Sound BlasterX G6 External Sound Card Review
When putting together a new system, we all want the best possible computer we can afford. However, there are always corners that can be cut to save a few bucks, especially when you’re on a tight budget. Usually, the corners cut are non-core components. With the increased quality in on-board audio on motherboards, most people don’t take much consideration into buying a sound card. I was very much one of these people, until last year, when we reviewed both the Sound Blaster AE-5 and the G5 external sound card. After testing both of those sound cards, I had a much different opinion of both add-in and external sound cards. So, when Sound Blaster asked us to check out their new G6 external sound card, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. The Sound Blaster G6 is the predecessor to the very popular G5 we reviewed last year. The G5 ended up being my favorite thing I reviewed in 2018, even more so than the AE-5 add-in sound card. The Sound BlasterX G6 is an attempt to improve on an already great product. The G6 even won an Innovation Award at CES 2019. The Sound BlasterX G6 is a 32bit 384kHz capable DAC that delivers a DNR of up to 130dB. But will it make that much of a difference over the 24-bit/192kHz, 120dB USB DAC of the G5? We put the G5 and G6 through the same real world testing. So, was there actually a difference? Specifications Weight 144 g Interface/Power USB 2.0, USB Bus Powered DAC Dynamic Range: 130dB (A-weighted), THD+N: ~0.0002%, Sampling Rate (DSP Playback): PCM 16/24/32-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0kHz, Sampling Rate (Direct Mode Playback): PCM 16/24/32-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0, 176.4, 192.0, 352.8, 384.0 kHz, DoP 24-bit / 176.4 , 352.4 kHz ADC Dynamic Range: 114dB (A-weighted), THD+N: 0.0006%, Sampling Rate (Mic-in): 16/24/32-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0, 176.4, 192.0 kHz, Sampling Rate (Line-in, Optical-In): 16/24/32-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0, 176.4, 192.0 kHz, Output Impedance: 1 Ω, Supported Headphone Impedance: 16 - 600 Ω, High Gain: 150 - 600 Ω (+14dB), Low Gain: 16 - 149 Ω (+0dB) Audio Technology SB-Axx1™ Connectivity Options (Main) 1 x ⅛″ Line In/mini TOSLINK In Combo Jack, 1 x ⅛″ Line Out/mini TOSLINK Out Combo Jack, 1 x ⅛″ Headphone/Headset Jack, 1 x ⅛″ Ext. Mic In Jack, 1 x microUSB port for PC/Mac Audio Technologies Scout Mode Supported Operating Systems Windows® 7, Windows® 8, Windows Vista®, Windows® 8.1, Windows® 10, Mac OS X v10.8 and above Included Accessories microUSB cable, Mini TOSLINK Cable Dimensions 111 x 70 x 24 mm ASIO Playback & Recording Recommended Usage Gaming SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Windows® OS Intel® Core™i3 or AMD® equivalent processor Intel, AMD or 100% compatible motherboard Microsoft® Windows 10 32/64 bit, Windows 8.1/8.0 32/64 bit, Windows 7 32/64 bit 1GB RAM >600 MB of free hard disk space USB 2.0 / USB 3.0 port Mac® OS Mac OS X® 10.9 or higher 1GB RAM USB 2.0 / USB 3.0 port PS4 Firmware Version 5.0 or later Available USB port Available Optical Out port (for Dolby Digital decoding) Xbox One Xbox OS Version 10.0 or later Available Optical Out port (for Dolby Digital decoding) External USB Power (not included) Voice communications not supported Nintendo Switch Switch OS 5.0 or later Available 3.5mm headphone port Available USB port (in docking mode) External USB Power (not included) Voice communications not supported PACKAGE CONTENTS Sound BlasterX G6 1 x Optical Cable 1 x MicroUSB Cable Quick Start Leaflet Warranty Leaflets View Windows® 10 Software Availability Chart WARRANTY 1-year Limited Hardware Warranty CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS Click here for California Proposition 65 Warning DOWNLOADS Download Software Owner's Manual Packaging The front of the Sound BlasterX G6 box has a large image of the G6 placed in the center and taking up most of the front of the box. The Sound BlasterX logo is displayed on the top left-hand corner. To the right are several awards given tot he G6. On the rear, there is a diagram of the front and rear IO for the G6. There are also pictures of every device the G6 is compatible with. The back of the box also lists several of the main features of the Sound Blaster G6, as well as minimum system requirements. The Sound Blaster G6 comes set in a felt covered, plastic tray, much like the G5 was packed. The Sound Blaster G6. The Sound Blaster G6 comes packed with a user manual, warranty information and a declaration of conformity on radio equipment. There is also a thank you note from Creative Labs which is a nice touch. The last two things in the box are a micro usb cable for power and date, as well as a hybrid optical and 3.5 mm cable. One end plugs into the SPDIF port on you motherboard or TV, for example., The other side plugs into the back of the sound card. A Closer Look at the Sound BlasterX G6
