[Bugattikid2012]

I still can't figure out why it doesn't have Scout Mode.  I've been chatting with their support team for a while and they're talking about how it doesn't have it because "it's not a gaming product".  Yet, on their E5 page, they have a link to a review by PC World.  This review quoted one of their executives saying that it wouldn't be a SB product without gaming in mind.  This review also says it has Scout Mode, but every time I've inquired about it they've denied it ever being on it. 
 
If any of you are interested in Scout Mode being on this product, please write an email to their team and ask them to forward your recommendation to the appropriate person.   If the E3 had it, I'm pretty sure the E5 is capable of having it as well.  It shouldn't be a downgrade in any aspect, especially considering it's higher price point. 

 

[TripBitShooter]

The E5 has scout mode. The Singapore Creative page states it as a main feature.

 

[Bugattikid2012]

So weird why they don't advertise it.  Would you mind linking me to the Singapore page?  Thanks.

 

[TripBitShooter]

http://sg.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-e5
Its not there anymore :/
I fired off a query to them

 

[Bugattikid2012]

Weird...  Well, I was about to send them /another/ email asking them to confirm that it was just an accident that they didn't post it to the US page.  Darn.  Please let us know what you find out.  I'm really hoping it has Scout Mode. 
 
Edit:  I just checked their website and the X7 is now on it.  Apparently it has Scout Mode while the E5 doesn't.  Now if that's not stupid...  I don't know what is. 

 

[moophus]

Does this thing work standalone, without being connected to a pc?
 
Without being connected to a PC, can I pipe audio into optical in/line in and enjoy the built in audio processing? can I still control with my smartphone?
 
Can it also be used as a standalone headphone amp, i.e. signal in, headphone out?

 

[ClieOS]

A really great news to all of you who are waiting for the E5. I just got words from Creative that the E5 should have an output impedance of just 2.2 ohm, instead of the 10 ohm that we had speculated. That'll make it a lot more compatible to IEM user.

 

[TripBitShooter]

Does this thing work standalone, without being connected to a pc?

Without being connected to a PC, can I pipe audio into optical in/line in and enjoy the built in audio processing? can I still control with my smartphone?

Can it also be used as a standalone headphone amp, i.e. signal in, headphone out?

Yes u can

 

[TripBitShooter]

Weird...  Well, I was about to send them /another/ email asking them to confirm that it was just an accident that they didn't post it to the US page.  Darn.  Please let us know what you find out.  I'm really hoping it has Scout Mode. 

Edit:  I just checked their website and the X7 is now on it.  Apparently it has Scout Mode while the E5 doesn't.  Now if that's not stupid...  I don't know what is. 

What the heck they said it does not have scout mode as its just meant to be a music amp. But I definitely read about the scout mode on the E5 Singapore page around 2 months before.

 

[Bugattikid2012]

And the review from PC World talks about Scout Mode...  We need to spam them with suggestions of adding Scout Mode.  I'm going to go get some of my fake emails back up and working again... 
 
One of their executives even said something like, "It wouldn't be a Sound Blaster product without consideration for gaming."  That's not an exact quote but it's paraphrased.  I'm going to be really disappointed if it doesn't have Scout Mode. 

 

[Sam L]

  A really great news to all of you who are waiting for the E5. I just got words from Creative that the E5 should have an output impedance of just 2.2 ohm, instead of the 10 ohm that we had speculated. That'll make it a lot more compatible to IEM user.

Thank you for that bit of information!  I'm now going to get the e5 with no hesitation.

 

[Sam L]

  And the review from PC World talks about Scout Mode...  We need to spam them with suggestions of adding Scout Mode.  I'm going to go get some of my fake emails back up and working again... 
 
One of their executives even said something like, "It wouldn't be a Sound Blaster product without consideration for gaming."  That's not an exact quote but it's paraphrased.  I'm going to be really disappointed if it doesn't have Scout Mode. 

 
I'm 99% sure the e5 will have scout mode.  I believe scout mode, as a feature, is software driven.  Since its baked in their software there should be no problem enabling it in the e5.
 

 

[Bugattikid2012]

I hope so, but why are they denying it so many times?  I've even pushed to have the question asked to some of the tech's who worked on it, and the representative I spoke with /claimed/ to have asked him, and he still said no.  Take that with a grain of salt though, as I doubt he actually asked him. 

 

[ClieOS]

I saw screen shot of the E5's PC driver and sadly to report, there is no 'Scout Mode' tab in the PC driver control panel. There are only SBX Pro Studio, CrystalVoice, Speaker/Headphone, Mixer, and Equalizer tabs.

 

[Bugattikid2012]

What about the advanced features tab?  The E1 screenshot above has that, does the E5 have that also? 
 
I still don't understand why they wouldn't have it...  Makes no sense not to include something. 
 
If it gets released and it doesn't have it, anyone know of an alternative method of implementing it?  I know you can get a similar effect with the EQ, but it's not the same.