

🎧 Upgrade your sound game instantly—because your ears deserve the best.
The Creative Labs Sound Blaster Play! 3 is a compact external USB sound adapter that upgrades your PC or Mac audio to high-resolution 24-bit/96kHz playback. It requires no drivers for basic use, supports all analog headphones with single or split connectors, and includes downloadable software for advanced audio customization. Lightweight and plug-and-play, it’s a top-ranked, budget-friendly solution to eliminate hiss and enhance clarity for music, gaming, and calls.






| ASIN | B06XBZ38ZJ |
| Best Sellers Rank | #8 in External Sound Cards |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (3,611) |
| Date First Available | March 2, 2017 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Item Weight | 1.6 ounces |
| Item model number | 70SB173000000 |
| Manufacturer | Creative |
| Product Dimensions | 5.43 x 0.87 x 0.37 inches |
D**I
Inexpensive DAC for decent sound quality and you can download EQ Software from Creative for it.
For the price it's great. I used this after I stopped using FXSound EQ Software as it continues to test as Malware. I was using that software with a higher end DAC. So I no longer had an EQ software. I saw that this came with EQ Software (Must download SBP3_PCDRV_L12_1_01_08.exe from the Creative downloads website). After getting to know the software and getting it tweaked for audio with the Play! 3 I was able to get the sound pretty good (You can use SBX sound or Equalizer..Your choice). I thought it was such a good deal I purchased another for another laptop. The software is from 2017 but works great under the latest version of Windows 11 25H2.
A**L
Killed the hiss on my laptop – sound is way clearer now
Here are a few review drafts for the Creative Labs Sound Blaster Play! 3 External USB Sound Adapter (the tiny black USB DAC/amp that upgrades to 24-bit/96kHz playback, plug-and-play with no drivers needed for basics, 3.5mm headphone out + mic in, drives everything from earbuds to studio headphones, ~93dB SNR). Wrote 'em in your casual Aaron-from-Clearfield-Utah style: straightforward, practical guy fixing crappy onboard sound for music/gaming/calls, hyped on the clearer audio, no hiss/static in the dry winter air, easy USB plug-in for laptop or desktop, and great value since it's cheap but punches up big time.
S**R
These work fine on MacOS26.2 and sound great!
Works with Mac. At first, I had an issue where audio was doing very strange things, changing bitrates would change the weirdness, no bass, all bass, no mids... cutting in and out, digital noise.... Lots of searching led to multiple things saying MacOS 26.2 is simply not compatible with these WHICH IS FALSE. The problem was a faulty audio connection AFTER the usb adapter, that worked fine with some other adapters, somehow, but somehow caused this to freak out. I fixed the wire, tried again, and man... it works great. Sounds very good. Compared it the OE adapter and generic cheap adapter, Sound Blaster Play 3 is much much better to my ears, blows them out of the water.
J**.
Excellent!
Works great! Easy plug-n-play with no additional drivers needed on Windows10. I use powered speakers with it and sounds great with zero "hiss".
Y**E
Great tube-like sound. Warm bass tones. Not overdone either. Decent enough mids and highs.
I love the sound of a well played bass guitar. Don't you? I think all the great bands had great bass guitarists. McCartney. Greenwood. Novoselic. The list goes on and on. Many of today's indie bands have great bass playing/composition. I think too many DACs these days are aiming for vocal clarity, detail digging and things that focus on the mid and higher frequencies of music. I like DACs like this one that can really make the beginning of Come Together by the Beatles sound fun and engaging, cuz that has to be one of the greatest opening bass riffs of all time, right? In fact, I use that song to test my audio equipment. This DAC delivers beautiful well-placed bass tones. Not the thump, thump part. The deep Dmmmm part.. That part of the song is placed more prominently and accurately than even the sacred, Dragonfly Black, which I also tested. The Black has better soundstage, but again, only if you're just not that into bass guitars. The sound might be a little distorted, but what do you expect from a DAC powered by device USB hosting? Even the Black is distorted (on the low end). It's not plugged into the wall, so... And at least this one doesn't have some stupid LED light wasting your battery or hurting performance or both. Considering all this, I LOVE THIS DAC!! It improved the sound of my Samsung Galaxy Tab A Android tablet that I have connected to a Tivoli Audio One by AUX Cable and and OTG cable (necessary or it won't work). The volume comes out a little low, but I can boost the volume on the Tivoli enough to a fun or even slightly obnoxious level. WIthout a powered amp/speaker situation like this, though, you might find this disappointing. The company does, however, make it clear that this item is NOT INTENDED FOR ANDROID/iOS. So that it works at all this way and this well makes me appreciate it and not be too picky about it's flaws. Hope that was helpful. Oh. AND IT ONLY COSTS LIKE TWENTY BUCKS! You can get five of these for one Black. I'm gonna get a second one just in case something happens to this one. Why not? So cheap!
