Considering Ditching Creative Drv for KX, but...

s1rrah · Dec 24, 2007, 10:42 PM

But I have a few questions ...

I'm using an old Soundblaster Live! 5.1 card ....

1. Will all the functions for control of 5.1 sound be available (sub woofer level/frequency, etc?)

2. Are their still controls for various output types (2 speakers, 5.1, Headphones, etc.) as found in creatives software?

3. Will my front bay Live!drive still function as normal?

4. Will the KX drivers improve the sound of the headphone out when using the Live!drives headphone jack? It was recommended that I try the KX drivers due to some ability to switch the OPAMP which outputs to the front panel. Is this true and where in the interface would I find this setting?

...

Sorry for all the questions ... but want to be sure I'm not going to screw things up.

Doug W · Dec 25, 2007, 01:34 AM

Quote:

1. Will all the functions for control of 5.1 sound be available (sub woofer level/frequency, etc?)

You can customize the DSP to do pretty much whatever you want. There is a bit more learning curve but it is worth it.

Quote:

2. Are their still controls for various output types (2 speakers, 5.1, Headphones, etc.) as found in creatives software?

Ya Sure you betcha!

Quote:

3. Will my front bay Live!drive still function as normal?

Yes

Quote:

4. Will the KX drivers improve the sound of the headphone out when using the Live!drives headphone jack?

I don't know. Are you getting bad quality output from the Live!drive headphone?

Quote:

It was recommended that I try the KX drivers due to some ability to switch the OPAMP which outputs to the front panel. Is this true and where in the interface would I find this setting?

Don't know about that?!?!..

s1rrah · Dec 25, 2007, 03:57 AM

Thanks for the reply ...

Regarding your question:

Quote:

I don't know. Are you getting bad quality output from the Live!drive headphone?

I use a pair of Shure e4c inner ear monitors to listen to music out of the headphone jack in the Live!drive.

The quality is quite bad compared to plugging straight in to the green output port on the actual sound card. (Mind you ... this is listening with a very discerning ear ... slight differences in fullness of mids and bass especially)

The shure IEMs are very sensitive and so even slightly poorer audio quality is evident. Plugging into the front vs. plugging directly in to the card at the rear of my computer is like night and day ...

I'm trying to figure out a way to improve the sound that's routed to the front headphone port of the Live!drive.

My friend who suggested KX had his facts wrong a bit ... he was thinking of KX's ability to swap the *encoder* used on front and rear speakers ... falsely claiming it had something to do with the actual OPAMPS on the Live! card ...

Either way ...

If KX sends the 'FRONT SPEAKER' output to the headphone out of the Live!drive by default (I think I read this) ... then possibly the sound might be improved a bit ...

But I really don't know ... will just have to try it.

Thanks again...

Doug W · Dec 25, 2007, 05:19 AM

Well I would suggest to anyone that they switch to kX. As far as the headphone out on the LiveDrive, I am ignorant and maybe someone with LiveDrive knowledge will comment here.

Maddogg6 · Dec 25, 2007, 06:06 AM

The live drive (LD) has its own CODEC, now, what feeds that codec (SPDIF2, for my A2) - being digital - is moot - other than - yes, kX allows me to send anything to the LD HP output which no such control inCL drivers exist.
I can send the 5.1 AC3 decoded rear through reverb, then an EQ to the HP output of the LD, for instance.

As for quality - My LDII - is better quality than the rear codec on my Live - significantly better. My LD 2 was part of my A2ZS Platinum (I have 2 cards installed - a SBLive OEM 4.0 CT4832, and a A2ZS Plat) - so I suppose the codecs could be different between LD1 and LD2.

Something to note: My LD2 has a physical, analog volume control - in addition to software volume control.
A dirty potentiometer (ie. analog volume control on the LD) - can cause what may sound like lower sound quality in the form of noisy output in varying ways, or even reduced freq response I have witnessed in other equipment.
So, assuming this is not the case - I have to assume the codec is at least as good as the SBLives rear output - which, does typically use a better CODEC that the front output.

Keeping mind - what we call FRONT and REAR in kX - is relative - and kX by default 'SWAPS' front and rear outputs logically (plug front speakers into the REAR output jack and vice-versa)

But yes, by all means - try out kX - if you use driver cleaner to clean up CL driver fragments/Registry entries - you shouldn't have install problems *If you read the on screen prompts that pop-up durring installation of kX*.

Hope thats helpful.

Dec 24, 2007, 10:42 PM	#1
s1rrah DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2 Rep Power: 0	Considering Ditching Creative Drv for KX, but... But I have a few questions ... I'm using an old Soundblaster Live! 5.1 card .... 1. Will all the functions for control of 5.1 sound be available (sub woofer level/frequency, etc?) 2. Are their still controls for various output types (2 speakers, 5.1, Headphones, etc.) as found in creatives software? 3. Will my front bay Live!drive still function as normal? 4. Will the KX drivers improve the sound of the headphone out when using the Live!drives headphone jack? It was recommended that I try the KX drivers due to some ability to switch the OPAMP which outputs to the front panel. Is this true and where in the interface would I find this setting? ... Sorry for all the questions ... but want to be sure I'm not going to screw things up.

Dec 25, 2007, 05:19 AM	#4
Doug W HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Montevideo, MN USA Posts: 973 Rep Power: 0	Well I would suggest to anyone that they switch to kX. As far as the headphone out on the LiveDrive, I am ignorant and maybe someone with LiveDrive knowledge will comment here.

Dec 25, 2007, 06:06 AM	#5
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 0	The live drive (LD) has its own CODEC, now, what feeds that codec (SPDIF2, for my A2) - being digital - is moot - other than - yes, kX allows me to send anything to the LD HP output which no such control inCL drivers exist. I can send the 5.1 AC3 decoded rear through reverb, then an EQ to the HP output of the LD, for instance. As for quality - My LDII - is better quality than the rear codec on my Live - significantly better. My LD 2 was part of my A2ZS Platinum (I have 2 cards installed - a SBLive OEM 4.0 CT4832, and a A2ZS Plat) - so I suppose the codecs could be different between LD1 and LD2. Something to note: My LD2 has a physical, analog volume control - in addition to software volume control. A dirty potentiometer (ie. analog volume control on the LD) - can cause what may sound like lower sound quality in the form of noisy output in varying ways, or even reduced freq response I have witnessed in other equipment. So, assuming this is not the case - I have to assume the codec is at least as good as the SBLives rear output - which, does typically use a better CODEC that the front output. Keeping mind - what we call FRONT and REAR in kX - is relative - and kX by default 'SWAPS' front and rear outputs logically (plug front speakers into the REAR output jack and vice-versa) But yes, by all means - try out kX - if you use driver cleaner to clean up CL driver fragments/Registry entries - you shouldn't have install problems If you read the on screen prompts that pop-up durring installation of kX. Hope thats helpful.