Creative Labs Sound Blaster Play! 3 External USB Sound Adapter for Windows and Mac. Plug and Play (No Drivers Required). Upgrade to 24-Bit 96Khz Playback

Here are a few review drafts for the Creative Labs Sound Blaster Play! 3 External USB Sound Adapter (the tiny black USB DAC/amp that upgrades to 24-bit/96kHz playback, plug-and-play with no drivers needed for basics, 3.5mm headphone out + mic in, drives everything from earbuds to studio headphones, ~93dB SNR). Wrote 'em in your casual Aaron-from-Clearfield-Utah style: straightforward, practical guy fixing crappy onboard sound for music/gaming/calls, hyped on the clearer audio, no hiss/static in the dry winter air, easy USB plug-in for laptop or desktop, and great value since it's cheap but punches up big time.

Seamless operation. Windoze default drivers work, but the unit seems to default to a big bass boost that can be too much. The SB drivers allow you to tune the sound back to normal. Also be sure to enable the 'high gain' if using headphones, otherwise the volume may not be sufficient. With default Win drivers, you might want to adjust the device sample rate to match your source material. Good power, enough to drive Senn HD560s headphones adequately.

Works like a Sound Blaster, awesome sound, and great software to go with it. Don't waste your money on anything else. I tried one of the other highly rated USB sound adapters while waiting for this one to arrive, what a piece of junk it was. It got returned immediately! Sound Blaster brand is the only way to go. It brings my Bose speakers to life and makes them sound like what they're known for. I would have gone for an internal SB card. But my video card is covering my only available PCIe1 slot, so I had no choice but to go the USB route and I don't regret it.

I chose this over other products because of the 24 bit 96hz selection. Solved an issue for me on an Optiplex 7070 with W11 (Realtek audio) where the sound would crackle and pop continuously. As simple as plugging into an open USB and plugging in my wired speakers.

This card helped me to solve microphone issues on the motherboard, so it works well as an external sound card. I am still on the fence about the sound effects (Surround, Crystalizer, Bass, Smart volume, Dialog plus). Crystalizer and Bass seem to be the most useful to quickly compensate for headphone's weak spots, but they appear to do similar stuff what Equalizer does otherwise. However, this card seems to lack power compared to a computer's usual analog output - everything sounds quieter through it (my headphones are 32 Ohms), lacking that last bit of volume at the max level which makes a difference in some voice calls and music scenarios. Maybe that's by design, due to the limited power supplied via USB... The software is a bit glitchy, because Smart Volume seem to mess with regular volume settings, resulting in quieter than usual sound when the sound card is unplugged. Overall, I don't regret that I bought it ($22), the lower volume is a bit of a bummer but you are getting a great quality sound for a low price.

I bought the Play! 3 to add to my Raspberry Pi that I'm using to run my 2024 Christmas light show and it supplies signal to my FM transmitter. The groups I'm in and videos I watched all said get this instead of using the on board audio because it's much better. I'm not an audiophile by any means so I was skeptical. Much to my surprise it cleaned up the audio a lot! Not only did it get rid of the static it also allowed me to turn up the FM transmitter to increase my range with better quality sound. It also required no driver, I simply plugged it in and selected it as the output device. It is a must have especially for the sub $20 price point.

The Sound Blaster Play! is a compact and portable sound card that can be easily plugged into your computer's USB port. It has a sleek and stylish design, and its small form factor makes it easy to carry around with you wherever you go. The sound card is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems, and can be used with a variety of devices including headphones, speakers, and microphones. One of the main features of the Sound Blaster Play! is its high-quality digital-to-analog converter (DAC), which helps to improve the overall sound quality of your audio. It also has a built-in amplifier, which can provide additional power to your headphones or speakers, resulting in a clearer and more detailed sound. Users have reported that the sound quality is noticeably better when using the Sound Blaster Play! compared to their computer's built-in audio. The Sound Blaster Play! also includes a variety of software features, such as the Sound Blaster Command software, which allows you to customize the audio settings to your liking. The software also includes a range of audio effects and enhancements, such as virtual surround sound, EQ adjustments, and noise reduction. In summary, the Creative Labs Sound Blaster Play! is a great option for anyone looking to improve the audio quality of their computer or laptop. Its compact and portable design, high-quality DAC and built-in amplifier, and customizable software features make it a great value for its price.

I bought this external sound device a few months ago. It works great, much better than the built in sound on the motherboard. I didn't install the software, I just plugged it in and began using it.

The Creative Sound Blaster Play! 3 is a compact and versatile USB audio interface that significantly enhances sound quality for gaming and music. With its easy plug-and-play setup, it’s perfect for both beginners and experienced users. The built-in headphone amplifier provides rich, clear audio, while customizable audio profiles allow for a tailored listening experience. The durable design makes it a reliable companion for on-the-go use. Overall, it’s an excellent choice for anyone looking to improve their audio experience without breaking the bank.

This product works as a USB to 3.5mm audio out/mic in amp. Handy when you need an extra audio out but have only one at the back of your motherboard either due to case design or malfunctioning audio port. Just like other reviews mentioned, the creative control panel software should be installed and used to disable the audio enhancements and mic monitoring that are on by default. This results in a clean sound. As for the hissing sound that others mentioned, I personally experienced a minimal level of it when using a pair of low impedance earphones. This can be worked around by either replugging this USB amp, or switching to a different audio source (e.g. movies, switching from 2.0 to 5.1 or vice versa causes the very minor hiss to disappear). When using a 50 ohms headphones I experienced none of that hissing noise. It is not really a problem for me. The only downside would be the short USB connector placing it in an odd vertical position when plugged into the front USB ports. Otherwise, well, this works. 8/10

Avevo bisogno di uno splitter per separare gli ingressi di cuffia e microfono del mio notebook, recensioni e prezzi dei cavetti di separazione non mi hanno convinto e ho preferito acquistare una scheda audio esterna. Dopo averla provata con il driver installato da Windows 11, ho scaricato il driver proprietario e funziona benissimo. Ha un livello di uscita adeguato a pilotare la mia cuffia che ha un'impedenza di 250 Ohm, mentre con la scheda audio interna il volume a volte era troppo basso. Avrei preferito le prese di cuffia e microfono un po' più distanti fra loro, ma non è un problema. Molto soddisfatto dell'acquisto, funziona molto bene e ha un prezzo poco più alto di un semplice cavetto. Pagata poco più di 16 euro.

I have a PC with a normal embedded 48KHz Sound Card, with no empty slot for a new one... I was desperate. But now, with this USB Sound Blaster Play! 3, I have the chance to get the quality I always wanted. It is crystal clear and powerful. One last Advice: although it can work immediately after plugging in with no need for a driver, I strongly encourage you to install its driver from the Creative website. It will give you an easy-to-use yet powerful control panel with useful controls to meet your customized needs.

Super uzupełnienie sprzętu bez karty dźwiękowej, działanie od razu, nie wymagał sterowników, dźwięk jest super