[paulguru]

using muses02 opamp the headphone amplifier gain will improve ? 

 

[BrockSamson]

Thanks for the replies guys. I think I have it a little better now. I left Windows at 5.1 but changed the SBZ control panel to Headphones. I have the bass control back and it makes sense how it works, so I'm assuming I'll have better surround in games. I also did one other thing while trying to hack an audio output for the Buttkicker.
 
I ENABLED my Realtek onboard. I went to the "What you hear" recording channel, selected "Listen to this device", and pointed it at the Realtek speaker channel. It works, with one caveat. There is a small but noticeable and annoying delay in the audio going to the 2.1 speakers. Maybe 1/4 to 1/3 second. Going to look into this more in case there is a way to reduce processing and speed it up a bit. Seems like there should be a better way to do this though, short of adding a splitting between my DAC and AMP, as I fear that feedback would greatly reduce the quality of the audio I spent so much time and money improving :/

 

[obobskivich]

Thanks for the replies guys. I think I have it a little better now. I left Windows at 5.1 but changed the SBZ control panel to Headphones. I have the bass control back and it makes sense how it works, so I'm assuming I'll have better surround in games. I also did one other thing while trying to hack an audio output for the Buttkicker.

I ENABLED my Realtek onboard. I went to the "What you hear" recording channel, selected "Listen to this device", and pointed it at the Realtek speaker channel. It works, with one caveat. There is a small but noticeable and annoying delay in the audio going to the 2.1 speakers. Maybe 1/4 to 1/3 second. Going to look into this more in case there is a way to reduce processing and speed it up a bit. Seems like there should be a better way to do this though, short of adding a splitting between my DAC and AMP, as I fear that feedback would greatly reduce the quality of the audio I spent so much time and money improving :/

A splitter should not have any audible impact on the sound quality, I'd say try it - high quality splitters are only a few bucks, and if you really hate it (for whatever reason) then you can go back and futz about with the ganged audio cards.

 

[Nikolasi]

Hallo
 
I have SBZ and I me looking ASUS STX II upgrade for music that is good or bad..maybe something better then STX II ?
 
I have free only one PCIE slot: http://i.imgur.com/7PVA7Jm.jpg

 

[BrockSamson]

A splitter should not have any audible impact on the sound quality, I'd say try it - high quality splitters are only a few bucks, and if you really hate it (for whatever reason) then you can go back and futz about with the ganged audio cards.

 
The problem there is that I think the Buttkicker is a single channel. I could split just the left or right channel from the Modi but then I could get lopsided shaker response or headphone performance/quality. Alternatively if I split off both channels from the Modi, then used another splitter to combine that into a single shared mono channel for the shaker, Id essentially be crossing the left and right channels and ruining the headphone audio.
 
I was thinking a better route may be an optical spitter and a Fiio D3, but that only goes to 20hz (whereas the shaker and the soundcard go to 10hz) and there could potentially be timing issues there as well. This is also assuming that the shaker can work with the line level output of the D3.
 
I'm going to try a few more settings on my SBZ tonight as well. I was trying to use the 3rd center/subwoofer jack, but it may be possible that the front channel or headphone outputs still work with optical. I also heard that I can maybe set SBZ control panel to stereo speakers instead of headphones to get the same audio mix to my headphones, and this could potentially allow the other outputs to work. I'll find out tonight.

 

[Nikolasi]

I have SBZ and I'm looking for STX II or something better then STX II ?
 
I have one free PCIE slot in my case 

 

[obobskivich]

The problem there is that I think the Buttkicker is a single channel. I could split just the left or right channel from the Modi but then I could get lopsided shaker response or headphone performance/quality. Alternatively if I split off both channels from the Modi, then used another splitter to combine that into a single shared mono channel for the shaker, Id essentially be crossing the left and right channels and ruining the headphone audio.

I was thinking a better route may be an optical spitter and a Fiio D3, but that only goes to 20hz (whereas the shaker and the soundcard go to 10hz) and there could potentially be timing issues there as well. This is also assuming that the shaker can work with the line level output of the D3.

I'm going to try a few more settings on my SBZ tonight as well. I was trying to use the 3rd center/subwoofer jack, but it may be possible that the front channel or headphone outputs still work with optical. I also heard that I can maybe set SBZ control panel to stereo speakers instead of headphones to get the same audio mix to my headphones, and this could potentially allow the other outputs to work. I'll find out tonight.

It is single channel, but that shouldn't be a problem - it's not like it will incur a delay for the audio into the headphones or anything. Your "use another splitter to combine" thing will not work (http://www.rane.com/note109.html), you would need a proper summer. You can throw an active xover in there, but there is unlikely to be a good idea as you probably don't want the headphones' response rolled off - you just want the TT re-enforcing low-end. Optical splitters, IME, are of dubious build quality - this isn't to say they hurt the signal, just that you may go through a round or two of returns to get one that's put together properly.