The Sound BlasterX G6 is an external sound card and the predecessor to the very popular and successful G5. The Sound Blaster G6 is very compact. In fact, it’s almost the same exact size as its older brother, the G5. The G6 measures 111 x70 x 24 mm and weights only 144 grams. The G6 uses the same SB-Axx1 as the G5. However, there are a few major differences. The signal to noise ratio has increased 10dB on the G6 up to 130 dB. The audio fidelity has also increased from 24-bit/192 Hz on the G5 to 32-bit/384 Hz on the G6. The Sound BlasterX G6 brings together a virtual 7.1 32-bit/384 Hz, 130 dB HD Gaming DAC with an External USB Sound Card featuring Sound Blasters amazing Xamp Headphone technology. Sound Blasters Xamp technology is one of its best features. With Xamp, the Sound Blaster G6 amplifies each audio channel on your headphones individually. So both your left and right ear cup get the benefit of a 600Ω amplifier. Like the G5, the G6 features virtual 7.1 surround sound, game-voice volume balancing and Scout Mode. Also, the Sound Blaster G6 features Dolby Digital decoding which the G5 did not. The Sound BlasterX G6 also supports hi-res PCM and DoP audio formats. Aesthetically, the Sound BlasterX G6 is nearly identical to the G5 we did a review on last year. However, there are a few key differences between the two sound cards. The first and most glaring difference is the color. Where the Sound BlasterX G5 is black, the G6 is more of a gray color. Behind the volume control knob, the light is blueish white on the G6 where on the G5, it was red. Sound Blaster has added RGB lighting to the G6 in the form of the Sound BlasterX logo located in the center of the top of the G6. The RGB lighting can be customized through the Sound Blaster Connect software. The only other main difference aesthetically between the G5 and the G6 is the lack of the USB pass through on the rear of the Sound Blaster G6. In just about every review we do, if we can take something apart, we do. So like the G5, we did a complete tear down of the G6. This will let us see what components the use inside the external sound cards. To do this, you must peel back the four corners of the rubber pad on the bottom. Peeling off the entire rubber padding isn't recommended, as it may not go back on. Side note, the bit needed is a triangle bit found in the I Fix It tool kit. The Sound BlasterX G6 uses the SB-Axx1 audio processor from Creative. The SB-Axx1 is a highly advanced audio processor that greatly improves the audio experience of your computer, tablet, smartphone or whatever it's hooked up to. Its the same audio processor used is the G5, as well as Creatives line up of Axx Bluetooth wireless speakers, such as the SBX 20 and SBX 10. On the right side of the Sound Blaster G6 are two buttons and a switch. To the left, we have the Scout Mode button first. Scout mode lets you hear your enemies’ footsteps in game. It can also be paired with the Scout Radar app on both Android and IOS. The next button is the SBX button. This allows you to scroll between three preset profiles on the G6. To the far right, there is a gain control switch that goes between low and high gain. The low setting goes between 32Ω-150Ω and the high setting goes between 150Ω-600Ω. There is a very noticeable difference between high and low gain. Further down the right side are three lights, a mic and headphone icon and the Dolby Audio logo. These three lights represent the SBX profiles. These profiles can be changed in the Sound Blaster Connect software. The logo on the top of the Sound Blaster X G6 is RGB back lit and as mentioned earlier, can be customized in the Sound Blaster Connect software. Its a nice added touch from the red static light on the G5 and the RGB lighting is far from over done on the G6. On the front, there is are two 3.5 mm ports. One for headphones and the other for a mic. There is a volume knob that also doubles as a mute button. The Lighting behind the knob is static and can not be changed in the software. The rear of the G6 has a micro USB port for power and data. There are also two 3.5 mm ports. One is the Line/Optical In, the other is the Line/Optical Out. You do no need to use these ports. The Sound Blaster G6 only required the Micro USB port to be used.
