Creative Sound BlasterX G5 SB1700 User manual

Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of Sound BlasterX®G5! This portable sound card and headphone
amplifier features true 7.1 HD surround sound, 120dB USB DAC (Digital-to- Analog Converter) that
delivers up to 24-bit/192kHz for realistic virtualization of gaming effects and audio cues with perfect
accuracy and positioning. The built-in powerful SB-Axx1™ sound and voice processor works with the
BlasterX Acoustic Engine Pro for personalized gaming audio enhancements. Enjoy the ultimate gaming
experience on studio-grade headsets and in-ear monitors.
Package Checklist
Your Sound BlasterX G5 package comes with the following:
lThe Sound BlasterX G5
lMicro-USB 2.0 cable
l3.5 mm (1/8") Mini-TOSLINK cable
lQuick Start leaflet
Minimum System Requirements
For Windows®OS
lIntel®Core™2 Duo or AMD equivalent processor, 2.8 GHz or faster recommended
lIntel, AMD or 100% compatible motherboard
lMicrosoft®Windows 10 32-bit or 64-bit,Windows 8.1 32-bit or 64-bit, Windows 8 32-bit or 64-bit,
Windows 7 32-bit or 64-bit, Windows Vista®32-bit or 64-bit (Service Pack 1 or higher)
l1 GB RAM
l>600 MB of free hard disk space
lAvailable USB 2.0/3.0 port
For Mac®OS
lMac OSX®10.6.8 or higher
l1 GB RAM
l>600 MB of free hard disk space
lAvailable USB 2.0/3.0 port
Registering Your Product
Registering your product ensures you receive the most appropriate service and product support
available. You can register your product during installation or at register.creative.com.
Please note that your warranty rights are not dependent on registration.
More Help
For the latest news and products, please visit www.creative.com. The site also includes information on
making purchases, technical help and the latest software updates.
Sound BlasterX G5 – Introduction 2

About Your Hardware
The Sound BlasterX G5 has input and output jacks to enable connection to various devices while controls
on the side give you basic control over your audio device.
CAUTION:
Do not store the device in high temperatures or leave the device in a car exposed
to direct sunlight for a long period of time. High temperatures may damage the
device.
Controls & Indicators
1
Control /
Indicator
Description
1 Power indicator Lights up when Sound BlasterX G5 is connected to a
power source.
Sound BlasterX G5 – About Your Hardware 3

2 3 4 5
Control /
Indicator
Description
2 Scout Mode button
/ indicator
Scout Mode button
lToggles ScoutMode ON/OFF.
Indicator
lWhite: Scout Mode ON
lOff: Scout Mode OFF
3 Profile button Profile button
lPress once to select a profile.
lPress again to select the next profile.
lPress and hold to turn off profiles.
Indicator
lWhite: Profile ON
lOff: Profile OFF
Note:
Scout Mode will be disabled when a profile is selected.
To set the profiles, see Using the Creative
Software Suite –Profile.
4 Headphone Gain
switch
(Low / High)
Switches the headphones gain level.
lLow:
For headphones with low impedance (32 ~ 150 ohms).
Gain: up to 5 dB.
lHigh:
For headphones with high impedance (150 ~ 600
ohms). Gain: up to 15 dB.
5 Profile indicator The three white LEDs show the gaming audio profile
selected.
lProfile 1:
lProfile 2:
lProfile 3:
lOff:
Sound BlasterX G5 – About Your Hardware 4

Input / Output Jacks
5 8
6 7
Jack / Control Description
5Headset jack Connects to stereo headphones (3-pole) or headsets with
mic (4-pole) with a 3.5 mm (1/8-inch) plug.
6 Volume control
knob
Adjusts the audio output volume.
Increase volume: Turn clockwise
Decrease volume: Turn anti-clockwise
Mute or unmute the volume: Press once
7 Volume indicator Brightens according to the volume level.
8Mic In jack Connects to microphones with a 3.5 mm (1/8- inch) plug.
Sound BlasterX G5 – About Your Hardware 5

9 10 11 12
Jack / Control Description
9Line / Optical In jack Connects to line-level sources (smartphones, tablets,
MP3 players) with a 3.5 mm (1/8-inch) plug.
OR
Connects to optical digital sources (video game consoles,
Blu-ray players, AV receivers) with a Mini-TOSLINK
cable.
10 Line / Optical Out
jack Connects to powered analog speakers with a 3.5 mm
(1/8-inch) plug.
OR
Connects to optical digital devices (amplifiers) with a 3.5
mm (1/8-inch) Mini-TOSLINK cable.
11 USB-Device port Connects to USB peripherals (keyboard, mouse, USB
flash drive).
Note:
USB-Device port supports devices up to 100mA.
12 USB-PC port Connects to USB ports of PC/Mac for audio playback or
recording.
OR
Connects to the USB port on the PS4™ console for
gaming.
OR
Alternatively, you may connect it to the power socket via
a USB power adapter (DC 5V, 1A).
Sound BlasterX G5 – About Your Hardware 6

Setting Up Your Audio Device
Step 1: Turning on Sound BlasterX G5
Connect your Sound BlasterX G5 directly to a USB port on your computer or PS4.
You can also connect to a wall outlet using USB power adapter* (not included).
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(a) Micro-USB cable
(b) Computer
(c) PS4
(d) Wall outlet using USB power adapter*
* DC 5V, 1 A
Note:
Connecting the Sound BlasterX G5 to a USB hub is not recommended.
Sound BlasterX G5 – Setting Up Your Audio Device 7

Setting the Sound BlasterX G5 as the default audio device
For Windows
1. Go to Control Panel and click Sound.
2. Click the Playback tab, select Sound BlasterX G5, then click the Set Default button.
3. Click the Recording tab, select the required Sound BlasterX G5 recording device, then click the
SetDefault button.
For Mac
1. Go to Applications >Utilities >Audio MIDI Setup.
2. Click the Sound BlasterX G5 tab, then set the Clock source to DSP Clock*.
3. Go to System Preferences and click Sound.
4. Click the Output tab, then select Sound BlasterX G5.
5. Click the Input tab, then select the required Sound BlasterX G5 recording device.
Note:
* For direct playback to stereo speaker channel at 192kHz (Direct Mode), select Stereo Direct.
Only Line In is available with Stereo Direct.
Sound BlasterX G5 – Setting Up Your Audio Device 8

Step 2: Connecting to line-in sources (e.g. mobile device, portable
media player)
(a)
(b) (c)
(a) 3.5 mm (1/8") stereo analog cable
(available separately)
(b) Mobile device
(c) Portable media player
Sound BlasterX G5 – Setting Up Your Audio Device 9

Step 3: Connecting to optical-in sources (e.g. Xbox, Blu-ray
player, TV set)
(a) (b)
(c)
(d)
(a) Mini-TOSLINK cable
(b) Xbox
(c) Blu-ray player
(d) TV set
Sound BlasterX G5 – Setting Up Your Audio Device 10