Yay, my left channel just died...

cerendir · Aug 7, 2006, 04:35 PM

Wooo, great. Turned on my machine today and suddenly the left channel of my SB Live! Value isn't working anymore, though everything worked fine last night. If I mute the right channel and turn the volume way up, I can faintly hear sound coming out of the left speaker, but that's it. Tested the speakers -- not a problem. Plugged my headphones directly into the soundcard and yes, it seems that somehow -- for some unfathomable reason -- one of the channels have simply died. I also tried reinstalling the kX drivers to no avail.

Did some googling and to my horror I found out that this seems to happen sometimes with SB Live! cards, but I didn't find any remedies or explanations.

*sigh* I'm feeling seriously bummed out now... it was only a few days ago that I managed to solve another problem with my setup that hampered my music making, and now this. Dammit.

Does anyone know what might be wrong and what can be done about it? I really hope that this is some kind of mysterious software issue because, well, I simply can't afford to get a new soundcard right now, and it'll be a while before I can.

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

Russ · Aug 7, 2006, 07:19 PM

Assuming that you did not modify the DSP in such a way that eliminates the left channel (in which case reintialize the DSP), and that you did not turn down the master volume (left), or panned it all the way to the right using the Windows mixer:
Try clicking on the 'Reset AC97' button, on the AC97 page of kxmixer. This has happened to me a couple of times (I have no idea why), and that fixed it.

cerendir · Aug 7, 2006, 10:55 PM

Tried reinitializing the DSP, checked the left master volume, checked the panning in the Windows mixer, tried resetting AC97 -- nada. The left channel seems dead and gone

Thanks for the suggestions though.

Russ · Aug 7, 2006, 11:09 PM

Hmm, that is strange... Is it gone from all the stereo pairs (i.e. front left and rear left and center speakers)?

Is it missing from all sources (FxBus 0/2/4/6/8)?

Have you made any changes in kX Router?

Using a peak plugin, can you see the left channel in the DSP?

Maybe try a "Reset Global Settings" and "Reset Device Settings".

When you re-installed, did you do a clean install (i.e. full uninstall (including registry keys) first)?

cerendir · Aug 8, 2006, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

Hmm, that is strange... Is it gone from all the stereo pairs (i.e. front left and rear left and center speakers)?

No, the rear output still works so I'm using that one ATM. At first I thought that one was broken as well, but when fumbling around on the back of my computer I must have accidentaly put the plug in the wrong jack, so all I got was dead silence

Still feels kind of sucky having to do that though. If the front jack can die without warning, so can the rear jack. Who knows how long this'll work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

Is it missing from all sources (FxBus 0/2/4/6/8)?

I'm still kind of a noob when it comes to kX so I'm not sure how to check that. I have promised myself to look into the whole DSP bit when it's time to record guitars and vocals on the tracks I'm working on. Right now I'm just in writing/arranging mode so I haven't really paid much attention to the DSP.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

Have you made any changes in kX Router?

Nope.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

Using a peak plugin, can you see the left channel in the DSP?

Yes, according to the peak meter the left channel appears to be playing back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

Maybe try a "Reset Global Settings" and "Reset Device Settings".

I've tried that and it doesn't seem to help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

When you re-installed, did you do a clean install (i.e. full uninstall (including registry keys) first)?

Not the first time, no. Yesterday I uninstalled kX completely however and installed the Creative drivers. Still no left channel. Installed kX again, but the problem remains.

Russ · Aug 9, 2006, 03:48 AM

It does sound like a hardware problem then (probably the jack itself). I doubt the same same will happen to the rear jack, unless your are constantly disconnecting/reconnecting the wires, etc. Just make sure that there is nothing putting unnecessary pressure on the sound card, or the wires, that may cause problems. On most Live! models the audio from the rear analog jack is better anyway (thus why kX defaults to having front and rear swapped), so it may not be so bad for you (it sounds like you are only using a 2 speaker setup anyway).

cerendir · Aug 9, 2006, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

It does sound like a hardware problem then (probably the jack itself). I doubt the same same will happen to the rear jack, unless your are constantly disconnecting/reconnecting the wires, etc.

