Sound Blaster GC7 Review: An X3 With Extras
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Date: 2022-03-15
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Comments and reviews: 10
HitchSlappedUSA
1. Has anyone else experienced Creative software crashes? I have only spent one day playing with the GC7 and the Creative software app on my PC and during that short time, the software regularly crashed every 20 minutes or so while I was making settings changes and creating my own EQ. Seems very buggy - I hope Creative continues to update it regularly. Even when I make a minor change to a Sound Mode, and save it, the changes don't always save when I close the app and reopen it.
2. Has anyone else rebooted their PC only to find that Windows can no longer recognize the GC7 device? I have had this happen multiple times. Even if I just turn off and on the GC7, Windows will sometimes not re-recognize it. That happened frequently yesterday too. Tonight, after work, I will try using a different USB port to see if that helps. I may also eliminate the three foot USB extension cable I have been using. I had this same setup when using the X3, but never had the problem of not being recognized.
In summary, I hope Creative continues to issue frequent updates to both firmware and app/drivers so that this becomes more stable. I'll try to report back later after I have tried changing USB ports and removing the USB extension cable from the picture.
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1. Has anyone else experienced Creative software crashes? I have only spent one day playing with the GC7 and the Creative software app on my PC and during that short time, the software regularly crashed every 20 minutes or so while I was making settings changes and creating my own EQ. Seems very buggy - I hope Creative continues to update it regularly. Even when I make a minor change to a Sound Mode, and save it, the changes don't always save when I close the app and reopen it.
2. Has anyone else rebooted their PC only to find that Windows can no longer recognize the GC7 device? I have had this happen multiple times. Even if I just turn off and on the GC7, Windows will sometimes not re-recognize it. That happened frequently yesterday too. Tonight, after work, I will try using a different USB port to see if that helps. I may also eliminate the three foot USB extension cable I have been using. I had this same setup when using the X3, but never had the problem of not being recognized.
In summary, I hope Creative continues to issue frequent updates to both firmware and app/drivers so that this becomes more stable. I'll try to report back later after I have tried changing USB ports and removing the USB extension cable from the picture.
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HitchSlappedUSA
Thanks for bringing my attention to this product! I also am a PC Gamer who uses the X3. Looks like the GC7 fixes my little annoyances with the X3 though so I think I'll try it.
The thing I didn't like about the X3 was that it only had one knob to change volume with and there was no way for me to see what the volume was set to without a 3rd party overlay. Every time I switch between speakers and headphones the volume always reset to 50% so knowing where it is became important. I much prefer the non-infinite knob for volume! I also like that there are more buttons so I don't have to remember what different combinations of the same button does.
I also just noticed that it can output to both the speakers and the headset at the same time, which is great. I can't get the X3 to do that. Basically, I don't have to switch between the two anymore, I can just leave them both running all the time and just cut power to my speakers when using the headset. :-) Sounds good to me!
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Thanks for bringing my attention to this product! I also am a PC Gamer who uses the X3. Looks like the GC7 fixes my little annoyances with the X3 though so I think I'll try it.
The thing I didn't like about the X3 was that it only had one knob to change volume with and there was no way for me to see what the volume was set to without a 3rd party overlay. Every time I switch between speakers and headphones the volume always reset to 50% so knowing where it is became important. I much prefer the non-infinite knob for volume! I also like that there are more buttons so I don't have to remember what different combinations of the same button does.
I also just noticed that it can output to both the speakers and the headset at the same time, which is great. I can't get the X3 to do that. Basically, I don't have to switch between the two anymore, I can just leave them both running all the time and just cut power to my speakers when using the headset. :-) Sounds good to me!
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HitchSlappedUSA
I sure wish those programmable C buttons were more flexible. For example, I'd like to set C1 to load the Music sound mode and EQ, C2 to load the Rainbow Six Siege sound mode and EQ, and C3 to open an app. Unfortunately, you can only assign sound modes to one button at a time and for some reason when I assign a C button to open an app, it only works while the Creative program is opened. If I close the Creative app and reopen it (manually, or just by rebooting) that setting is blank and has to be reset - needless to say that's a waste of time and basically doesn't work.
I sure hope Creative fixes these bugs in the software and adds the functionality for multiple buttons to load individual sound modes and EQs.
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I sure wish those programmable C buttons were more flexible. For example, I'd like to set C1 to load the Music sound mode and EQ, C2 to load the Rainbow Six Siege sound mode and EQ, and C3 to open an app. Unfortunately, you can only assign sound modes to one button at a time and for some reason when I assign a C button to open an app, it only works while the Creative program is opened. If I close the Creative app and reopen it (manually, or just by rebooting) that setting is blank and has to be reset - needless to say that's a waste of time and basically doesn't work.
I sure hope Creative fixes these bugs in the software and adds the functionality for multiple buttons to load individual sound modes and EQs.
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Eric
Nice review, my laptop doesn't have SP/DIF but looks like it can output to (though may be unnecessarily) SP/DIF to a Logitech speaker system TOSLNK. Yea the RealTek Microsoft driver problem that hides the AGC function enabled by default which produces digital garbly crap from the microphone input. It could be run through a GoPro mic input iinstead with a high quality microphone for A/V applications. Aside from that, can you do a review on where to find that locker unit, are those two separate units? You want to get rid of it? Audio fan? yea, the old 80's reel to reel, Pioneer RT701D. Nice analog deck.
