ATH-A500, Audigy 2 and CMSS?

[Albert Einstein]

Hey!

I have a question for everyone. Does CMSS actually sound _right_ when trying to simulate surround on the movies and games using Audio-Technica's headphones?

Creative settings say that CMSS1 is meant for MP3, WAV and/or other stereo source while CMSS2 is good at DVD movies (i suppose 5.1 source?).

Also, i'm using XP SP2 as an operating system and people say that you must have stereo 2.1 speaker setting as a default seting instead of Headphones mode in your sound control, because it sounds nicer. Well, that is kinda right. IMO.

But i still don't get how in the hell should i use the settings - which one is the "bestest" and should use?

Thanks for helping me out!

oh yes, i'm watching movies mostly.

edit: i'd like to know that does Sensaura VirtualEar work with Audigy? Because maybe it's better for positioning than Creative's CMSS.

 

[cerbie]

It won't sound right with anything for very long. Beyond going from stereo to multiple speakers, though, why are you looking at CMSS? You are using headphones. CMSS was for going from stereo up, not surround down, by my recollection.

Being an Audigy 2, try resampling to 48kHz, if your preferred player gives options for doing that well (FB2K, iTunes may do it OK, depending on version, dunno about Winamp). Beyond that, maybe equalize for the cans (if you can find a response graph, that would be a good guide), and not much else.

For positioning, you'll just have to try. Like choosing a can, there's no perfect answer, and some of the same variables, like the make up of your ear, apply.

 

[Albert Einstein]

"though, why are you looking at CMSS? You are using headphones. CMSS was for going from stereo up, not surround down, by my recollection."

Well, i don't know that for exactly.
quote from Creative about it
Quote:

Creative MultiSpeaker Surround (CMSS) 3D makes ordinary two-channel (Left and Right Stereo) sound seem to surround you, even through only two speakers. For users with 5.1 or 6.1 multichannel speaker systems, CMSS can also simulate surround sound from ordinary stereo. This is useful for watching DVDs and VCDs, which contain only stereo soundtracks. Select CMSS for multichannel audio enhancement on 4/4.1, 5.1, or 6.1 speaker systems, and CMSS2 for movies. Note: For a 4/4.1-speaker system, audio for your subwoofer is processed by the speaker system.

though i tried to play some games with on it and without - and you can understand where steps are coming from with it ON but it doesn't sound as clear/rich, rather murky, mono'lish

 

[cerbie]

OK. I had only seen it described as for use in a surround system.

All such enhancements, except for equalizing, maybe crossfeed, and quality resampling for older Creative cards (pre-X-Fi), generally make it sound worse in the long run. When they sound good in the short term, they tend to be fatiguing.

Recordings are made to be listened to as they are, if they are any good, and the same is true of the sounds in games being mixed and pumped out.

Consider for a moment, taste testing. If you put more sugar, salt, or acidic whatever (tomato, plain citric acid, etc.), it will offer a nice, "wow," compared to the competition. Then, you bring a box home that will last you a week, and it really isn't as good as your older stuff, after you've comfortably enjoyed a few.

 

[TMM]

CMSS sucks for music, keep it off.

 

[Albert Einstein]

thanks cerbie for that nice explanation

yeah, TMM, it does sound very ugly with music (MP3 source). luckily i've a I/O box where i can switch it off/on.

but in games and movies i'm really going to use it, i think. for example i played pretty old title Hitman 2 which supports EAX (they say EAX overrides CMSS, as CMSS is Creative's version of EAX/ProLogic). but with CMSS2 you really could tell where the explosions are and where not (not even EAX wasn't enough, i guess Hitman 2 supports EAX2). when characters are chatting at right of you, then without CMSS it sounds like they are sitting _inside_ your ear while with CMSS they are long away as it should be.

though they say Vista changed audio architecture dramatically, maybe i'm switching OS some day.

and yes - Audigy 2 is a piece of crap for music. that's true, but i just wanted to take out "max" what it can offer. i'm switching to auzentech x-fi prelude anyway.

 

[Rattle]

cmss is the way to go for gaming

 

[Albert Einstein]

yeah, only thing that bothers me now is that should i use Headphones or 2/2.1 Speaker mode?

Headphones with CMSS2 at games makes better surround effect and 2/2.1 Speaker sounds more rich but not producing any "real" surround, even with EAX.

it really confuses me.

 

[Rattle]

whatever sounds better, I ahve never found the 2.1 setting to have any benefit.

 

[IPC_Skeeder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rattle /img/forum/go_quote.gif cmss is the way to go for gaming

I disagree, I play CS:S all the time, and CMSS is really a bad thing, and makes only some illusions, but it's fake IMO, doesn't improve anything...

CMSS have to be desactived in Music, Games and Movies...

 

[Albert Einstein]

well, i'm using Headphones mode and CMSS2 while playing games and watching movies, and turning it off while listening to music