# URGENT: Creative X-FI Speaker Config Problem



## Nzaonline (Nov 19, 2008)

Hello again guys

Sound System: Logitech z-5500
PC: Dell 9150, Windows XP SP3

Sound Card: Creative X-FI Extreme Music B8E0
Audio Drivers Installed:SBXF_PCDRV_LB_2_18_0004 for X-FI

Disabled Onboard Integrated Audio In Bios

I have an issue where when I play mp3s in winamp and have the creative sound card set to 7.1 speakers the music sounds a bit low and unclear. It also will not allow me to hear the voice lets says on youtube if I stream properly on 6ch Direct

Logitech Control Pod Effects using 2/2.1
Stereo x2  - clear in all speakers
PLII Music Sounds Clear - clear in all speakers

Other effect options like 6Channel Direct not giving audible sound in rear speakers as if I was to select Effect PLII Music via the Logitech Control Pod

However when I go and restore the defaults it sets it back to 2/2.1 speakers and I can hear everything crispy clear.

Is this a glitch with the drivers not setting my cards to 7.1 and allowing me to hear clearly on that setting?

Please advise.


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## imperialreign (Nov 19, 2008)

go into Windows Control Panel - open Sounds & Audio devices - go to the box at the bottom of the window labeled "Speaker Settings" and hit the 'advanced' button - set your configuration here to 7.1 as well - the open speaker volume settings and hit "restore defaults" - then adjust it from there.

If you want to switch back to 2.1, you'll have to set it in both Console Launcher, as well as WIN control panel.  IIRC, though, the newest driver versions properly synch Creative's software with WIN control panel, eliminating the need for manually reseting the settings.


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## Nzaonline (Nov 19, 2008)

I followed your guidance and when I test the mp3 in winamp again audio is still muffled out on the 7.1settings. When i go back to 2/2.1 on the X-FI console audio settings its crystal clear again. I also have winamp pointing to the right sound card.

What I am concerned about is how come are things sounding so crispy clear all round on 2/2.1 and not 7.1?





imperialreign said:


> go into Windows Control Panel - open Sounds & Audio devices - go to the box at the bottom of the window labeled "Speaker Settings" and hit the 'advanced' button - set your configuration here to 7.1 as well - the open speaker volume settings and hit "restore defaults" - then adjust it from there.
> 
> If you want to switch back to 2.1, you'll have to set it in both Console Launcher, as well as WIN control panel.  IIRC, though, the newest driver versions properly synch Creative's software with WIN control panel, eliminating the need for manually reseting the settings.


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## imperialreign (Nov 19, 2008)

Nzaonline said:


> I followed your guidance and when I test the mp3 in winamp again audio is still muffled out on the 7.1settings. When i go back to 2/2.1 on the X-FI console audio settings its crystal clear again. I also have winamp pointing to the right sound card.
> 
> What I am concerned about is how come are things sounding so crispy clear all round on 2/2.1 and not 7.1?




well - usually when the only the LF and RF speakers have any sound with 5.1/7.1 setups, it's typically that WIN control panel is still set to 2-channel stereo.  What happens is, because WIN has direct control of the hardware, it seems to assume that it's settings are correct and over-rides the X-Fi drivers.  Either way, the speakers that sound muffled don't have anything being output through those channels.

Make sure your volume settings within WIN control panel aren't set to 0% as well.


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## Nzaonline (Nov 19, 2008)

Maybe it is over riding because the tick option in Creative Audio console for Sync with Microsoft Windows Control Panel is not giving me clear audio for 7.1 but it is for 2/2.1

Is this creative X-FI series driver compatible X-FI Audio B8E0? SBXF_PCDRV_LB_2_18_0004


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## imperialreign (Nov 19, 2008)

Nzaonline said:


> Maybe it is over riding because the tick option in Creative Audio console for Sync with Microsoft Windows Control Panel is not giving me clear audio for 7.1 but it is for 2/2.1
> 
> Is this creative X-FI series driver compatible X-FI Audio B8E0? SBXF_PCDRV_LB_2_18_0004



So, you have an X-Fi Xtreme Audio?

