Sound problem

[djmartylyttle]

I added a 2 port usb pci card to my pc today and in doing so moved the soundcard up one pci slot. The sound card is a soundblaster x-fi extreme music.
Now when I play music I get crackling out of the right speaker and the sound out of the left isn't 100%.
I have my soundcard connected to my hifi via jack to phono cable and have done for years. I have tried different jack to phono cables (same result) and tried other sources into my hifi to rule it out (other sources were fine). When I plug my headphones into the same line out jack on the soundcard the sound is 100% in both ears. I can't understand it at all.
Could my soundcard be buggered? if so then how is the sound in the headphones direct from the card 100%?
Any help would be great!

 

[BloodyL]

Back when I last used Creative Labs sound cards (during the days of the AMD Duron 700@900mhz) they were *very* picky about what PCI slot they were fitted to.
Back then the rule was (remember, this is around the time of the birth of AGP):
From top to bottom (CPU slot at top)
PCI1: Graphics card
PCI3: Sound card
PCI5: Network card

it *could* be the issue?

 

[djmartylyttle]

it's now back in its original pci slot at the bottom where it worked fine for ages. By spec any pci slot can be used for any standard pci card. what i cant understand is how it outputs crap to the hifi via jack to phono leads but the sound to the headphones from the same line out socket is 100%. I have a dual boot, xp & vista, same problem on both. I'm starting to think its the card

 

[BloodyL]

it's now back in its original pci slot at the bottom where it worked fine for ages. By spec any pci slot can be used for any standard pci card. what i cant understand is how it outputs crap to the hifi via jack to phono leads but the sound to the headphones from the same line out socket is 100%. I have a dual boot, xp & vista, same problem on both. I'm starting to think its the card

Having re-read your original post, I am inclined to agree, if I recall correctly they have an headphone amp built in now, so when you plug in the hifi you get the knackered standard amp, and when you plug in the headphones the card autosenses this and feeds the signal through the headphone amp.

That is pure guesswork, so take it for what it is worth, good luck in sorting it out though.

 

[djmartylyttle]

I tend to agree with you mate. Because the hifi works fine with other sources into it. I was thinking something like that, maybe a seperate amp on the card for headphones. But how would it know whats connected to it, they are just 2 jack plugs exactly the same. I'm gonna order a new card exactly the same and if the problem is still there then i'll sell one of them. Raging!
If anyone else has any other ideas please post!