Testing SoundBlaster Z that just arrived, at first I thought this won't come close to my modded X-Fi Titanium HD (metal can opamp, precision TCXO clock, tuned line out). Turn out I was wrong. The headphone out can drive my Sennheiser HD555 (modded to 595) like it was nothing. Headphone out on Titanium HD was crap to be honest, there isn't any amp there just an opamp to drive headphone. This Z is the real deal I can really hear the dynamic range vastly different like hearing through speaker.
Line out to speaker wasn't so bad too, since Creative opt to use CS4398 DAC which they put on X-Fi Elite Pro before. The details is there but it's a bit muddy though, the crappy G-Luxon capacitor is to blame, I'll try to recap. Using ASIO and Direct Mode in Command control panel really means pure line out with no processing as the software volume didn't work anymore.
Big plus in this OEM version there is no bright red LED on the PCB yay and no big flashy red housing, on bad side it uses G-Luxon crappy caps instead of Nichicon Gold. Funny thing is you can see my onboard sound uses Nichicon Gold caps
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