The Sound BlasterAxx Series
FAQs:
The Sound BlasterAxx Series
SBX 20
SBX 10
SBX 8
Version 0.2
May 2012
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Creative Technology Ltd.
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Singapore 609921
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Fax: +(65) 6895 4999
Website: www.creative.com
© 2012 Creative Technology Ltd. All rights reserved. Design application(s) pending. Specifications are subject to change
without notice. All brand and product names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby
recognised as such.
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The Sound BlasterAxx Series
Discover the Magic of
Sound BlasterAxx
An Overview of Sound BlasterAxx
Why is Sound BlasterAxx the Next Generation Sound Blaster?
With over 25 years of innovation and over 400,000,000 Creative Sound Blasters sold,
Sound Blaster has taken the PC world by Storm. Now get ready for a whole new
generation of Sound Blasters with the Sound BlasterAxx. For the first time Creative
has combined the legendary performance of our Sound Blaster heritage with our
award winning wireless speaker technology -- Sound BlasterAxx will now take the
magic of Sound Blaster beyond the PC to the new world of smart phones and tablets!
What is Sound BlasterAxx?
Sound BlasterAxx™ is the world’s first all-in-one Sound Blaster with an integrated
wireless speaker, powered by the SB-Axx1™ sound and voice processor and featuring
Bluetooth wireless connectivity and high-quality dual microphone array. Designed to
work with stereo Bluetooth smart devices including the iPhone, iPad, Android phones
and Android tablets, the Sound BlasterAxx leverages Creative’s vast audio
engineering expertise to provide best-in-class audio playback for music, movies,
games and voice communications.
What are the key features the Sound BlasterAxx?
Sound BlasterAxx integrates the legendary performance of Sound Blaster with
cutting-edge wireless speaker technology into one awesome product! Here are its key
features:
A Sound Blaster | Enhanced Audio
Get AWESOME audio with SB-Axx1 – a new generation
multi-core chipset re-designed to now also support mobile
devices.
A Wireless Speaker | Amazing Playback
Sound BlasterAxx – with a Bluetooth wireless
Technology*, fantastic audio layout, and chipset – is
great at playback. Sound BlasterAxx works with just about all
compatible stereo Bluetooth devices, including the iPhone, iPad,
smart phones and tablets.
* Except for SBX 8
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The Sound BlasterAxx Series
High Quality Mic | Listens and Adapts
Sound BlasterAxx comes with a highly sensitive mic –
‘ears’ that give your speakers the ability to hear!
These ‘ears’ listen to your audio environment and adapt, removing
ambient noise – making Sound BlasterAxx an extremely good
communication enabler for calls!
A Speaker with Special Circuitry | BIG Sound
Sound BlasterAxx** features superior amplified circuitry
that delivers BIG sound and THUMPING bass from just a tiny USB
current. This also means that you can enjoy flexibility with
your power connections: plug it to a wall outlet, a laptop or even
a USB battery pack for use in ‘standalone mode’.
** Using an intelligent amplifier, SBX 20 consumes energy efficiently by exploiting the characteristics of an
audio signal and can pump out power never before heard for a speaker of this size with only a USB
connection for power
Creative Central | Control in Your Hands
Sound BlasterAxx comes with an amazing app, Creative
Central, that supports both iOS and Android OS, so you can
customize your audio – you now have total control right from the
palm of you hand.
Capacitive Touch Controls | One-touch Interface
Featuring backlit touch sensitive controls to adjust volume, effects,
and answer calls***.
*** except for SBX 8 VoiP calls are controlled from the computer.
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The Sound BlasterAxx Series
Does Sound BlasterAxx require any drivers to work?
Sound BlasterAxx is amazingly simple to use. Installation is as easy as inserting a
USB dongle – just simply insert-and-go, nothing else.
How many models is Sound BlasterAxx available in? What are the
differences?
What are the Technical Specifications for SBX 20?
o Interface
USB 2.0, Bluetooth Wireless
o
Wireless Technology
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
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The Sound BlasterAxx Series
o
Bluetooth Profiles
A2DP (Wireless stereo Bluetooth),
AVRCP (Bluetooth remote control),
HFP (Hands-free profile)
o
Frequency
2.4 GHz
o
Audio Codec
AAC, SBC
o
Operating Range
Up to 10m / 33ft
o
Built-in Microphone
High-quality dual microphone array
o
Audio Inputs
One 3.50 mm (1/8-inch) stereo jack for Aux In or Microphone In
o
Audio Output
One 3.50 mm (1/8-inch) stereo jack for Headphones Playback
o
Dimensions (L x W x H) mm
109.8 x 97 x 400.2
o
Weight (Kg)
Approx. 1.9
What are the Technical Specifications for SBX 10?
o Interface
USB 2.0, Bluetooth Wireless
o
Wireless Technology
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
o
Bluetooth Profiles
A2DP (Wireless stereo Bluetooth),
AVRCP (Bluetooth remote control),
HFP (Hands-free profile)
o
Frequency
2.4 GHz
o
Audio Codec
AAC, SBC
o
Operating Range
Up to 10m / 33ft
o
Built-in Microphone
High quality dual microphone array
o
Audio Inputs
One 3.50 mm (1/8-inch) stereo jack for Aux In or Microphone In
o
Audio Output
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The Sound BlasterAxx Series
One 3.50 mm (1/8-inch) stereo jack for Headphones Playback
o
Dimensions (L x W x H) mm
90.6 x 80.3 x 295.7
o
Weight (Kg)
Approx. 0.8
What are the Technical Specifications for SBX 8?
o Interface
USB2.0
o
Built-in Microphone
High quality directional
o
Audio Inputs
One 3.50 mm (1/8-inch) stereo jack for Aux In or Microphone In
o
Audio Output
One 3.50 mm (1/8-inch) stereo jack for Headphones Playback
o
Dimensions (L x W x H) mm
64.4 x 57 x 166.1
