Sound Blaster restores, broadcasts iTunes music

Creative on Thursday announced its Sound Blaster for iTunes is being displayed at CES (booth 30651). Designed for use through the iTunes interface, Sound Blaster plugs into the USB connection on a PC or Mac, and plays back music through Creative wireless speakers or headphones while enhancing the quality. Sound blaster also works in users pre-existing speaker systems equipped with Creative Wireless Receivers. Users can select up to four different receivers for music playback.

Made to restore the highs and lows to music -- which it says are lost when songs get condensed for quick downloading -- the device can play music from MySpace, YouTube, Pandora, Slacker, and LastFM and can also handle streaming from sites such as Napster and Rhapsody.

Sound Blaster also works with the GigaWorks T20W Series II wireless speaker system that is capable of playing music from anywhere in the house up to 100 feet away. GigaWorks features BasXPort technology to deliver base sound without the need for a subwoofer.

Priced at $100, Sound Blaster for iTunes will be available sometime in Spring. GigaWorks T20W series II is expected to be released before the end of January and will cost $130, while the Creative Wireless Receivers cost $70.