Then, no, that driver version isn't compatible (I'm surprised it would even install).  The most current driver pack for the Xtreme Audio is 1.04.0079


BTW, for future reference, you can check this thread: http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=40613 - I update the driver versions in post #1 as new packages are released.


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## Nzaonline (Nov 19, 2008)

Thank you very much. I will get the right driver. Should I uninstall this one 1st then install or just make the right driver flush it out forcing a restart install?

Please advise



imperialreign said:


> So, you have an X-Fi Xtreme Audio?
> 
> Then, no, that driver version isn't compatible (I'm surprised it would even install).  The most current driver pack for the Xtreme Audio is 1.04.0079
> 
> ...


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## Nzaonline (Nov 20, 2008)

Hi I checked the creative soundblaster site and its the Xtreme X-FI Music Card I had fitted. I tried installing the one you told me to and it was saying onboard device not detected.

But I installed the Direct X and other component referred in link.

Still a little baffled why 2/2.1 is way clearer in sound than 7.1

If you find out why my card is giving me clearer sound via the Logitech Z-5500 please let me know.

Thanks




imperialreign said:


> So, you have an X-Fi Xtreme Audio?
> 
> Then, no, that driver version isn't compatible (I'm surprised it would even install).  The most current driver pack for the Xtreme Audio is 1.04.0079
> 
> ...


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## imperialreign (Nov 20, 2008)

I'm sorry - I'm a little confused . . . which model X-Fi do you own?


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## Lordbollo (Nov 20, 2008)

Um why are you trying to run 7.1 sound through a 5.1 speaker set up anyway dude. I am using an X-fi and have the z-5500d's and all sounds great I i have it set up for 5.1 or lower eg  2.1 setup or 4.1, but I must say it never occured to me to try and run a setup where the computer will take the sounds and split em up to speakers that don't exist. You need to set it up for 5.1 sound and make sure all the jacks are in the right ports.


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## btarunr (Nov 20, 2008)

Set Winamp to use WaveOut. Install AC3 Filter (google "K-Lite CODEC pack", install it.).


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## Mussels (Nov 20, 2008)

we need to narrow down if the problem is the sound card, the speakers, or your settings.

MP3's are only 2.0 channel, so something has to upmix them - either let the soundcard or the speakers do it, but not both.

7.1 aint gunna work, as these are only 5.1 speakers. Since the majority of X-fi cards dont support dolby encoding, you should probably be using analogue for this, and then pro-logic on the speakers.


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## Nzaonline (Nov 20, 2008)

I set the speakers to 5.1 and when I play mp3s in winamp selecting PLII music effect on Logitech Control pod it goes low, however when I restore defaults it sets itself back to 2/2.1 and the mp3 is crispy clear.

I also notice that when I select effect 6channel I dont get strong rear speaker sound, but when I select other effects (e.g PLII Music, Stereo, Stereo X2 etc) I get clearer rear speaker sounds



Mussels said:


> we need to narrow down if the problem is the sound card, the speakers, or your settings.
> 
> MP3's are only 2.0 channel, so something has to upmix them - either let the soundcard or the speakers do it, but not both.
> 
> 7.1 aint gunna work, as these are only 5.1 speakers. Since the majority of X-fi cards dont support dolby encoding, you should probably be using analogue for this, and then pro-logic on the speakers.


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## Mussels (Nov 20, 2008)

disable the speakers and sound cards setting to upmix the audio. if MP3's still come out of your rear speakers (terrible or not) then it means something else is interfering - lets check that out first.


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## Nzaonline (Nov 20, 2008)

I disabled my X-Fi via device manager and restarted and I get no sound when I do that cause no cards are present.

I also notice that when I select 5.1 in speaker settings I dont get sound from streaming online video and just hear a bass sound. But can hear voice streaming online via 2/2.1



Mussels said:


> disable the speakers and sound cards setting to upmix the audio. if MP3's still come out of your rear speakers (terrible or not) then it means something else is interfering - lets check that out first.


