Improving my sound

[Stretlow]

Hi.

I have a pair of SoundBlaster EVO ZX headphones, I normally run them straight into my Maximus hero ix via USB.

I think (please correct me if i'm wrong) that this is the best way to do it to utilise the 7.1 sound when gaming.. When i'm listening to music I plug my Creative E5 in via usb then run the phones into that via a 3mm audio cable.

When connected directly via the USB i have the sound up to 100% but find it lacks a bit of punch, when i listen to music via the E5 the sound is much better.

My questions are:-

If i am using the E5 and 3mm cable for games is it correct i lose the 7.1?

if so what would be the best device to get to plug into the pc then the phones into that to get the best sound in games?

Im a bit crap with the sound stuff.

Thanks for the help

Stret

 

[Marsman]

E5 should be the perfect alternative to using USB to the headset. Not only a more powerful amplifier than that inside the headset (when using USB), but the E5 also uses SBX, just as the headset does (via USB), which is what Creative use to provide positional sound to headphones with all their sound cards. There's a button on the side to enable it. For positional sound, there shouldn't be any difference, unless both devices are configured differently.

 

[Stretlow]

E5 should be the perfect alternative to using USB to the headset. Not only a more powerful amplifier than that inside the headset (when using USB), but the E5 also uses SBX, just as the headset does (via USB), which is what Creative use to provide positional sound to headphones with all their sound cards. There's a button on the side to enable it. For positional sound, there shouldn't be any difference, unless both devices are configured differently.

Thanks for the response.

So what you're saying is there should be no difference in the surround sound aspect between PC -> USB directly to the headphones versus PC -> USB to E5 -> 3mm cable to headphones...

Except the latter will provide superior sound quality.

I was under the impression i would lose the surround sound if not sending via the digital USB signal

 

[rids57]

The E5 has it's own surround sound processor (SBX) which will be superior to that on the motherboard - so you should get better sound AND better surround by using the E5, you will just need to configure the surround in the E5 control software

 

[Marsman]

So what you're saying is there should be no difference in the surround sound aspect between PC -> USB directly to the headphones versus PC -> USB to E5 -> 3mm cable to headphones...

Except the latter will provide superior sound quality.

That's correct.

I was under the impression i would lose the surround sound if not sending via the digital USB signal

That only applies if connecting the headset via 3.5mm cable directly to the motherboard, which has no surround sound processing capabilities.

 

[Stretlow]

Brilliant, got it up and running.

Thanks for the help chaps