Creative Sound Blaster Z Series

Thanks for the replies.

In Windows, 5.1 is the highest I can select yet in the SBX panel if you drag the surround slider to 100% the display suggests a 7.1 setup. Actually at the default 67% it seems to suggest a 7.1 setup as well but with less emphasis on the rear 2 speakers (?).

It would be interesting to know how this all works together.

HCPlayer: DS3 was the game I was testing this out with as well. I have Windows and DS3 set to 5.1 and SBX set to 67% and note very good positioning. Better I think than having it set to 100%. I need to play around with this a bit more.

 

I bought the basic Z model in December. It has been great.

But ever since I bought a new case and video card a week ago, the card has not sounded like it used to. I can hear low crackling and static when playing music and media for the most part. And the general crisp quality that it had is fubar. Is this is a permanent issue?
I treat all my hardware with the proper care, and I honestly don't know what's happened. I've tried to re-seat it a couple of times and switched PCI ports. That has only made it worse.

Any ideas?

 

Master Yog, I also note some positioning using SBX at default 67% but not the best the sound card advertises, because in DS3, when I stop ingame in the same place, between sounds, and turn off the Surround from SBX I feel I can sense a better "surround" positioning, maybe its just me. But try it, in DS3 choose a spot where you can ear many sounds coming from different places and turn off and on SBX Surrround and compare it. I think turning SBX surround, still gives you a good surround perception, note that you maintain windows and game options in 5.1. Another thing, what do you think about the profiles, like "First Person Shooter"?

 

Have you tried the card in another system? Do it, and see if it has the same problems.

 

I am having also a problem with the Zx atm while we speak it worked for a couple of days fine then suddenly today it was detecting no soundblaster on my pc, i tried installing drivers from cd cant even instal them its saying that i have no soundcard installed, its really strange because when i test it on a other pc it works its detecting it, still dont know what the problem could be i tried btw a different pci slot still no go, its not detecting the card, while my old x-fi is detecting it fine tried every pci slot.

 

sorry for my bad english:
im not an expert but it is looks like the Creative Sound Blaster ZxR is totally incompatible with gigaworks s750 speaker system,i mean the speaker set have a 3 pole jack wich is connecting to the sound card,if i will buy Creative Sound Blaster ZxR ,how can i connect to my s750 system?thanks for advices.

 

Thats the problem with buying Creative.
I have an older Creative 5.1 sound system that requires 3 SPDIF channels to get 5.1.
This requires a specific lead and specific soundcards.
With analogue connections it can only do 4 channels.

They didnt even supply it with the right lead to use 3 SPDIF channels and refused to believe that the 2 SPDIF channel lead was not capable!
After a year of being chronically messed about, they finally acknowledged I had the wrong lead and tried to charge me to get the right one, they refused to let me have it otherwise.
I told them where to stick it and havent purchased new Creative kit since.

Still using my Auzentech Prelude for surround sound

 

Then the old Audigy 2 ZS card is perfect for your sound system as its spdif requires such connection for proper 5.1.

The new Z and Zx cards have an optical output for digital and a 5.1 analog output... three stereo 3.5 mini jack outputs: one for center/sub, one for front left/right, and one for rear left/right.
But for the digital output, you still need Dolby Digital Live / DTS Connect for games (if you have an external Dolby/DTS decoder). Movies/tv shows and games that use Dolby Digital / DTS sound, you don't need those conversion softwares.

 

the analog outputs are stereo only. The Z cards are 5.1 only. They DO NOT support 7.1 output, not even thru the optical output.
If you have a 7.1 speakers set, Z cards are not for you. Too bad Creative dropped support for 7.1 speakers sets...

 

If the S750 is like the older soundworks 5.1 system I had, it will use 3 uncompressed SPDIF channels.
It was a screwed up design because it only had 4 channel analogue.

If his system takes compressed 5.1 via a single SPDIF then he is golden.
I vented at what appears to be the same situation, and Creatives rip off attitude.

ps I dont use the soundworks system, its been sat in a drawer for at least 8 years because it was useless.
I dont even want to sell it because it would inflict someone else with the same pain.

 

Thanks for advices,as i tought i cant buy it,its too bad because my current sound card cant have 5.1 dts via optical.i was spent dozens of hours to make it work with the dts package but no luck,its greyed out on the panel.that was the main reason to think about the zxr but i have to give up.have a good gaming

 

Does optical give 2.1 out on Z series cards?

 

Sounds like you are having DPC latency issues.
Check it with DPC Latency tool - http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml

 

I think it was my new videocard that had to be "broken in". The PCB had a strange hot/burnt-esque smell for about a week (even though the temperatures were under 70°C during heavy load). The crackling and static dissapeared when the smell went away.

Thanks anyway.

 

My order of the new Sound Blaster ZxR was fulfilled yesterday, it's in transit and should be here tomorrow according to the UPS tracking. I've used a PCI Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS since around late 2002/early 2003 so it will be interesting to see/hear the improvements. This is my first real high-end gaming sound card, but I've always had Creative products in my system builds (SB16, SB AWE64, SB Live 5.1, Audigy, Audigy 2 ZS). The Audigy 2 ZS served me well and for a very long time, but the mic jack died on me this last year and I want to move away from PCI slots.

I have a set of Logitech Z5300e 5.1 speakers (http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Z-5300e-THX-Certified-280-Watt-Surround/dp/B0002SQ0AE) that are THX certified, and they sound great for the price I paid for them 7 years ago. I'm assuming this is hi-end enough for the ZxR?

 

You will laugh at the difference.
Your sound system is low end for the ZXR.

 

But still hi-end enough to hear the difference you think between the Audigy 2 ZS and the new ZxR?

I do a lot of gaming, and some music listening. One day I'll invest in good headphones, but I'm not willing to drop $400 on that just yet...

 

lol yep.
The difference between the Audigy and ZXR is a chasm!
You will definitely appreciate your new card

 

Review for the ZxR is coming soon!

 

Excellent thanks Mufflore!

And good news ROBSCIX!