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## Mussels (Nov 20, 2008)

Nzaonline said:


> I disabled my X-Fi via device manager and restarted and I get no sound when I do that cause no cards are present.
> 
> I also notice that when I select 5.1 in speaker settings I dont get sound from streaming online video and just hear a bass sound. But can hear voice streaming online via 2/2.1



i dont mean disalbe the soundcards, i just mean the upmixing features. on creative soundcards thats called CMSS, and on the Z55's its dolby pro logic.


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## Nzaonline (Nov 20, 2008)

Sup fam

It was the X-FI CMSS 3D interfering. When I de-tick the option 5.1 surround is crispy now in winamp and streaming online audio.

Thank you!!!



Mussels said:


> i dont mean disalbe the soundcards, i just mean the upmixing features. on creative soundcards thats called CMSS, and on the Z55's its dolby pro logic.


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## Mussels (Nov 20, 2008)

Nzaonline said:


> Sup fam
> 
> It was the X-FI CMSS 3D interfering. When I de-tick the option 5.1 surround is crispy now in winamp and streaming online audio.
> 
> Thank you!!!



no problems.


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## Nzaonline (Nov 20, 2008)

I am noticing that 6 Channel direct with CMSS 3D option de-ticked I dont get sound from the rear speakers. However Stereox2 and PLII options work ok (all 5 speakers have sound) with it when 5.1 speaker options + CMSS 3D is not ticked.

Does anyone else have this issue with their X-FI Xtreme Music cards?


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## Mussels (Nov 20, 2008)

Nzaonline said:


> I am noticing that 6 Channel direct with CMSS 3D option de-ticked I dont get sound from the rear speakers. However Stereox2 and PLII options work ok (all 5 speakers have sound) with it when 5.1 speaker options + CMSS 3D is not ticked.
> 
> Does anyone else have this issue with their X-FI Xtreme Music cards?



you got 2 channel audio. its not going to come out of the rears, without something upmixing it.
CMSS is the sound cards version, pro logic is the speakers version - if neither are on, you're getting out what you're putting in - and thats two channels worth of sound.


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## Nzaonline (Nov 20, 2008)

So if I play my mp3s via winamp on PLII Music effect, you saying I am depending on the Logitech Speakers to give me the quality output over the creative X-FI right?



Mussels said:


> you got 2 channel audio. its not going to come out of the rears, without something upmixing it.
> CMSS is the sound cards version, pro logic is the speakers version - if neither are on, you're getting out what you're putting in - and thats two channels worth of sound.


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## Mussels (Nov 20, 2008)

Nzaonline said:


> So if I play my mp3s via winamp on PLII Music effect, you saying I am depending on the Logitech Speakers to give me the quality output over the creative X-FI right?



yes. MP3's are stereo. they arent 5.1, so without something copying the music to the other channels, you only get front left and front right.

CMSS means the X-fi is doing it, pro logic is the speakers doing it - i cant really make it any clearer than that.


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## Nzaonline (Nov 20, 2008)

So the best effect on the Logitech control pod for my mp3s would be Stereo x2 correct?



Mussels said:


> yes. MP3's are stereo. they arent 5.1, so without something copying the music to the other channels, you only get front left and front right.
> 
> CMSS means the X-fi is doing it, pro logic is the speakers doing it - i cant really make it any clearer than that.


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## Mussels (Nov 20, 2008)

Nzaonline said:


> So the best effect on the Logitech control pod for my mp3s would be Stereo x2 correct?



that entirely depends on taste. stereo x2 doubles it (so theres no center or sub).
Pro logic does mess with the sub/center, but imo it makes the rears sound funny. So its really up to you.


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## Nzaonline (Nov 20, 2008)

Well PLII Music effect is giving nice surround sound over Stereo x2 which disables my centre speaker. Rears sound ok for me on PLII Music option with X-Fi Extreme Music card



Mussels said:


> that entirely depends on taste. stereo x2 doubles it (so theres no center or sub).
> Pro logic does mess with the sub/center, but imo it makes the rears sound funny. So its really up to you.


