Review on Creative Labs Sound Blaster Play! 3 External USB Sound Adapter - Compatible with Windows and Mac - Plug and Play (No Drivers Needed) - Enhanced 24-Bit 96Khz Playback Upgrade by Aneta Banaszek ᠌

I bought it to connect the headset to my laptop, because I have an old combo jack that is not compatible with modern headsets. Immediately downloaded the driver from the manufacturer's website, did not try without it. On Win7 x64 everything works without problems. Now I use it constantly for music / movies, and not just for Internet conferences. In simple headphones, the difference from the built-in sound is almost imperceptible, but with good headphones (Audio technica AD700x) it is immediately clear. The volume and detail is getting better at times. There is no background noise. The sound is very clear. The sound from the headset microphone is crisp and clear. You should not expect sky-high quality from a budget model, but as a replacement for the built-in minimalistic solutions, it is a great option. If professional work with sound is not needed, then, as a rule, more is not needed.