Wow has this episode of Neil’s Messy Basement been a long time coming!
This edition is all about sound on PC. While it started as a review of the Creative Labs Sound BlasterX AE5 sound card, the process of reviewing this product made this episode so much more.
In brief, I really like the Sound BlasterX AE5 card; there shouldn’t be any surprises there. The bigger question is why, and to answer this, I needed to get a fundamental understanding of how audio works, the terminology regularly boasted by the marketing gurus, what the modern day baseline is for PC audio so I have what to compare to, and factor in the unique needs and perspectives of a VR gamer versus a traditional gamer.
While it’s much better to watch from beginning to end, the episode has been divided into chapters if you need to fastforward to specific parts.
- Introduction
- Equipment Tested on, Mindset of Review
- Bring on the Audio Lingo
- A Quick History Lesson About PC Gaming Audio
- Let’s Play “Where is the DAC”
- How and Why is VR Audio Different?
- How I Started the Review Process, and Things Discovered Along the Way
- Time to (FINALLY) Talk About the Creative Labs Sound Blaster AE5
- How Much of a Difference Will 32 Bit Depth Make in Your Listening Experience?
- NOW Let’s Talk About How the Sound Blaster Sounds!
- Important Things to Know For VR Gamers
- Final Thoughts! Should You Buy This?