Creative SoundBlaster AE-7 Sound Card To Be Supported By Linux 5.10

[Teggs]

Creative needs at a minimum to fund the community devs who already write Linux drivers to flesh out support for their product stack. I want the software as well, because I can hear the difference between a settings-tuned Windows and a bare-driver Linux experience, but that's obviously not going to happen.

I have always used a sound card, and even though I know there are no less than three sound devices in my system (Sound card, Onboard, Graphics Card), I still desire good sound quality and see no reason not to use an expansion slot to get it. But Creative's support is nonexistant. It's sheer luck my X-Fi is supported by a random good-hearted person in Linux. This even has me eyeing the unique Biostar B550GTA because that motherboard has a PCI slot that I could bring my current sound card forward into.

Creative is curiously hurting themselves here, and in a market with all kinds of competition. Since my Sound Cards have just worked, I paid no real attention to what others were doing, but apparently it's rare to use a sound card in a consumer system these days. Making it more difficult to do so is not a good idea. I saw Creative hardware on one motherboard once, but they don't seem to have a big presence there (and that seems like a massive missed opportunity). They need to not only make their devices work, but get them installed in more places and educate the consumer on sound quality and why they want it.

I probably have an unreasonably positive view of Creative's importance and position in the industry since they were the ones who first made my computer speak, but I'd be sorry to see them go under, and it looks like they don't need to. They just need to open their eyes a bit.

[Guest]

Creative needs at a minimum to fund the community devs who already write Linux drivers to flesh out support for their product stack. I want the software as well, because I can hear the difference between a settings-tuned Windows and a bare-driver Linux experience, but that's obviously not going to happen.

Yeah that's true. Doing large amounts of work that benefit some corporation for free, sure isn't my idea of open source.

[digitalsin]

I wonder if the AE-7 supports the same options as the SoundBlaster Z? IDK if I can live without the crystalizer, and FYI it [Z] supports nearly all the same features in Linux as it does under Windows.

I have to say that 384/32 is not really that usable from my experience, because it takes far too much CPU in situations where you would actually use that [say DAWs]. I know this from personal experience with a DAC I had, required several separate renders on every track - just too time consuming and complicated...

[DanL]

This even has me eyeing the unique Biostar B550GTA

Unless the situation changed from when I built my computer last year, good luck with that. The Biostar B450 Racing mobo had poor availability in the U.S. and the listings I could find were price gouged.

[CochainComplex]

The DX7 Pro It is awesome for the price indeed. I own the DX3 Pro, which was reviewed on the same site and cost me less than $200. It also destroys everything for the price and sounds better than anything else I've ever tried my HD600 on, with the measurements to back it up.

It used to be my standard advice. But unfortunately, they had a problem with the headphone amplifier design yielding high failure rate (and thus returns) within the first few weeks of use. Devices were either fine, or failed withini a month. They couldn't find the problem, even tried running every amp for a large n hours before sending them to try and separate the bad ones early, no dice. So they released a v2 with a new headphone amp design, and the measurements for that one aren't anywhere as good unfortunately, making it actually bad for the price.

Therefore I can't recommend the DX3 Pro anymore (if you order now it'd be v2 for sure), but sadly the DX7 Pro is a hard sell to people who don't understand that objectively (backed with measurements) good hardware does indeed make a difference.

To most people, rather than an amp/dac, I'd suggest getting good headphones (Sennheiser HD600) to start with. They make a much larger difference, against the shit computer speakers or crap gamer headsets people own/use.

The good thing about nice Headphones is that you can get superb sound for less compared to a full grown stereo system because you don't need to amplify the signal as much and all the parts don't have to be largescale. Just by the metric of size you save money. This is btw always my advice to people who want to dig into this world. Yes start with good Headphones and then upgrade the chain. If you really like it start with stereo. But then you have to consider room accustics too.

At the moment the ESS9038 pro DAC is one of the top IC's or maby the top DAC you will find it in a lot of premium audiophile equipment. So one might ask whats the difference between 500€ equipment and 10000€ if it uses the same DAC? that question is valid. Its how good ist the DAC implemented. how much care has been taken to run it at its sweetspot. Basically its about board design/layout.
I havent heard the DX7 Pro but considering the measurements and how they have desgined the board at least gives enough confidence that they tried hard to reach that sweetspot. Thats why in my Opinion this thing DX7 Pro might be a real bargain

Problem is the most people are fooled by the bose like sound signature. High lows and high highs (bathtub tunning). Strong bass and crispy (actually loud) trebles. That fools our brain. but at the end it is not how the music was recorded and will never have the original spirit. Beats Headphones is one example. It gives you the impression but once you have listen with really good equipment it is another world you don't want to go back. You will admit that your previous perception of good sound was false. An almost enlightening moment - at least it was for me.