Well, that's the thing really. I hadn't touched the wires, it was simply broken when I turned my computer on one morning. I took the card out today and I can't see anything physically wrong with the jack, but then again I don't know how fragile those things are (my experience would suggest that they're quite robust, as in my years of building and tweaking computers I have yet to break a sound card, but then again I've never had a SB before this).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

Just make sure that there is nothing putting unnecessary pressure on the sound card, or the wires, that may cause problems. On most Live! models the audio from the rear analog jack is better anyway (thus why kX defaults to having front and rear swapped), so it may not be so bad for you (it sounds like you are only using a 2 speaker setup anyway).

Yep, only two speakers. I don't need more for music, and I frankly don't care if I don't have surround sound in games.

Anyhow, thanks for your help Russ. I'm hoping this old card will hold up, but I think I'm going to start looking for a replacement anyway. Can't hurt to have a backup should this one decide to croak completely.

Aug 7, 2006, 04:35 PM	#1
cerendir DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 38 Rep Power: 0	Yay, my left channel just died... Wooo, great. Turned on my machine today and suddenly the left channel of my SB Live! Value isn't working anymore, though everything worked fine last night. If I mute the right channel and turn the volume way up, I can faintly hear sound coming out of the left speaker, but that's it. Tested the speakers -- not a problem. Plugged my headphones directly into the soundcard and yes, it seems that somehow -- for some unfathomable reason -- one of the channels have simply died. I also tried reinstalling the kX drivers to no avail. Did some googling and to my horror I found out that this seems to happen sometimes with SB Live! cards, but I didn't find any remedies or explanations. sigh I'm feeling seriously bummed out now... it was only a few days ago that I managed to solve another problem with my setup that hampered my music making, and now this. Dammit. Does anyone know what might be wrong and what can be done about it? I really hope that this is some kind of mysterious software issue because, well, I simply can't afford to get a new soundcard right now, and it'll be a while before I can. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

Aug 7, 2006, 07:19 PM	#2
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,507 Rep Power: 61	Assuming that you did not modify the DSP in such a way that eliminates the left channel (in which case reintialize the DSP), and that you did not turn down the master volume (left), or panned it all the way to the right using the Windows mixer: Try clicking on the 'Reset AC97' button, on the AC97 page of kxmixer. This has happened to me a couple of times (I have no idea why), and that fixed it. Last edited by Russ; Aug 7, 2006 at 08:53 PM.

Aug 7, 2006, 11:09 PM	#4
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,507 Rep Power: 61	Hmm, that is strange... Is it gone from all the stereo pairs (i.e. front left and rear left and center speakers)? Is it missing from all sources (FxBus 0/2/4/6/8)? Have you made any changes in kX Router? Using a peak plugin, can you see the left channel in the DSP? Maybe try a "Reset Global Settings" and "Reset Device Settings". When you re-installed, did you do a clean install (i.e. full uninstall (including registry keys) first)? Last edited by Russ; Aug 8, 2006 at 11:32 AM. Reason: typo

Aug 7, 2006, 10:55 PM	Thread Starter #3
cerendir DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 38 Rep Power: 0	Tried reinitializing the DSP, checked the left master volume, checked the panning in the Windows mixer, tried resetting AC97 -- nada. The left channel seems dead and gone Thanks for the suggestions though.

Aug 9, 2006, 03:48 AM	#6
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,507 Rep Power: 61	It does sound like a hardware problem then (probably the jack itself). I doubt the same same will happen to the rear jack, unless your are constantly disconnecting/reconnecting the wires, etc. Just make sure that there is nothing putting unnecessary pressure on the sound card, or the wires, that may cause problems. On most Live! models the audio from the rear analog jack is better anyway (thus why kX defaults to having front and rear swapped), so it may not be so bad for you (it sounds like you are only using a 2 speaker setup anyway).