[Axaion]

Ah, but does it revert when using the headphone plug?, if not.. could be a win7 bug

 

[genclaymore]

You could try going into sleep mode once to see if it sticks when you reboot. I know The X-FI settings did that to me. All I had to do is go into sleep mode after I set the settings. Then after I come out of it, the settings would stick even after reboot, when normally it would reset.

 

[kupco]

But since you game, listen to music and watch movies equally, doesn't that mean you'll be forced to go into that setting and change it all the time anyway? For movies and gaming the 5.1 speaker setup is better than plain stereo, especially if you enable the virtual surround in the Soundblaster settings.

I understand that if you always want to start in stereo and switch to 5.1 when needed, it is annoying. Let me check if it reverts back to the 5.1 setting after reboot if I set it to stereo for me too. Will write back with my findings.

//edit: so my settings also always revert to the 5.1 configuration. Can't test the sleep workaround as my computer hangs after returning from sleep...

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

I always preferred 5.1 for everything, much more exciting to listen with music surrounding you than coming from a certain direction.

 

[Axaion]

Just tried putting it into sleep after setting to stereo, then resume reboot, didnt stick here
I'm going to have to get used to it then, I guess apart from that one thing the card is alot better than my old DX (mainly because of drivers, yes, i used UNi Xonar drivers there )

 

[Anarion]

Ah, but does it revert when using the headphone plug?, if not.. could be a win7 bug

It stays at 2.0, it also stays 2.0 on my brother's Windows 7 machine.

I still prefer stereo over virtual 5.1, especially when using OpenAL or Alchemy. Sound stage is much, much wider yet you still get HRTF (obviously not in stereo software audio games, like pretty much every game these days but older games sound nice).

 

[Axaion]

It stays at 2.0, it also stays 2.0 on my brother's Windows 7 machine.

I still prefer stereo over virtual 5.1, especially when using OpenAL or Alchemy. Sound stage is much, much wider yet you still get HRTF (obviously not in stereo software audio games, like pretty much every game these days but older games sound nice).

Thanks, must be an issue on my end then, if all fails, i guess ill reinstall windows =)
edit; it sticks after reinstall and i kept the speaker config stuff, im going to assume you get the "pop" when you reboot aswell?

 

[SoFGR]

Quote:

I still prefer stereo over virtual 5.1, especially when using OpenAL or Alchemy. Sound stage is much, much wider yet you still get HRTF (obviously not in stereo software audio games, like pretty much every game these days but older games sound nice).

that is with  sbx pro studio  ON ? 

 

[Anarion]

that is with  sbx pro studio  ON ? 

Disabled, headphone mode disabled and using line out. This is how it sounds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0qL7BX_XcU

 

[kupco]

Yes, on line out the Windows settings default at 2.0 stereo. But when using the headphone out it automatically always reverts to 5.1 surround after reboot.

 

[Axaion]

Yes, on line out the Windows settings default at 2.0 stereo. But when using the headphone out it automatically always reverts to 5.1 surround after reboot.

reinstall drivers and keep the speaker placement thing, it wont reset then, using the headphone port

 

[Anarion]

Yes, on line out the Windows settings default at 2.0 stereo. But when using the headphone out it automatically always reverts to 5.1 surround after reboot.

No it does not, it shouldn't. If it does, something is wrong or the new drivers are buggy. My brother uses the headphone out and it does not revert to anything. It didn't when I used it (had to stop using because for some very weird reason audio from flash player in Firefox and IE10 sound crazy loud in Windows 8, new bug caused by the driver or recent flash updates).

 

[neopac]

edit: missed the posts inbetween
 
Quote:

 
Ofcourse the virtual surround through headphone out is superior.  It was made with HRTF as its primary function.  The line out is made to virtualize surround with external speakers in front of you.  Completely different audio cues and timing.  

 
speaking about line-out doesn´t necessary mean you´d use speakers. Someone could headphone-amp this line-out and use it with cans (and that´s what i read from his post).
though i don´t see why this would be the case with the z-series ... this would only make sense, if the line-out connected amp is (way!) inferior to the integrated amp.
 
cheers

 

[kupco]

I wanted to use the line out to get unamped sound to my Schiit Magni (headphone amp) as I was worried double amping would cause sound distortion and/or high level of noise. I had to scratch the idea as the virtual surround via line out sounds really bad when using headphones. 
However, right now I'm using the headphone out to my Magni where I hook up my Beyers to and I can say that to my ears there is no sound distortion nor noise. I'm happy with this setup. 
 
As for the 5.1 surround setup on startup - I'll have to try to reinstall my drivers and leave the speakers set up option on (I did not install that) to see if the 2.0 speaker settings do stick after reboot after that.

 

[DJINFERNO806]

Quote:

 
speaking about line-out doesn´t necessary mean you´d use speakers. Someone could headphone-amp this line-out and use it with cans (and that´s what i read from his post).
though i don´t see why this would be the case with the z-series ... this would only make sense, if the line-out connected amp is (way!) inferior to the integrated amp.
 
cheers

Yes but HRTF algorithms for headphones are what is being using for headphone out and for line out they have a different one intended for speakers.  Creative assumes your setup will be this way.