Creative Sound Blaster X7 - Detailed Review & Impressions

[conquerator2]

Awesome review!
Hmm, so the PCM1793 chips handle the DSP mode while the more 'audiophile' PCM1794 handle direct stereo only? That would explain why I found the sound superior in direct mode and use the X7 as a DSP processor only for surround gaming.
No mention about that anywhere... Seems a bit deceptive to me but, whatever...

Also, how does one switch between the low/high gain modes and does that have any bearing on the optical input/output or only RCA/HP amp?

Thanks again for this awesome piece of work!

 

[earfonia]

Awesome review!
Hmm, so the PCM1793 chips handle the DSP mode while the more 'audiophile' PCM1794 handle direct stereo only? That would explain why I found the sound superior in direct mode and use the X7 as a DSP processor only for surround gaming.
No mention about that anywhere... Seems a bit deceptive to me but, whatever...

Also, how does one switch between the low/high gain modes and does that have any bearing on the optical input/output or only RCA/HP amp?

Thanks again for this awesome piece of work!

 
The 2x PCM1793 are only handling the surround channels: the rear left, rear right, center, and subwoofer (LFE) channel. 
PCM1794 used in both Direct and DSP mode for the main stereo channels. Please check the 'Control Panel' section to understand how the signal is routed in stereo mode.
 
Well, I did mention that in Direct mode sound quality is better and cleaner. The reason is, Direct mode bypass the DSP chip. The DSP chip will add its noise floor to the signal, as well as other signal processing (at least mixing). Therefore DSP mode is not bit perfect. As you can see on the RMAA test result, the result of the Direct mode is better. Not because of different DAC chip, but because it bypasses the DSP.
 
The normal and high gain switch is only for the headphone amplifier, and not affecting the optical and line out signal.
You can only switch the gain on the control panel, it is on the 'Speakers / Headphones' configuration tab, and ONLY SHOWN when there is headphone jack plugged into the headphone socket. When there is no headphone connected, the gain switch is not shown.
Shown here, the first control panel screenshot:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/756102/creative-sound-blaster-x7-detailed-review-impressions#post_11347705

 

[batttttt]

thanks, really good review

 

[0MoUsE0]

Wow ! Damn it !
This is truly a very long and detailed review !
It must have taken so much time to write it !
Thanks for all your hard work !
Excellent review !

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Earfonia, you are an absolute credit to this forum.

 

[Schokolade bar]

Off topic but what red Audio technica headphones are those in one of the pictures? It looks like they have an oyaide connector on one of the cups as well.

 

[clientsiman]

Thanks for the review

 

[earfonia]

  thanks, really good review

 

  Wow ! Damn it !
This is truly a very long and detailed review !
It must have taken so much time to write it !
Thanks for all your hard work !
Excellent review !

 

Earfonia, you are an absolute credit to this forum.

 

Thanks for the review

 
Thanks guys!  My pleasure!
When I tried to use SB X7 for the first time, I did struggle a bit to understand how it works. So along the way, I compiled what I've learned from it, and finally wrote the review.
 
 

  Off topic but what red Audio technica headphones are those in one of the pictures? It looks like they have an oyaide connector on one of the cups as well.

 
The one with Oyaide connector is Audio-Technica MSR7LTD. The cable is DIY cable, I made using microphone cable, LyxPro starquad cable.
During expo, I tried some Creative headphones, the Aurvana Gold and Aurvana Live!2, more or less they are warm sounding headphones, more like Audio-Technica M50 type of signature. I guess they would match SB X7 pretty well.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I was kind of hoping it wasn't a leaner sounding amp. Ah well. I tend to go for warm headphones, so the X7 should be fine in my hands.

 

[earfonia]

I was kind of hoping it wasn't a leaner sounding amp. Ah well. I tend to go for warm headphones, so the X7 should be fine in my hands.

 
The amp signature can be tweaked by op-amp rolling. With stock op-amp, I won't say the bass and mids are lean, but the transparency and clarity are more prominent. Bass and mids are comparable to ifi micro iCAN, which is good. And SB X7 bass is a little bit punchier than iCAN.
Warm headphones match really well with the stock op-amps. I really enjoyed X7 with Audio-Technica M50 and Philips Fidelio X1. The headphone output, to me, sounds better than ifi micro iDSD headphone output. Not as dry, and sounds closer to the micro iCAN.
If you need more bass and thicker mids, OPA827 is recommended to replace the LME49710.

 

[Evshrug]

Hey Earfonia,
I also thoroughly enjoyed your review! Publishing data measurements is a bit beyond my expertise and spare time, but I know many will value your contribution. Though I have my own X7 and tested it in many ways, I still feel I learned from your review. This is also a good starting point for me for OpAmp rolling. I'm glad I'm not the only one to come to positive conclusions on the X7's value in sound and features!

