Creative Sound Blaster AE-7 - Sound Card

We've raised the bar a little higher with the Sound Blaster AE-7. Hear sound with pristine fidelity, draw on the expertise of Sound Blaster's audio processing heritage, and be amazed at how these numbers can change the audio landscape.

DAC
High-resolution ESS SABER-class 9018 with incredibly clean 127 dB DNR audio transmission

THD+N
Up to -120 dB, 0.0001%

Playability
Clear, pristine sound at 32-bit/384 kHz PCM and DSD64 playback

Headphone amplifier
Very low output impedance of 1Ω, supports from 16Ω to studio quality headphones up to 600Ω, including high-end headphones with planar-magnetic technology

Surround sound and encoding
Discrete 5.1 surround sound for speakers, 7.1 virtual surround for speakers and headphones, Dolby Digital Live, DTS Connect encoding and Sound Blaster surround audio virtualization

Comfort
Audio Control Module: Perfect for quick access to the volume control knob, plus the 6.3mm and 3.5mm mic and headphone I/O connectors. It also carries a set of microphones to facilitate communications.

Audio improvements
A host of audio enhancements including customizable equalizers and sound profiles, surround sound, Crystalizer, Bass, Smart Volume and Dialog Plus add power to your audio. And for gamers, Scout Mode is a very special feature

Personalization
New and improved Sound Blaster Command software for greater audio customization, with an on/off switch for audio processing effects

Hardware accelerated audio
Adding AE-7 to your PC means only one thing: you add a quad-core processor designed with one function in mind, which is to provide your PC with improved, pristine quality audio, without overloading the CPU. Sound Blaster handles audio processing on the card itself, freeing up the CPU to handle other tasks.

Clean, crisp clarity for audio
The secret to improved audio is in the components that produce it, and with AE-7 we haven't spared a single detail. AE-7 has ESS SABER-class 9018 DAC that creates 127 dB DNR audio streaming up to 32-bit/384 kHz PCM and DSD64 playback. If audio cleanliness is what matters most to you, AE-7 is going to give you much more than you expect.

Custom Xamp Discrete Headphone Bi-Amplification
Components that provide theater-quality sound quality deserve headphone amplification worthy of an audiophile. AE-7 has a headphone amplifier with custom Xamp bi-amping where each headphone is individually powered, from the first step of the amplification to the end.

The end result, in your ear, is an impressively smooth sound no matter how dynamic or difficult the audio scene may be. For professional users, the bi-amplification (bi-amp) of Xamp Discrete headphones guarantees satisfaction of the needs of any audiophile in their search for music in its original form and appreciation of its quality.

It also has a very low output impedance of 1Ω, which supports studio-quality headphones up to 600Ω, including high-end headphones with planar-magnetic technology.

Discreet virtual surround sound with theater quality
Whether outputting audio through headphones or speakers, AE-7 has the ability to transform stereo or multi-stream sources into theater-quality immersive audio. It supports Discrete 5.1 on speakers and up to 7.1 virtual surround sound on speakers and headphones. You can even effortlessly switch between headphones and speakers, for those times when you want to give more power to the bass or go more unnoticed with headphones.

To increase options for external audio devices, it also includes Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect encoding.

Amazing processing
But that is not all. Sound Blaster has been in the world of audio processing for 30 years, and the Sound Blaster AE-7 has the full set of Sound Blaster audio enhancements. You can enjoy Surround with its incredible sound immersion, Crystallizer that helps improve the dynamic range of the audio or Bass that adds greater power to the bass spectrum. At the same time, CrystalVoice technology enhances voice for clearer recordings and in-game communications.

AE-7 also has our Scout Mode™, a tactical advantage that enhances important in-game audio elements so you can emerge victorious from your adventures.

Audio processing technology can be fully customized or disabled entirely. And best of all, it is the user who controls every detail from the new and improved Sound Blaster Command software.

Take full control of your audio settings
Thanks to all of our users, the new design of the Sound Blaster Command software suite has been improved based on the feedback and information provided to us by users and the community. Now it's even easier to quickly customize audio to fit your specific needs.

Do you want pure audio without effects or processing for listening to music? o Do you prefer to push sound immersion to the limit by putting Sound Core3D audio effects to work in games? The ability to save multiple profiles and switch between them quickly and efficiently expands your options when it comes to switching between music, games or movies.

Audio Control Module (ACM)
Take control easily with ACM that comes with a built-in mic set, 6.3mm and 3.5mm jacks for mic and headphone input and output connections. For your convenience, you can adjust the volume on the ACM's remote control - everything at your fingertips.

Characteristics

Weight
- Main board: 215g, Audio Control Unit (ACM): 284g

Dimensions
- Main board: 145 x 20 x 128 mm, Audio Control Module (ACM): 100 x 92 x 70 mm

Headphone amplifier
- Output impedance: 1 Ω, Supported headphone impedance: 16 - 600Ω, IEM: 16 - 31Ω (1.9V Rms), Normal: 32 - 149Ω (3V Rms), High gain: 150 – 600Ω (5.6V RMS)

Audio Processor: Sound Core3D

Direct Mode
- Playback resolution (Stereo): PCM 16-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0, 192.0, 384kHz, PCM 24-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0, 192.0, 384kHz, PCM 32-bit / 44.1, 48.0 , 88.2, 96.0, 192.0, 384kHz, DSD 64 (2.8 MHz)
- Playback resolution (Optical output): 16-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0 kHz, 24-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0 kHz

Recording Resolution
- Microphone input: 16 bit / 16.0, 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0kHz, 24 bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0kHz, 32 bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0kHz
- Auxiliary input: 16-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0 kHz, 24-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0 kHz
- What-U-Hear: 16-bit/44.1, 48.0 kHz, 24-bit/44.1, 48.0 kHz, 32-bit/44.1, 48.0 kHz

DSP Mode
- Playback resolution (Stereo and Surround 5.1)
- 16-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0 kHz, 24-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0 kHz, 32-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0 kHz

Input options (main)
- 1 TOSLINK optical output, 1 x 3.5mm rear output, 1 x 3.5mm center/Sub output, 1 mic in / 3.5mm line in (selectable via software, default: mic in), 1 x 3.5mm headphone/headset output (default: headphones), 1 x 3.5mm front output

Entry options (complementary)
- 1 x 3.5 mm microphone input (Mono), 1 x 3.5 mm HP output, 1 x 6.3 mm HP output, 1 x 6.3 mm microphone input (Mono)

DAC: THD+N (Stereo): 0.0001%
Power: PCIe bus power
Recommended use: Games

System Requirements
- Intel® Core™ i3 AMD® processor or equivalent
- Intel, AMD or 100% compatible motherboard
- Microsoft® Windows 10 32 or 64 bit, Windows 8.1 / 8.0 32 or 64 bit, Windows 7 32 or 64 bit
- 1 GB RAM
- >600 MB free hard drive space
- PCI-e slot available

Package content
- Sound Blaster AE-7 (main card)
- Audio Control Module (ACM)
- Quick Start Brochure
- Warranty brochures