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## imperialreign (Nov 20, 2008)

odd to see the original cause of the problem was something I completely didn't expect - although info wasn't too clear.

Curious - when you weren't getting any sound from your other speakers, and you had CMSS-3D enabled . . . did you have it set to "Stereo Surround?"


As Mussels pointed out, mp3s are 2-channel, so are 90% of all compressed audio formats out there . . . if you have CMSS enabled, and set to "Stereo Surround," the card will try to position the audio tracks as it's layed out in the file - meaning 90% of your audio will be coming from LF and RF, the rest is displaced to the center and rear channels - unless, of course, the audio source has been recorded in a multi-channel format.

Setting CMSS to "stereo xpand" causes the hardware to upmix the source and determine what percentage of the track should be sent to which channel at which times - which equates to an even amount of volume from all speakers.  Unless you're watching DVDs or listening to DVD-quality audio, stereo xpand is the recommended setting.



My personal opinion on positional audio - I'd recommend to use the X-Fi software, if possible, instead of built-in speaker capabilites.  CMSS-3D is one of (if not the) best software for positional audio available, and has the hardware on the card to be able to upmix, downmix, pan, or modify the output stream as often as needed, and much faster than other positional audio solutions can.


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## Nzaonline (Nov 20, 2008)

Yes it was ticked in that option and when it was it gives me low muffled sound using the 5.1speaker settings option.

Will take on board all your tips 

Thank you guys for all the support! I appreciate it 



imperialreign said:


> Curious - when you weren't getting any sound from your other speakers, and you had CMSS-3D enabled . . . did you have it set to "Stereo Surround?"
> 
> 
> As Mussels pointed out, mp3s are 2-channel, so are 90% of all compressed audio formats out there . . . if you have CMSS enabled, and set to "Stereo Surround," the card will try to position the audio tracks as it's layed out in the file - meaning 90% of your audio will be coming from LF and RF, the rest is displaced to the center and rear channels - unless, of course, the audio source has been recorded in a multi-channel format.
> ...


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## imperialreign (Nov 21, 2008)

Nzaonline said:


> Yes it was ticked in that option and when it was it gives me low muffled sound using the 5.1speaker settings option.
> 
> Will take on board all your tips
> 
> Thank you guys for all the support! I appreciate it





If you had it set to "stereo surround" - change it to "stereo xpand" and see how that sounds instead


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## Nzaonline (Nov 21, 2008)

Hello again guys

I purchased a Belkin pure av digital optical audio cable toslink to mini and I just fitted it onto Logitech control pod and the mini to my optical out port behind on soundcard circular slot.

When I select optical it's saying no device found. Am I doing something wrong? I also ticked enable digital I/O in my Advanced speaker settings.

Onboard Sound Card: X-FI Xtreme Music

My version of the X-FI drivers installed does not also give me the decoder option tab as shown here also
http://www.soundblaster.com/images/inline/articles/audio_console.jpg


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## Mussels (Nov 21, 2008)

Nzaonline said:


> Hello again guys
> 
> I purchased a Belkin pure av digital optical audio cable toslink to mini and I just fitted it onto Logitech control pod and the mini to my optical out port behind on soundcard circular slot.
> 
> When I select optical it's saying no device found. Am I doing something wrong?


Yeah, probably. where are you connecting this again? to the optical source on the back of the control unit? and where is it coming from?


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## Nzaonline (Nov 21, 2008)

I connected the digital optical cable in the optical slot behind logitech control pod then I fit the other end (mini for 3.5 sound card slot)

So the digital optical cable is fitted from control pod to sound card slot and when I select the optical option on remote, it says no optical data found. So it could be that the Xtreme Music card does not support SPDIF 



Mussels said:


> Yeah, probably. where are you connecting this again? to the optical source on the back of the control unit? and where is it coming from?