Sound Blaster Connect Software When I buy hardware or peripherals, I tend to look for plug and play products. It seems most things these days come with not just drivers, but also software. The Sound BlasterX G6 can be used as plug and play. However, it is also supported by one of the better pieces of software I’ve used recently. The Sound Blaster Connect software allows you completely customize your audio experience, in more ways than one.
When you first open the Sound Blaster Connect software, you’ll start on your Dashboard. Here, you can turn on and off the different feature of the Sound Blaster G6. These features include the BlasterX Acoustic Engine, Scout Mode, Dolby Digital Surround Sound, Filters, Voice Morph and the lighting. There also 18 preset profiles for listening experiences such as gaming, movies and music. There are also several presets for different games such as Call of Duty, Fortnite and many more. A full list of preset profiles is listed below; Adventure and Action Call of Duty Series Counter-Strike Global Offensive Default Dota 2 Driving Simulation Effects Off First Person Shooter League of Legends Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain Movie Music Project Cars Real Time Strategy Rocket League Stadium The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt The next section under the Dashboard is the Sound section. You can also customize your listening experience using the Sound Blaster Acoustic Engine. There are 5 customization options in the Acoustic Engine. The first is the surround option. This allows you to set how wide you surround sound is. The range is from normal to ultra wide. Next is the Crystalizer which has a range from zero to 100. Next option is the Bass, also with a range of zero to 100. Both the Crystalizer and Bass have toggle switches as well. Nest is the Smart Volume option and last is the Dialog + option. Smart volume intelligently minimizes abrupt volume changes by adjusting the loudness of your audio play back automatically. The Dialog Plus option enhances voice is both music and movies for a clearer vocal range.
Next is the Equalizer where you can customize your listening experience on each of the profiles on the dashboard. There are sliders on the bottom of the equalizer for both bass and treble. The equalizer allows you to adjust a range of different frequencies. Simply use the mouse to either click on different spots through the range of frequencies, or draw a line for the sound to hit different frequencies. As you listen, you can simply click on any given spot and slide up or down to adjust that frequency.
Scout mode is the next section in the Sound Blaster Connect software. It is also one of my favorite features of any Sound Blaster sound card I've used over the last couple years. Say you're playing any first-person shooter. With Scout Mode enabled, you're able to hear the foot steps of your enemies, from the direction they are coming from. The closer they get the louder they get. There is also a companion app for IOS and Android call the Scout Radar. This will show your enemies as a blip on the radar right on your phone or tablet. Now if they could make that for in-laws.
The next menu under the sound option is the Dolby section. The Sound BlasterX G6, unlike the G5, has Dolby Digital Surround Sound. In this section, you can set the surround sound to Full, Normal, or Night modes. Its also a slider, so you can make small adjustments in between each setting.
There are several filters that can be applied to the Sound BlasterX G6, four to be exact. The first is Fast Roll Off - Minimum Phase. The second is Slow Roll Off - Minimum Phase. The last two are Fast Roll Off - Linear Phase and Slow Roll Off - Linear Phase.
The Sound BlasterX G6 added RGB Lighting, something the G5 didn't have. Just the X on the top of the sound card has RGB lighting, Its subtle, but looks good. The Lighting menu allows you to set different profiles to the lighting, There are Solo, which is simply a static color. The other three are Pulsate, Music Reactive and Cycle. This does not change the lighting behind the knob. The last section on the main menu is the Setup section. Here you can configure the output mode to either direct or to have some kind of effect, You can set your head phones to stereo mode, 5.1 or 7.1 virtual surround sound. In the Setup, you can also adjust the levels of the different input and outputs of the Sound BlasterX G6. The Sound Blaster Connect software also allows you to set up different kinds of speakers that you may connect through the Sound Blaster G6. You can set the different levels for the mic volume and mic monitoring volume. There is also a voice morph feature that is fun to mess around with. Overall, there are a ton of customization options in the Sound Blaster Connect Software. Benchmarking and Subjective Testing To test the Sound BlasterX G6, we ran the Right Mark Audio Analyzer. This is the program we use to test the on-board audio in our motherboard review. We compared The G6 to not only the G5 but also to the onboard audio on the Z390 Aorus Pro. RightMark will give you an idea of how the audio compares on paper. To test with Rightmark, you must first plug into both the rear headphone jack and the rear mic jack using a double-ended 3.5 mm jack cable. This creates an audio loop to test the internal audio performance of the onboard audio.
