[genclaymore]

You could use that  Razer surround software, sure its not CMSS3D headphone but atleast it will do it.

 

[DJINFERNO806]

Hi,

I just bought a Creative ZxR + a PC360 (planning on Q701 soon) and I can't find the correct settings on gaming... I'm playing mainly FPS, and i need to boost the footsteps, reloading from ennemies (pinpoint accuracy).... but not sacrifying others sounds... and have a nice surround effects and soundstage.  I'm new in audiophile area, and i dont know the differents terms etc.... I need some help please! Thanks !

Well your PC360 already has a great sound stage so you shouldnt have issues with accuracy. Just leave SBX surround at its default slider setting and make sure your windows speaker setting is 5.1 without full range speakers. You could try scout mode which is supposed to help with making footsteps clearer but I heard its more of a gimmick. Also make sure your in game settings have 5.1 enabled. Only other setting that should be enabled should be crystalizer which will help with footsteps although I am not a personal fan.

Leave your EQ flat or if your headphone produce more low end, then bring that down to hopefully bring some more clarity to the finer details.

I gathered as much after fiddling around with the settings, but it's still weird that the virtual surround is practically non-existant when using the RCA out...

It's not weird at all. RCA out uses a different surround virtualization/space calculations that are meant for speakers in front of you. Not headphones on your ears. If you want HRTF the way its meant to be then you have to plug your headphones into the Headphone out port.

 

[watsaname]

Quote:

I gathered as much after fiddling around with the settings, but it's still weird that the virtual surround is practically non-existant when using the RCA out...

Yeah, this card only supports most of its "effects" through its headphone out rather than the other ports on the card. You can always have a DAC that uses SPDIF and have the headphone mix carried to digital out, but that kind of makes the point of buying the card almost pointless.

 

[Radical_53]

Speakers make use of the SBX mode too but, at least sometimes, Windows will default back to stereo speakers if you switch your card from headphones to speakers.
Always make sure Windows is set to 5.1.
The SBX mode does work nicely with speakers and it works wonderfully with headphones. It does sound weird though if you're connecting headphones to the RCA port.

Raising footsteps should be one of the things Scout mode does but I must admit that I haven't used it yet. With closed cans everything can be heard and its volumes, relative to each other, are ok too. Some games, like Black Ops 2 or Battlefield 3, simply have very quiet footsteps or no footsteps at all so you shouldn't try raising something that isn't really there

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Nevermind, still trying to find a satisfying config, testing with my new motherboard just in case I had some issues on the previous board, nope still not the soundstage I was used to with Realtek onboard...

 

[jincuteguy]

So what's the best settings for in game surround? Is it Headphone in Window control panel (not ZxR control panel) and 5.1 in game? Or what?

 

[Radical_53]

From my point of view: Windows 5.1, game 5.1, ZXR set to headphones and SBX set to 100%.

 

[DJINFERNO806]

So what's the best settings for in game surround? Is it Headphone in Window control panel (not ZxR control panel) and 5.1 in game? Or what?

Windows has to be set to 5.1 for the in game engine to properly send out a 5.1 signal. Then when SBX surround is used, it mixes the 5.1 channels into the hrtf signal to your headphones.

I don't recommend setting surround past the 67% mark as it tends to add too much of a weird effect to the sound. I can't explain it, sound almost gets hollow maybe? Try the difference for yourself and see.

 

[Radical_53]

Guess that also depends on the cans you're using. Open cans might sound better with a lower value.

 

[DaWiLd]

Quote:

Well your PC360 already has a great sound stage so you shouldnt have issues with accuracy. Just leave SBX surround at its default slider setting and make sure your windows speaker setting is 5.1 without full range speakers. You could try scout mode which is supposed to help with making footsteps clearer but I heard its more of a gimmick. Also make sure your in game settings have 5.1 enabled. Only other setting that should be enabled should be crystalizer which will help with footsteps although I am not a personal fan.

Leave your EQ flat or if your headphone produce more low end, then bring that down to hopefully bring some more clarity to the finer details.
It's not weird at all. RCA out uses a different surround virtualization/space calculations that are meant for speakers in front of you. Not headphones on your ears. If you want HRTF the way its meant to be then you have to plug your headphones into the Headphone out port.

OK thanks for your fast reply DJInferno. I have a question, sorry for my ignorance on this : What you mean "Without full range speaker" My Windows sound is set to 5.1, but i cant find this option.. thanks for your help!

 

[jincuteguy]

Did anyone try using the built in microphone on the Module Control Unit? I wonder how's the voice quality, cause if it's good, then there's no point getting a separate mic like the Zal man clip on mic.

 

[DJINFERNO806]

When you go through the speaker setting wizard(right click on sound blaster z and hit "configure speakers") in the sound settings for windows, the last step is to decide whether your speakers are full range or not. This is shown by small speaker vs bigger ones on the little picture.

It generally affects the crossover for lfe or the 0.1 in the 5.1 setup. (The subwoofer speaker). I remember reading that a creative rep had said this is the better setting for headphones with sbx.


I think the mic built in is awesome. It seems to be pretty accurate in its pickup pattern or "cone". I don't have any background noise being picked up. To be honest its the only good part about the ACM.

 

[DaWiLd]

Quote:

When you go through the speaker setting wizard(right click on sound blaster z and hit "configure speakers") in the sound settings for windows, the last step is to decide whether your speakers are full range or not. This is shown by small speaker vs bigger ones on the little picture.

It generally affects the crossover for lfe or the 0.1 in the 5.1 setup. (The subwoofer speaker). I remember reading that a creative rep had said this is the better setting for headphones with sbx.


I think the mic built in is awesome. It seems to be pretty accurate in its pickup pattern or "cone". I don't have any background noise being picked up. To be honest its the only good part about the ACM.

Ok so if i got it right, i uncheck everything there, left/right speaker and surround speaker uncheked? that's it ?

 

[DJINFERNO806]

Yes sir!! That should be it for 5.1 settings!

 

[jincuteguy]

Ok so if i got it right, i uncheck everything there, left/right speaker and surround speaker uncheked? that's it ?

If you unchecked everything, you are only left with 2 speakers which is not surround . I think u're doing it wrong?