At the intersection where today's cutting-edge audiophile technology meets 30 years of Sound Blaster processing experience, we set out to redefine the best of PC audio. Paying homage to our audio enhancement legacy and our never-waning thirst to explore the possibilities of audio, the Sound Blaster AE-9 is quite simply the best PCI-e sound card we have ever made.
Marrying the best of hardware with a 129 dB DNR and 32-bit / 384 kHz playback from the hi-res ESS SABRE-class reference DAC and our very own Xamp fully Discrete Headphone Bi-amplifier, together with our critically-acclaimed Sound Blaster audio processing technology that has been refined and perfected over the last 3 decades, the AE-9 can be described with a single word — pristine.
And it's not just specifications. We have put in thought into every single aspect of the product, including the launch of a brand-new feature — the CleanLine Technology, engineered from ground up to eliminate voltage rail issues and isolate noise along the mic path for crystal clear voice communications.
Weight | Main Card: 230g, Audio Control Module (ACM): 480g |
Dimensions | Main Card: 178 x 22 x 127 mm, Audio Control Module (ACM): 150 x 128 x 65 mm |
Headphone Amp | Output Impedance: 1Ω, Supported Headphone Impedance: 16 - 600Ω, IEM: 16 - 31Ω (1.5V Rms), Normal: 32 - 149Ω (3V Rms), High Gain: 150 - 600Ω (5.3V RMS) |
Audio Technology | Sound Core3D |
Direct Mode | Playback Resolution (Stereo): PCM 16-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0, 192.0, 384 kHz, PCM 24-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0, 192.0, 384 kHz, PCM 32-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0, 192.0, 384 kHz, DSD64 (2.8 MHz)
Playback Resolution (Optical Out): 16-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0, 192.0kHz, 24-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0, 192.0kHz Playback Resolution (Surround 5.1): PCM 16-bit / 48.0, 96.0, 192.0kHz, PCM 24-bit / 48.0, 96.0, 192.0kHz |
Recording Resolution | Mic-in: 16-bit / 16.0, 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0 kHz, 24-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0 kHz, 32-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0 kHz
AUX-in: 16-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0, 192.0kHz, 24-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0, 192.0kHz Optical In: 16-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0, 192.0kHz, 24-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0, 192.0kHz |
DSP Mode | Playback Resolution (Stereo & Surround 5.1)
16-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0kHz, 24-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0kHz, 32-bit / 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, 96.0kHz |
Platform | PCI-e |
Connectivity Options (Main) | 1 x TOSLINK Optical In, 1 x TOSLINK Optical Out, 1 x 1/8″ Rear Out, 1 x 1/8″ Center / Sub Out, 1 x ACM Link, 1 x 6-pin PCI Express (PCI-e) Power Header (required for ACM), 2 x RCA (L/R) Front Out |
Connectivity Options (Accessory) | Line In:
2 x RCA (L / R) 1 x 1/8″ Mic-in (Mono) 1 x 1/8″ HP Out (3-pole) 1 x 1/4″ HP Out (3-pole) |
DAC | Dynamic Range (Stereo) : 129 dB, THD+N (Stereo) : 0.0001% |
ADC | Dynamic Range (Stereo) : 123 dB, THD+N (Stereo) : 0.0004% |
Power | PCI-e bus power, +12V for ACM (requires 6-pin PCI Express power connector from PC power supply) |
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS | For Windows® OS
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PACKAGE CONTENTS |
View Windows® 10
Software Availability Chart |
WARRANTY |
1-year Limited Hardware Warranty |