Creative Sound Blaster G8 Soundcard/DAC Discrete Headphone Amp Review – Still Got Game
Sound Blaster is still proving to be a major soundcard player and even courting audiophiles with their powerful discrete headphone amp. With the gamer in mind, but with audio enthusiasts at heart, Sound Blaster reigns as a technology focused company.
In this Article
BLAST AWAY
I remember my early days of high quality computer sound, and Creative Sound Blaster was the go to option with my experience of the Audigy Series. Other competitors came along, but Creative still remains strong and brings forth the Sound Blaster G8 set in the new era of gaming and streaming. What hooked me and had me giddy as a teenage boy opening a fresh copy of Call of Duty involved the discrete headphone amplifier, and the dual input source. I quickly got to work enjoying the nuances of a computer soundcard with new digs and skins, but with minor reminders of the intended audience is gamer first, polished audio enthusiast second.
FEATURE RICH SOUNDCARD MINI MIXER
The $150 Creative Sound Blaster G8 deep list of features for the active streaming gamer. While most wireless gaming headsets offer quick ways to mute/un-mute microphones, the Sound Blaster G8 offers variable microphone mixing for those that prefer better wired headphones with separate input for 3.5mm microphones. The knob for mixing the “game” or “voice” together has a detent at 100% for both. The 3.5mm headphone jack also supports TRRS headsets, if the microphone is not separate.
Sitting to the right is the large geometric styled volume knob that is easy to control and operates smoothly yet offers the right amount of resistance to feel stout and quick to control. I sense this is a linear volume control with not much fine control at lower volumes.
Along the backside there are dual USB-C inputs to stream audio from more than one device, so perhaps music from a phone while hunting down the other players. Other options include 2 PCs, 2 gaming devices, or a mixture of the two. The manual lays out all the connection options. Also flanked along the back are analog line-in/out, optical in/outs, and even an HDMI ARC input. The HDMI and optical inputs are not simultaneous, there is a switch in the back to select the active input.
Other features include Dolby Surround with Dolby content, SBX mode to enhance gaming, and a Scout mode to enhance the directional information from your enemies. In Scout mode indicated by the blue SBX light, the Sound Blaster G8 jumps to life and can really scare the headphones off your head. It adds about 20dB of volume boost on top of the major bass and treble boost to increase footstep sounds and gun blasts off in the distance. See measurements below.
What is impressive for the Sound Blaster G8 is what they call the Xamp, it’s actually a discrete amplifier section with transistors to amplify left and right channels. Typically most headphone amps utilize smaller opamp chips unless you are talking about specialized amps. Quite an amazing feature adding a touch of uniqueness.
PACKAGE CONTENTS
- Creative Sound Blaster G8
- 2 x USB-C to USB-C connection cables
- Instruction booklet
SOUND
Tested with Drop Sennheiser HD6XX, BGVP DM9, Westone Mach70, Simgot ET142, Marantz MPH-2
Potent and powerful, the discrete amplifier of the Sound Blaster G8 is enough to make IEMs cry and drive heavier loads such as the Drop Sennheiser HD6XX with their 300ohm impedance. Bass is taut and controlled, with the overall signature skewing towards midrange forward and bright. Low end also feels powerful with plenty of umph. I notice the bass lines tend to gravitate to upper bass presence accentuation with some slight coloration. According to the limited specifications, they support up to 600ohm headphones however no power specifications are listed.
Overall spatial awareness is amped up, with plenty of depth which is not only appreciated in the music world but gaming greatly benefits from such 3D reproduction. Between the SMSL DO400 and the Sound Blaster G8, the SMSL sounds richer, with the G8 being more analytical.
I let my gamer son have a go at Fortnite with the SBX enabled and a pair of Marantz MPH-2 I gifted him. He actually thought the Scout mode was too much and distracting, but he still has young ears. My middle-aged ears also felt it was extreme, but that is the point. I would not listen to music this way, but gunfights are sure to be more realistic than perhaps anyone intended.
Testing the optical input, I have no qualms about it. It sounded transparent with Denon DVD-2900. I did not feel it added anything to the sound, yet it lacked the same energy as the built in DAC of the older DVD-2900. To be fair, this is also more of a mini mixer than a top of the line DAC unit.
Other minor things I noticed was the amount of switching you encounter, you can tell this was built by digital engineers, slight turn on and off clicks are heard in the connected headphones or speakers as inputs or outputs are switched on and off. It lacks the electronic polish of enthusiast DAC/amps in the name of energy efficiency.
CONNECTION OPTIONS
- 2 PS5 (Gaming systems) USB-C to USB-A adpater not included + TV HDMI or Optical
- PC + Gaming system
- PS5 with Mobile Phone / Tablet (USB-C)
- PC with Mobile Phone / Tablet (USB-C)
- 2 x Mobile Phone / Tablet (USB-C)
- XBox with Mobile Phone (USB-C) + TV (HDMI or optical)
Outputs
- TV -HDMI, Optical(sound only)
- AV Receiver- HDMI or Optical(Sound Only)
- Analog Out-Powered Speakers, Amplifier, etc
- Headphone Out
FINAL KILL
The soundcard is not dead amongst the plethora of options that exist today and the Creative Sound Blaster G8 shows why you might still want one. While it is clearly evident this is first a soundcard mini mixer, and an audiophile pedigree device second, the discrete amplifier section is competent and powerful and saves it from becoming just another boring device.
I am still curious what the power specifications may be, it is interesting they chose to leave them off versus what is listed for the X5 device. Now if you can live with the coarse volume steps in the lower end of the dial, and want a mini mixer with gaming feature controls this is a nice feature rich external soundcard. Replacing my full time DAC/Amp combo it may not. I will still give it a go from time to time as the spacial dimensional qualities might fit the bill with headphones lacking in this area.
Disclaimer: We are extremely grateful for Creative sending the Sound Blaster G8 to us at audioreviews.org free of charge in exchange for letting us take it for a spin.
Available directly from Creative or other retailers.
SPECIFICATIONS
Product Page: https://us.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-g8
GRAPHS
- Mic Input Response
- SBX Scout Mode Enabled Frequency Response (White Mode, Blue Mode, Off)
DISCLAIMER
Our generic standard disclaimer.