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## Mussels (Nov 21, 2008)

Nzaonline said:


> I connected the digital optical cable in the optical slot behind logitech control pod then I fit the other end (mini for 3.5 sound card slot)
> 
> So the digital optical cable is fitted from control pod to sound card slot and when I select the optical option on remote, it says no optical data found. So it could be that the Xtreme Music card does not support SPDIF



thats possible. its also possible its the wrong adaptor, or something. I dont have a definite answer for you here, maybe pics will help.


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## Nzaonline (Nov 23, 2008)

Its simple...

All I am doing is connecting the newly bought digital optical cable to the optical out port behind the Control Pod of the z-5500, then my other end of optical cable gets fitted into the optical out port behind my PC via the tos link to mini converter.

Now the wire is now connected but when I select optical on remote it says not detected.

It will be a shame if the X-Fi extreme music sound card does not support straight digital cable into optical out slot of sound card.

Please advise anyone



Mussels said:


> thats possible. its also possible its the wrong adaptor, or something. I dont have a definite answer for you here, maybe pics will help.


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## Darren (Nov 23, 2008)

Nzaonline said:


> Its simple...
> 
> All I am doing is connecting the newly bought digital optical cable to the optical out port behind the Control Pod of the z-5500, then my other end of optical cable gets fitted into the optical out port behind my PC via the tos link to mini converter.
> 
> ...



So I'm guessing you bought one of these? If so your problems will not be solved, you will still get stereo only, the quality will be the same and you'll be forced to continue using PLII music.







Buy a soundcard with Dolby Digital Encoding and stop trying to fix creatives defective products.


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## Nzaonline (Nov 23, 2008)

No I have not bought that. Is this what I need to plug my optical digital cable into?



Darren said:


> So I'm guessing you bought one of these? If so your problems will not be solved, you will still get stereo only, the quality will be the same and you'll be forced to continue using PLII music.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Darren (Nov 23, 2008)

Nzaonline said:


> No I have not bought that. Is this what I need to plug my optical digital cable into?



This product allows one to use SPDIF on a creative soundcard if their current one isn't equipped with the output. You will not see any benefit over using analogue, I'd almost consider it a scam.

Tell me the model name/number/type of the product you did buy, and a picture of the product too.


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## Nzaonline (Nov 23, 2008)

Creative X-Fi Xtreme Music/SB0460








Darren said:


> This product allows one to use SPDIF on a creative soundcard if their current one isn't equipped with the output. You will not see any benefit over using analogue, I'd almost consider it a scam.
> 
> Tell me the model name/number/type of the product you did buy, and a picture of the product too.


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## Darren (Nov 23, 2008)

The Creative X-Fi Xtreme Music doesn't have Digital Audio outputs so you can't connect it to the Logitech Z-5500 via a digital cable. 

Either you buy the device I posted earlier, however quality in sound will not improve and would probably sound worst than using the 3.5mm analogue jacks (front, back, center). Alternatively you can buy a soundcard with digital outputs, they can be had for cheap below £30 - but again quality will not change you'll get stereo and be forced to use Prologic Music II once again.

Alternatively you can stop making creative rich, buy a soundcard with digital output and real time Dolby/DTS encoding and stop worrying about why "I aren't getting surround in games" or "why aren't I getting voices in YouTube"  

You'll have to buy a new soundcard either way, steer away from creative and buy with our advise.


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## Nzaonline (Nov 23, 2008)

Lol ok thank you will take dat on board...



Darren said:


> The Creative X-Fi Xtreme Music doesn't have Digital Audio outputs so you can't connect it to the Logitech Z-5500 via a digital cable.
> 
> Either you buy the device I posted earlier, however quality in sound will not improve and would probably sound worst than using the 3.5mm analogue jacks (front, back, center). Alternatively you can buy a soundcard with digital outputs, they can be had for cheap below £30 - but again quality will not change you'll get stereo and be forced to use Prologic Music II once again.
> 
> ...


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