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Creative Announces Sound Blaster G8 External Gaming DAC with Dual USB-C Connectivity

GFreeman

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Creative Technology today proudly announces the release of the Sound Blaster G8, the latest external gaming DAC designed for those seeking a superior listening experience beyond standard audio. Building on the Sound Blaster legacy, the Sound Blaster G8 brings something new to the table as the first external gaming DAC to feature dual USB-C inputs with mixing capabilities, ensuring seamless connectivity for users. Coupled with ultra high-resolution 32-bit/384 kHz playback and a proprietary Xamp discrete headphone bi-amplifier, the Sound Blaster G8 sets to deliver outstanding audio clarity and precision, making it a must-have for gamers, audio enthusiasts, and content creators.

A New Standard in Audio Performance
The Sound Blaster G8 breaks new ground as the first external gaming DAC to offer dual USB-C inputs with mixing, allowing users to connect two devices—such as a PC and console - at the same time without sacrificing audio quality. This handy feature eliminates the need for additional mixing devices, while keeping the desktop space clutter-free. Unlike most amplifiers on the market, Creative's proprietary Xamp discrete headphone bi-amplifier drives the left and right headphone channels individually, resulting in a smoother, more detailed audio experience. Boasting a dynamic range of 130 dB, the Sound Blaster G8 brings music, movies, and games to life, letting every subtle sound and explosive moment be heard with remarkable clarity. Additionally, with the ability to support headphones with an impedance range from 16Ω to 600Ω, the Sound Blaster G8 offers exceptional sound quality and connectivity across any setup, whether for everyday listening or with high-end gear.



The Sound Blaster Advantage
For gamers, the Sound Blaster G8 is more than just a sound card—it's a tool to gain a competitive edge. With the Sound Blaster Acoustic Engine, users can customize audio settings via the Creative App, tailoring everything to their preferences. The 10-band equalizer allows for precise adjustments, from chest-thumping bass to crystal-clear highs, allowing gamers create a signature sound profile that matches any gameplay.

On the flip side, the Scout Mode boosts critical audio cues like footsteps, giving players an edge in situational awareness, while CrystalVoice technology ensures clear communication by reducing background noise and echo. Plus, the GameVoice Mix feature makes it hassle-free to balance voice chat and game audio for the perfect in-game experience. Mission-critical controls, including SBX acoustic engine/scout mode, DSP/direct mode, headphone/speaker mode, and Game-Voice Mix, are conveniently located on the top panel for quick access.

All-in-One DAC
Connecting devices to the Sound Blaster G8 is also effortless. Users can easily link their gaming console, mobile device, PC, and more via USB-C, enabling seamless audio mixing and streaming. Adding to that, the HDMI ARC makes it easy to integrate into any console setup. And to sweeten the deal, the Sound Blaster G8 comes with support for Dolby Digital, allowing users to experience an immersive soundstage filled with greater depth and realism.

Lastly, the launch of the Sound Blaster G8 strengthens the Sound Blaster G series, offering a comprehensive line-up of gaming DACs designed to cater to diverse needs. With enhanced connectivity options, the Sound Blaster G8 serves as the ideal upgrade for existing Sound BlasterX users, delivering an elevated audio experience that adapts to every gamer's setup.

Pricing and Availability
Sound Blaster G8 is priced at S$239 and is available at Creative.com.



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Still using the Sound Blaster ZXR from 2012, never a single issue and blows onboard out of the water in 2024.

Using AKG K601 headphones.
 
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No DTS?

Pass.

I was eyeing their X4 not too long ago, but it seemed a little dated. I was hoping for a newer iteration that would support it. Ah well.

Oh and the G8 is listed for $150 bucks on their site @GFreeman
 
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Creative are absolute clowns to include a HDMI 2.0 ARC socket on a device in 2024. Especially when HDMI 2.1 eARC has been available since 2019. Anybody who has tried to hook up a regular ARC device to a eARC soundbar or TV knows that this causes lip-sync issues during Dolby Digital audio playback. This is because of a bandwidth incompatibility between ARC and eARC, it adds latency. Such a failure at hardware level cannot be rectified by a software update either. They didn't even add support for DTS or Atmos... hard pass.
 
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Still using my SB Xfi Titanium PCIe card. It would be slightly less internal clutter if I switched to an external, but also would cost money I could spend on other toys.
 
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I wonder why there hasn't been a single soundcard and/or software suite that encodes audio into Dolby ATMOS or DTS X and packs it into HDMI for soundbars and AV receivers.

It's such a big advantage that consoles have over gaming PCs, and it's been so long since these formats released. Especially considering there's no way to carry height data for speakers on PC, only when we're using headphones.
 

TheLostSwede

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Oh and the G8 is listed for $150 bucks on their site @GFreeman
As Creative is from Singapore, they always list the pricing in their press releases in Singapore Dollar, not US Dollar, hence S$239, not US$239.
 
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Cirrus logic cs43131 or cs43198 based like previous creative HW. Not terrible.

I would say 100-130 on sale is fair for whats being offered. More logical than buying the overpriced Creative X5.
 
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I wonder why there hasn't been a single soundcard and/or software suite that encodes audio into Dolby ATMOS or DTS X and packs it into HDMI for soundbars and AV receivers.

It's such a big advantage that consoles have over gaming PCs, and it's been so long since these formats released. Especially considering there's no way to carry height data for speakers on PC, only when we're using headphones.
Get a reciever.
 

8086

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No DTS?

Pass.

I was eyeing their X4 not too long ago, but it seemed a little dated. I was hoping for a newer iteration that would support it. Ah well.

Oh and the G8 is listed for $150 bucks on their site @GFreeman

 
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That garbage from Microsoft requires renewable license purchase, so is not free, requires always on line status and monthly pay. Thanks but no thanks.
 
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Get a reciever.
I was talking specifically about people with receivers. Why else would I be saying we need a vendor to encode ATMOS spatial audio into HDMI?
 
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I use Headphones; I have a home-theatre system hooked up to my PC, and without the correct decoder that works with my receiver, it simply won't connect as DTS Surround, I would get Stereo only.

Installed that app a long time ago to test, doesn't work.
 
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They could probably make this half the size, less clutter, cheaper if they didnt include an oversize volume control.

Still this seems better than their previous external, this seems to actually have all the i/o I would want whilst their previous didnt, and it supports software sound enhancement as well. The real issue is the external clutter and if the sound is as good quality as a sound card. (I still have no experience with external DAC, for me its an expensive experiment to try).
 
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With streaming at the level it is now this not having a proper XLR connector on the back is a major oversight by Creative.
 

nickarcade

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That garbage from Microsoft requires renewable license purchase, so is not free, requires always on line status and monthly pay. Thanks but no thanks.
It's not a monthly payment. It's a one-time purchase, and one license allows up to 10 devices
 
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