G**S
Great sound card for Kulp Christmas light controller
Worked great for Beagle Bone Black in a Kulp Christmas lighting controller. Plug and play.
S**E
Great value for money
The Sound Blaster Play! is a compact and portable sound card that can be easily plugged into your computer's USB port. It has a sleek and stylish design, and its small form factor makes it easy to carry around with you wherever you go. The sound card is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems, and can be used with a variety of devices including headphones, speakers, and microphones. One of the main features of the Sound Blaster Play! is its high-quality digital-to-analog converter (DAC), which helps to improve the overall sound quality of your audio. It also has a built-in amplifier, which can provide additional power to your headphones or speakers, resulting in a clearer and more detailed sound. Users have reported that the sound quality is noticeably better when using the Sound Blaster Play! compared to their computer's built-in audio. The Sound Blaster Play! also includes a variety of software features, such as the Sound Blaster Command software, which allows you to customize the audio settings to your liking. The software also includes a range of audio effects and enhancements, such as virtual surround sound, EQ adjustments, and noise reduction. In summary, the Creative Labs Sound Blaster Play! is a great option for anyone looking to improve the audio quality of their computer or laptop. Its compact and portable design, high-quality DAC and built-in amplifier, and customizable software features make it a great value for its price.
E**D
The Creative Sound Blaster Play! 3 is a compact and versatile USB audio interface that significantly enhances sound quality for gaming and music. With its easy plug-and-play setup, it’s perfect for both beginners and experienced users. The built-in headphone amplifier provides rich, clear audio, while customizable audio profiles allow for a tailored listening experience. The durable design makes it a reliable companion for on-the-go use. Overall, it’s an excellent choice for anyone looking to improve their audio experience without breaking the bank.
A**.
Avevo bisogno di uno splitter per separare gli ingressi di cuffia e microfono del mio notebook, recensioni e prezzi dei cavetti di separazione non mi hanno convinto e ho preferito acquistare una scheda audio esterna. Dopo averla provata con il driver installato da Windows 11, ho scaricato il driver proprietario e funziona benissimo. Ha un livello di uscita adeguato a pilotare la mia cuffia che ha un'impedenza di 250 Ohm, mentre con la scheda audio interna il volume a volte era troppo basso. Avrei preferito le prese di cuffia e microfono un po' più distanti fra loro, ma non è un problema. Molto soddisfatto dell'acquisto, funziona molto bene e ha un prezzo poco più alto di un semplice cavetto. Pagata poco più di 16 euro.
M**G
Good product
A**R
I have a PC with a normal embedded 48KHz Sound Card, with no empty slot for a new one... I was desperate. But now, with this USB Sound Blaster Play! 3, I have the chance to get the quality I always wanted. It is crystal clear and powerful. One last Advice: although it can work immediately after plugging in with no need for a driver, I strongly encourage you to install its driver from the Creative website. It will give you an easy-to-use yet powerful control panel with useful controls to meet your customized needs.
L**R
Excelente calidad de sonido a un maravilloso precio lo recomiendo definitivamente vamos a ver cuánto dura!
Trustpilot
2 months ago
2 months ago