When the first DIY computers were being built sound was a luxury in the form of an expansion card. There is also a host of software options to adjust the mic input further by cancelling out echoes, reducing noise and equalising the sound to adjust bass and treble. When motherboards started to come equipped with them, I stopped purchasing sound cards altogether. If you want to get into the world of content creation, a good XLR or USB mic can help significantly. This Sound Blaster AE-9 review will focus on the contents and packaging of the AE-9. Hopefully, Microsoft and Creative can get these issues resolved, but I wasn’t able to replicate them on my system. Creative Sound Blaster AE-9 is available now for $350. Meanwhile, CrystalVoice Technology enhances voice for clear recordings and in-game communications. This probably shouldn't be too surprising when you look at the sound card itself, which is home to a flagship-grade DAC - an ESS Sabre 9038 capable of 32-bit 384-kHz high-res audio - plus fine gold capacitors and even swappable op-amps that allow you to change the finer characteristics of the sound going to your speakers or headphones. Supporting up to eight channels of 32-bit audio at 384 kHz, it has a 129-dB signal-to-noise ratio and a total harmonic distortion of 0.0001%. I’m hoping the voice clarity echo can be fixed in an update. The same goes for the specific game profiles found in the Sound Blaster Command software, which tend to add distracting effects rather than any compelling features. If you want a solid headphone amp and external sound card capable of driving even high-impedance headphones, the X3 is definitely worth a look at $120/£110. You want crystal clear sound when spending this much on a sound card and the AE-9 delivers in my setup. to supply high quality 4K video for offline viewing. It's clear the company has learned much over the last three decades as the AE-9 … The Creative Sound Blaster AE-9 is the company's latest, enthusiast-class sound card, targeting gamers, audio production, and content creation Music and sound separation and detail increased dramatically on all the headphones I own. The card might have been delayed for longer than anticipated, but it’s finally here and it’s a great option for those looking for high fidelity sound. But if you want both top-notch sound quality and a wide range of recording options, the AE-9 is a clever all-in-one solution that justifies its premium price tag. Craft Your Way To Financial Success With These Animal Crossing DIY Recipes, Watch Dogs: Legion Graphics, Game Play & Performance Explored. Reading other people’s experiences, it seems that there’s a group of folks out there experiencing audio dropouts among other issues. For normal chatting, the card did well and I had no complaints after I did some fine tuning. Below the image, … fast downloads. However, that bandwidth isn't free and so we charge a small monthly That can be a lot for a sound card, but if audio is important to you, then the AE-9 is a great get for gamers. I had to turn off voice clarity for my echoing to disappear. Update, December 20th 2019: We recently had the chance to test out the Sound Blaster X3, an external sound card and headphone amp/DAC that shares some features with the AE-9 …