[music joe]

I am not using the E5 SBX feature, and I am also not a Windows user, but I do not understand the question.

Besides for configuring it, why would the OS matter when SBX is built in into the E5?

Of you mean that the configuring app does not work on XP?





Thanks for reply.
If I can configure the E5 on a newer OS machine ... then use it settings intact on another older XP machines usb output then that solves my problem. I can enlist the aid of a friend with a Vista OS.

Understandable, even MS no longer updates XP. Still a lot of XP users and this one hoping for a solution.

To configure Creative SBX Audio has a list of downloads for Vista on up. Non are listed for XP

File Name : SBE_PCDRV_L9_1_02_06.exe

This download contains the latest driver and application(s) for use with your Sound Blaster® E5 on Windows® operating systems. For more details, read the rest of this web release note.

This download supports the following devices only:

Sound Blaster E5

Requirements:

Microsoft® Windows 8.1 32-bit or 64-bit, Windows 8 32-bit or 64-bit, Windows 7 32-bit or 64-bit, Windows Vista® 32-bit or 64-bit
Sound Blaster E5

 

[HotIce]

The E5 retains the configuration, so once configured, you can use it with your settings.
Also OSX is supported, I think.
The iOS app I tried is crap, not sure if the Android one is better.
I configured mine in the office (only place where I have Windows), and I am done with it. I actually disabled every sound effect on my E5.

 

[CZ Eddie]

EDIT:  NEVERMIND, I WAS THINKING OF THE E3 WHICH IS SMALLER AND EASIER TO PERMANENTLY ATTACH TO MY HEADPHONES.  But if anyone knows the answer to these questions for the E3.....
 
 
Hi folks, I'm considering the purchase of an E5 to mate with my Yamaha Pro-500 headphones to use for listening to action movies in my home theater via APTx Bluetooth.  Have a couple of questions.
 
1) I've read that you can plug this into a computer and use the Sound Blaster software to customize the built-in equalizer.  Is this customization retained after the DAC is removed from the computer?  Or does the custom EQ settings only work while the DAC is attached to the computer?
 
2) Are there any "bass-boost" type buttons on the E5?
 
3) How is the amp strength when compared against something else tiny, such as the Fiio E6?
 

Many thanks,
-Eddie

 

[HotIce]

The configuration is retained.
There is an SBX button, which I leave off.
But when activated, it definitely does something to the audio.
In my config I get boosted bass for sure, and also some sort of surround which seems to add virtual surround.
I prefer plain audio, and I leave it off, but I can see people liking it.

 

[music joe]

Thanks HotIce, thanks CZEddie. Used a Vista machine to try out SBX.

SBX is like the Poweramp app on my Android tablet, whereas the Poweramp is limited to 128 gig onboard library. The SBX allows anything usb access to EQ and soundstage manipulation. I could use that on a lot of listening here which is streamed via web, low as 128kb rates. A lot of my new music was discovered as a 128kb stream over night listening on a pair of Aurvana IE3.

I use that app to goose the best out of various IEM's. The multi-eq curve saves allow me to taylor IEM's and lowbitrate material. So SBX on Vista let me see I want this app on my portable and other sources I use.

The Sony orphaned Tablet S limits to ICS 4 [kind of the XP of Android] I think I need 4.2 or later to use SBX and usb audio out protocol. Pretty sure my bluetooth is non aptX.
For those with a new system this E5 throws a lot at portable power and user adjustable sonics to get more out of a stable of headphones and IEM's.

On plain straight through audio. This still new E5/HD 650 combos ability to deliver volume and information stuns me. Sonically the 650's just bloom and bloom more, I reach my limit before they or the volume control does minus any EQ-ing.

The E5 has improved convenience and sonics in my music discovery journey.
The across the board performance of Aurvana IE3, Sony MD 7550 or UE 500 IEM's all improved through E5 [ low imp]
Ability to get a more defined bass boost vs just more bounce.
I'd written off bluetooth but the convenience of cable free tablet w/bluetooth vs sonics of web music has me exited about new aptX stuff.

