Sound blasterx AE 5 plus problems

Chrish_1 · 30 Dec 2021 at 15:02

Hi all,

I've just installed this sound card into my PC and I'm using it along with a AKG 702 headset.

When playing escape from tarkov the left and right sound channels will randomly swap over. So I hear footsteps etc from my left in the right earcup and sound from the right in my left earcup. Also I hear sound from behind me in front, and sound from in front behind.

I can fix this by changing from headphones to speakers and back again in the sound blaster command software, but this is only a temporary fix until it happens again.
I'm also using direct mode in the command software.

Has anyone else had the same issues when using this soundcard, or have any ideas what is causing it?

Rroff · 30 Dec 2021 at 15:39

There are a bunch of hits on Google for channel swapping issues such as: https://www.reddit.com/r/SoundBlasterOfficial/comments/mj9im3/sound_blaster_ae_5_channel_swap_issue/

EDIT: Quite a lot of mention of it being a bug with AMD CPUs/chipset and Creative drivers - I've never had it with my Intel setups and my AE5.

No idea what is causing it but direct mode and gaming can cause some complications if you have other software trying to use audio as well, especially if some of the Windows sound enhancements are active.

For optimal compatibility in the advanced sound properties for the audio device try 24 bit, 96000Hz instead of a higher quality level if it is set higher, disable the exclusive mode options and disable sound muting in the communications tab.

Chrish_1 · 30 Dec 2021 at 16:10

Thanks for the reply, I've read a bit more about this issue on reddit and it does seem to be an issue with the AMD x570 chipset and using a geforce gtx 3000 series video card. Lots of people been having the same issue. (1) Creative Labs sound card channel swapping *FIX* : SoundBlasterOfficial (reddit.com)
I'm using a x570 meg ace and a gtx 3080.
I had already disabled the exclusive mode options in windows.
Seems like the only fix is to force PCI gen 3 mode for the PCI slots, shouldn't really need to do this but I cant see AMD fixing this as it seems like its been a issue since the x570 motherboards were released.

something daft already!! · 30 Dec 2021 at 16:15

See my thread on this using a soundblaster card. I still have the issue now. I'll get around to getting a new card one of these days.

EsaT · 30 Dec 2021 at 17:05

Chrish_1 said:
Also I hear sound from behind me in front, and sound from in front behind.

That's definitely not sound card issue:
In direct mode it won't do any processing for headphones, but just "blindly" passes out what left/right channel signal Windows audio stack gives it.

And if using Tarkov's headphone output mode (binaural) it's only that game audio renderer where that front/rear mix up can happen.

So what are the game sound settings and Windows soudn settings you're using?

Chrish_1 · 30 Dec 2021 at 17:40

Tarkov is set as binaural audio, in windows sound settings its set as stereo speakers.
I don't think its a problem with tarkov as when testing playback in sound blaster command the left and right channels are some times inverted. Though its quite easy to fix by simply switching to speakers then back to headphones which sorts it out for a while.

EsaT · 30 Dec 2021 at 20:04

Could be multiple problems.

Because of shape of head+pinnae differs notably from ahead and behind, sound source ahead has different binaural cues on both left and right channel than sound source behind.
Meaning left and right channel getting swapped really can't swap front and rear cues.
To accurately change also front and rear cues would require game's audio renderer to "turn virtual dummy head microphone" 180 degrees.
(which is the case if both left/right and front/rear cues are reversed simultaneously)

So start experimenting by changing things, which could affect to audio path.
Like don't use that direct mode.
If you don't enable any of sound card's processing options, only thing done is volume control and equalizer if used.
You could have sound card and Windows in 7.1 configuration and get original two channel audio from source.
(for as long as you don't have any effects in Windows audio settings)

And left/right problems are known to happen with any sound card.
So that could be just Windows being buggy as hell and Microsoft not caring a bit.
https://www.windowsphoneinfo.com/th...-realtek-left-right-balance-bug-win10.312121/

Chrish_1 · 2 Jan 2022 at 19:19

A quick update for this, updating my motherboards bios to the latest version seems to have fixed the channel swapping issue.
I've not had it happen for about 3 days now, so hopefully the issue is solved.