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Nice review, my laptop doesn't have SP/DIF but looks like it can output to (though may be unnecessarily) SP/DIF to a Logitech speaker system TOSLNK. Yea the RealTek Microsoft driver problem that hides the AGC function enabled by default which produces digital garbly crap from the microphone input. It could be run through a GoPro mic input iinstead with a high quality microphone for A/V applications. Aside from that, can you do a review on where to find that locker unit, are those two separate units? You want to get rid of it? Audio fan? yea, the old 80's reel to reel, Pioneer RT701D. Nice analog deck.
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Milan
Got this Sound Blaster GC7 and when it comes to audio quality it'; s very decent. What drives me nuts is scout mode. When active it's very good for music, movies and also games which it is intended to. But when mates are using mics and scout mode is on, sounds from game are way too loud yet any dialogs are super quite. Also all talks from mates when using mics are super quite. Can barely hear them. Have to crank up volume but that will increase overall volume too much. When scout mode is off all sounds are very flat. Any help with setting would be greatly appreciated.
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Got this Sound Blaster GC7 and when it comes to audio quality it'; s very decent. What drives me nuts is scout mode. When active it's very good for music, movies and also games which it is intended to. But when mates are using mics and scout mode is on, sounds from game are way too loud yet any dialogs are super quite. Also all talks from mates when using mics are super quite. Can barely hear them. Have to crank up volume but that will increase overall volume too much. When scout mode is off all sounds are very flat. Any help with setting would be greatly appreciated.
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Soarer
Nice review but you didn't really mention what kind of headphones you were running with the GC7 when testing.
I know they say they can drive phones with an impedance of up to 300 ohm but did you try to push it with headphones that run it to the limit and if so did they sound how you would expect?
I'm considering nthe GC7 and pairing with Sennheiser HD6XX phones but am concerned it I'll get everything out of the phones if they are at the upper limit of what the GC7 is supposedly capable of.
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Nice review but you didn't really mention what kind of headphones you were running with the GC7 when testing.
I know they say they can drive phones with an impedance of up to 300 ohm but did you try to push it with headphones that run it to the limit and if so did they sound how you would expect?
I'm considering nthe GC7 and pairing with Sennheiser HD6XX phones but am concerned it I'll get everything out of the phones if they are at the upper limit of what the GC7 is supposedly capable of.
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HitchSlappedUSA
I played with this today for the first time and like it overall. The only thing I found so far that I wish I could do is turn on SXFI while outputting to both headphones and speakers simultaneously. Unfortunately, SXFI can only be turned on when outputting ONLY to the headphone setting exclusively. This means I have to switch from dual output mode to headphone-only mode whenever I want to turn on SXFI. Not a deal-breaker for me but it would be nice for my use case.
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I played with this today for the first time and like it overall. The only thing I found so far that I wish I could do is turn on SXFI while outputting to both headphones and speakers simultaneously. Unfortunately, SXFI can only be turned on when outputting ONLY to the headphone setting exclusively. This means I have to switch from dual output mode to headphone-only mode whenever I want to turn on SXFI. Not a deal-breaker for me but it would be nice for my use case.
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ejonesss
do you have to use their software or will the device be recognized by other audio software like audacity?
i know to use the more advanced super x-fi part you would have to install their software but i am looking to use the device to record and and play and give line in to a mac that does not have a line in.
the mac mini 2018 and newer apple removed the line in so you cant record i suspect it may be to lay the drm grounds for future drm.
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do you have to use their software or will the device be recognized by other audio software like audacity?
i know to use the more advanced super x-fi part you would have to install their software but i am looking to use the device to record and and play and give line in to a mac that does not have a line in.
the mac mini 2018 and newer apple removed the line in so you cant record i suspect it may be to lay the drm grounds for future drm.
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Audible_Verses
I bought it. Requested a refund within 30 minutes of listening to the harsh harsh sounds. It sounds very muffled in any mode. I play lots of cod, and when shooting a weapon it hurts my ears to the point where you can't stand it. I have $400 gaming headphones (audeze Mobius) that blow this out of the water in every way possible. Do not buy this it's just bad.
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I bought it. Requested a refund within 30 minutes of listening to the harsh harsh sounds. It sounds very muffled in any mode. I play lots of cod, and when shooting a weapon it hurts my ears to the point where you can't stand it. I have $400 gaming headphones (audeze Mobius) that blow this out of the water in every way possible. Do not buy this it's just bad.
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Daniel
It's such a bummer that this product don't work with XLR or USB microphones. It takes a away a lot of value I think.
Or does someone know how XLR and/or USB microphones somehow can be controlled by this device?
Because, markering the GC7 for streaming and eliminating high quality XLR/USB microphones and limit to 3, 5mm analog is not very good imo.
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It's such a bummer that this product don't work with XLR or USB microphones. It takes a away a lot of value I think.
Or does someone know how XLR and/or USB microphones somehow can be controlled by this device?
Because, markering the GC7 for streaming and eliminating high quality XLR/USB microphones and limit to 3, 5mm analog is not very good imo.
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