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 Larry Daniels

First of all thanks to all the reviewers who took the time to explain the installation. Yes, when I installed Play!3 there was a low frequency hum. When I followed the suggestion to open the software, go to the control panel, go to the "Mixer" tab and mute the microphone, the hum stopped immediately. I bought this because the headphone jack on my 7 year old ASUS N550 laptop is intermittent and all of a sudden the audio stops playing and makes a loud buzzing noise. Sonic Blaster Play now! 3 - Solve the problem for $20. I use my laptop almost exclusively in the garage, as a media library and to watch useful YouTube videos when I'm working on a project. Sound quality is excellent based on my initial setup in my home office with a Pioneer Elite receiver connected to a Martin Logan Motion 60s and ML active subwoofer. The test material was in FLAC format. Play in the garage! 3 is connected to an Onkyo receiver that powers two Advent satellite speakers and a powered subwoofer, neither of which lends itself to a sound equipment test but still sounds pretty good when I'm working in the garage. When I put the computer to sleep, the speakers are silent. no noise Great $20 solution to a very annoying problem.