Creative Rolls out Three New Sound Blaster Z-Series Audio Cards

From DailyTech: For many years, if a PC gamer wanted high-quality audio and sound effects for their video games, they had to add a sound card to the mix. As integrated audio technology on most main boards and gaming computers improved, the sound card became redundant for many gamers. However, Creative is back with three new Sound Blaster soundcards that will be shown off at GamesCon in Germany this week.

“The audio landscape for gaming and entertainment on the PC has changed. As content creation and consumption evolves with the interactivity of the Internet, our vision is to enable the best listening experiences for music, video and games, and to transcend the basic concept of sound quality as a specification with enabling technologies that allow users to completely customize their PC audio,” said Low Long Chye, Director of Product Marketing for Audio.

The new PCI Express soundcards include the Sound Blaster ZxR, Sound Blaster Zx and Sound Blaster Z. The high-end card is the ZxR with Creative promising that it has the best gaming and entertainment audio performance of any sound card. The soundcard uses studio-grade components including an external digital to analog converter able to deliver 127 dB SNR. It has sockets for swappable op-amps and a high-end 80 mW into 600-ohm headphone amplifier with 192 kHz pass through.

This card also has an external Audio Control Module with a built-in dual microphone array and microphone and headphone connections. It features a proprietary connector for a DBpro daughter board that offers optical outputs, professional grade 123 dB ADCs, and RCA auxiliary inputs and an optical input for recording. The sound card carries an MSRP of $249.99.

The next soundcard is the Sound Blaster Zx selling for $149.99. This card has all the hardware and software features of the ZxR except for the DBpro daughter board. The Sound Blaster Z sells for $99.99 and has all the hardware and software features of the Zx except for the external Audio Control Module.

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