Creative Sound Blaster Z PCI-E Ports
Line In Audio Jack: 3.5mm analog audio jack for line-level input to the computer.
Front Headphone Jack: 3.5mm analog audio jack for output to headphones.
Front Speakers: 3.5mm analog audio jack for output to speakers (front, if using surround sound) or headphones.
Rear Speakers: 3.5mm analog audio jack for output to rear speakers (if using surround sound).
Center / Subwoofer Audio Jack: 3.5mm analog audio jack for output to center speaker and subwoofer (if using surround sound).
Optical S/PDIF Out: Digital audio output port compatible with optical S/PDIF cables / devices (also called TOSLINK).
Optical S/PDIF In: Digital audio input port compatible with optical S/PDIF cables / devices (also called TOSLINK).
Like the entire Z series of Sound Blaster cards it has a 600 ohm headphone amplifier as well as support for Creative Labs' proprietary CrystalVoice and SBX ProStudio 3D technologies.
The Creative Sound Blaster Z sound card has a front port header to support audio to the front headphone/mic ports in your case. This card also comes with a microphone, which can be a handy item. Don't worry, the microphone cable is much longer than shown in the photo. ;) It has a cable roughly 5' 10" long. We've tested the mic, and it sounds good -- nothing spectacular, but good (we didn't detect noise or distortion). We were recording in stereo, and we thought the 'directional' recording feature of the mic is too subtle to really notice in our opinion. If it could be purchased separately, we'd spend a max of $25, maybe.
Creative lists this sound card as having ASIO 2.0 support, which is important for audio recording.
The things I like most about the Creative Sound Blaster Z is that it does not require additional power and that the front port audio/mic header is on the back of the card rather than the side. The thing I don't like about the Creative Sound Blaster Z is that it has a red LED that illuminates the general area where it is installed.
Model: Creative Labs 70SB150000000
Specifications
Specifications | |
| Slot Type | PCI-Express |
| Channel Output | 5.1 Channels |
| Analog Input | Mic |
| Digital Output | Optical SPDIF |
| Digital Input | Optical SPDIF |
| Front Audio Signal to Noise Ratio | 116 dB |
| Rear Audio Signal to Noise Ratio | >105 dB |
| Front-panel Connection | Yes |
| EAX Support | 5.0 |
Features
- 116dB Signal-To-Noise Ratio
Enjoy unparalleled audio fidelity from Sound Blaster Z. A signal to noise ratio or SNR of 116dB means your audio will be > 99.99% pristine audio which is 35.4 times better than motherboard audio. - Sound Blaster Beamforming Microphone
When used with CrystalVoice Focus, the bundled beamforming microphone creates an acoustic zone and suppresses noise outside it, enabling you to be heard with amazing clarity. - 600 Ohm Dedicated Headphone Amplifier
Supports studio quality headphones and headsets of up to 600 ohm impedance. Hear every detail of your audio! - Advanced home entertainment audio
Experience like never before the power of Sound Blaster audio with your home entertainment today! With Sound Blaster Z's gold-plated connectors, speaker optimization technology and digital content encoding capability, you can be assured of only the best digital audio possible.
Connectivity
Headphone Out: 1 x Amplified 3.5mm jack
Speaker Out: 3 x 3.5mm jacks
Optical Out : TOSLINK
Optical In: TOSLINK
Line In / Microphone In: 1x Shared 3.5mm jack
