kosketus

Hello everyone, my first posting.

I've done a search of this forum and haven't found any other newbie with exactly the same problem. Either the answer is so obvious (to everyone else but me) that no one else has needed to ask about it, or I'm the only one who has this problem. I can't figure-out which it is.

My card is an Audigy2 (SB0240 10K2 )e880)). The media player I'm currently using is Media Player Classic ver. 6.4.9.1 I've connected the Audigy's line out 1 to frt.speakers and line out 2 to rears (and in KXmixer I've unchecked 'Swap front & rear').

The KX Routings Guide says that Wave 4/5, 6/7 & 8/9 "route directly to your hardware outputs" (front, rear and centre/sub respectively). I'm using ProFX and in the DSP applet have active only 3 x Src and k2lt; I have FXbus 4/5 connected to k2lt inputs 4/5 and FXbus 6/7 to k2lt inputs 6/7. I've also connected AC97 line in to k2lt inputs 15/16.

But I get no sound, and I can't record. I've read all the guides half-a-dozen times and I remain completely baffled as to what I've done wrong, or what I should have done but haven't. Deadlock!

Meanwhile, though, I've found that I can get sound (from the front speakers only of course) if I load FXbus and epilog and then connect FXbus 0/1 to epilog 0/1. I've also found that so long as I have this connection "wired" in the DSP applet it makes no difference how I set-up the output settings in Media Player: 'KXwave 0/1', 'KXwave 4/5', 'System Default'... you name it. But if I connect FXbus to epilog (instead of to k2lt) it doesn't help at all.

There's something I'm just not understanding! Please, what am I missing?

Russ

What version of kX are you using (latest version is 3550)?
In newer versions of kX, Wave 4/5, 6/7, and 8/9 were renamed to Wave 2/3, 4/5, 6/7.

What version of ProFX are you using (the bundled version is old/buggy)?

What OS are you using?

k2lt inputs are assignable, so you should state which outputs are selected rather than the inputs.

With Media Player Classic, you need to reload the audio file or restart the program after changing the output device (as it will need to rebuild the graph using the new setting(s)).

kosketus

Hi Russ

Thanks for the (very prompt) response.ver. 5.10.00.3541. So this could be the problem - but where do I get a later version (eg 3550)?
EDIT - Stupid question - it's available from this forum. I'll download/install it now.
I'm using the bundled version, as you guessed. But where do I get a newer/unbuggy one? Does it come as part of kX ver. 3550?Sorry, I ought to have said: Win XP Home SP3Yes, I see what you mean. To describe the way I've now set it up:- I now have FXbus 4/5 connected to k2lt analogue front out and FXBus 6/7 connected to k2lt analogue rear out. Still no sound!Noted (I think I was already doing this, though I can't be 100% certain).

About MPC, I'm puzzled about how its settings relate to k2lt's outputs. In MPC's 'Output' tab is a drop-down box called "DirectShow audio" in which appear duplicated sets of five "kX Wave SB0240 10k2" outputs (one set prefaced by "DirectSound" and the other not), plus "System default" and "DirectSound default device". Only one of all these is able to be selected, yet I need one (stereo) output for fronts and one for rears. How can I achieve this?
EDIT - This question was wrongly phrased. The MPC output doesn't go to the Audigy's speaker feeds; it goes to the DSP chip - Right? But my question remains: which MPC output should I select?

Russ

You can get the updated versions of ProFX here:
http://www.hardwareheaven.com/effects-...-mx6-ac97.html

--

Right, the wave outputs go to FxBus in the DSP and you design your DSP config such that it goes to whatever physical output(s) you want.

For stereo only content (with a custom DSP config), it really does not matter which wave output you use, just wire up the DSP accordingly.

i.e.
If you are using kX Wave 0/1, and want a stereo signal to go to both front and rear, then just connect FxBus 0/1 to both outputs on kxlt.

--

With recent kX versions (since 3544):
Wave 0/1 goes to FxBus 0/1 (for stereo content)
Wave 2/3 goes to FxBus 2/3
Wave 4/5 goes to FxBus 4/5
Wave 6/7 goes to FxBus 6/7

With multichannel content (supported by Wave 0/1 only), the front channel goes to FxBus 2/3, the rear channel to FxBus 4/5, and center/lfe to FxBus 6/7.

With older kX versions it was the same, only the wave names were different (and the FxBus used is the one that matches the name).

kosketus

@ Russ

I wonder if my problem is connected with this. I'm not playing-back multichannel audio (DD or DTS); I'm trying to tell the Audigy to send four mono streams separately to each of four speakers, two front and two rear.

Is this possible, or will it only support either stereo or multichannel?

Russ

Yeah, I do not think that is going work with MPC, as you cannot split the wave outputs like that (and you cannot choose multiple output devices in MPC). How are you loading 4 files at the same time in MPC?