The Sound BlasterX G6 is compatible with your PC, PS4. XBOX ONE and Nintendo Switch. However, there are other, more unique ways the G6 can be used. Personally, my favorite way to use the Sound BlasterX G6 is an amplifier for my cell phone. It just requires a USB pot and two 3.5 mm auxiliary cables. Or one aux cable and a pair of head phones. You can power the G6 using the USB port in my Jeep. Then, run one aux cable to the aux port in the car and the other to the cell phone. This gave me countless hours of use with the G6. A couple hours a day for weeks. I listened to podcasts, books and music of all kinds. You can also run the G6 off of a power bank. There aren’t too many situations I could see this being necessary, but it is possible. Maybe being on the beach all day? For the most part,audio reviews are very subjective. We can run all the audio benchmarks we want, but what sounds good to me, may not sound good to you. For all of my audio reviews, I have a set sampling of music and movies I used while testing headphones, earbuds, sound cards and the like. The games I play do vary since as new games come out, there are better games for testing audio. Generally, its first or third person shooters I use to test audio though. I always listen to the Eagles Hotel California. Reason for picking this song is it’s the song I listened to on Sennheiser’s $55,000 Orpheus headphones at CES a few years ago. However, I do listen to a wide array of music, and my testing reflects that. I always test any audio hardware with rap songs with excessive amounts of bass, This is to see if there will be any distortion on either the headphones or sepakers I'm using at the time of the review. Most recently, I've also added a 7.1 surround sound test as well. The test includes several different clips and does a great job testing surround sound system. You can test it out here: https://youtu.be/Jb4GolexHac For the last several years now, I’ve used the Fnatic Duel gaming headset on my PC. It’s an amazing headset and completely modular. Its private label for Fnatic and made by AIAIAI and part of their TMA-2s ecosystem. It is hands down, the best gaming headset I’ve ever used. However, with it modular, I have it set u p as a pair of headphones, with no in-line or boom mic attached. I’d dare to say they may be one of the best pairs of headphones I’ve ever owned. I even chose the Duel over my Sennheiser headphones for several reasons. The fact the Duel can be customized is a great feature, they are very comfortable and if you can believe it, sound better than the Sennheisers I was using, the HD 598 special edition. When testing the Rightmark Audio analyzer to test the quality of the sound put out by the Sound Blaster G6. There are 8-bit, 16-bit and 24-bit tests with in Rightmark. Generally, we run the 16 and 24-bit tests in a motherboard review For the G5, we did the same. However, for the G6, we included a 32-bit test as well. For both the G6 and G5, we did both 16 and 24-bit testing on all frequencies. These frequencies are 44.1 Hz, 48 Hz, 88 Hz, 96 Hz, 176 Hz, 192 Hz, 352 Hz and 384 Hz. We also added results from the Z390 Pro review, just to compare the external sound cards to on-board audio. It was no surprise the both the G5 and G6 did better than the on-board audio. What was a surprise to me was how much better the G6 was than the G5 in our Rightmark testing, especially on the 24-bit testing. On the first 16-bit test, the G5 was slightly above the G6. So, I had expected this to continue throughout testing. However, after that, the G6 began to inch its way further and further ahead of the G5. On the 24-bit testing, the G6 steadily beat out the G5 on all frequencies. Where I was really surprised by the Sound BlasterX G6 was in the subjective testing. I honestly didn't expect the slight increase in specifications from the G5 would make that much of a difference. I did all my basic testing I do on all audio products, with a couple of additions. I watched the same movies with both the G5 and G6, I listened to the same songs, even played some of the same games. But since the review of the G5 was published, the G5 had lived in my car and was used as an in-line amp for my cell phone, the Lg Q7+. It's not the best phone, but it has decent sound quality and a built-in amplifier. Since this is where most of my experience with the G5 was, I used the Sound BlasterX G6 in the same way, in my car. The G6 has essentially been with me at all times since receiving it a couple of months ago. I always watch the same movie when testing audio. That movie is Black Hawk Down. It’s great for testing both 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound. It also won the Oscar for best sound mixing in 2002. As for games, or games, I play a mix of several