Asus Xonar GX feature, what is it for?

ugnius40 · 10 Dec 2010 at 09:32

Hi,

I've bought Asus Xonar DG, and one of it's features is GX, I'm wondering is it of any use with modern games like Fallout New Vegas, because I noticed when it's enabled it makes Fallout crash randomly, foobar2000 (older versions) cannot init audio card, skype crashes (fixed with new drivers from Asus).
Am I missing anything when playing without it?
Could anyone please explain in simple terms where/why it's used.

Thank you in advance.

Marsman · 10 Dec 2010 at 11:07

It's Asus' EAX emulation, which is hit and miss, some games it works, some it doesn't.

Uriel · 10 Dec 2010 at 12:31

It's not just EAX emulation. It's also their replacement for the hardware abstraction layer (HAL) used in DirectSound3D up to Windows XP. This was got rid of in Windows Vista. It is essential for allowing a Xonar to function with DirectSound3D games in Windows Vista and 7 as it originally did in Windows XP.

Without it, using Windows Vista or 7, you are restricted to 2 channel software based sound in games using DirectSound3D. Using it allows greater than 2 channels in game and allows hardware based effects (which include EAX).

DS3D-GX was originally used to restore the Xonar's hardware sound (up to EAX2) in Windows Vista (and subsequencly 7). Since version 2.5 it has also emulated EAX 3-5, which had previously been Creative exclusive.

If you're running anything that doesn't use DirectSound3D or EAX it's best left off. Hardly any games released in the last 3 years or so use DirectSound3D. Prior to that most games did.

Participant · 10 Dec 2010 at 12:48

GX crashes the hell out of New Vegas for mem so unfortunately I have to leave it off for the game, even though to me it sounds much more accurate with it on.

Uriel · 10 Dec 2010 at 13:17

New Vegas uses DirectSound3D? Leftover from the Oblivion engine I guess. Oblivion was the last game to give me a sound related crash, back on my Audigy 2.

Participant · 10 Dec 2010 at 14:26

Not certain but it definitely gives more defined effects and more defined positions of those effects.

Uriel - your explanation was interesting, but I'm unclear on one thing...if the game does not use DirectSound, surely it's still best to leave GX on for the EAX thing? As EAX operates independently of DirectSound does it not?

Uriel · 10 Dec 2010 at 15:13

Few games have EAX support these days. Software audio engines are becoming more prevelant. However, FMOD and OpenAL both support EAX (or EFX) hardware.

If the game supports EAX I would give it a try.

ugnius40 · 11 Dec 2010 at 02:22

Not sure if Fallaut NV uses EAX or not, at least I fail to notice any difference with or without GX, but as for crashes it does interfere. So basically I should turn on GX if I'm unable to select more than 2 channels in game or notice EAX checkbox in settings.
Also one game I play sometimes is Dirt 2, I've heard it can make some use of EAX (I might be wrong here), not sure about stability with Xonar as i have it only for a half a week, hadn't had time to test thoroughly.

Uriel · 11 Dec 2010 at 09:01

Dirt 2 does have EAX. It's an OpenAL based game but comes with BlueRipple audio, a software based OpenAL renderer. BlueRipple is quite impressive - pretty close to my X-Fi running in hardware mode. I would try both hardware audio in game options with GX on and blieripple audio with GX off.

GX isn't always successful at restoring EAX, especially in older games. I found it didn't work properly for Rome: Total War or Thief: Deadly Shadows for example. That's one reason I eventually went back to X-Fi.

All the games requiring Alchemy for X-Fi in this list would be worth a try with DS3D-GX: http://connect.creativelabs.com/alchemy/Lists/Games/AllItems.aspx

Please note that many newer OpenAL or FMOD games don't have an EAX option but do make use of it if the hardware is detected. In that case just Google the game title and EAX to find out if it's relevant or not.

ugnius40 · 11 Dec 2010 at 09:34

Uriel said:
Dirt 2 does have EAX. It's an OpenAL based game but comes with BlueRipple audio, a software based OpenAL renderer. BlueRipple is quite impressive - pretty close to my X-Fi running in hardware mode. I would try both hardware audio in game options with GX on and blieripple audio with GX off.

GX isn't always successful at restoring EAX, especially in older games. I found it didn't work properly for Rome: Total War or Thief: Deadly Shadows for example. That's one reason I eventually went back to X-Fi.

All the games requiring Alchemy for X-Fi in this list would be worth a try with DS3D-GX: http://connect.creativelabs.com/alchemy/Lists/Games/AllItems.aspx

Please note that many newer OpenAL or FMOD games don't have an EAX option but do make use of it if the hardware is detected. In that case just Google the game title and EAX to find out if it's relevant or not.

Thanks for informative reply and suggestions