It is possible to do though...

You could combine the files and make a multichannel wave file.

You could run 4 instances of MPC, with each instance set to use a different wave output, and route it accordingly in the DSP (not a great option, but should work (though syncing them would be a problem)).

The better option would be to use kX ASIO (and a mutlitrack host).

kosketus

@ Russ

You're right - it does actually work! However, there's no way to synchronise playback from multiple instances of MPC so the sound is - indescribable.

I'll have to read some guides on ASIO. I suspect I'm going to need to ask you some more questions.

kosketus

PS

What's "a multitrack host"? Are you talking about Cubase or some other such plugin?

Russ

I just mean any program that supports multiple tracks (and I guess multiple outputs) and ASIO (i.e. you can try the Reaper demo (which is fully functional)).

i.e.
In Reaper you would do the following:
Select kX ASIO as the driver.
Set the output range to whatever you need.

Choose "Insert" -> "Media File" and choose your 4 mono files and load them to separate tracks.

Click the io button for each tack, uncheck Master/Parent send, and add a new hardware output (1 separate mono output for each tack (kX Out number(s) = FxBus number(s))).

Go to the beginning of tracks and click on the play button.

kosketus

@ Russ

OK - I've done my best. But I don't get any sound

I'm attaching screen dumps of Reaper > Options > Preferences, and also of Reaper's gui with my 4 tracks loaded. I wonder if you're able to spot where I'm going wrong?

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kosketus

...and here's my DSP setup, in case it helps.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Russ

k2lt is disabled in the DSP, and you do not have ASIO selected in Reaper (you have WaveOut selected instead).

kosketus

@ Russ

On reflection, I think I'm in danger of wasting your valuable time.

I really ought to have been more forthcoming. The file I'm trying to play is of type WAVE-EX, with file ending .amb. In other words, it's an encoded (B-format) ambisonic file, which means that it carries information only able to be decoded by an ambisonic decoder The .wav files I've loaded into Reaper were the 4 (mono) tracks uploaded into Audacity and then exported as 4 wave files by Audacity.

I just don't have enough knowledge to know whether or not these files are playable by Reaper. It certainly behaves as though it's reading them.

I just thought I should mention this.

kosketus

I don't know how that selection got changed. I did have ASIO selected in Reaper and carried out all the subsequent steps you specified with that as the selection.

I've corrected this, and also reactivated k2lt, but still get no sound.

Russ

I do not know what formats Reaper supports, and am not quite sure what your goal is in the end here, but when you exported from Audacity, did you export it as WAV or as WAVEX (Audacity can do both)?

--

OK, I downloaded an AMB file (which contained 3 mono files), and exported it as WAV from Audacity, and it worked fine for me in Reaper.
Here is a screenshot of Reaper and another of the DSP.

--

...Wait a sec, are you still using the old version of ProFX?
If so, download and install the latest version...

kosketus

@ Russ

I don't know whether the version I'm using is the latest or not. It came bundled with ver. 3550 of kX, an during the install process one can choose whether or not to include it. I did.

If this isn't the latest version, might I ask where I must go to get it?

Russ

No, you do not want to use that version.
Get version 3.11 here: http://www.hardwareheaven.com/effects-...-mx6-ac97.html

Put the ProFX.kxl file wherever you want it to stay, and then double click on it to register it (and then rebuild your DSP config (i.e. clear it first)).

Note: For "Line In" (or any inputs on the rear of the card), use the ProFX:ADC plugin, not ProFX:SRC. Also, the ProFX:ASIO plugin is not necessary for ASIO playback (it is for ASIO recording)...

kosketus

OK - mission accomplished! Thanks for your patience.

BTW where do you get that Vol4Xt plugin from, and what's it for?

Now I only have to wrestle with how to get .amb files decoded! (What I've got now is a sort of quadrophonic; my attempts to find - and use successfully - a software amb decoder have so far been fruitless).

Russ

Glad I could help .

That plugin is just a volume plugin that I made (someone requested a similar plugin) that includes peak meters and a lot of automation stuff. I use it mainly for the peak meters (I wanted peak meters that show more than 2 channels and are big enough that I am not going blind trying to read the numbers . For me, the volume control is just a bonus).

kosketus

@ Russ

Oh, I see.

Two things:- Firstly, the solution to playing-back ambisonic files was already in my own hands but I hadn't appreciated it. It's a plugin for DS media players (specifically in my case WMP) the Wigware Ambisonic Decoder. Works a treat, but like all ambisonics gives of its best only when used with multiple speaker setups (8 or more to include height).

Seecondly, I'm still not able to record. Must be something amiss with the way I've set-up the DSP. Are you able to see from the .jpg I sent with post #11 what it might be?

Russ

What signal are you trying to record and using what method (ASIO or WinMM)?