A couple hundy delivering exitment rediscovering your audio is still a good thing.

 

[sandrojpsantos]

Hello there, I tried to read as most as I can to find the answer but no luck, so I ask it directly.
 
I've talked to creative directly asking about if this e5 would work with playstation 3 or 4, they just say to me that the optical in has no decode function, that accepts only pcm. So my question is, the playstation, 3 and 4, can output pcm through optical right? Can someone of the owners test if it works with both? Hell, can you test if it works also through usb (dacs have been working through usb at least in the ps4)
 
Hope you can help me guys, this is the reason to get interested or not in the product.

 

[AUserName501]

Spoiler: Quote: sandrojpsantos

Originally Posted by sandrojpsantos /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Hello there, I tried to read as most as I can to find the answer but no luck, so I ask it directly.
 
I've talked to creative directly asking about if this e5 would work with playstation 3 or 4, they just say to me that the optical in has no decode function, that accepts only pcm. So my question is, the playstation, 3 and 4, can output pcm through optical right? Can someone of the owners test if it works with both? Hell, can you test if it works also through usb (dacs have been working through usb at least in the ps4)
 
Hope you can help me guys, this is the reason to get interested or not in the product.

 
Stereo PCM only over optical. Multi-channel surround sound has to be compressed through Dolby Digital/DTS because Toslink doesn't have the bandwidth to support more than two channels uncompressed. It doesn't matter anyway because there is no reason you'd want to send multiple channels to the E5 anyway because headphones only have two channels (left driver/right driver). E1/3/5 doesn't even support 5.1 virtual surround sound anyway and can't decode anything other than stereo PCM. Don't buy the E1/3/5 if you want virtual surround sound.
 
If you want virtual surround sound on consoles then buy an Astro Mixamp which uses Dolby Headphone 7.1.
 
As a note virtual surround sound processed audio is Stereo because it's binaural and simulates how an average human head would hear a setup 5.1 or 7.1 surround setup.

 

[sandrojpsantos]

   
Stereo PCM only over optical. Multi-channel surround sound has to be compressed through Dolby Digital/DTS because Toslink doesn't have the bandwidth to support more than two channels uncompressed. It doesn't matter anyway because there is no reason you'd want to send multiple channels to the E5 anyway because headphones only have two channels (left driver/right driver). E1/3/5 doesn't even support 5.1 virtual surround sound anyway and can't decode anything other than stereo PCM. Don't buy the E1/3/5 if you want virtual surround sound.
 
If you want virtual surround sound on consoles then buy an Astro Mixamp which uses Dolby Headphone 7.1.
 
As a note virtual surround sound processed audio is Stereo because it's binaural and simulates how an average human head would hear a setup 5.1 or 7.1 surround setup.

Thank you for the answer.
Oh, I don't care at all about the virtual surround. I am all in, in a good stereo sound, that's how headphones are. I rather have good stereo than a virtual surround. Even if I consider it it is good enough to have on pc and still have the ability to use the thing on consoles (I just am searching for the best all in one scenario) So am I golden with the e5 for that? I do quite a lot of gaming on pc two, but since I have a DT770 pro 80ohm, I would like to take more out of them, but I also play in playstation and 3ds, so an astro is a no go because it lacks amplification and portability, in the portable side I had looked at fiio (but the new e17k doesn't have optical input) products but now I saw this e5 and I really want to know if I can put sound from console through that, even though it is stereo (I mean, it would be better than the jack on the controller).
 
P.S: Doesn't the optical input from this e5 works the same as the one in the olde fiio e17 (plain good stereo)?

