Creative Sound Blaster ZxR review

A high-quality Texas Instruments Burr-Brown PCM1794 DAC with a 127dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) feeds the headphone jack and RCA outputs while two PCM1798 DACs are used for the 3.5mm rear and centre stereo surround outputs. Everything’s connected to a Creative SoundCore3D audio processor, which is visible through a porthole in the card’s decorative metal EM shield.

The final part of the ZxR is an external module designed to connect to the 1/4in stereo TRS microphone and headphone ports. The 1/4in jack connectors are actually screw-on converters attached to 3.5mm jacks, so the external module could theoretically be connected to another audio device, although this is the only compatible sound card that’s been released so far. The TRS jacks are labelled to indicate which one should connect to the mic input and which to the headphone output.

An external module connects to the soundcard’s TRS microphone and headphone ports

At the other end of the 1.5m fabric-wrapped cable is a control module dominated by a massively convenient headphone volume knob. There are also both 3.5mm and 1/4in microphone and headphone ports, so you don’t have to reach around the back of your PC every time you want to plug in your headset. There’s also a built-in mic, so you can chat even if you prefer to use headphones without an integrated microphone, which is particularly handy if you prefer to use a lightweight pair of in-ear headphones for gaming rather than a bulky headset.

You can’t use the 3.5mm and 1/4in connectors simultaneously, but a software switch on Creative’s Pro Studio control panel lets you flip between using the sound card’s speaker and headphone outputs. You can also use this screen to switch between standard and high gain modes, depending on whether you’re using standard consumer headphones or a pair of high impedance studio cans. We were surprised to find that there’s no virtual surround sound available for headphone users. You’ll need one of Creative’s Recon3D sound card range if you need that feature. However, the Scout mode to make enemy movements more audible while gaming is available within the Pro Studio control panel.