[moophus]

  BTW, for all of you gamer out there, scout mode is finally supported as well. 

 
 

  Great news! Creative has updated E5's firmware and now it supports host mode, so no more charging when connectted to Android smartphone. You can find the new firmware on Creative support page.

 
 
wow. brownie points to Creative! I'd say it's a massive move on their part for a huge corporation. I was just assuming there weren't going to be updates and to just live with the quirks.  I'm glad I'm wrong!

 

[Eric Koh]

I suspect it has only been release only for Android, other platforms (hopefully) soon.

---
Release date : 13 May 15
File Name : Central_1.05.20.apk
This download contains the Sound Blaster Central application for Android. For more details, read the rest of this web release note.

What's New:

1. Added Scout Mode support
2. Support mixer control and external mic for mic monitoring
3. Bug fixes

---

 

[HotIce]

So it's not an E5 FW upgrade? Is that a host SW upgrade only?

 

[Eric Koh]

Yep - installed on android device connecting to E5.

 

[ClieOS]

  I cannot find a firmware package there. Where is it?

I was told there will be a 'firmware' update, though may be they are referring to the Android driver update (or may be the firmware update is built into the Android driver?). You can find the new driver on support.creative.com or Play Store.

 

[KritiKal]

Guessing the firmware is still on its way. I downloaded the update for the app and it appears to be no different thus far and didn't update the firmware via the app. It still charges, and there's no scout mode (yet visible). I'm guessing these features will be enabled with the firmware update.

 

[Kodhifi]

Why would they enable scout mode on a mobile phone platform?

 

[Sam L]

  Great news! Creative has updated E5's firmware and now it supports host mode, so no more charging when connectted to Android smartphone. You can find the new firmware on Creative support page.

NOOOOO!!!!!!!
 
I returned my E5 and picked up a different portable dac/amp only because of this android constantly charging issue.  hmmm.  and they just started selling the E5 at my local Fry's, where I'll be going to pick up a keyboard later today....   need.... willpower.....  must... resist.....

 

[KritiKal]

Why would they enable scout mode on a mobile phone platform?

I was thinking the same thing, there must be a reason though! Looking at the Soundblaster app on Google Play, it shows in the screenshots, so it will be, as strange as it is.

 

[KritiKal]

Firmware Installation Package for Windows is now available from the Creative E5 support web page: http://support.creative.com/Products/ProductDetails.aspx?catID=1&CatName=Sound+Blaster&subCatID=1084&subCatName=E-Series&prodID=22019&prodName=Sound+Blaster+E5&bTopTwenty=1&VARSET=prodfaqRODFAQ_22019,VARSET=CategoryID:1

 

[ClieOS]

Got further explanation - the no-charging OTG is enabled via the microUSB port, not the USB-A female port. Needless to say you will need the right OTG cable (micro to micro) to work with Android.

 

[KritiKal]

Got further explanation - the no-charging OTG is enabled via the microUSB port, not the USB-A female port. Needless to say you will need the right OTG cable (micro to micro) to work with Android.

It's a slight shame (mostly because I don't have a micro to micro cable on hand), but I imagine they had no other conceivable method to achieve it with the USB A port. Have to give them kudos for listening to owners and finding a workaround. Micro to micro cables seem easy to obtain too.

 

[JakiChan]

If it could handle Dolby Headphone it would start to give Astro a run for their money.  

 

[Sam21]

  If it could handle Dolby Headphone it would start to give Astro a run for their money.  

 
I think the SBX surround feels more natural than DH. Moreover, The Mixamp has a terrible DAC/Amp, My Creative play! easily beats it and it is only 20 bucks...
 
 
KUDOS to Creative for this Swiss army knife, I would be the first person in line to buy E7, if creative decided to make it ...

 

[Kodhifi]

   
I think the SBX surround feels more natural than DH. Moreover, The Mixamp has a terrible DAC/Amp, My Creative play! easily beats it and it is only 20 bucks...
 
 
KUDOS to Creative for this Swiss army knife, I would be the first person in line to buy E7, if creative decided to make it ...

Sam21 that's your opinion but I don't possibly see how SBX could be better than Dolby Headphone. SBX applies a reverb effect to the entire signal and does not provide any directional cues or increase the soundstage in any way. Dolby Headphone takes a multi channel input signal, runs HRTF algorithms on it and faithfully recreates a surround environment with only 2 speakers. They aren't even in the same class of processing, let alone quality.
 
Soundblaster have done HRTF type processing on other products like the X-Fi but what is on the E5 is an effect not a virtual surround. I would have been happy if they had just done some LR mixing to more faithfully recreate the sound stage of a 2 speaker setup, where they feed some of the left signal into the right and the reverse but it doesn't even have that.