kX Audio Driver 3551 ALPHA released - SoundBlaster Audigy users rejoice!

Quote:

This is ALPHA version, I made some changes that might not work as expected, might be incompatible with existing plugins etc...
If everything works fine for you, don't update 

Changes:

* Fixed issue with Wave HQ unsupported in Windows 7 (should work with all p16v-compatible cards now). p17-based cards will NOT support Wave HQ (as usual)
* Fixed mapping for Audigy2 ZS notebook side outputs
* Fixed kX Mixer memory leak (system hangs while HDD activity is high, kxmixer allocates a lot of memory), specific to Windows 7
* Fixed kX Mixer combo boxes showing no settings, empty lists (SPDIF and similar options), specific to Windows 7
* Added support for 32/64 ASIO clients under x64 OS (new feature)
* Improved 32/64-bit installer with support for UAC
* Fixed ASIO registration issues under x64 OS
* Fixed issue with ASIO driver not showing correct device names (you may see a UAC message when starting kX Mixer, this is OK)
* Installer updated, removed several shortcuts, added new ones, simplified installing, removed legacy code
* Fixed AC3 decoding not working under x64 OS
* Fixed AC3 passthrough problem introduced in 3543, should work fine now for Audigy/Audigy2

SDK changes:
0. License agreement is GPL now
1. Changed ‘char *’ to “const char *” in most places, some plugins might no longer load, need to update and re-compile them
2. KX_MAX_NAME is now obsolete, use KX_MAX_STRING [set to 128 by default]
3. More parts of the driver released open-source under GPL
4. OS X driver released opensource (without kX HAL though, just CoreAudio layer)

Here's the list of the problems I'm currently working on (cannot promise I fix them, but I'll do my best):

* improve audio quality for master mixer under windows 7
* memory leak in directsound applications (need more input on this in corresponding thread)
* sfman32 is not functioning properly because it (and kxapi.dll) are not located in system32 folder
* IR remote/multimedia keyboard under Win64
* soundfonts under x64

Source

This was the best X-mas present I could possibly think of for me. 96KHz / 24bit working through Windows 7 now as well it seems. Nevermind what Asus or Auzentech releases I won't switch from Audigy 2 ZS + kX Audio drivers at least as long as Windows 7 remains a viable OS choice. :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROBSCIX 

They are great drivers but they are running on very limited hardware. 

Yea but the drivers make up a lot for the lack of hardware specs. Good hardware can sound crappy if it uses bad software. kX driver's software implementation is amazing and provides a night and day upgrade compared to Creative's drivers which sounds like onboard sound in comparision and can battle far newer prodcuts with X-Fi chips and ASUS solutions IMO as well. I've found a really great config for me that works just wonders and concidering an Audigy 2 ZS can be had for like $20 2nd hand today there's nothing that comes close to it performance/price wise as running Audigy 2 ZS + kX Audio drivers.

The surround sound implementation from Surrounder+ works really well to give a pseudo surround sound for stereo/headphone setups, that works very well with whatever game, both very old and new so you don't have to worry about if game would have proper EAX support etc, the directions comes out very well. The bass is also very clean and nice and I tested for sake of testing see when it would start distorting when boosting it on the 10-band EQ and it turned up it wouldn't even start distorting despite I maxed out 3 EQs which is like 30dB strength, now tell me any sound card solution that could add more than 20dB or do so without bring distortion? You could make any basslean headphone to very bassheavy if wanted. Just another example of how clean and well the output is.

Well for me not only music playback quality is important but especially the surround sound part for games, it's just unbelievable accurate and I've been accused for cheating several times when listening to footsteps and other noises to determine the positions of my enemies. In Left 4 Dead I could kill the zombies hiding behind trees or on another side of the wall based on the direction the noise comes from. It doesn't change the overall sound like these dolby headphone or CMSS3D etc does, it just makes it possible to pinpoint the directions.

The 10-band EQ is also so nicely working, I haven't yet heard any better EQ that is able to improve the sound so much without adding any distortion despite boosting values by crazy amounts. I also like to use some very slight reverb effect from one of the plugins for all tasks, whatever I'm gaming or listening to music to get the impression I'm in some club or concert hall or in general the soundstage seems a bit bigger without overdoing it, it's really hard to find soundcards that provide nice slight reverb effect without ruining the sound by "metallic sound" or distortion or fades quickly enough away so it won't be noticed during speech in games etc and this is what kX Audio driver is able to.

I wouldn't mind paying up to 200 EUR for a new card if it was worth it but I believe it isn't at least for me. OK I haven't heard an ASUS Essence ST/STX yet but I thought my setup sounded better than a friend's X-Fi chip at least and the Asus card isn't really being much praised about when it comes to more competitive gaming which would make possibly Auzentech Forte a more interesting pick but then again I'm not so sure even that card would get me more satisfied than my current Audigy 2 ZS + kX Audio driver config. Maybe in future a more killer music playback & gaming suitable card is being released though. :)

kX Audio driver in Windows 7 sounds really really great with 96kHz / 24bit playback, with kX Audio drivers it brings a slight improvement going to Win 7 from Win XP, with Creative's drivers it was the opposite.

But yea I aint holding back to this sound card cuz I'd be broke but I actually believe this is the most satisfying soundcard setup for me using the kX drivers. At times I feel like buying one of those newer expensier popular soundcards and give them a comparision to hopefully come to the conclusion the Audigy 2 ZS would still be a more satisfying choice for me overall. xD

For a new soundcard this would be my requirements, accurate sound positioning (all directions), ability to boost/decrease values on EQ by up to 20dB without audible distortion, provide nicely tweakable reverb effects.

No idea, I haven't checked, I'm spending Xmas holiday at parents place atm though.