So, is my Audigy really this bad in Vista?

[beatle]

I have an Audigy 2 ZS and I recently installed Vista last night. I'd read a few things on the web about Creative's Audigy drivers being poor and losing functionality like DVD-A, but it seems that they've been reduced to onboard status. I hook my speakers up to my receiver via 6ch discrete analog. This lets me play DVD-A on my comp, let the card decode DD, DTS, and still output EAX to all channels.

Now I'm finding that even my MP3s are garbage. I always used Creative's "bass redirect" feature so my sub could handle the lows and my smaller satellites wouldn't get crushed when the bass hit. I can still limit my satellites to less than full range, but for some reason my sub does not play. It plays when I test the speakers with the little channel test app, but nothing goes to it when I play music. This is my biggest gripe. What else have I lost? Can anyone comment on the onboard sound on my IP35 Pro? I'll take a hit on game performance, but I can't give up my music.

 

[Mem]

Have you tried changing the sound setting to 24 bit 48khz Studio quality?...Its in sound icon properties in Control Panel.

As to the rest of your remark it does say in driver download details.

This driver does not support the following:

* Decoding of Dolby® Digital and DTS? signals
* DVD-Audio
* DirectSound®-based EAX games
* Gameports
* 6.1 speaker mode.
# SPDIF passthrough is supported on Vista 32-bit only.

.

 

[beatle]

I'll take a look at the quality, but that's not the problem. The problem is that you cannot get bass out of a dedicated subwoofer. Creative really shot themselves on this one. WTG.

 

[Mem]

Originally posted by: beatle
I'll take a look at the quality, but that's not the problem. The problem is that you cannot get bass out of a dedicated subwoofer. Creative really shot themselves on this one. WTG.

Bass is fine on my system,however I'm using the analogue outputs to a 5.1 Creative speaker system.

 

[beatle]

Maybe they have some built in bass redirect. If my sub doesn't get a signal, it doesn't make noise.

 

[Mem]

Originally posted by: beatle
Maybe they have some built in bass redirect. If my sub doesn't get a signal, it doesn't make noise.

Have you tried the test speaker mode in Creative Audio Console?..That'll tell you if bass is being redirected to another speaker or even no bass sound at all.

 

[beatle]

Yeah, I tried that in my first post. I think it's just garbage.

 

[zig3695]

vista + onboard sound = mmmm goooood 😉

 

[TC91]

beatle, try going to the audio in the taskbar, and then go to configure speakers and after the configure 2.1/5.1/7.1/etc screen, the second one should have an option to uncheck "full range speakers" for selected speakers, which may prevent the lower frequencies from reaching your satellites (i think vista calls them surround speakers if you are using 4.1+) if they are unchecked. hope you get your music going good again.

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: TC91
beatle, try going to the audio in the taskbar, and then go to configure speakers and after the configure 2.1/5.1/7.1/etc screen, the second one should have an option to uncheck "full range speakers" for selected speakers, which may prevent the lower frequencies from reaching your satellites (i think vista calls them surround speakers if you are using 4.1+) if they are unchecked. hope you get your music going good again.

Yep, this should fix the OP's problem if he's running satellites that can't handle a full dynamic range. Also, make sure to set your receiver similarly and change any speakers from Large to Small/Micro. Lastly, check the crossover limitations for your receiver and subwoofer and set them accordingly to match the crossover frequency you set in the Creative audio console. Its 100% possible to get room-shaking bass on a SB in Vista, much better than any onboard in my experience (due to limited bass management/EQ settings).