Creative AE-5 User Manual

EXPERIENCE GUIDE

PCIe DAC WITH DISCRETE HEADPHONE AMP

INTRODUCING THE
SOUND BLASTERX AE-5

Get the ultimate audio performance with the full force of a 122dB

32-bit/384kHz ESS Sabre™ DAC, a kick-ass custom-designed
600Ω discrete headphone amp, top-notch audiophile-grade

components and proprietary Sound Blaster audio enhancement
technologies.

The Sound BlasterX AE-5 upgrades your rig with true lossless

sound and brilliant light show. The world’s first sound card with
integrated RGB controller lets you not only enjoy immersive, rich,

precise sound in games, music and movies but also gives you unique
control over the lighting effects in your PC case.

OVERVIEW

ARCHITECTURE & CONNECTORS

XAMP DISCRETE HEADPHONE AMP AURORA REACTIVE LIGHTING SYSTEM

• Discrete components in a dual-amp
design amplify each audio channel
individually for pristine audio

• Ultra low 1Ω output impedance drives
16-600 Ω headphones

I

• Built-in RGB controller

• Fully programmable to create unique
lighting effects up to 16.8 million colors

H

A

B

C

D

E

F

A

LINE IN / MIC IN

To a microphone, headset mic connector or line level
audio source

B

HEADPHONE

To a headphone/headset with 3-pole/4-pole plug

C

FRONT (L/R)

To Front Left/Right inputs on powered analog
speaker or AV receiver

REAR (L/R)

D

To Rear Left/Right inputs on powered analog
speakers or AV receiver

E

CENTER / SUBWOOFER

To Center and Subwoofer inputs on powered analog
speakers or AV receiver

G

122DB DNR SABRE-CLASS DAC

• True audio fidelity with up to
32-bit/384kHz* hi-res lossless
playback.

* Windows® 10 and above

F

OPTICAL OUT

To recording device or amplifier with optical connectors

G

POWER CONNECTOR

To peripheral power connector for RGB lighting

H

FRONT PANEL HD AUDIO HEADER

To front panel Intel HD audio connector

I

RGB HEADER

To LED strip via extension cable
Supports up to 4 LED strips

SOUND BLASTERX AE-5 EXPERIENCE GUIDE

KEY FEATURES

122DB DNR SABRE-CLASS DAC

At the heart of the Sound BlasterX AE-5
sound card is a 122dB Sabre-Class DAC
that instantly boosts regular motherboard
audio with up to 32 times more clarity.
This premium audiophile-grade component
with its high dynamic range indulges users with up to 32-bit/384kHz* lossless playback and true
audio fidelity for high-definition audio in games, movies and music.

* On Windows 10 and above

XAMP DISCRETE HEADPHONE AMP: TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE

The on-board headphone amplifier is custom-built using discrete transistors and
audiophile-grade WIMA® film/foil capacitors in a dual-amp design to satisfy the
most demanding needs of today’s intense games and high-resolution audio.

Sound BlasterX AE-5 (122dB)

Average onboard audio (90dB)

32x clearer

Experience the difference of a discrete dual-amp design as each audio channel is individually amplified
to deliver pristine, uncompromised audio. Plus, the high heat resistance of the German-made WIMA
capacitors greatly reduces noise and audio interference. The Xamp’s ultra low 1Ω output impedance
also makes it perfectly capable of driving studio-grade headphones as well as sensitive in-ear
monitors from 16Ω to 600Ω.

WORLD’S FIRST SOUND CARD WITH INTEGRATED RGB CONTROLLER

The Sound BlasterX AE-5 card is the first sound card to feature a built-in RGB controller
– saving valuable space within a desktop for other components.

The RGB controller, powered by Creative’s very own Aurora Reactive Lighting System,
not only lights up the card through the PCB, but also gives gamers the
flexibility to build their dream gaming rig by connecting up to four LED
strips to match the awesome sound with an awesome light show.
The fully customizable Aurora Reactive Lighting System allows users
to choose from multiple presets or program it with up to 16.8 million
colors and various rhythms to choose from, using the Sound Blaster
Connect PC software.

SOUND BLASTERX AE-5 EXPERIENCE GUIDE

KEY FEATURES

INDUSTRY LEADING AUDIO PROCESSING

Updated, refined and perfected through years of being the clear leader in sound processing, the AE-5
is feature-packed with the latest and greatest version of our award-winning audio processing and
algorithms that improve music, movie and gaming experiences.

The quad-core Sound Core3D audio DSP and the legendary Sound Blaster technologies provide
fully customizable DSP-powered audio enhancements, crystal-clear vocal reproduction,
in-game voice communication enhancements, 7.1 virtual surround sound and other advanced
audio technologies.

