How to get proper gaming surround sound

charlie0166

charlie0166

charlie0166

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7 May 2010
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15
Hi,
My new PC has arrived with an Asus P7P55D LE Socket 1156 with onboard 7.1 sound. I also have this speaker package http://www.logitech.com/en-gb/speakers_audio/home_pc_speakers/devices/224 which supports optical, coax and 3 stereo mini connectors.
So, what's the best way to connect them to get proper gaming surround sound, and what settings do I need to change on my PC?
Lastly, I have a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Music lying around - any value in putting this in?
 
I'd use the Xtreme Music, it will have better sound quality than the onboard audio of the P7P55D. Use the 3 3.5mm jacks to connect card to speakers.
 
It's likely it's set to SPDIF in the sound devices. You would need to select the onboard audio in order to use the analogue jacks. If I am correct, your board uses VIA onboard audio. If you put the Xtreme Music in, you would need to select that in the sound devices. Your board would need to have DTS Connect in order for you to get 5.1 via SPDIF (optical). In it's native state, SPDIF is stereo, DTS Connect or Dolby Digital Live is needed to convert the audio from a game into 5.1 in real time. Your board does have some DTS feature, but I'll have to look into it more. I've not heard of that particular DTS incarnation before.
 
OK, I think I understood about every third word....:o
I will try and get the mini jacks working for now - presumably that is a matter of making changes within the win 7 control panel.
Don't want to switch to the xtreme music if it won;t deliver the proper surround effects. Thanks again
 
Quite the contrary, aslong as you get no driver issues with the X-Fi, it is capable of producing gaming effects the onboard audio can't.

Just have a look in sound devices in the control panel, and look for possibly VIA, who make the onboard audio for the board you have. Set that to default, to use the analogue connection, ie, the 3.5mm jacks. It is likely set to SPDIF or digital as default, so Win7 is using the optical to send the sound.

The board you have does not have DTS Connect looking at the specs on Asus' site. This is required to convert real time 5.1 to be sent to the Z5500's. As it is not present, that's why are only getting stereo when using optical. If you want the easy solution, use the analogue connection 3.5mm jacks, that way you will get true 5.1 when playing games. The X-Fi is still the best option though, driver issues aside.
 
OK, so jacks it is for now. Assuming that I do install the x-fi later, and I don't have, or can resolve, driver issues, what's the best way to connect to get true 5.1 surround?
 
With the 3.5mm jacks :)

If you at some point do decide to install the X-Fi, I mentioned the driver issues just so you know there is a chance of that. I have the same card, and many people do aswell, and get no issues, but Creative are infamous now for some people having issues with their cards.
 
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Using the Xtreme Music on Windows 7 64bit here with latest drivers and its running flawless... I had some issues with the beta/initial release drivers with pops/crackling but its gone away with the latest set.
 
OK, so I am at home now, and clearly being an idiot. I have reconnected via mini-jack, but can't find anywhere to enable analog audio on windows 7 (which is also new to me). Clicking 'sound' gives me 4 tabs, and under playback i have "ATI DP Output" and it says "not plugged in".
On my control panel I also have "Via HD Audiodeck" which when opened has the Asus logo, so presumably this is the onboard sound, but it has nothing listed under 'playback'
Apologies for the stupidity....
 
That is bizzare. Here is mine. Admittedly there are more devices, but notice the Realtek High Definition, which is the onboard.

soundd.jpg


I wonder if it's a drivers thing. If you goto control panel and look for system, once you goto that, look for device manager, top left. If you goto that, are there any yellow exclamation marks?
 
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