 

[AUserName501]

Spoiler: Quote: sandrojpsantos

Originally Posted by sandrojpsantos /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Thank you for the answer.
Oh, I don't care at all about the virtual surround. I am all in, in a good stereo sound, that's how headphones are. I rather have good stereo than a virtual surround. Even if I consider it it is good enough to have on pc and still have the ability to use the thing on consoles (I just am searching for the best all in one scenario) So am I golden with the e5 for that? I do quite a lot of gaming on pc two, but since I have a DT770 pro 80ohm, I would like to take more out of them, but I also play in playstation and 3ds, so an astro is a no go because it lacks amplification and portability, in the portable side I had looked at fiio (but the new e17k doesn't have optical input) products but now I saw this e5 and I really want to know if I can put sound from console through that, even though it is stereo (I mean, it would be better than the jack on the controller).
 
P.S: Doesn't the optical input from this e5 works the same as the one in the olde fiio e17 (plain good stereo)?

 
You won't get good stereo sound on consoles as that sound is designed for speakers. Personally, I would rather use Dolby Headphone 7.1 than Stereo on consoles because games like Dead Space make good use of it.
 
Any DAC with optical input will work with any device that has optical output as Stereo PCM.

 

[sandrojpsantos]

   
You won't get good stereo sound on consoles as that sound is designed for speakers. Personally, I would rather use Dolby Headphone 7.1 than Stereo on consoles because games like Dead Space make good use of it.
 
Any DAC with optical input will work with any device that has optical output as Stereo PCM.

As long as it works its ok, I mean any other audiophile device that I have been looking at, such as the e17 or the magni/modi combo, would work the same. And for the price this seems to really be the best option, I just have to wait for reviews on the quality. And you know, is always better, than sound through the tv or through the controller which is my only option right now . and consoles have started to head more into the headphones path, games like last of us for instance have that specific option.
 
Thank you for the answers, and for caring . Now I just hope this device is da bomb (lol).

 

[ac108]

Looking at getting E3 for a LG BTS1 setup, and looking at the bluetooth spec for E3 and E5, both support: A2DP (Wireless stereo Bluetooth), AVRCP (Bluetooth remote control) and HFP (Handsfree Profile).
 
Both E3 and E5 can configured as receiver, and the E3 obviously support remote control, I'm just wondering, what AVRCP E5 support?
 
This will be my first DAC and AMP, and E5 got me interested because it is spec better and still within budget.

 

[ClieOS]

  Looking at getting E3 for a LG BTS1 setup, and looking at the bluetooth spec for E3 and E5, both support: A2DP (Wireless stereo Bluetooth), AVRCP (Bluetooth remote control) and HFP (Handsfree Profile).
 
Both E3 and E5 can configured as receiver, and the E3 obviously support remote control, I'm just wondering, what AVRCP E5 support?
 
This will be my first DAC and AMP, and E5 got me interested because it is spec better and still within budget.

 
Volume control (up / down) and SBX button double as call button during incoming call.

 

[kalrykh]

   
You won't get good stereo sound on consoles as that sound is designed for speakers. Personally, I would rather use Dolby Headphone 7.1 than Stereo on consoles because games like Dead Space make good use of it.
 
Any DAC with optical input will work with any device that has optical output as Stereo PCM.

You seem obsessed with this surround sound stuff.  Trying to talk everyone out of getting this because it doesn't support your beloved surround sound is making you look a bit desperate.

 

[AUserName501]

Spoiler: Quote: kalrykh

Originally Posted by kalrykh /img/forum/go_quote.gif

You seem obsessed with this surround sound stuff.  Trying to talk everyone out of getting this because it doesn't support your beloved surround sound is making you look a bit desperate.

 Based on my actual experience. I'm saying that stereo on consoles and on PC is generally awful for heasphones and makes the localisation of sound extremely difficult because you're listening to a twisted image that was made for a stereo speaker setup. Things just pan left and right poorly with no depth. If the game has a headphone mode then it may not be so bad but most games do not and almost none do on console. With VSS you're no longer listening to a twisted image and sound localisation is much better as a result. It's a really obvious night and day difference.

 

[ClieOS]

All valid point, but doesn't really do much good at this point. E5 doesn't have it, and that's pretty much the end of that part of the story. If Dolby 7.1 is really that important, I think it will be wise to look for something else by now.