WRT other stuff on the Z itself - you cannot have the front L/R output and the headphone jack active at once, but you can have either of those jacks (headphone or front L/R) active alongside optical - if the card is set to "speakers" it will output via front L/R + optical (with "play digital mix" enabled), if it is set to "headphones" it will output via headphone + optical (again with "play digital mix" enabled). The volume control for the system will impact the analog output in either case (to adjust digital level you go into the mixer and draw down the left/right for the digital output) - in theory you could connect the TT's amplifier to either the headphone or front L/R output directly from the Z, but if the TT only takes a monophonic input you will still need a summer if you absolutely must see both left/right connected to the TT.

IME I have never noticed a difference in "the mix" switching between speakers and headphones, when using digital out - of course you can't directly compare that using the analog outputs of the card, because you're comparing its headphone amp to other devices. I don't know if this also applies with ALchemy in-use; I don't use ALchemy. It should make no difference either way for stereo music or software audio though.

I wouldn't worry too much about the claims of 10 or 20 Hz response - it is unlikely that you will have any material encoded that low, played back that low, etc.

I have SBZ and I'm looking for STX II or something better then STX II ?

I have one free PCIE slot in my case 

Isn't STX an Asus card?

 

[Nikolasi]

Yes.that is Asus card.

 

[BrockSamson]

  I have SBZ and I'm looking for STX II or something better then STX II ?
 
I have one free PCIE slot in my case 

 
Any reason in particular why you want the STX II?
 
It's a new setup for me but so far I am very pleased with the Soundblaster Z -> 5.1 mixed to stereo over optical -> Modi 2 Uber -> Magni 2 Uber. Music sounds amazing and I can still get all the processing features for games or other purposes.

 

[BrockSamson]

WRT other stuff on the Z itself - you cannot have the front L/R output and the headphone jack active at once, but you can have either of those jacks (headphone or front L/R) active alongside optical - if the card is set to "speakers" it will output via front L/R + optical (with "play digital mix" enabled), if it is set to "headphones" it will output via headphone + optical (again with "play digital mix" enabled). The volume control for the system will impact the analog output in either case (to adjust digital level you go into the mixer and draw down the left/right for the digital output) - in theory you could connect the TT's amplifier to either the headphone or front L/R output directly from the Z, but if the TT only takes a monophonic input you will still need a summer if you absolutely must see both left/right connected to the TT.

 
Man, thanks a ton. I guess I assumed it was more complicated than it was after trying the center/subwoofer out and not getting anything. Sure enough, the headphone jack still works even when doing stereo mix to optical port and this is exactly what I need. Wish I figured this out before spending a few hours trying every other possible combination of connections but in the end what counts is that it will work. My wife would like you to know that she does not appreciate the fact that I can now justify $140 on what is essentially a chair vibrator. For anyone else finding this bit of the thread in the future...
 
Windows set to 5.1 speakers, 100% volume, Soundblaster Z control panel set to headphones and enable "Play stereo mix to digital output"
 
Optical out -> Modi 2 Uber -> Magni 2 Uber -> Headphones
Headphone out -> optional volume control (if you don't want 100% volume) -> Buttkicker (or other consumer of analog stereo signal)

 

 

[obobskivich]

Glad to hear it worked out.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I have SB-Z and I'm looking for STX II or something better then STX II ?
 
I have one free PCIE slot in my case 

 
I replaced my Essence STX (original) with an Audio-GD NFB-15, external DAC/amp, around $316 (total).
http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/NFB1532/NFB15.32EN.htm
You could connect it to the SB-Z's optical port.

 

[genclaymore]

  I have SBZ and I'm looking for STX II or something better then STX II ?
 
I have one free PCIE slot in my case 

You could keep that Sound blaster Z and get a external dac amp and connect the sound blaster Z optical into say a Audio-GD NFB11 and send the gaming functions of the SBZ thru optical using the send stereo mix thru optical check box in advance tab. Which will allow you to have the gaming functions of the Z and the audio performance of a external dac amp. It pretty much what I did when I got a cheap SBZ recently. It doesn't have to be a Audio-GD NFB 11, it could be a Schiit Modni 2 dac and a magni 2 hp amp.

 

[Nikolasi]

Well I have Presonus HD7 headphones and Takstar 2050 and Logitech Speaker System Z906.I need buy and speaker with very good audio qallity performance,becouse Logitech Speaker System Z906 is very low.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Well I have Presonus HD7 headphones and Takstar 2050 and Logitech Speaker System Z906.I need buy and speaker with very good audio quality performance,because Logitech Speaker System Z906 is very low.

 
What exactly do you have the Z906 connected to and how do you have them connected?