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- Mar 20, 2010
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Creative, there is something that I just realized when using speakers (first time ever using the speakers option).
It clashes with the headphone settings. If you configure the X7 for headphones (which need to be set to 5.1 in order to use SBX properly), the speakers miss out on all the information that isn't left/right channel. This shouldn't be happening (headphones still get all information even with 5.1 selected). This essentially means, that if you're a headphone user that also uses stereo speakers, you have to constantly go into the Windows sound devices and set configure speakers to stereo when using speakers, and 5.1 when using headphones. I'm willing to bet that is an extra step some people are missing out, which is why their speakers aren't getting subwoofer audio.
The software program for the X7 should have a setting that downmixes 5.1 into stereo for when using speakers. Like a checkbox for those with only 2 speakers. That way, once you switch to headphones, windows believes it is still at 5.1, so SBX headphone users keep our 5.1 information for SBX to do its thing.
If you go into the X7's software and change the speaker to only the front speakers/stereo, it hard switches the windows sound setting to stereo. Once you go back to headphones, it's in stereo, meaning those who are playing video games with SBX, are NOT getting proper SBX headphone surround, because again, SBX needs to be fed a 5.1 signal in order to get SBX surround properly for headphones.
This means, that any and EVERY time you go from headphone to speaker, you're forced to go to the Windows sound devices, and switch from 5.1 to stereo/vice versa. I'm betting some people are forgetting, and when they play games with headphones after using speakers, they're not getting proper headphone audio/SBX.
I recommend that as of right now, people leave the speaker setup at 5.1 even if you're only using stereo speakers. Music only uses the two front channels anyways, so it's no big deal. If you're on games or movies when using speakers, make sure that the games they are only outputting stereo sop you don't miss audio information, or just having windows sound devices ready to switch from 5.1 to stereo every time you switch from headphones to speakers.
This isn't a complaint, but some suggestions, due to these issues being something that was probably just overlooked. The ideal solution for me, personally, is that headphone mode has it's own windows sound devices settings, and speaker mode has it's own as well, that way when you switch, headphones can stick to 5.1, and speakers to stereo, without you having to switch every time.
This doesn't affect me personally as I was only testing the speaker option, and isn't something I don't currently use. Just thought I'd point it out for those who do use both speakers/headphones and are wondering why their speakers may be missing audio, and/or their headphones aren't getting proper surround.
It clashes with the headphone settings. If you configure the X7 for headphones (which need to be set to 5.1 in order to use SBX properly), the speakers miss out on all the information that isn't left/right channel. This shouldn't be happening (headphones still get all information even with 5.1 selected). This essentially means, that if you're a headphone user that also uses stereo speakers, you have to constantly go into the Windows sound devices and set configure speakers to stereo when using speakers, and 5.1 when using headphones. I'm willing to bet that is an extra step some people are missing out, which is why their speakers aren't getting subwoofer audio.
The software program for the X7 should have a setting that downmixes 5.1 into stereo for when using speakers. Like a checkbox for those with only 2 speakers. That way, once you switch to headphones, windows believes it is still at 5.1, so SBX headphone users keep our 5.1 information for SBX to do its thing.
If you go into the X7's software and change the speaker to only the front speakers/stereo, it hard switches the windows sound setting to stereo. Once you go back to headphones, it's in stereo, meaning those who are playing video games with SBX, are NOT getting proper SBX headphone surround, because again, SBX needs to be fed a 5.1 signal in order to get SBX surround properly for headphones.
This means, that any and EVERY time you go from headphone to speaker, you're forced to go to the Windows sound devices, and switch from 5.1 to stereo/vice versa. I'm betting some people are forgetting, and when they play games with headphones after using speakers, they're not getting proper headphone audio/SBX.
I recommend that as of right now, people leave the speaker setup at 5.1 even if you're only using stereo speakers. Music only uses the two front channels anyways, so it's no big deal. If you're on games or movies when using speakers, make sure that the games they are only outputting stereo sop you don't miss audio information, or just having windows sound devices ready to switch from 5.1 to stereo every time you switch from headphones to speakers.
This isn't a complaint, but some suggestions, due to these issues being something that was probably just overlooked. The ideal solution for me, personally, is that headphone mode has it's own windows sound devices settings, and speaker mode has it's own as well, that way when you switch, headphones can stick to 5.1, and speakers to stereo, without you having to switch every time.
This doesn't affect me personally as I was only testing the speaker option, and isn't something I don't currently use. Just thought I'd point it out for those who do use both speakers/headphones and are wondering why their speakers may be missing audio, and/or their headphones aren't getting proper surround.
