Megaworks 510D Question

[XPac]

I have a Soundblaster Audigy card and a set of Megaworks 510D. I have a question about the center speaker, as it does not seem to do anything. When I run the diagnostics it works fine, the voice comes out of it when it is supposed to. My roommate mentioned that only certain types of audio files will play on the center speaker, basically what is the purpose of having a center speaker if it's not used for anything???

 

[Alptraum]

Well, the original purpose of the center channel was for movies. They tied the dialogue to the center of the sound feild and the TV/movie screen. And they do that very well. You don't really want the same effect with music. I love my sourround set up for movies but still listen to music in good old stereo 🙂

 

[XPac]

Ok, that makes sense, I've never had surround sound before, especially for my computer. So then, when I'm playing certain games that involve a lot of storytelling/dialogue, in theory should the voices be coming from the center speaker?

 

[boyRacer]

Nope... i don't think the Audigy expands it unless you use their own MP3 player... you might lose some bass in the process of creating that imaginary 'center' channel... not sure where i heard that from. There's not that many games that are using 5.1 right now... Doom 3 will certainly be using but it seems that the Audigy's drivers doesn't support 5.1 gaming 😕... don't know if the latest drivers fixed that. If you want to listen to music in 5.1 go buy one of those DVD audio CDs... i've never listened to one... can only imagine it must sound a whole lot better than stero. 🙂

 

[XPac]

Ok, I'll mess around with the latest drivers and see what happens. Thanks!

 

[MasterHoss]

To enable Creative's 5.1 stereo expansion (CMSS), open up the Creative PlayCenter, make sure you're in "player view" not in "Jukebox view", click on the CMSS button (located underneath the number pad on the application window), enable CMSS. You can now close PlayCenter or leave it open. In any case, you'll now get 5.1 expansion from every sound source (mp3, CDs, line in, .wav, etc.).

Note that CMSS has never sounded and will never sound as good as QMSS (Philips Acoustic Edge) or Vitual 5.1 (Turtle Beach Santa Cruz) or even "virtual 5.1" found on the Hercules sound cards (GTXP). Try it out and you'll see what I'm taking about. Creative wanted to create a 5.1 expansion scheme in which the surrounds act as full reverb and the center channel gets priority focus... good intensions but it still sucks. The Audigy 2 will feature a newer version of CMSS which is supposedly much improved over the CMSS found on the Audigy and Live! 5.1 family sound cards.

Yes, you will actually get 5.1 sound (without enabling CMSS) on certain games using DS3D or EAX (not all!!). Games that utitlize the center channel are Max Payne, Unreal Tournament, Unreal Tournament 2003, I think Return to Castle Wolfenstein, and several others.

Get a hold of a softDVD player capable of decoding the DD bitstream. That's when you'll appreciate a 5.1 speaker system most.

 

[XPac]

Hey, thanks a lot! That pretty much answers everything I wanted to know!

 

[mchammer187]

you can have music from the center channel but i dont think you'd want it
i have a set and an Audigy as well

how do you likes yours?

my major complaint about this system is the power siwtch , bass/ treble knobs are on the back of the sub which can be a real pain in the as also there is no headphone jack either

 

[XPac]

Yeah, my major complaint is where they put the bass/treble switch as well, I usually have to adjust it in Windoze. As for the sound though I LOVE them, first time I've ever had surround for my computer games. I just upgraded my whole PC, but speakerwise I went from a Soundblaster Live to Audigy, and speakers I went from a 3 piece Boston Aucostics (which weren't bad in their day) to the Megaworks which I'm very happy with. I can't wait until Doom III comes out, I'm gonna play someo online Wolfenstein when I get home today, see how it sounds.