As a gamer, I'd just like to add that SBX Surround really is one of the best headphone surround implimentations. I already preferred SBX on standard/entry-level gamer DSP products, but things reach a whole other level when combined with a very good DAC and Amp... At some point, I highly recommend that you treat yourself to one of the recent Star Wars movies or a bigger-budget scary movie, or even an adventure movie; it takes the movie beyond the screen and puts you in the environment on-screen. Also, Smart volume and dialogue plus help me enjoy movies more politely to my roommate and increase my enjoyment. Obviously this is all fun and helpful for gaming too, but try a headphone surround movie night some time

Speaking of gaming, I think Scout mode is mid/treble emphasis as you say, but also includes a degree of volume compression so that quiet sounds are a little more distinct too... Would you agree?

 

[earfonia]

Hey Earfonia,
I also thoroughly enjoyed your review! Publishing data measurements is a bit beyond my expertise and spare time, but I know many will value your contribution. Though I have my own X7 and tested it in many ways, I still feel I learned from your review. This is also a good starting point for me for OpAmp rolling. I'm glad I'm not the only one to come to positive conclusions on the X7's value in sound and features!

As a gamer, I'd just like to add that SBX Surround really is one of the best headphone surround implimentations. I already preferred SBX on standard/entry-level gamer DSP products, but things reach a whole other level when combined with a very good DAC and Amp... At some point, I highly recommend that you treat yourself to one of the recent Star Wars movies or a bigger-budget scary movie, or even an adventure movie; it takes the movie beyond the screen and puts you in the environment on-screen. Also, Smart volume and dialogue plus help me enjoy movies more politely to my roommate and increase my enjoyment. Obviously this is all fun and helpful for gaming too, but try a headphone surround movie night some time

Speaking of gaming, I think Scout mode is mid/treble emphasis as you say, but also includes a degree of volume compression so that quiet sounds are a little more distinct too... Would you agree?

 
Thanks Evshrug!
 
I'm not a gamer, so your impression from gaming perspective is most welcome! 

 
I will give a try on the SBX surround later. Haven't used it much.  Yes, the sound effects for movie are really useful.
 
Yea, probably there is some compression as well on Scout mode, to boost loudness of certain frequency for extra clarity.
 
Just read some useful 1 star review on Amazon for SB X7, someone mentioned that the high power 144 watts adapter is more noisy that the standard one, which could explain why RMAA test of the X7 LE showing higher level of noise.  I haven't tested the X7 LE using standard power adapter, to check the noise level. I will try later.  Anyway, I'm not sure what he experienced was humming noise that could be caused by ground loop, or hiss noise that caused by noisy power adapter.
 
Also understand his complain on the subwoofer channel. From what I know so far, for audio format, there are only either 2.0 or 5.1. So in 2.0 mode, or Stereo mode, the subwoofer channel simply doesn't exist from the source, therefore subwoofer output is empty. I do agree with him, beside Stereo and 5.1, it would be very useful to have simulated 2.1 mode. Where SB X7 simulates the subwoofer channel from the stereo channels. Or simply redirected the bass enhancement from SBX to the subwoofer channel. I will put it in my suggestions list.

 

[earfonia]

Just did a quick RMAA test on SB X7 LE using the standard 70 W power adapter, same result. So the higher noise on DSP mode is not caused by the 144W power adapter.
Quite puzzling... I haven't got any feedback yet from Creative on this. On the headphone output, the difference level of noise is not obvious between Direct and DSP mode, but the measurement result doesn't look very good on X7 LE DSP mode.
 
 
 

Sound Blaster X7 LE, Direct Mode vs. DSP. Standard 70 Watts power adapter.

 

Summary

Test	[MME] Sound Blaster X7 LE - Direct - Out98-In50 - 24-192	[MME] Sound Blaster X7 LE - DSP - Out98-In50 - 24-192
Frequency response (from 40 Hz to 15 kHz), dB:​	-0.12, -0.24​	+0.28, -0.32​
Noise level, dB (A):​	-117.3​	-88.6​
Dynamic range, dB (A):​	117.6​	88.8​
THD, %:​	0.0048​	0.0028​
IMD + Noise, %:​	0.0057​	0.0086​
Stereo crosstalk, dB:​	-113.9​	-86.9​

 

Frequency response

 
 
 

Noise level

 

[Evshrug]

Right, a digital crossover. I'm Surprised to hear that it doesn't have that! I haven't tried using the 5.1 speaker setup either, kinda weird to think that you would need a splitter (or a specially designed center speaker) to route the sub and center channels to their respective speakers.

 

[Evshrug]

Been talking to creative, they're sending me a review sample LE too (for most people I'd reccommend the value of the regular X7, unless the LE status, color, and headphone output impedance matter to you). If it doesn't require a special soundcard or expensive software, maybe you can pm me how to do a quick RMAA test on my unit?