ALL NEW SCOUT 2.0

Step up your game with the world’s first smart gaming companion
that enables you to visualize and pinpoint your enemy’s position
in FPS games via a dedicated Scout Radar display on your
mobile device.

Coupled with Scout Mode that lets you hear your enemies before you see them, the all-new Scout 2.0 is
sure to give you that added winning edge on the battlefield.

SOUND BLASTERX AE-5 EXPERIENCE GUIDE

ENHANCING &
CUSTOMIZING

SOUND BLASTER CONNECT FOR PC

Available for Windows®, the fully customizable Sound Blaster
Connect software gives you complete control over your product.
You can also tweak the lighting effects of your BlasterX product
to create a neat gaming space.

Download at www.creative.com/support/blasterx-ae5.

OVERVIEW

1 OPEN/COLLAPSE MENU

Expand or minimize the side menu

2 DASHBOARD

Quick overview of audio and
visual settings

3 SOUND

• Modify EQ setting

• Personalize audio settings

• Activate Scout Radar and Scout Mode

4 VOICE

• Improve voice clarity

• Have fun with voice morph

5 LIGHTING

• Choose or customize RGB
lighting presets to match your
mood and space

1

2

3
4
5

6

7

6 SETUP

• Select speaker configuration
and type

• Calibrate speakers

• Enable playback/recording mixing

7 SETTINGS

• Change language settings

• Modify SB Connect settings

• Check for software updates

• Restore default setting

SOUND BLASTERX AE-5 EXPERIENCE GUIDE

ENHANCING &
CUSTOMIZING

DASHBOARD

An overview of all your audio and visual settings. View your current and frequently used settings,
or quickly personalize them.

1 AUDIO/LIGHTING PROFILES

A selection of pre-configured audio/
lighting profiles optimized for most
of your playback needs

2 CURRENT PROFILE

Current audio/lighting profile

3 LIGHTING SETTING

• Enable/disable lighting

• Modify lighting settings

4 EQ SETTING

• Enable/disable EQ

• Modify EQ settings

5 AUDIO SETTINGS

• Enable/disable audio enhancements

• Personalize audio settings

1

2 3

4

6

7 8

5

6 SCOUT MODE

Enable/disable Scout Mode

7 VOICE CLARITY

• Enable/disable voice enhancements

• Modify voice settings

8 VOICE MORPH

• Enable/disable voice morph

• Select voice morph presets

SOUND BLASTERX AE-5 EXPERIENCE GUIDE

ENHANCING &
CUSTOMIZING

SOUND

Each preset profile can be further customized according to your acoustic preference for music,
games a movies.

1. Equalizer

Select from a plethora of Equalizer presets to match your audio, or enhance the bass or treble to
your liking with our graphic equalizer.

1 EQ PRESETS

Tap to view a list of preset EQs.

2 GRAPHIC EQ

Simply draw your preferred EQ
wave across the frequency bands
or adjust each frequency filter by
sliding the points.

3 BASS

Slide to adjust the enhancement of
bass sounds. More harmonic tones
will be added the higher you go.

4 TREBLE

Slide to adjust the enhancement of
high notes.

1

2

3 4

SOUND BLASTERX AE-5 EXPERIENCE GUIDE

ENHANCING &
CUSTOMIZING

2. Enhancement

Powered by BlasterX Acoustic Engine, enhance and tweak your auditory experience to perfection
with intelligent controls.

Surround: Enjoy true-to-life audio with a natural sense of audio depth, spaciousness and surround

eects from your content. Move the slider clockwise to widen the soundstage and increase immersion.

Crystalizer: Experience audio the way the artist intended by restoring audio details that were lost

due to file compression. Move the slider clockwise to increase the amount of details restored.

Bass: Fill in low frequency tones for extra impact and a better entertainment experience. Move the slider

to adjust the enhancement of bass sounds. More harmonic tones will be added the higher you go.

Smart Vol: Minimize abrupt volume changes. Choose to pump up the volume (Loud), or intelligently

reduce loud burst of sounds for those late night sessions (Night). Move the slider to adjust the intensity.

Dialog+: Enhance voices in movies, music or games for clearer dialog. Hear the dialog over the rest

of the soundtrack and ambient noise in your listening environment. Move the slider clockwise to add
more focus on vocals.

SOUND BLASTERX AE-5 EXPERIENCE GUIDE

ENHANCING &
CUSTOMIZING

3. Scout 2.0

Visualize and pinpoint enemy’s position via a dedicated Scout Radar display on your mobile
device and hear your enemies before you see them with Scout Mode.

