[Wiljen]

You can order the PYST (Put your Schitt Together) RCA cables to go between the magni / modi - they do not come with either product.

 

[atarione]

I think I'm about to buy the Modi and Magni, I can't find any specs on it if it includes any cables, will I need to buy my own RCA and USB connections?

they don't come with cables .. you need a full sized (usb type b cable cable) and a rca cable, if you don't already have these order from amazon or whatever should be pretty cheap .. if stacking them then the rca cables can be short.. just avoid super stiff cables as they are a pain / might drag these little devices around the desk or whatever..

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I've checked every game for audio settings, not all of them even have options for stereo/headphone/surround, but I still have my issue on ones that do, so I think it is safe to say that this is a motherboard component quality issue (or hopefully a very stupid hidden software/mobo/bio option I can't find).

I'm saying check not just the game but the motherboard's audio suite. Even if your games are on normal 2ch but if the hardware DSP is set to virtual surround it doesn't just work on surround signals. It adds reverb to any signal to simulate an out of the head sound even on 2ch audio.

 

[Teapott]

I'm saying check not just the game but the motherboard's audio suite. Even if your games are on normal 2ch but if the hardware DSP is set to virtual surround it doesn't just work on surround signals. It adds reverb to any signal to simulate an out of the head sound even on 2ch audio.

I follow, the thing is I've been in and out of every setting I can find on a computer and I have no idea where a "motherboard audio suite" is. Googling that only comes up with drivers, and I've already tried many drivers and have RealTek's software installed with all it's enhancements off. Can you please explain where I find that? There's no such thing as distinct DSP settings in a control panel to my knowledge and the RealTek software was the only other thing offered audio wise on my motherboards support page.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I follow, the thing is I've been in and out of every setting I can find on a computer and I have no idea where a "motherboard audio suite" is. Googling that only comes up with drivers, and I've already tried many drivers and have RealTek's software installed with all it's enhancements off. Can you please explain where I find that? There's no such thing as distinct DSP settings in a control panel to my knowledge and the RealTek software was the only other thing offered audio wise on my motherboards support page.

The DSP audio suite is the control panel that allows the user to access and tweak the DSP settings on soundcards and on-board audio. Like this one on SB partner motherboards.

Or this one for my Asus Xonar soundcard.

 

[Dulalala]

I think I'm about to buy the Modi and Magni, I can't find any specs on it if it includes any cables, will I need to buy my own RCA and USB connections?

C̶o̶m̶e̶s̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶w̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶w̶a̶r̶t̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶'̶s̶ ̶a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶i̶t̶.̶ ̶Y̶o̶u̶'̶l̶l̶ ̶n̶e̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶u̶y̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶o̶w̶n̶ ̶U̶S̶B̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶R̶C̶A̶ ̶c̶a̶b̶l̶e̶s̶.̶

Edit: was on the wrong page whoops

 

[Teapott]

The DSP audio suite is the control panel that allows the user to access and tweak the DSP settings on soundcards and on-board audio. Like this one on SB partner motherboards.

Progress! So I called the techs again last night and asked about that, he actually didn't really know about the DSP per se, but my mobo has RealTek drivers not sound blaster and I'm pretty sure that realteks audio manager is the equivalent of what you just showed me. All of it's settings reflected what I already have access to via control panel and offered nothing different to change, it too was set in 2channel with no enhancements or environments active. My tech just flat out told me that realtek is garbage and he always replaces them (notice a trend here?) and to uninstall it and use the windows generic drivers instead. GUESS WHAT, IT GOT RID OF THE CHEAP UNDERWATER MUFFLE! The war is not over though, I need to figure out what the drivers were still doing to mess my computer up that badly and once my modi/magni arrive I'm going to do some comparisons with each drivers (and to see if I can even justify keeping them at this point).

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I have used them all off my new computer which has a Z370 AORUS Gaming 7 mobo, and this is listed as using the following "121dB SNR AMP-UP Audio with RealTek ALC1220 & High-End ESS SABRE 9018 DAC with WIMA audio capacitors" and advertised as providing "a pure yet powerful sound".

Progress! So I called the techs again last night and asked about that, he actually didn't really know about the DSP per se, but my mobo has RealTek drivers not sound blaster and I'm pretty sure that realteks audio manager is the equivalent of what you just showed me. All of it's settings reflected what I already have access to via control panel and offered nothing different to change, it too was set in 2channel with no enhancements or environments active. My tech just flat out told me that realtek is garbage and he always replaces them (notice a trend here?) and to uninstall it and use the windows generic drivers instead. GUESS WHAT, IT GOT RID OF THE CHEAP UNDERWATER MUFFLE! The war is not over though, I need to figure out what the drivers were still doing to mess my computer up that badly and once my modi/magni arrive I'm going to do some comparisons with each drivers (and to see if I can even justify keeping them at this point).

