I am not a gamer, so when I review gaming products, I like to see how I can apply it to non-gaming use cases. And you can see from the new Sound Blaster G8, there is nothing in the design that hints that this external audio interface is for gamers (no RGB colour LED!).
Still, the Sound Blaster G8 is the latest model of the G-series product line designed for gaming. But unlike the predecessor GC7, the G8 has a more modest appearance that would fit in any setting, even for work. For many generations since G3, the G-series products boast one unique feature among others, that is the ability to adjust audio levels from two discreet sources. In the gaming world, one source is the in-game music and another source is the voice chat. This feature allows gamers to either hear both audio inputs, or hear one audio louder than the other, just by adjusting a control knob. Creative calls this feature “GameVoice Mix”.
With the Sound Blaster G8, Creative has up the ante with the ability to support two USB digital audio streams. USB-1 is the “Game” channel which also feeds power to the G8. When plugged to the Windows or Mac, you can control and customise the G8 via the Creative App software. The large volume knob also adjusts the computer volume. USB-2 is the “Voice” channel. You have to adjust the max volume from the source device, and then while turning the GameVoice Mix knob, the audio levels will be mixed down.
Besides the two USB inputs, the G8 can also connect audio sources via 3.5mm Line In, Optical In, and HDMI ARC. For audio out, you have the 3.5mm Line Out, Optical Out, and 3.5mm headphones. USB-2 and Line In falls under “Voice” channel, while the rest are under “Game” channel. If there are audio inputs playing at the same time, you can hear all the audio from the G8. There is a switch at the back that only allows you select either HDMI ARC or Optical In, so you cannot stream audio from these two sources simultaneously.
To adjust the audio level of the individual sources, you can use the Creative App software. It is also possible to do recording of the audio mix from one or all sources (“What You Hear”).
There are three buttons on the Sound Blaster G8 that you can apply effects to all input sources. The first one, “SBX” toggles between EQ, Scout Mode, and off. The second “MODE” button enables the Direct mode, which essentially bypasses any on-board DSP, disables GameVoice Mix control, delivering a direct signal from the source. The last button, “HP/SPK” toggles between headphone output and speaker output. When the LED is on, the headphone jack will have audio. When the LED is off, the Line Out and Optical Out will send audio signals out. G8 will auto-detect when you plug headphones and will turn on HP mode. The microphone works for both USB devices simultaneously. The volume knob on the G8 does not adjust volume through Line Out and Optical Out.
After describing how the Sound Blaster G8 works, you can see how this product can be used for non-gaming situations. I would generalise that the Sound Blaster G8 is a 2-channel audio mixer that supports two USB digital audio inputs, a unique capability while most audio mixers just offer analog or at most one USB input. It is also unique to support HDMI ARC audio input. If your setup requires these audio connectors, then Sound Blaster G8 is a god-send.
There is definitely merit when an audio interface takes in digital audio inputs (Optical, HDMI, USB), as digital audio does not contain electrical noises. Since the product is designed to connect to the most popular gaming systems like Playstation PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and smartphones, the G8 supports these gaming devices directly. And if you are an audio enthusiast, you know that digital audio delivers much higher fidelity, and the G8 32-bit 384kHz audio chip and Xamp discreet bi-amplifier can handle headphones between 1-600 ohms and delivers 130dB dynamic range, including a gain switch to boost your headphone audio level.
Let’s go through some use cases that the Sound Blaster G8 will be a blast to use, shall we?
Laptop + Smartphone
Connect USB-1 to laptop and USB-2 to smartphone. Connect Line-Out to speakers or headset. Watch your social feeds on your smartphone, take calls on your smartphone, conduct TEAMS or Zoom calls on your laptop. Adjust GameVoice Mix knob to change your audio focus.
PC + Laptop
Fancy connecting two computers to a G8, so you can enjoy the best digital audio experience without the need to buy separate DACs. No need to manually swap USB cables to different computers when you need. You could have a dedicated gaming rig and then a separate work laptop. Connect them together and you will not need to swap headphones when you need to switch between work and play.
Computer + External Audio System
Connect G8 to your laptop, connect HDMI or Optical-In or Line-In to your external sound system – CD player, turntable, tape deck. Now you can enjoy quality music without using your laptop as the audio source through the same headphones or speakers.
What Could Be Better
There are some room for design improvement, though. For instance, there is no button or knob to control mic volume or mute it. It does not have Super X-Fi which would certainly extend the product to more consumers to enjoy the underrated technology. The HDMI ARC does not seem to work with normal HDMI, well at least it didn’t work with my OPPO BDT-101CI universal player. There is also no power button, which would be good so that I do not have to unplug the G8 from my laptop when I don’t want to use it. Finally, a missed opportunity: the “Sound Blaster” logo is backlit but it only has one colour. An ability to customise the colour with RGB would provide much versatility to a wider audience – wouldn’t it be cool to personalise the G8 with a colour that fits the owners?
Verdict
The Creative team is always designing products ahead of our time, adding features that do not have a huge demand but great features that make use of existing available technology where other mainstream brands avoid. Last year they boldly introduced LE Audio, a Bluetooth broadcast technology that not many manufacturers embrace, to their wireless earbuds and headphones. Then there is also Project Watcher, a crowdfunding product that supports two webcam feeds simultaneously without the need for additional broadcast streaming tools.
I have always loved the numerous audio interfaces that Creative has created for the audio community, from the Sound Blaster K3+ to the Sound Blaster X5. With the new Sound Blaster G8, it is now possible to connect two USB audio, HDMI ARC, Optical In and Line In, to a single mixer, and output to headphones, speakers, or direct-to-digital recording mix.
The Sound Blaster G8 retails in Singapore at S$239. Product link: Sound Blaster G8 Hi-Res DUAL USB Gaming DAC and Amp – Creative Technology (Singapore)
4 comments
Great explanation of the review. I have a question and hope you can help to advise me. Can i connect the G8 with a Targus docking station to toggle between Desktop and laptop for audio? I am currently using a 2.1 Active speaker system that is directly connected to my desktop.
Hi! Thanks for reading my review. If you want to share your speaker with both laptop and desktop, you just connect the G8 to your desktop and your laptop via USB (either direct or your dock), then your 2.1 speaker to the G8. With that, both laptop and desktop audio will play to your speaker.
Thank you for the reply, does this mean that each time i want to use my laptop for work, i still need to turn the desktop on so that the g8 can draw its power from it? Would it make sense to connect the g8 to docking station to draw power 5v and cater to both desktop or laptop instead?
The G8 draws power from USB-1, so if your dock has constant power, then yes it makes better sense to connect the G8 to the dock.