Creative Sound Blaster Z Series

Discussion in 'Soundcards, Speakers HiFI & File formats' started by IanM, Aug 15, 2012.

  1. Anarion

    Anarion Ancient Guru

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    Yeah I don't think their drivers support multiple programs accessing hardware through ASIO either. What I've heard, their implementation isn't that good.
     
  2. 1bit

    1bit Active Member

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    Is there a link to the latest zxr drivers? The creative site is dog slow... in fact it freezes on download =/
     
  3. Mufflore

    Mufflore Ancient Guru

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    You linked to the ASIO Wiki above, but dont seem to be clear on how it works.

    In the first section it says
    The better the ASIO implementation, the less Windows features you will get.
    No mixers means less latency and a more direct connection to the hardware.

    Losing the windows volume control for example is a sign that the main windows mixer isnt being used.
    This is a good thing, but it also means that you can only use one audio source at once.
    To control the volume from the PC, the application providing the audio playback must be used.
     
  4. Anarion

    Anarion Ancient Guru

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    It's not Windows volume control. You can disable all audio related services and it will keep playing, it will honour the volume level setting. That's pretty simple, it just does simple check for it from registry probably. It has nothing to do with windows mixer. It will also work in situations where, for example, Foobar takes exclusive WASAPI control of the card but Cubase will still work fine through ASIO. It completely bypasses Windows mixer. Windows obviously shows no sound activity when you use ASIO.
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2013

  5. fighterisr

    fighterisr Guest

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  6. Mufflore

    Mufflore Ancient Guru

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    You're not following.
    You want it to play from multiple sources at once and inferred that an implementation isnt that good if it doesnt have this feature.
    Yet if you want lowest latency and most direct connection (the grail of ASIO), thats what you need to do without.

    If you have any mixer involved, you increase latency and reduce sound quality.

    Honouring of a volume control setting has no relevance to ASIO.
    Disabling of audio services that arent being used will of course have no impact.
    When WASAPI has exclusive control, then nothing else can use the soundcard.
    In the same fashion, when ASIO has exclusive control, nothing else can use the soundcard.

    If something else can use the soundcard at the same time, you have sacrificed latency and quality for convenience.
    It doesnt make it a better implementation of ASIO.
     
  7. 1bit

    1bit Active Member

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    So finally got my drivers but my pc doesn't detect the sound card, doa?
     
  8. GenClaymore

    GenClaymore Ancient Guru

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    Try another slot or make sure you have it in the slot all the way.
     
  9. -Tj-

    -Tj- Ancient Guru

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    Sorry to nag, but can any of you GenClaymore or Anarion or others look at my post above?


    Will XFI downsample to 2.1 the same way as ZrX mentioned by Meocene?


    And what happens to sub output in this case? I have only stereo speakers +sub connected with one 3.5" to SB.

    Will CMSS3D get in the way?

    Thanks :)
     
  10. Anarion

    Anarion Ancient Guru

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    ^^It does mix it to stereo though I'm not 100% sure if it will give proper sound positioning.

    You do understand that there's pretty much no such thing as ASIO exclusive control? If it you cna have only one ASIO source playing, it's not a feature, it's sloppiness. In any case, I can select 1ms latency and have no sound distortions. I have no idea how you think the other way is better but what ever. It wouldn't be better in my use. You for some reason assume that it will automatically use something crap when, to be honest, 1ms is pretty damn long time inside computer. if there's dedicated hardware that does the audio mixing & processing, that will speed up thing a lot. I don't know what the SoundCore3D chip does but it might do it. But in any case, maybe we should drop this subject... :)
     
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2013

  11. -Tj-

    -Tj- Ancient Guru

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    I see, but there is one thing that's bugging me..

    When i click on woofer output icon it doesnt have any sound and if i try to adjust bass boost it only cuts off bass from main speakers woofer - there is nothing connected to XFI SB woofer output. Same thing happens if i disable 5.1 woofer.

    The only thing that changed is CMSS3D, now it shows as stereo expand or stereo surround. :)
     
  12. ROBSCIX

    ROBSCIX Ancient Guru

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    Wait, do you have a subwoofer connected?
     
  13. Mufflore

    Mufflore Ancient Guru

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    ?
    Did you read the Wiki you gave the link to?
    I'll quote it again.
    Direct communication (ASIOs major feature) can only be achieved in exclusive mode.
    Otherwise its not exclusive.


    Whats sloppy is that you are passing off your understanding as fact when the wiki makes it very clear.
    I'll quote it again
    Only an unmixed output is bit perfect.
    The opposite of sloppiness, its ASIO using its best method.


    There will be some distortion if using a mixer of any kind.
    Depending on your application, you may not care, but if a signal gets re-used (ie you record it for later use), errors can multiply to something that causes a problem.

    Reading the Wiki would be a start.

    Thats as maybe, but when telling other people how it works, its good tell them how it actually works in case it matters to them, its not all about your situation.


    You cant pass off ASIOs main feature as crap.
    Fair enough if you have achieved the latency you need, but at least pass on correct information to those who ask you about it.

    There is no hardware mixing, its all performed in software.
    Hardware mixing would still not be bit perfect, it will have the very same issues, it will have to use the very same processes.
     
  14. Mufflore

    Mufflore Ancient Guru

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    I have had the same happen.

    To fix it, try this:
    Control Panel / Sound / right click the device, select "configure speakers".
    On the front pair, change them to big, exit the app.
    Go back in and change them to small.
    This will reset the problem if they were already set to small and bass stopped working.
    (the front speakers must be set to small to use the sub)

    In case you werent aware, when a speaker is set to small, bass is sent from it to the subwoofer when subwoofer re-direction is enabled.
    If any speaker is set to large, the bass redirection feature will not be applied to that speaker.


    ah, I think I misread.
    If you have no subwoofer connected, you cant use bass redirection.
    Those controls are for the subwoofer.

    On occasion, I have had the woofer controls adjust the main speakers output, but that looks like a bug.
     
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2013
  15. playst

    playst Guest

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    So ASIO is just a software thing and it will not improve much in audio correct ? Because I just use Cyberlink Power DVD and Window Media Player.
     

  16. -Tj-

    -Tj- Ancient Guru

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    @mufflore

    Ok yes with full range speakers it outputs the same bass volume at certain Freq. cutoff., it doesnt lower bass from sub.

    I always used stereo mode and be done with it, but if this 5.1 downsampling works i would rather use this instead. Now the only thing that's bugging me is this sub output (disable or enable)..

    I have a woofer, but its a part of 2.1system (altec MX5021). A 3.5" plug goes into the sub and from sub to stereo 3.5" output in SoundBlaster.

    So its better to disable sub icon too?
     
  17. fighterisr

    fighterisr Guest

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    if you have an x-fi card, why do you do the same thing they have to do in the ZXR control panel? you can just choose 2.1, and the cmss3d will downmix
     
  18. Mufflore

    Mufflore Ancient Guru

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    To use the sub, it must be enabled, thats for sure.

    If you set a speaker to full range, it will output its own bass.
    The bass from that speaker wont be sent to the subwoofer under normal circumstances. Not sure what CMSS3D does in this regard, I havent used it.

    So normally, to have bass routed to the subwoofer, you must untick full range.
    (this is the same as setting them to small)
     
  19. 1bit

    1bit Active Member

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    Tried the card in another pc, wouldn't even boot. At least there was no display. RMA'd it.
     
  20. Mufflore

    Mufflore Ancient Guru

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    Wow unfortunate.
    Good luck with the next card.
     

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