Subjective Performance

In terms of electronics built into the Sound Blaster X3, Creative doesn't reveal anything other than the technical specifications of their DAC, ADC, and headphone amplifier. The DAC chip can handle 32-bit/192 kHz PCM audio files (24-bit/192 kHz on the optical interface). The Dolby Digital Live signal can be pushed through the optical interface in 16-bit/48 kHz quality, and the signal-to-noise (SnR) ratio is 115 dB, with a total harmonic distortion (THD) of 0.0004%. The headphone amplifier has two gain settings. Creative recommends using low gain for headphones whose impedance falls within the 32–149 Ω range. At low gain, the headphone amplifier provides 1.2 V RMS at 32 Ω and 1.5 V RMS at 150 Ω. At high gain (recommended for 150–600 Ω impedance headphone) power delivery goes up to 2.3 V RMS at 150 Ω and 2.9 V RMS at 600 Ω.

To test the audio performance of the Creative Sound Blaster X3 sound card and get a good perspective on it, I gathered some of my headphones, speakers and DAC/amps and conducted over 200 hours of A-B testing in music (hi-res FLAC files, Tidal, Spotify, Deezer), movies (Netflix and HBO GO), and games (Battlefield V, Apex Legends, Mass Effect 3, Rocket League, Call of Duty, and iRacing, to name a few). Here's a list of the gear I used in my tests and comparisons.

Headphones and Gaming Headsets

Sennheiser HD 660 S
HiFiMan HE4XX
Oppo PM-3
Sony WH-1000XM2
Beyerdynamic DT 990 (600 Ω Edition)
Philips Fidelio X2
Shure SRH840
Fnatic React
HyperX Cloud Alpha
Cooler Master MH630

Speakers

Adam A7X
Edifier S2000 Pro

DAC/amps

Audiolab M-DAC
Astell&Kern Acro L1000
Audioquest DragonFly Red
iFi Audio Zen DAC
FiiO E10K
Integrated sound card (ASUS ROG SupremeFX S1220)

As I've mentioned earlier in the review, the Creative Sound Blaster X3 doesn't look like much, mainly because of its plain, plastic construction. However, once you start digging through its features, you'll start to forget about its unimpressive exterior, and once you hear how it performs, its aesthetics will become a distant memory. First of all, the built-in headphone amplifier provides a healthy supply of power for any gaming headset on the market, but also a wide range of higher quality hi-fi headphones. I had absolutely no issues reaching high listening volumes on any pair of headphones I connected to the Sound Blaster X3. When I wanted more volume than I was getting, I simply switched the amplifier to high gain and that was it, "problem" solved. This thing likes to be pushed hard and successfully stays under control at any gain and/or volume setting. There are no audible hints of noise or distortion even when you crank it all the way up.

I'd describe the overall sound character of the Sound Blaster X3 as clean, snappy and exceptionally lively. Regardless of what I used it for, be it music, movies or games, it kept me entertained and fully immersed. It delivers a powerful, deep, full-bodied bass, fairly detailed and crisp, although not super analytical, highs, and a well-balanced, extremely pleasant mid-range. When I first received the Sound Blaster X3, the last thing I expected was to be inclined to pair it with headphones like the Sennheiser HD 660 S or Oppo PM-3, with both of them costing around five times more than Creative sound card. That's exactly what I ended up doing, though. For a $120 sound card with a staggering amount of useful features, the Sound Blaster X3 sounds downright fantastic.

RMAA Measurements

I did a simple loopback test with Rightmark Audio Analyzer 6.4.5, a nice piece of software that can be used to get various measurements of the frequency response, noise level, dynamic range, total harmonic distortion (THD), stereo crosstalk between channels, and so on. A loopback test is when you feed the line input of the sound card with its own output signal instead of using an external signal generator.

Line Output (24-bit/96 kHz)

Super X-Fi Headphone Holography

One of the more pronounced features of the Sound Blaster X3 is the Super X-Fi technology. In essence, it's a combination of hardware (the built-in Super X-Fi ULTRA DSP) and software (head/ear mapping mobile app) working together to create a listening experience of a multi-speaker system. In order to experience it to the fullest, you need a Super X-Fi-capable sound card, such as the Sound Blaster X3, and a pair of officially supported headphones.

After actively using it for almost two months on the Philips Fidelio X2 and Oppo PM-3 headphones, I still can't decide if I like it or not. It's definitely very interesting, there's no question about that. As far as virtual surround sound technologies go (because that's what this is in essence), the Super X-Fi is one of the better ones on the market. It dramatically widens the soundstage without destroying bass in the process or making everything sound extremely artificial. Depending on the content, some artificiality and reverb can definitely be heard, especially in the vocal range. At times I really had a feeling I'm hearing sounds that originate from the room rather than a pair of speaker drivers close to my ears. I can't say Super X-Fi helped me pinpoint my targets in multiplayer shooters, but it did create some interesting experiences, not only while gaming but also when watching movies or YouTube clips. That's why I kept coming back to it. I wouldn't recommend buying the Creative Sound Blaster X3 solely for its Super X-Fi support (I'd recommend it for many other reasons), nor would I urge you to buy a gaming headset or a pair of headphones that support it. On the other hand, if you happen to have both, definitely try it out.