Audio Blast From the Past: Creative Technology doesn't believe the sound card market is completely dead yet. The Singapore-based company has announced a new discrete audio solution, urging users to move beyond motherboard-based audio chips. The upgrade doesn't come cheap, however.
While the traditional discrete sound card has largely become a niche product for enthusiasts and hardware obsessives, Creative is attempting to attract new customers with a fresh model. The newly launched Sound Blaster Audigy Fx Pro can significantly upgrade the audio experience, the company says, and includes an additional layer of "intelligence" thanks to a brand-new companion app.
The Sound Blaster Audigy Fx Pro is a PCIe-based sound card that provides discrete 7.1 surround sound, a 120 dB DAC, and PCM playback at up to 32-bit/384 kHz. Line-in recording supports PCM resolution up to 24-bit/192 kHz.
Additional features include built-in amplification for high-impedance headphones, multiple connectivity options, and full compatibility with both Windows 10 and Windows 11 (x64).
The new card has been designed for compact PC builds, Creative said, and should provide a "meaningful" upgrade over the Sound Blaster Audigy Fx V2 released in 2021. The company is also debuting the Nexus companion app, which offers software controls for customizing the discrete audio experience.
Creative says Nexus adds a new layer of "intelligence" to the Audigy Fx card series, although it does not clarify whether the software includes modern AI technologies such as chatbots or large language models. Nexus features include automatic equalization for quick sound optimization, the Sound Blaster Acoustic Engine for tailoring different listening experiences, and additional audio tuning tools.
Creative argues that audio has become one of the most overlooked aspects of a modern PC build. Users often spend heavily on graphics cards, displays, and peripherals while continuing to rely on motherboard audio solutions that are merely "good enough" for gaming or enthusiast setups.
The Sound Blaster Audigy Fx Pro was designed to challenge that assumption, according to Creative. The sound card promises clearer playback, more immersive sound options, improved headphone performance, and smarter software tools for customizing audio settings.
The Sound Blaster Audigy Fx Pro further advances the Sound Blaster legacy in the sound card market, Creative said. The company is already selling the card through its online store for $80, while motherboard-based audio solutions typically come at no additional cost. Creative also recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to support the Re:Imagine modular audio hub – an unusual move for a multi-million-dollar company that dates back to the early PC audio era.
Many saw the Re:Imagine initiative as the final straw signaling the decline of an aging business model. However, the campaign quickly surpassed its initial funding goal. At the very least, the launch of the Sound Blaster Audigy Fx Pro confirms that Creative has no plans to abandon the discrete sound card market anytime soon.