2

1 SCOUT RADAR

Enable Scout Radar

2 SCOUT MODE

Enable Scout Mode

1

3 SCOUT MODE

Configure hotkeys for turning
on/o Scout Mode during
game play

3

SOUND BLASTERX AE-5 EXPERIENCE GUIDE

ENHANCING &
CUSTOMIZING

VOICE

Improve your voice quality and inject fun into your in-game chats, broadcasts to Twitch, YouTube and
other social media with voice enhancements.

1. Clarity

Powered by CrystalVoice, you can significantly reduce noise and echoes as you speak in real-time.

1 NOISE REDUCTION

Eliminate unwanted background noise
in conversations

1

2

2 ACOUSTIC ECHO CANCELLATION

Reduce echo to hear the other party clearly

3

3 SMART VOLUME

Turn on Smart Volume so you don’t have to
shout to be heard

2. Voice Morph

Have fun changing your voice to dierent characters during game play, game casting or recordings.

1 VOICE MORPH PRESETS

Select one of the many Voice Morph options
to enhance your tone or create interesting
accents and sound like a completely
dierent person

1

SOUND BLASTERX AE-5 EXPERIENCE GUIDE

ENHANCING &
CUSTOMIZING

LIGHTING

Choose or customize RGB lighting presets to match your mood and space.

1 LIGHTING PRESETS

Select a lighting preset. They have
been specially tuned to match the
equivalent audio presets

2 LOCATION

Enable/disable lighting on the AE-5
card logo or LED strip

3 NUMBER OF LEDS

Key in the total number of LEDs on
the connected strip(s)

4 MOTION

Select a motion sequence for the
lighting eect

5 DIRECTION

1 1

3

4

5

6

7

Select the direction of the light
movement

6 SPEED

Slide to adjust the speed of light
movement

7 COLOR

Select your favorite colors to match
your gaming space

SOUND BLASTERX KRATOS S5 EXPERIENCE GUIDE

ENHANCING &
CUSTOMIZING

SETUP

For the best listening experience, you can optimize the audio output to work with your audio device.

1. Speaker

Set the audio output according to your connected speakers/headphones configuration and type.
You can also set headphone or line out virtualization and headphone gain level.

2. Calibration

Because no two rooms are the same, Sound Blaster Connect can help you calibrate your speakers to
match the unique acoustics of your room, so you always get the best audio possible.

For the best listening experience, adjust the distance and volume levels of each speaker to
match one another.

SOUND BLASTERX AE-5 EXPERIENCE GUIDE

ENHANCING &
CUSTOMIZING

SCOUT RADAR APP

Scout Radar transforms your mobile device into a radar display that reveals
your enemy’s location in real time. Now, besides hearing your enemies, you
can actually visualize and pinpoint your enemy’s position.

Install the free Scout Radar companion mobile app from the App Store® or
Google Play™.

SOUND BLASTERX AE-5 EXPERIENCE GUIDE

SPECIFICATIONS

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Audio/DSP Processor Sound Core3D
Channels 5.1 discrete speaker out

7.1 virtual headphone surround
Interface PCIe
DAC ESS ES9016K2M SABRE32 Ultra DAC

• Max Playback Resolution 32-bit/384kHz

• DNR 122 dB

• THD + N 0.00032%
ADC Sound Core3D

• Max Recording Resolution 24-bit/96kHz
Headphone Amp (600Ω) Custom-designed discrete headphone amp (Xamp)

• SNR 116dB

• THD + N 0.0009%

• Output Impedance 1 Ω

• Headphone Impedance Range 16 – 600Ω
Connectivity 3 x 3.5mm Line Out (Front, Rear, Center/Sub)

1 x TOSLINK Optical Out
1 x 3.5mm Headphone Out
1 x 3.5mm Mic/Line In
1 x Intel HD Audio Front Panel

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

• Intel® Core™ i3 or AMD® equivalent processor

• Intel, AMD or compatible motherboard

• Microsoft® Windows 7 and above

• 1GB RAM

• >600 MB of free hard disk space

• Available PCIe slot

Find out more

www.creative.com/blasterx-ae5

Corporate Headquarters

Creative Technology Ltd, 31 International Business Park #03-01 Creative Resource Singapore 609921
Tel: +(65) 6895 4000 Fax: +(65) 6895 4999 Creative Website: www.creative.com
For more details on Sound BlasterX products, visit blasterX.com

© 2017 Creative Labs Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved. Creative, the Creative logo, Sound Blaster and BlasterX logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Creative Technology Ltd. in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft and Windows are
registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. ESS Sabre is a trademark of ESS Technology, Inc. WIMA is a registered trademark of WIMA Spezialvertrieb elektronischer Bauelemente GmbH & Co.KG. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are hereby recognized as such. All specifications are subject to change without notice. Actual product may dier slightly from images shown. Information in this document is subject to change
without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Creative Technology Ltd.

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