OK...first off, your motherboard still uses a SoundBlaster DSP. Second, removing the Realtek drivers totally might not be the solution as it just completely disabled the DSP altogether. Third, did you try to download the audio suite? Because I just went into your motherboard's product page and found that 1) it runs Sound Blaster DSP software and 2) it does have its own version of that suite. And I can't say for sure it will run even if you install it now without the Realtek drivers, so your first task should be to reinstall the Realtek drivers, check if it sounds problematic, then run the DSP suite and disable or reduce the severity of surround virtualization. Unless you totally have no need for it at all.

https://www.creative.com/oem/products/software/blasterx-720.asp

 

[PlantsmanTX]

On the page for the mobo it shows a "Smart Headphone AMP - Automatically detects impedance of your head-worn audio device, whether earbuds or high-end headphones to provide optimal audio dynamics—preventing issues such as low volume and distortion". I'm wondering if this device could be the cause of the very issues it's advertised to avoid.

According to the manual, the "Smart Headphone Amp" only works with the front headphone jack:

C. Enabling Smart Headphone Amp

The Smart Headphone Amp feature automatically detects impedance of your head-worn audio device, whether earbuds or high-end headphones to provide optimal audio dynamics. To enable this feature, connect your headworn audio device to the Line out jack on the front panel and then go to the HD Audio 2nd output page. Enable the Smart Headphone Amp feature. The Headphone Power list below allows you to manually set the level of headphone volume, preventing the volume from being too high or too low.

 

[Teapott]

OK...first off, your motherboard still uses a SoundBlaster DSP. Second, removing the Realtek drivers totally might not be the solution as it just completely disabled the DSP altogether. Third, did you try to download the audio suite? Because I just went into your motherboard's product page and found that 1) it runs Sound Blaster DSP software and 2) it does have its own version of that suite. And I can't say for sure it will run even if you install it now without the Realtek drivers, so your first task should be to reinstall the Realtek drivers, check if it sounds problematic, then run the DSP suite and disable or reduce the severity of surround virtualization. Unless you totally have no need for it at all.

Where you at, because I want to give you a pack of beer (or cookies, your preference). You solved it, and I'd say I feel dumb except I honestly had no idea about this stuff before. My mistake was that I was not aware that it would be required to use sound blasters software (and in assuming that the realtek suite that came with the drivers was a dsp), but I just also can't believe that the tech that helped me (and on my computer build) didn't know what a dsp was and couldn't help me with that and my comp issues, so I'd say you earned his pay instead. lol So thank you very much! You as well saved me the long return trip of having my computer opened back up for a search of poor shielding, bad wires, etc. I heckin appreciate it and I'm serious about the beer.

Now regardless of having sound blasters settings either off or modified I can hear a definite pleasurable increase of power in my headphones, and I would definitely agree that the original issue is that without the software, no matter what windows settings were in effect, it was still applying a medley of un-optimized effects.

Update: Something is still reducing my audio in EVERY video game. I actually was just watching a friend stream Battlefield, and the sound from the game even over the stream was amazing and could go far beyond comfortable listening level, but when I boot up the actual game or any other for myself, with the in game and windows volume cranked to 100% it sounds like its only reaching less than half its capable output. What the hay could be going on with this still? It has been like this from day one.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Now regardless of having sound blasters settings either off or modified I can hear a definite pleasurable increase of power in my headphones, and I would definitely agree that the original issue is that without the software, no matter what windows settings were in effect, it was still applying a medley of un-optimized effects.

Update: Something is still reducing my audio in EVERY video game. I actually was just watching a friend stream Battlefield, and the sound from the game even over the stream was amazing and could go far beyond comfortable listening level, but when I boot up the actual game or any other for myself, with the in game and windows volume cranked to 100% it sounds like its only reaching less than half its capable output. What the hay could be going on with this still? It has been like this from day one.

While there might be some kind of volume leveling or any other DSP effect involved in either case, what headphones were you using on your friend's rig? And is it exactly the same motherboard? Because if not then it can be a matter of the efficiency of the headphone used in the other rig or its output power/gain. Or a combination of hardware and DSP settings. Did he have virtual surround on? Because that will sound softer than normal 2ch audio.

Past that, check all the features there. I can't view it since that software won't work on my computers but try enabling/disabling other features.