Help me identify IC on Creative Sound Blaster Z

[silversweden]

Hi i recently bought this Creative Sound Blaster Z sound card to improve my sound while gaming. The headphone out is pretty good.

To get a decent level out of the Creative mic i need to boost the level by 20dB in the software. I get a lot of noise when doing so and its not from my room.

I only use the mic input for in game voice so it does not have to be the best.
But compared to my professional sound card used for recording/monitoring this is a piece of crap Why cant they fit a cheap decent preamp ic in there?

Just out of curiosity i wanted to know which components they used, especially for the mic input. But i have a hard time figuring it out. I know that the Line/Mic input jack is connected to U15 marked (GAD SAQ).

Can you help me find out which IC this is?

Another thing im trying to figure out is how the software "Mic Boost 10-30db" works. Is the software controlling the gain of the preamp or whatever the thing they used is?

Do you think that the red LEDs can introduce some kind of noise/emi?

Here is the IC list so far:
U1,U18
(AIF
BAI) MAX97220A differential line driver/headphone amp capable of driving 600ohms load.

U2,U4,U11,U15,U18
(GAD
SAQ) top marking, what is this???

U3 JRC NJM2114 - High performance low noise dual op amp. It is applicable for Hi-Fi audio equipment.

U6 JRC NJM4556A - High-gain, high-output current dual op amp capable of driving 150ohm loads. Ideal for audio telecom and instrumentation applications.

U9 CIRRUS CS4398 - 120dB,24-bit, 192kHz Stereo D/A Converter with DSD support.

U10 CIRRUS 8416 - 192kHz Digital Audio Receiver

U11
(501Z
XKGW) top marking, what is this???

U12 AMS3106 500mA Dropout Voltage Regulator

U16 ST 24C32F - 32 Kbit serial I2C bus EEPROM

All electrolytic caps are Nichicon

 

[Osvaldo de Banfield]

They appear to be in the analog in, so they may be diodes arrays wired to +12V and -12V on the board (or to +5 and -5) to protect the input from voltages greater than the bus supply. A closest image perhaps can reveal the labeling on them.

 

[silversweden]

They appear to be in the analog in, so they may be diodes arrays wired to +12V and -12V on the board (or to +5 and -5) to protect the input from voltages greater than the bus supply. A closest image perhaps can reveal the labeling on them.

Well they are marked:
GAD
SAQ

There is 4 pins on each side so a total of 16 pins.

 

[juhajpl]

Hi, I got good info from this!

I am currently analyzing the differences between Z, ZxR and AE5, difficult task to choose.

Few new components:

GAD = Intersil ISL54405 CD/MP3 Quality Stereo 2:1 Multiplexer with Click and Pop Elimination, seems to be 2 -> 1 or 1 -> 2 selector

501Z = Intersil ISL85001 1A Standard Buck PWM Regulator

What I am now wondering is that I think LR(Out1)/HP use CS4398 as DAC, then amplified with 2114, selection between LR(Out1) and HP is made with ISL54405 and then LR(Out1) goes directly and to headphones via MAX97220A.

Do you think this is correct?

But why there is 4556A? Only two channels and there are 4 left (Out2/Out3). Or is 4556A between LR(Out1) selector and line out connector?