Sound Blaster - E5

DAC, USB sound card with bluetooth and NFC

The Sound Blaster E5 is a compact device that combines many advantages, it can be used as a DAC for computers and portable devices, act as an efficient headphone amplifier, and an aptX bluetooth receiver with NFC. It has recording capabilities, and thanks to the built-in battery it can be used for up to 8 hours wirelessly, without having to connect to an electrical socket.

E5 is a structurally thought-out cube, working PnP (Plug and Play), i.e. plug and play, without the need to install additional software or drivers. It is true that, in order to take full advantage of the device connected to a smartphone or computer, it is recommended to download dedicated free software that will provide us with a number of interesting options, such as CRYSTAL VOICE, SURROUND modes for surround sound, and interesting software solutions dedicated to players. The software with drivers can be downloaded from the website www.support.creative.com or dedicated applications in the App Store for Apple devices and Google Apps for Android. The DAC of the device is equipped with the Cirrus Logic CS5361 chip, offering a dynamics of 114 dB, which is supported by the Sound Blaster SB AXX1 sound processor. On the front panel there are two 3.5mm mini jack headphone inputs, enabling the use of two pairs of headphones at the same time, and an interestingly integrated (preventing damage) rotary volume control.

The Texas Instrument TI6120A2 chip is responsible for the amplification of the headphones, which is strong enough to drive a single 600 Ohm studio headphones. On the right side there is the POWER button, which must be held until the white backlight appears to start the device, and the blue one to switch to the bluetooth pairing function. Next to it, there is a white backlit SBX button that boosts the bass, and a sliding GAIN Low + 5dB / High +15 dB gain switch, as well as a three-step LED battery charge indicator. The rear is equipped with two 3.5mm mini jack inputs / outputs for LINE / MIC and LINE OPTICAL OUT, enabling a standard cable connection with a jack plug with the possibility of delivering and outputting the signal via an optical cable, known in the set. Right next to it, there is a USB HOST for connecting external devices, such as a smartphone, tablet, etc., and an asynchronous MICRO-USB connector for communication with a computer, compatible with ASIO. The portable DAC E5 also works with the PlayStation 4, 5 and XBOX 360, ONE, X game consoles.

Sound

Even though it is not a product for audiophile use, it delivers rich sound from even studio-quality headphones. A wide field of application with a high dynamic factor provides a strong clear sound. The bass is strong and juicy, although at very low descents they have a tendency to loosen up, i.e. they slow down and lose control. The midrange is at a decent level, it provides a clear insight into the vocals, and the slightly illuminated treble can sting the ears with some recordings at higher volume levels. The whole thing is, after all, quite well arranged, the sound is a bit brilliantly colored, but in a good sense of the word. You can catch many details, and even the atmosphere of the environment, and although it will not be a credible insight into what the artist wanted to present to us, the sound can be very enjoyable. E5 will fit very well as a replacement for an integrated sound card of a PC and laptop, it will also be an effective component of video game consoles, where combined with the previously owned system will provide interesting experiences known from science fiction home cinema movies.

Accessories included

Micro USB cable
digital cable terminated on one end with optical SPDIF, and on the other with a digital 3.5mm mini jack
mini-jack cable with gold-plated 3.5mm plugs on both sides
angular stand for desk
2x rubber band with the manufacturer's logo.

Technical data

TO GIVE: Cirrus Logic CS5361

DSP processor: Sound Blaster SB AXX1

chip: Texas Instrument TI6120A2

sampling frequency: from 44 kHz to 192 kHz / 24 Bit

signal to noise ratio SNR: 120 dB (DAC)

USB data transfer mode: asynchronous with low jitter

compatibility: Plug and Play and ASIO with PC / Mac

support for surround sound: yes to 7.1

low output impedance: 2.2 Ohm

audio recording: yes 24 Bit / 96 kHz

Bluetooth profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP

Bluetooth working range: up to 10 meters

audio technology: CrystalVoice Mic, SBX Pro Studio

wireless operation: yes, up to 8h on the built-in 3200 mAh battery

wireless connectivity: bluetooth NFC with aptX Low Latency CRS

front entrances: 2x 3.5mm mini-jack headphone

rear inputs: 3.5mm digital mini-jack LINE / MIC

rear outputs: 3.5mm digital mini-jack OPTICAL OUT, USB Host, Micro USB

gain control: yes, front volume potentiometer

power supply: via Micro-USB, work on built-in rechargeable battery

streaming from mobile devices: iOS 44.1-48 kHz / 24 Bit, Android 44.1 kHz / 16 Bit

Device support: compliant with the MFi certificate for Apple iOS

Android Open Accessory Protocol: for charging compatible Android devices from version 2. 3. 4 on the go

dimensions: width 74mm, length 110mm, height 22mm

scales: 164 g

Prepared by: Łabędź Przemysław