Help a novice - Getting a balanced setup!

Already Lost · Sep 22, 2007, 05:23 PM

Hello everybody! I hope some one here can help me with this driver thing.

I had some problems with my sound card (Sound Blaster Live! Series). My drivers were about 6 years old. I tried to get new drivers but couldn't really find any. Then I ran into this kX system and thought to give it a try. It's a bit complicated for an average, dumb user like me, though.
I'd like to know how I can get a balanced sound setup. What I mean is how do I get all games and music sound like they should. Some songs sound now very good, but I admit some sound worse than they did before. With my old drivers and settings everything sounded pretty average, not very good but not bad either.
When I listen to music I use 2 speakers and this bass-booster-thing. When I play games I use headphones. I'm totally novice when it comes to these sound systems. I hope I managed to explain my point clearly...Do I use "Effects" or what? Help!

Doug W · Sep 23, 2007, 01:28 AM

Quote:

When I listen to music I use 2 speakers and this bass-booster-thing. When I play games I use headphones. I'm totally novice when it comes to these sound systems. I hope I managed to explain my point clearly...Do I use "Effects" or what? Help!

How many speaker cables do you have going out to your speaker setup - 1 stereo pair or more? Is there a separate cable that goes to your bass speaker?

Already Lost · Sep 23, 2007, 09:01 AM

The sound system is Creative Soundworks 310. There's one cable from the sound card and it goes to a remote volume control and then continues to the subwoofer. From the subwoofer there are two cables to the speakers (one/each speaker) and a 12V DC in power supply cable. The system is turned on and off using a button behind the subwoofer. You'll see the whole thing by using the link above. So it's one stereo pair I guess.
I managed to fix some problems in games by switching from 5.1 to 4.1 in "Surrounder". With 5.1 I had problems like no sounds at all or some sounds missing. I always use headphones when I play so it might have something to do with that? I swap cables when I start using the headphones and then lower the volume manually down to 2-6%. I wonder if there is any other way to swap between speakers and headphones? I'm asking because the back of the computer is pretty hard to reach because the pc table is placed right next to a wall.

Regards, A.L.

Doug W · Sep 23, 2007, 05:17 PM

First off, on my Internet computer I am running Win 98SE and kX version 3534f, so things may be a little different in your version...or not.

I normally use a custom DSP setup but I reinitialized the DSP-which resets it to the default setup, which is what I assume you have - let me know if that is not right.

Bring up the DSP (right click kX manager -> select kX DSP)
Double click Surrounder
Click on the box at the bottom of Surround
Choose "4.0 - Rear = Front"

Now you should be able to plug your:
speakers into the REAR jack (Black)
headphones into FRONT jack (green)

Bring up kX mixer
Choose "Ins 'n' Outs"
You should be able to control your headphones through the REAR and FRONT sliders (These may be swapped so that REAR slider controls FRONT output and vice versa).

I think that the headphone slider over on the right on the same mixer window, (Ins 'n' Outs), only works if you have a LiveDrive.

You should mess around with creating your own DSPs. You can't screw things up too much and you can always choose Reinitialize DSP to get back to the standard mixers.

Already Lost · Sep 23, 2007, 06:52 PM

Thanks! Your help is greatly appreciated! Now I just toggle "Swap Front and Rear" and then adjust the volume to fit either headphones or speakers. No longer I have to crawl behind the table to swap cables. Makes my life much easier. At least I won't be hitting my head to the table any more!
I guess I'll have to familiarize myself with this great tool... It seems to have much potential.
Well, thanks again.

Doug W · Sep 23, 2007, 07:36 PM

No Problem-I find new things myself whenever I start messing around with the mixer.

Sep 22, 2007, 05:23 PM	#1
Already Lost DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	Help a novice - Getting a balanced setup! Hello everybody! I hope some one here can help me with this driver thing. I had some problems with my sound card (Sound Blaster Live! Series). My drivers were about 6 years old. I tried to get new drivers but couldn't really find any. Then I ran into this kX system and thought to give it a try. It's a bit complicated for an average, dumb user like me, though. I'd like to know how I can get a balanced sound setup. What I mean is how do I get all games and music sound like they should. Some songs sound now very good, but I admit some sound worse than they did before. With my old drivers and settings everything sounded pretty average, not very good but not bad either. When I listen to music I use 2 speakers and this bass-booster-thing. When I play games I use headphones. I'm totally novice when it comes to these sound systems. I hope I managed to explain my point clearly...Do I use "Effects" or what? Help!

Sep 23, 2007, 09:01 AM	Thread Starter #3
Already Lost DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	The sound system is Creative Soundworks 310. There's one cable from the sound card and it goes to a remote volume control and then continues to the subwoofer. From the subwoofer there are two cables to the speakers (one/each speaker) and a 12V DC in power supply cable. The system is turned on and off using a button behind the subwoofer. You'll see the whole thing by using the link above. So it's one stereo pair I guess. I managed to fix some problems in games by switching from 5.1 to 4.1 in "Surrounder". With 5.1 I had problems like no sounds at all or some sounds missing. I always use headphones when I play so it might have something to do with that? I swap cables when I start using the headphones and then lower the volume manually down to 2-6%. I wonder if there is any other way to swap between speakers and headphones? I'm asking because the back of the computer is pretty hard to reach because the pc table is placed right next to a wall. Regards, A.L.

Sep 23, 2007, 05:17 PM	#4
Doug W HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Montevideo, MN USA Posts: 973 Rep Power: 0	First off, on my Internet computer I am running Win 98SE and kX version 3534f, so things may be a little different in your version...or not. I normally use a custom DSP setup but I reinitialized the DSP-which resets it to the default setup, which is what I assume you have - let me know if that is not right. Bring up the DSP (right click kX manager -> select kX DSP) Double click Surrounder Click on the box at the bottom of Surround Choose "4.0 - Rear = Front" Now you should be able to plug your: speakers into the REAR jack (Black) headphones into FRONT jack (green) Bring up kX mixer Choose "Ins 'n' Outs" You should be able to control your headphones through the REAR and FRONT sliders (These may be swapped so that REAR slider controls FRONT output and vice versa). I think that the headphone slider over on the right on the same mixer window, (Ins 'n' Outs), only works if you have a LiveDrive. You should mess around with creating your own DSPs. You can't screw things up too much and you can always choose Reinitialize DSP to get back to the standard mixers.

Sep 23, 2007, 06:52 PM	Thread Starter #5
Already Lost DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	Thanks! Your help is greatly appreciated! Now I just toggle "Swap Front and Rear" and then adjust the volume to fit either headphones or speakers. No longer I have to crawl behind the table to swap cables. Makes my life much easier. At least I won't be hitting my head to the table any more! I guess I'll have to familiarize myself with this great tool... It seems to have much potential. Well, thanks again.

Sep 23, 2007, 07:36 PM	#6
Doug W HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Montevideo, MN USA Posts: 973 Rep Power: 0	No Problem-I find new things myself whenever I start messing around with the mixer.