADC is like a multi-tool’s 1” pen knife, it’s able to get the job done but it’s not necessarily the perfect tool for the job. It’s a compromise.
Every gamer will end up using the headphone amp and most will use the mic input, but some will probably never enable the X7 LE’s SBX Surround processing, and if any of them are reading this in our buying guide, I suggest skipping the rest of this entry and checking out our other recommendations. There are other solutions out there for those who don’t plan to use the X7 LE’s surround processing. SBX Surround is the X7 LE’s statement feature; the glue that binds the entire experience together.
Creative’s SBX Pro Studio suite is an incredible resource for gamers. It’s essentially the brain that runs the X7 LE. It has multiple presets that cater to different users and a 10-band EQ for those who want to tweak the sound just so. There’s a setting called “Scout Mode” - one I rarely use if I’m honest - that’s designed with the eSports world in mind. I hardly ever enable it because I don’t play on a professional or even semi-pro level, but I have used it in the past to give myself an advantage in ranked Overwatch play. Scout Mode boosts the frequencies that enable us to hear details like footsteps and reduces frequencies that can impact positional cues, like those found in explosions. The sound is crisp and clear without any low frequency rumbles getting in the way. This breaks the game’s immersion for me, so I only use Scout Mode now and then.
Beyond that the SBX Pro Studio lets the user adjust the bass, treble, voice clarity, surround processing levels, game/voice balance and more. Unfortunately all of these adjustments have to be made from either a computer or a connected device like a smartphone or tablet. There’s an iOS and Android app available for console gamers for those who want to make adjustments without the need for a computer. That’s a huge improvement over the company’s older Recon 3D USB device which could only be adjusted from a PC or Mac.
The X7 LE is able to perform all of the essential functions gamers need and the extras only add to the experience. These features won’t be used by every X7 LE owner, but like a good multi-tool they’re useful to those to use them and unobtrusive to those who don’t.
The included headphone stand is perfect for lightweight headphones and headsets. For headphones with more heft - like my ETHER Flow - the stand was too wobbly for comfort, so in the end I removed it. Doesn’t work well for me, but others will certainly appreciate that it’s there. The Bluetooth functionality will be welcomed by console users but most PC gamers will probably skip over it and use the SBX Pro Studio software instead. I imagine that the X7 LE’s 100W stereo amp is another feature that will appeal to some but ignored by the masses. I love the fact that I was able to clear my dedicated stereo amp from the desk and connect my passive monitors directly to the X7.
The $500 price tag will no doubt keep many buyers at arm’s length, but it’s a great system for anyone who wants to have a compact all-in-one desktop solution for both computer and console gaming. If $500 is too much of a stretch, there’s a $400 version of the X7 available as well. The standard X7 has a higher output impedance of 2.2Ω vs the LE’s 1Ω and the speaker amp maxes out at 76W. Those gaming with sensitive headphones should consider the X7 LE, but anyone who doesn’t and won’t take advantage of the better speaker amp might find the normal X7 kinder to their wallet.
Yes, the Creative Sound Blaster X7 Limited Edition is one of the best gaming multi-tools available. No, it’s not cheap. Yes, it’s flexible and versatile. No, it’s not the perfect solution for everyone. Yes, it is a solution for most. Yes, I highly recommend it.
“|
Sound Blaster X7 is really a High-End Sound Blaster that successfully integrates Gaming, Movies, and Music into one unique and innovative product. Superb sound quality with tons of features. Kudos to Creative!
” |
| | —
earfonia
,
Head-Fi Member/Contributor | |
By
Jude Mansilla
I almost considered putting the Skullcandy SLYR in the over-ear headphones section. For 80 bucks, it's a good closed headphone, period, and with the added functionality of a built-in stow-away microphone.
As has been covered before on Head-Fi, Skullcandy is getting very serious about sound. They've hired a lot of talent, and built their own labs, and have moved away from OEM to designing and engineering their own stuff. The SLYR is a product of those efforts, and a very good result.
The SLYR comes with a USB gaming sound mixer. To put it in non-gamer speak, this mixer is like a USB DAC (plus USB mic in) that also allows you to adjust audio settings, especially for mixing game audio and voice. It also comes with three different EQ settings. Because the mixer's cables are so long--and because I think the SLYR sounds better with music without the mixer (though the EQ is fun to experiment with while gaming)--I just plug the SLYR directly into my computer, or into one of my good USB DAC/amps, most of the time.
With or without the included mixer, the SLYR is very good for gaming. Its sound signature favors clarity over boom, though it still does a fine job of conveying sounds, impact, and effects of the death and destruction I usually find myself suffering from when I enter the gaming fray.
The thing is, when I'm done gaming--when I've plugged it directly into my computer or one of my good DAC/amps--I regularly forget to change the SLYR out for another headphone when I return to music. I'll say it again: this is actually a good $80 closed headphone. The SLYR's overall clarity is good. Its bass is well balanced, mids could use a bit more refinement and richness, and there's occasionally some mid-treble glare. Still, though, it's musical enough that I'll use it for an all-'round headphone on days I know I'll be Skyping a lot (its built-in stow-away boom microphone comes in handy). 80 bucks--a very good deal.
By
Jude Mansilla
It's designed primarily as a wireless gaming headset. It's by Skullcandy. Get over both of those things, cue up your music, flip up the PLYR 1's built-in boom microphone to get it out of the way, and enjoy the music, as the Skullcandy PLYR 1 is one of the best sounding and most versatile wireless headphones I've yet used. Okay, I admit I was also skeptical when Skullcandy's Gernard Feril and James Lang told me they had a wireless headphone even a Head-Fi'er could love. Turns out they were right.
The PLYR 1 has three equalizer settings: Bass Mode, for emphasized impact for explosions and special effects; Precision Mode, for emphasized mids and highs to highlight footsteps and reloads in gaming; and Supreme Mode, which is the most balanced of the three settings. For music, I use Supreme Mode the most, occasionally opting for Precision Mode.
With switchable Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound and Dolby Headphone encoding--and a boom microphone with very nice outgoing voice clarity--the PLYR 1 makes for an immersive gaming experience. The PLYR 1's surround prowess also makes it an outstanding movie and TV headphone. Of course, the surround experience isn't totally out-of-head, but the PLYR 1 conveys enough out-of-head cues to make you check that your speakers aren't on from time to time.
For me, the PLYR 1's wireless performance has shown itself to be long-range--easily covering the entirety of my modestly sized home--and rock solid. The headphone's lithium-ion battery charges quickly (around two to three hours), and provides long battery life, with up to 14-15 hours for listening only, around nine hours with a lot of chatting, and a multi-purpose average per-charge use time of around 12-13 hours.
In terms of inputs, the PLYR 1 supports Toslink optical input and analog input via a 3.5mm mini plug, which brings me to my only real complaint about the PLYR 1: Its USB functionality is limited to the boom mic. Given its headset functionality, full USB input and output support would have made for easier one-cable hookup to computers for music listening, Skype calls, text-to-speech dictation, and gaming--especially for media-I/O-limited laptops like the Apple MacBook Air.
