Short answer
Both are desktop DAC/amps, $285 against $449.
The JDS Labs Element III MK2 reaches 100 dB on 567 of the 567 models here, the Creative Sound Blaster X5 on 561.
| Specification | Creative Sound Blaster X5 | JDS Labs Element III MK2 |
|---|---|---|
| Power into 32Ω | 64 mW | 2.3 W |
| Power into 150Ω | 112 mW | 584 mW |
| Power into 300Ω | 57 mW | 292 mW |
| Power into 600Ω | 29 mW | 146 mW |
| Output impedance | 1 Ω | 0.7 Ω |
| Output noise | not published | 2.51 µV |
| Price | $285 | $449 |
| Headphones it reaches 100 dB on out of 567 | 561 | 567 |
Not published means the maker leaves it out, so that axis cannot be compared.
| Balanced | Creative Sound Blaster X5 | JDS Labs Element III MK2 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | 4.4mm | no separate rating |
| Power into 32Ω | 107 mW derived | — |
| Power into 300Ω | 214 mW derived | — |
| Output impedance | not published | — |
| Output noise | not published | — |
| Headphones it reaches 100 dB on out of 567 | 561 | — |
Only the Creative Sound Blaster X5 has a separate balanced rating from its maker; through it, it reaches 100 dB on 561 of the 567 models here. The JDS Labs Element III MK2 may still have a balanced socket — its spec sheet simply gives no figure for one, so there is nothing to put beside it. Derived figures are worked out from the loads the maker did publish.
| Load | Creative Sound Blaster X5 | JDS Labs Element III MK2 |
|---|---|---|
| 32 Ω | Derived | Published |
| 150 Ω | Published | Published |
| 300 Ω | Derived | Derived |
| 600 Ω | Published | Published |
Both makers publish a power rating. Creative Sound Blaster X5 publishes at 150 Ω and at 600 Ω; JDS Labs Element III MK2 at 32 Ω, at 150 Ω and at 600 Ω. The other rows are worked out from those.
So the two columns are not equally firm row by row: at 32 Ω only the JDS Labs Element III MK2 figure is the maker’s own. On those rows the derived number is the one to doubt first.
6 headphones reach 100 dB on the JDS Labs Element III MK2 but not on the Creative Sound Blaster X5 — Moondrop COSMO, Moondrop PARA, Symphonium Crimson, 3 more.
11 headphones are left alone by the JDS Labs Element III MK2 under the one-eighth rule but coloured by the Creative Sound Blaster X5 (64 Audio Nio, 64 Audio Volur, Campfire Audio Andromeda 2023, 8 more).
561 of the 567 models here reach 100 dB on both.
Headroom is at a 100 dB SPL peak.
The widest gap on the list is the HiFiMAN HE400se: JDS Labs Element III MK2 has +24 dB of headroom there against +9 dB. 15 dB is about 29 times the power, which matters for peaks rather than for how loud the music sits.
The hiss columns are empty for Creative Sound Blaster X5 because that maker publishes no output noise figure.
| Headphone | Impedance | Needs | Creative Sound Blaster X5 headroom | JDS Labs Element III MK2 headroom | Creative Sound Blaster X5 hiss | JDS Labs Element III MK2 hiss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shure SE846 | 9 Ω | 0.04 mW | +29 dB | +42 dB | not published | 22 dB |
| Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 | 9 Ω | 4.0 mW | +9 dB | +22 dB | not published | 2 dB |
| Audeze LCD-2 Classic | 70 Ω | 0.79 mW | +20 dB | +31 dB | not published | 1 dB |
| Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (250Ω) | 250 Ω | 0.63 mW | +20 dB | +27 dB | not published | -4 dB |
| HiFiMAN HE400se | 25 Ω | 7.9 mW | +9 dB | +24 dB | not published | -5 dB |
| Audio-Technica ATH-R70X | 470 Ω | 1.6 mW | +14 dB | +21 dB | not published | -11 dB |
| Sennheiser HD 600 | 300 Ω | 6.6 mW | +9 dB | +16 dB | not published | -15 dB |
| HiFiMAN Susvara | 60 Ω | 50 mW | +2 dB | +14 dB | not published | -17 dB |
The JDS Labs Element III MK2 costs $164 more than the Creative Sound Blaster X5. Out of the 567 models here, that difference buys 6 more models driven to 100 dB and 11 more models left alone under the one-eighth rule.
Nothing runs the other way: there is no axis here on which the cheaper of the two does better.
Only published figures count here; blank axes are counted separately.
Each in full: Creative Sound Blaster X5 and JDS Labs Element III MK2.