question about speaker setup

er557 · May 21, 2007, 12:12 AM

Hello, i'm using kx 3538m on a sb live value -ct4832, with a two speaker setup.
I tried changing the speaker setup to 2.1 mode and also loading the 2.0 stereo only
preset in surrounder, but when i click speaker test i get the 5.1 test.
is there a way to force the 2 speaker setup(maybe in the dsp?)
thanks for replies!

Russ · May 21, 2007, 02:06 AM

Setting Surrounder to one of the 2 channel presets should do what you want.

The speaker test applet will still show all 5 speakers (because if Surround is enabled, the other channels are redirected to the front, etc), but only the channels that are enabled in Surrounder will be used.

er557 · May 21, 2007, 10:07 AM

OK, thanks a lot!
by the way, which preset is best for regular 2 channel sound
(stereo only, simple mix, surround mix)? and is enabling surround mode recommended
for gaming, movies and music usage?

edit: also, once i setup the 2 channels output, the windows multimedia setting still shows 5.1 speakers (as recommended).
will apps and games detect correctly that only 2 channels are enabled?
Thanks for replies!

er557 · May 23, 2007, 04:03 PM

anybody?...

Maddogg6 · May 23, 2007, 05:08 PM

Did you see this?
http://www.hardwareheaven.com/3-d-audi...explained.html

er557 · May 23, 2007, 06:27 PM

I did now... thanks

Maddogg6 · May 23, 2007, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by er557

I did now... thanks

Also - windows - does NOT care what speaker mode kX/Surrounder is set for. (but the opposite is *not* true)

Windows (becuase of the windows speaker setting to 5.1) always send kX the content in the format its delivered in.
For example; AC3 filter may do some upconverting 2.0 to 5.1 - and thus is sent to kX/Surrounder as 5.1 - surrounder will the downmix BACK to 2.0

One thing I have learned - 're-converting conversions' almost ALWAYS colors sound in a negative way - so make sure applications just use 2.0/stereo only.

The (IIRC - I dont use surrounder much now) 'Surround Mix' presets are nice for movies/games that *wont* allow you to choose stereo only and force 5.1 output. This mode allows you to still hear everything through 2.0 speakers

er557 · May 23, 2007, 11:13 PM

so if i have only 2 speakers , Is it ok to set windows multimedia speaker config to 2 speakers in order to avoid this double conversion, or does kx require it to be set to 5.1 at all times?

er557 · May 25, 2007, 08:33 PM

BTW loving the audio quality of this driver! It's like buying a new HD card...

Russ · May 25, 2007, 08:48 PM

I would say to leave it a 5.1 as recommended.

Since you have only 2 speakers, I would guess that you do not have any software installed (like AC3 filter) that upmixes to 5.1, etc, and as such you shouldn't have any such problems.

er557 · May 25, 2007, 09:09 PM

OK thanks RUSS!
time to stop worrying and start to enjoy some music...

May 21, 2007, 12:12 AM	#1
er557 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 12 Rep Power: 0	question about speaker setup Hello, i'm using kx 3538m on a sb live value -ct4832, with a two speaker setup. I tried changing the speaker setup to 2.1 mode and also loading the 2.0 stereo only preset in surrounder, but when i click speaker test i get the 5.1 test. is there a way to force the 2 speaker setup(maybe in the dsp?) thanks for replies!

May 21, 2007, 10:07 AM	Thread Starter #3
er557 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 12 Rep Power: 0	OK, thanks a lot! by the way, which preset is best for regular 2 channel sound (stereo only, simple mix, surround mix)? and is enabling surround mode recommended for gaming, movies and music usage? edit: also, once i setup the 2 channels output, the windows multimedia setting still shows 5.1 speakers (as recommended). will apps and games detect correctly that only 2 channels are enabled? Thanks for replies! Last edited by er557; May 23, 2007 at 04:01 PM.

May 23, 2007, 11:13 PM	Thread Starter #8
er557 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 12 Rep Power: 0	so if i have only 2 speakers , Is it ok to set windows multimedia speaker config to 2 speakers in order to avoid this double conversion, or does kx require it to be set to 5.1 at all times? Last edited by er557; May 25, 2007 at 10:09 AM.

May 21, 2007, 02:06 AM	#2
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	Setting Surrounder to one of the 2 channel presets should do what you want. The speaker test applet will still show all 5 speakers (because if Surround is enabled, the other channels are redirected to the front, etc), but only the channels that are enabled in Surrounder will be used.

May 23, 2007, 04:03 PM	Thread Starter #4
er557 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 12 Rep Power: 0	anybody?...

May 23, 2007, 05:08 PM	#5
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 0	Did you see this? http://www.hardwareheaven.com/3-d-audi...explained.html

May 23, 2007, 06:27 PM	Thread Starter #6
er557 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 12 Rep Power: 0	I did now... thanks

May 25, 2007, 08:33 PM	Thread Starter #9
er557 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 12 Rep Power: 0	BTW loving the audio quality of this driver! It's like buying a new HD card...

May 25, 2007, 08:48 PM	#10
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	I would say to leave it a 5.1 as recommended. Since you have only 2 speakers, I would guess that you do not have any software installed (like AC3 filter) that upmixes to 5.1, etc, and as such you shouldn't have any such problems.

May 25, 2007, 09:09 PM	Thread Starter #11
er557 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 12 Rep Power: 0	OK thanks RUSS! time to stop worrying and start to enjoy some music...