different games. This time around was Assassins Creed Odyssey, Far Cry 5, GTA V and Battlefield V. The Sound Blaster G6 works great for gaming. Especially with Scout Mode enabled in a competitive shooter like Battlefield V or a stealth game like Assassins Creed Odyssey. The benefit of hearing footsteps from the direction they're coming in is a great advantage to have. The last place I tested the Sound BlasterX G6 is in my car, as an in-line amp for my cell phone, connected through the auxiliary port.I listened to everything from movies and TV shows to music and podcasts. I used the Sound Blaster G6 in my car to and from work everyday, 4 or 5 days a week. My car had Infinity speakers, so they already sound good. The G5 made them sound even better. However, the G6 makes my car sound like it has sub woofers in the trunk. Sub woofers with zero distortion. I do know the G6 is compatible with the Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch. However, I own none of these, so I couldn't test it personally. Final Thoughts and Conclusion
I couldn't be happier with the overall performance of the Sound BlasterX G6. The sound it produces is clean, clear and crisp, with no distortion. I honestly did not expect it to be as good as it was. I just didn't see too much room for improvement with in this price range. However, Creative Labs proved me wrong. They showed me again that there are plenty of benefits to a sound card over on-board audio. Especially when talking about an external card such as the G6. First off, the portability is great. The Sound Blaster G6 is compact and fits in your pocket. The G6 is extremely versatile and can be used for much more than just your PC. Since it has the plug and play feature, the G6 can be used anywhere. You can plug it into the wall using a USB adapter and just use it for your phone or tablet. If you watch a lot of movies or TV on your phone as I do, the addition of Dolby Surround Sound is a great feature to utilize on the Sound Blaster G6. The simulated 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound works great and can give you a cinema-like listening experience on your cell phone.
Music sounds amazing through the Sound BlasterX G6. The highs a crystal clear, crisp and clean. The lows are deep with no distortion. No matter what kind of music you prefer, the G6 is perfect to make you music sound even better. The G6 has replaced the G5 and found a semi-permanent home in my car as an in-line amp for my phone. Its hard for me to explain in words how much the Sound Blaster G6 has improved the sound quality in my car. Its really night and day and something you have to hear to understand. But even with all that, the Sound Blaster G6 is really made with gaming in mind. The Scout Mode feature is proof enough of that fact. Scout mode is great, especially for online, competitive shooters such as Battlefield V or the newest fad, Apex Legends. With Scout Mode enables, you can hear your enemies footsteps from the direction they car coming from. This gives you a competitive advantage in many games. The companion app even allows you to see your enemies as a blip on a radar, right on your cell phone. This is a really cool feature and it works rather well. Even better than I had expected. Just download the app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. Overall, I was very impressed with the improvements the Sound BlasterX G6 made of the G5. The fact I can throw it in my pocket and bring it anywhere is a huge plus. I love the AE-5, but I love the fact the G6 can be swapped from my PC to my laptop to my car or even to my phone. So, the portability of the G6 is a huge plus for me. So even if you own the Sound Blaster AE-5 or another PCIe sound card, the Sound Blaster G6 is still a great product to pick up. Now, what if you already own the G5? Should you run out and buy the G6? Maybe not. The addition of the Dolby Surround sound and the slightly increased specs are not enough of a reason to dump the G5. The Sound Blaster G5 is still a great sound card. Unless you have to have that RGB lighting. However, if you're in the market for a new sound card, external or internal, I highly recommend the Sound BlasterX G6 from Creative Labs. In fact, I couldn't recommend it more. At the time of this review, you can get the Sound Blaster G6 on Amazon for $146.24, slightly cheaper than the $149.99 MSRP and a bit higher that the $99.99 the G5 will run you. I do the added features such as Dolby Surround Sound is well worth the extra money. That's if you don't already own the G5. I would have liked to see the USB pass-through included on the G6, but that's just nit picking. The Sound BlasterX G6 is just an amazing sound card. There's not much more I can say than that. Read the full article