Xonar audio centre questions

willy

willy

willy

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Got my Xonar D2 today (thanks to Overclockers :D) and just wondering that everytime i want to watch film, playing games and music, do i need to change the dsp to hi-fi (music), gx (game) and dolby headphone (film) manually?

Also is it ok to put this card close to my 4870 as that's the only space left :(
 
Yes, you need to change the settings manually but you don't have to use those settings they're just presets and aren't essential. You may need to experiment with GX on or off for your games as it affects compatibility.

Also make sure you set the number of audio channels to the same as what you're listening to. This will generally be 2 for CDs, 6 for DVDs and 8 for Games.
 
Especially with headphone. Set analogue out to Headphone and the number of audio chanels correctly - then the Dolby Headphone sounds will work as intended.
 
There are 3 Different Dolby Headphone settings, with 1 to 3 being in order of least to most 'spacious' sounding. I prefer 3 but it can sound rather artificial, especially on cheaper headphones.

Music, Cinema and Game modes just change the type of Dolby Headphone (or virtual speaker if not using headphones) setting. You can use them but I prefer to set it myself.

Hi Fi mode kills all effects (including Dolby Headphone) so you hear the sound as accurately as possible. GX mode is for game compatibility (absolutely required for surround sound in most older games for Vista) and EAX emulation and doesn't change the speaker / headphone mode at all.
 
Right i'm lost now. So when i want to get Dolby headphone on films, should set speakers to 6 and tick Dolby Headphone as well? For games set to 8 speakers and tick Dolby Headphone and GX as well and for music set to 2 and tick Hi-fi?

Where can i find 3 diff Dolby Headphone?

Sorry all the questions, never had sound card before :D
 
Just do what I do and don't change anything. Leave it all on default and don't colour the sound through any mixing or presets so you get the best output letting your speakers do the talking.

Xonar is a card where one profile fits all unlike the Xfi where gaming is best for gaming and meda for media etc/
 
mrk said:
Just do what I do and don't change anything. Leave it all on default and don't colour the sound through any mixing or presets so you get the best output letting your speakers do the talking.

Xonar is a card where one profile fits all unlike the Xfi where gaming is best for gaming and meda for media etc/
Click to expand...

that is so true, especially if you have revealing speakers.
 
After some experiment last night, i only set channels and left DSP off and sounds much better and for gaming with gx on and sounds really good :)

I wish for movie sounds as good as my home theater :p
 
willy said:
Right i'm lost now. So when i want to get Dolby headphone on films, should set speakers to 6 and tick Dolby Headphone as well? For games set to 8 speakers and tick Dolby Headphone and GX as well and for music set to 2 and tick Hi-fi?

Where can i find 3 diff Dolby Headphone?

Sorry all the questions, never had sound card before :D
Click to expand...

I think you're getting speakers and channels mixed up. Have a look at my screen grab:

3280819625_450220e77d_o.jpg


Chanels:
This should match the source. So Music = 2. DVDs = 6 . Games = 8. There are exceptions but that will cover most of them.

Sample rate:
I generally set it to max but some would argue that you should match your source - so CDs = 44.1khz etc.

Analog Out:
This should match your listening equipment - so for you that would be headphones.

You will see where I've checked Dolby Headphone. Clicking on this box gives access to the 3 different presets.

Just do what I do and don't change anything. Leave it all on default and don't colour the sound through any mixing or presets so you get the best output letting your speakers do the talking.

Xonar is a card where one profile fits all unlike the Xfi where gaming is best for gaming and meda for media etc/
Click to expand...

Wrong I'm afraid. The sound is coloured by default as Windows resamples anyway. Even Hi-Fi mode does not give unaltered sound. To get pure, unaltered sound you have to use the AISO driver and a compatable player like foobar2000, setting bit-rates accordingly. This is how I listen on headphones with binaurally recorded music. For other headphone use I generally use dolby headpone and however many chanels the material was recorded in. Most CDs are engineered to be played back on stereo speakers. Dolby Headphone with 2 channel mode simulates this.

To the OP: Like anything else - don't just take my word (or anyone else's on the internet) for it. Try different settings and see what you like.
 
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Uriel said:
I think you're getting speakers and channels mixed up. Have a look at my screen grab:

3280819625_450220e77d_o.jpg


Chanels:
This should match the source. So Music = 2. DVDs = 6 . Games = 8. There are exceptions but that will cover most of them.

Sample rate:
I generally set it to max but some would argue that you should match your source - so CDs = 44.1khz etc.

Analog Out:
This should match your listening equipment - so for you that would be headphones.

You will see where I've checked Dolby Headphone. Clicking on this box gives access to the 3 different presets.



Wrong I'm afraid. The sound is coloured by default as Windows resamples anyway. Even Hi-Fi mode does not give unaltered sound. To get pure, unaltered sound you have to use the AISO driver and a compatable player like foobar2000, setting bit-rates accordingly. This is how I listen on headphones with binaurally recorded music. For other headphone use I generally use dolby headpone and however many chanels the material was recorded in. Most CDs are engineered to be played back on stereo speakers. Dolby Headphone with 2 channel mode simulates this.