o
Weight (Kg)
Approx. 0.3
When will the Sound BlasterAxx Series be available?
The Sound BlasterAxx SBX 10, priced at US$149.99, and the Sound BlasterAxx SBX
8, priced at US$99.99, are slated for availability in July, 2012. The Sound BlasterAxx
SBX 20, priced at US $199.99, is slated for availability in August, 2012. For more
information about the Sound BlasterAxx, visit soundblaster.com.
The Magic of Sound BlasterAxx in a Call
How does Sound BlasterAxx enhance my Phone Calls?
The Sound BlasterAxx design also integrates a high-quality dual microphone array
which leverages CrystalVoice™ technology to dramatically improve voice quality for
hands-free phone calls or video-conferencing calls. Voice Focus ensures precisely
targeted voice pick-up, while Noise Reduction enables clear conversations without
background noise interference. Smart Volume gives users the freedom to walk
around a room during phone conversations while the listener experiences clear,
consistent volume levels.
What are the complete suite of features available with CrystalVoice™
Technology?
Here is the full range of features available with CrystalVoice Technology:
•
Acoustic Echo Cancellation - Eliminates echoes and enables whoever is
speaking to listen to the other party clearly.
•
Noise Reduction - Enables the person speaking to be heard clearly over
background noise by constantly monitoring the environment and eliminating
unwanted noise that interferes with the conversation.
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The Sound BlasterAxx Series
•
Smart Volume - Automatically adjusts the loudness of a voice to maintain a
consistent volume level. This makes it convenient for the speaker to converse
normally, regardless of whether the speaker is close to or far away from the
microphone.
•
Voice Focus – Creates a specific space where audio is picked up by the
microphones so the listener hears only the conversation and no external
parties.
•
VoiceFX™ - Enables alteration of voice with a variety of effects, which can be
used to enhance the tone of a voice, create interesting accents, or enable
someone to sound like a completely different person.
Where do I access CrystalVoice Technology?
The CrystalVoice suite of technology features is accessible with the FREE Creative
Central™ iOS and Android app (a dashboard for users to customize audio settings
and pair devices with the Sound BlasterAxx) or the Sound BlasterAxx Control panel
for PC/Mac, available at www.soundblaster.com.
The Magic of Sound BlasterAxx for Music, Movies
and Games
How does Sound BlasterAxx Enhance Audio Playback?
Sound BlasterAxx comes with SBX Pro Studio™ technology that enhances the world
of LISTENING with awesome playback:
The fully customizable SBX Pro Studio™ set of technologies dramatically improves
audio playback for music, movies and games – delivering unprecedented levels of
personal audio realism from a compact one-piece device.
What are the complete suite of features available with SBX Pro Studio™?
Here is the full range of features available with SBX CrystalVoice Technology:
•
SBX Crystallizer™ - Enhances audio for music and movies by restoring
details in the high and low frequencies
•
SBX Surround™ - Delivers an immersive personal surround sound
experience
•
SBX Smart Volume™ - Solves the problem of abrupt volume level changes
in music, movies and games by intelligently applying gain and attenuation to
deliver consistent volume levels; includes Night Mode™ to reduce the impact
of explosions and bursts of sound so as not to disturb others after hours
•
SBX Dialog Plus™ - Enhances the intricacy of the human voice in movies
and games, allowing the listener to hear the dialog clearly
•
SBX Bass™ - Fills in the missing low frequency tones and gives that ‘extra
punch’ for a better entertainment experience
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The Sound BlasterAxx Series
Where do I access SBX Pro Studio™?
The SBX CrystalVoice suite of technology features is accessible with the FREE
Creative Central™ IOS and Android app (a dashboard for users to customize audio
settings and pair devices with the Sound BlasterAxx) or the Sound BlasterAxx Control
panel for PC/Mac, available at www.soundblaster.com
About Creative Central
What is Creative Central?
Creative Central is a FREE iOS and Android OS app (available from Apple App store
or Google Play Store) that acts as an onscreen dashboard for users to customize
audio settings and pair devices with the Sound BlasterAxx.
This app gives users the newfound wireless freedom of accessing from a smart device
a full suite of audio enhancements for a Sound Blaster -- previously only accessible
from a computer.
This full suite of software (called the SBX software suite)includes the fully
customizable SBX Pro Studio™ set of technologies that dramatically improves audio
playback, and SBX CrystalVoice™ technology that sets a new precedent in phone and
Skype call clarity and fidelity.
What are the key features of Creative Central?
Here is an overview of the Creative Central’s key features:

Bluetooth Connectivity Tool
- Easily manage and customize connections to a wide range of Bluetooth
Speakers and Headphones.

Advanced Controls
- Use any device with the SB Axx-1 chipset (such Sound BlasterAxx) and
Creative Central to access a full suite of advanced features that increase
movie dialog levels -- for added clarity. You can even soften onscreen
explosions -- so you won’t wake the family, and much more!

Video Tutorials
- Step-by-step video teaches you how to connect your smart device
wirelessly to a wide range of Creative Bluetooth Speakers.

Modular Speaker Setup Wizard
- Easily set up your speaker system from your smart device.
- Link multiple speakers without having to activate link controls on your
speaker

Customizable Alarm
- Wake up to mp3 music or preset alarm tones with snooze
- Set Alarm to sound on device speakers, Bluetooth speakers or both.
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