Some unknown underdogs might produce some really good equipment. Because of beeing underdogs they can't ask for superhigh prices and use the hype train.
Unless your are not a wealthy millionaire you have to build your equipment by your self or search for the well performing underdogs. And as said by you forget all that gamer stuff and hyped pc speaker things its like RGB loud and attention attracting but does not give any value.

[ptyerman]

I was looking to buy an Asus Xonar Essence STX II 7.1 (whatever exactly the name was) PCI(e) sound card for my 600 Ohm headphones and for good sound quality (in/out). And, of course, because it has a Linux driver.
But now I read that those may have problems with nearly all of the AM4/Ryzen chipsets...

So is there a Linux driver for the extrnal / USB models?

I have a Asus Xonar Essence STX II 7.1 plugged in-to my recently built X570 AM4 Motherboard with a Ryzen 9 CPU. There is no problems with it at all that I have found neither in Linux or in Windows 10.
Also it's a purchase you would not regret, it's the best sound card I've ever owned and blows anything Creative have ever made out the water!
For me, the best card creative ever made was the Audigy 2 with the earlier WIN XP drivers before they started hobbling them and bowing down to the RIAA and such. I still use a couple of Audigy 2's in old PC's I use for producing and converting music but that is getting less and less since I built this machine with the Xonar Essence 7.1.

[starshipeleven]

I have always used a sound card, and even though I know there are no less than three sound devices in my system (Sound card, Onboard, Graphics Card), I still desire good sound quality and see no reason not to use an expansion slot to get it. But Creative's support is nonexistant. It's sheer luck my X-Fi is supported by a random good-hearted person in Linux. This even has me eyeing the unique Biostar B550GTA because that motherboard has a PCI slot that I could bring my current sound card forward into.

PCIe to PCI adapters exist, and are using the same bridge chips that Biostar used on that board. No modern system has native PCI anymore, so there is no point in overpaying for a motherboard when you can get an adapter that can be used on all boards.

If you have a low profile card you can get away with an adapter that fits in the same slot under your card like this (example of good one from Startech, there are far cheaper ones that work fine as well) https://www.startech.com/en-us/cards-adapters/pex1pci1

If you have a normal-sized card you need to take an adapter like this https://www.ebay.it/itm/PCI-E-Expres...e/311915485839 and find some space to place it, like using a full ATX case with a microATX motherboard.

A few years ago there were also 5.25 bays with the second adapter inside so you could fit that in a case, but I guess nowadays 5.25 bays are no more a thing.

[hifi]

I got a Schiit Fulla 3 USB DAC with mic input to pair with ATH-M50x and Modmic 4.

Regardless of my nickname I'm not an audiophile but I've been really happy with this. $99 plus shipping is a bit steep but the mic input is also excellent.

Mainly bought it so I can use a USB switch to move the set with my keyboard and mouse when I switch between my docked work laptop and desktop.

Since it's USB Audio Class it just works on Linux which was a hard requirement as I don't run Windows.

[ayumu]

ATH-M50x

Is a start but if you haven't, I do strongly recommend to try open back headphones. I do suggest HD600 as they're no doubt the market peak value per price, but even some cheap shp9500s would change your perspective.

With closed headphones, you're sacrificing a lot in the name of isolation.

[Teggs]

PCIe to PCI adapters exist, and are using the same bridge chips that Biostar used on that board. No modern system has native PCI anymore, so there is no point in overpaying for a motherboard when you can get an adapter that can be used on all boards.

If you have a low profile card you can get away with an adapter that fits in the same slot under your card like this (example of good one from Startech, there are far cheaper ones that work fine as well) https://www.startech.com/en-us/cards-adapters/pex1pci1

Thank you for the tip. Maybe some of the cheaper alternatives will work out. Startech in that particular case is actually charging more than retail for the PCIe version of the card I have. It's also about half the price of the Biostar motherboards... if they are available in your location. It appears DanL is correct about Biostar dropping markets over the years. Pity.