To the OP: Like anything else - don't just take my word (or anyone else's on the internet) for it. Try different settings and see what you like.
Click to expand...

Not totally wrong. Isn't it more uncoloured than using all the DSP modes on the ASUS audio centre? Isn't it the purest way to listen FROM the Asus audio centre?
 
Thanks,

Yeah that's what i do now, i only set channels depend on music, film or games. I tried to put dolby headphone on and sound not as good as off. With it on, sound seem to fake to me as i can't hear where the original sound coming from but when i tried it off, i can tell centre, front and rear and similar to my home theater.

So what i set mine at now;

1. Music
Channel: 2
Sample Rate: 192
Analog out: Headphone/2 speakers (depend)

2. Film
Channel: 6/8 depend with EX or ES
Sample rate: 192
Analog: Headphone

3. Gaming
Channel: 8
Sample rate: 192
Analog: Headphone

I don't tick SPDIF out as i don't use it. Maybe when connect to Home cinema amp probably will tick it when use coaxial/digital cable.

Dolby headphone off as well

What progam do you guys use to watch film? PowerDVD or WMP or any other?

I tried PowerDVD last night and set audio setting on PowerDVD to Dolby Headphone and Xonar audio centre only set to 6 channels
 
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repton said:
Not totally wrong. Isn't it more uncoloured than using all the DSP modes on the ASUS audio centre? Isn't it the purest way to listen FROM the Asus audio centre?
Click to expand...

For speakers, Hi-Fi mode is about as close to uncoloured as you can get without getting complicated. With headphones I think you need something else or it can sound too clinical though. A little crossfeed is the bare minimum, I'd say, especially for studio recordings. Dolby Headphone works well for a lot of recordings. It certainly 'colours' the sound but I find it can sound much more natural (closer to the stereo speakers 'ideal') than just crossfeed alone.

Edit:
What progam do you guys use to watch film? PowerDVD or WMP or any other?

I tried PowerDVD last night and set audio setting on PowerDVD to Dolby Headphone and Xonar audio centre only set to 6 channels
Click to expand...

I use PowerDVD. Set it to 5.1. Set the Xonar audio centre to 6 chanels, headphones and Dolby Headphone on. The alternative is set PowerDVD to Dolby Headphone and Xonar audio centre to 2 Channel, headphones. The first option has the Xonar do Dolby Headphone. It should be higher quality.

Further Edit:
Dolby Headphone is very headphone dependent. I thought it sounded artificial on DR50s and DR100s but on HD600s or NS1000s I find it to be very natural sounding. I think it needs a very detailed headphone to work well.
 
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Ok, will try later on with Savings Private Ryan as the beginning of it so much details for separate channels (used it for my home cinema to measure positions) and see which one the closest to my home cinema.

I use HD555 :)
 
Just tried with 2 films, Savings Private Ryan and 2 Fast 2 Furious for the surround and the closest to my home cinema;

PowerDVD audio setting;
Speaker environment: 6 or 8 (EX/ES)
Output mode: No effect

Xonar audio centre:
Audio Channel: 6 or 8 (EX/ES)
Sample rate: 192
Analog out: Headphone
SPDIF: Dolby Headphone ticked with DH-3

Thanks a lot for your help guys, happy bunny now :D
 
willy said:
Just tried with 2 films, Savings Private Ryan and 2 Fast 2 Furious for the surround and the closest to my home cinema;

PowerDVD audio setting;
Speaker environment: 6 or 8 (EX/ES)
Output mode: No effect

Xonar audio centre:
Audio Channel: 6 or 8 (EX/ES)
Sample rate: 192
Analog out: Headphone
SPDIF: Dolby Headphone ticked with DH-3

Thanks a lot for your help guys, happy bunny now :D
Click to expand...

I would use similar settings to this for games. The surround effect is handy.
 
I only set to 8 channels and GX on in game as much more clearer and i can locate when somebody sneaking behind me :D. With Dolby Headphone on, sound doesn't seem to clear :)
 
I believe that you have to make sure its an EAX game before turning on GX. I had it on for GTAIV before I realised this, and there were all sorts of crackles and pops.

Also for the "audio source", I haven't seen any downside leaving it at 6 channels (with PowerDVD set to 5.1). It means that when I play 2 channel audio (music, TV etc) I only get the two channels, but that doesn't bother me, and it saves having to change it each time I watch a DVD, BluRay or play a game.

The only other effect I played with was flexbase, to make sure the cross over matched my speakers.
 
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Yeah - GX causes some incompatibility issues, even with EAX games. Mass Effect needs it off, despite being an EAX title.

Generally, if the game is DirectSound3D, you need it on. If it's OpenAL or another system you need it off.
 
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