audiotrak prodigy hd2 driver issue

[crise]

I have a problem with the driver for my audiotrak prodigy HD2. I run vista 64bits and I installed the latest driver from the audiotrak website. The problem is that when I change anything in the QEm, QSizzle, QEumble etc. and equalizer settings it doesn't bring up any change in the sound. It just doesn't work. I really need to get more bass because now it all sounds too sharp. I'm using an AKG271. I've also read you can use a different driver, one from VIA (Envy24HT-S) but I can't install it at all...

Can anyone help me? Thanks.

 

[mnemoniak]

what driver are you using ?
Try this one http://www.esi-audiotechnik.com/down...x2v-v0_978.zip , the v0.978, it is O.K. for me, with Windows XP.

 

[crise]

I'm using that driver... I also tryed reinstalling it a couple of times. The envy driver just won't install. Do I have to flash the card? If so, how do I do that?

Another thing I notice is that in the manual it says it should show up like this in devices:

-Prodigy HD2
-Prodigy HD2 Controller
-QVE for Prodigy HD2 (WDM)

... but I only get this:

-Prodigy HD2
-Prodigy HD2 Controller

... no QVE for Prodigy HD2 (WDM)...

 

[crise]

Well I'm quite sure the main problem is that I can't get the QVE for Prodigy HD2 (WDM) device to work. I tryed installed it via adding legacy hardware - and it does show up there - but it fails to install. Probably because I use vista or a 64 bits system.

Is there any solution??

 

[mnemoniak]

An other driver can be downloaded here :
Welcome to AUDIOTRAK Korea
v5.20b, you can give it a try , I haven't done so.

 

[crise]

I can't install that at all...

 

[frankR]

I'm running XP32, I'm having the same problem with using the features in the control panel, like the EQ.

The only thing I can think of is if you're running ASIO, like I am, you could be bypassing the DSP in the soundcard driver. Thus far I'm very happy with the sound and don't think it needs to be doctered with an EQ or any DSP, execpt a touch of 96/192khz upsampling.

 

[crise]

hey could you explain how to do that with asio? and what is dsp? when i open asio (i installed this one ASIO4ALL - Universal ASIO Driver) i see very few settings to change.. there is nothing to tune bass/treble.. i don't have much experience with it.. lots of thanks!

btw, are you also missing the 3th device then? QVE for Prodigy HD2 (WDM)

 

[frankR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crise /img/forum/go_quote.gif hey could you explain how to do that with asio? and what is dsp? when i open asio (i installed this one ASIO4ALL - Universal ASIO Driver) i see very few settings to change.. there is nothing to tune bass/treble.. i don't have much experience with it.. lots of thanks!

I'm new to this computer audio stuff, so please take everything I'm about to write with a little skepticism.

However, what I think could be happening is ASIO (Audio Stream Input/Output) is bypassing the EQ controls built-in to the sound card drivers.

What ASIO does is bypass all the front-end software processing that the OS (WinXP, Vista, ect.) directly to the audio interface device (sound card). Why would you want to do this?

Apparently the audio drivers built-in to the OS can tamper with the bit-stream (chain of encoded 1 & 0s which make sound) to adversely affect sound. I have yet to back this claim up with testing using my ears as a judge.

See the following link for a more detailed explaination of ASIO does: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f46/as...nation-221237/

You might try finding an EQ which is built-in to your audio players (Winamp, foobar, Windows Media Player, ect.) to tailor the tonal response to your taste. This EQ is before the bit-stream is passed to ASIO and to your sound-card.

DSP stands for Digital Signal Processing. What it does is manipulate the digital signal, like digital audio to do certain things, such as increasing bass or treble response, or interpolative upsampling the audio signal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crise /img/forum/go_quote.gif btw, are you also missing the 3th device then? QVE for Prodigy HD2 (WDM)

Per Google, I found an SEC filling, of all things, QVE is the following:

QVE™: The QSound Virtual Engine (“QVE”) is a scalable software audio engine for PCs, soundboards and other digital devices. QVE provides synthesis and digital audio playback for entertainment audio applications, and is a platform for incorporating all of the proprietary algorithms described below.

SEC Info - Qsound Labs Inc - 20-F - For*4/3/06

It looks to be QVE is what renders all those fancy sounds effects in the Prodigy HD2 control panel, QRumble, QSizzle.

I bet installation ASIO bypasses all that stuff.

 

[crise]

Got an answer from ESI Audiotechnik GmbH:

"thank you for your inquiry. Please note that the QSound technology is not available under Windows XP/Vista 64-Bit only under a 32-bit operating system. The QSound technology could not be integrated into a 64-bit driver and the reason is not the Audiotrak driver or the hardware but the Canadian company QSound lab does not intend these functions available under a 64-bit operating system."

Well, this quite much sucks. The card is advertised as being 64bits compatible, but then you find out that some of its features don't work on a 64bits system.

Now I'm thinking about buying something like this: PreSonus EQ3B | Dolphin Music

Does anyone know if such an EQ would work well with the card and a headphone?