The picture in post# 11 shows only the possibility to record using ASIO (FxBus 2/3 using kX_In 00/01 and FxBus 4/5 using kX_In 02/03).

Note: To record using ASIO, the sample rate needs to be 48000 (i.e. under Audio Device Settings in Reaper and in ASIO Control Panel).

Regarding the decoder, which one did you use?
I tried one from here: http://www.derby.ac.uk/staff-search/dr-bruce-wiggins
...but it did not seem to work (WMP does not recognize it and just plays it as Wave-EX).

kosketus

ATM I'm using a signal from a cassette recorder routed via line-in on the Audigy, and I'm trying to record in Audacity using WinMM.i've realised the previous screen dump isn't relevant. Attached is another one showing the seup I now have (without ASIO)That's the one I use, but there's no longer a link on that page (I guess one now has to be registered to get access? I'm not). I downloaded the plugin a while ago, at which time a selection was offered depending on the intended speaker layout. I chose "square"; which one are you using?

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Russ

That config should work fine, provided that ADC is configured correctly (should have "Line" selected in the 2 boxes on left side (and adjust Rec sliders as needed), nothing enabled on the right side). Do you see movement on the peak meter (in ADC) that corresponds to your signal on Line In?

As for the decoder, no biggie... There is also a VST version that seems to work, and a basic decoder seems fairly easy to make in the DSP.

i.e.
I think the following would work for a basic square decoder:

kosketus

Russ

I don't know what I did, but now Audacity is recording (I didn't knowingly change anything...).

That decoder is very interesting. Do you have any thoughts about incorporating it into kX? There's not a big demand at present (that's the understatement of the year), but anything that will help to increase the use of ambisonics must be good - says I anyway. I see you chose to leave out channel Z, which is height information. I know hardly anyone has that many speakers/amps but it wouldn't do any harm to leave it in would it? Anyway I may be wrong but I don't think .amb files will play if they don't have 4 channels (even if the 4th is a dummy).

kosketus

PS

Sorry, there was one more thing. k2lt only allows one to have two outputs to WinMM recording at any one time. I have these connected to line-in ATM.

If/when I want to record from the FXBus (eg from files on my hard disk) do I have to disconnect/re-connect each time in the DSP, or is there some way to set-up more than one connection at a time to WinMM?

Russ

It is a square decoder (only 4 speakers (at +-45, +-135)), thus Z is not used for anything. In any case, it is just something that I threw together quickly to play around with. (It is a DSP plugin (i.e. paste it in kX Editor), and has nothing to do with the actual playing of the files (you feed it the WXY signals and it decodes the (4) speaker outputs)).

Note: I made a correction to the code I posted previously (sL and fR were swapped).

Regarding recording: Yes, you can only record 2 channels at a time, so you would have to disconnect/reconnect (or use a mixer like MX6 and enable/disable recording for each signal, etc). For multichannel recording, you are better off using ASIO.

kosketus

I'm not planning to do multi-channeel recording, so MX6 is presumably what I should use.

I've been trying to get this to record from streamed audio for the last hour and a half, and I'm getting nowhere. Is there an idiot's guide to using MX6?

Russ

Connect the Rec outputs of MX6 to the recording pins of kxlt.
Connect the Main outputs of MX6 to whichever kxlt output(s) you want to use for monitoring (if any).
The Enable (E) button enables/disables that channel.
The Main (M) button toggles whether that channel is sent to the Main outputs.
The Record (R) button toggles whether that channel is sent to the Rec (recording) outputs.
The Volume slider for each channel controls the volume level of that channel.
The Pre Fader Rec (PFR) button toggles whether or not a channels volume slider is applied to the signal going to the Rec outputs.
The Main and Record volume sliders adjust the final level for those outputs.
The SWAP button swaps the Main and Rec outputs.

So, if you want to record from channel one only, the E and R buttons should be enabled (and the M button if you want to monitor that channel), and the R button should be disabled for all other channels (or just disable the other channels (E button) if you are not using them for recording or monitoring).

kosketus

OK, thanks for that. I've been able to record from hard disk, and monitor the recording (EDIT: I mean streamed audio). Alternatively, with unchanged settings in MX6, I can play-back an audio file either in stereo or ambisonic 4-channel.

But what I still can't do is, by enabling MX6 input channel 6 (and disabling ch. 1), to record from line-in. Screen dumps of this setup are attached. Are you able to see what's wrong please?

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Russ

Again, your config looks fine, accept for possibly ADC's settings (which is not shown).
Double check the settings in ADC.
Check the volume level of whatever external device is connected to Line In.
Double check the connection to Line In at the rear of the card (disconnect/reconnect) and at the external device.

If all else fails, try clicking on the 'Reset AC97' button on the AC97 page of kxmixer, and then re-select Line In in ADC.