Creative Launches its Sound Blaster AE-7 and AE-9 Audiophile Sound Cards

Discussion in 'Frontpage news' started by Hilbert Hagedoorn, Jul 10, 2019.

  1. kcajjones

    kcajjones Active Member

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    All new Xbox One games are in Dolby Atmos so I'm sure with a few software upgrades to windows, it would be possible to analog output height channels too (7.1.4 for example), and almost all films released on Bluray over the last few years have DTS-X or Atmos soundtracks.
    As far as object based sounds in PC games is related, the game engine is using object based sounds until it 'encodes' it into a standard stereo/5.1/7.1 channel speaker layout, so again this would be a patch/update but I don't see how this is so crazy to do.
     
  2. xynxyn

    xynxyn Member

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    Try out a professional DAC like a RME Babyface Pro with Studio Headphones and you will hear how things really sound first time in your life.
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2019
  3. harkinsteven

    harkinsteven Guest

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    SB Command is coming to AE-5. Still some software work needs done due to AE-5 RGB. Confirmed by official sources on reddit.
     
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  4. DmitryKo

    DmitryKo Master Guru

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    What would be the point if Windows does not even support acceleration of multiple audio streams anymore?

    Microsoft completely rewrote the audio stack in Windows Vista so hardware mixing and effect processing has been reimplemented at the system software layer called WASAPI with XAudio2 as the application layer. What's left of DirectSound3D HRTF positioning and audio effects processing is actually running on the CPU, and the sound card only receives the final stereo mix (or a passthrough encoded bitstream).

    There are ASIO2 and 'exclusive mode' WASAPI, but how many games actually support these, not to mention implement their own 3D audio positioning engine and HRTF models, as neither API supports it natively.

    And HRTF does make a difference with good headphones, even more so in VR setup.

    Yes, many thanks to Microsoft for killing DirectSound3D/EAX, forerunners of today's high-resolution positional audio, and forcing that stupid XAudio2 software layer on game developers, as well as requiring these cheap-dirt 'universal audio' convrters to be embedded on every motherboard.

    If expected PC gamers to move to Xbox360, which didn't have 3D sound capabilities, somehow that did not happen.

    Not sure what do you mean by "my card is dead" - Command will support the BlasterX AE-5, just keep the old control panel for now and manually install the newer audio driver in the Device Manager. Here is a folder that includes the driver, Alchemy and HOSTOpenAL.

    As for Dolby Digital and Dolby DTS Connect encoding - what would you do with that? You own a sound card with audiophile-grade headphone amplifier, enjoy it. Any decent motherboard has TOSLINK or S/PDIF out these days.
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2019

  5. warlord

    warlord Guest

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    Thank you for contacting Creative Labs.

    With regard to your inquiry, kindly be advised that the Sound BlasterX AE-5 does not have the Dolby Digitial and DTS connect decoding via optical out. At the moment, there is no plan for any updates to include this feature on AE-5.

    However, we will forward this feedback to the proper channel for their reference and consideration.

    We cannot promise anything but rest assured that all the feedback are looked into as we strive to improve our products and services.
     

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