MD1032
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2003
- Posts
- 5,977
- Likes
- 20
Many thanks to Xantus, who sent me this card out of sheer generosity. Things seem to be working fine, I just put the card in alongside my Santa Cruz and Windows doesn't seem to have a problem having two soundcards. Anyway, I'm using the guide here, but am stumped:
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=75655
For some reason foobar will NOT let me use Kernel Streaming. It says error can't find device blah blah. Here's how I have it set up:
Physically, I have my headphone amp plugged into the green "line out" jack in the back of the card. I don't know whether this is the right jack, the 7/8 one, but that's where I've got it plugged in. Also, as per This Review's instuctions, I have moved the little JP jumpers (both of them) over one notch.
I tried using "Digital Output" in the control console like he says in his guide, but neither that nor the "high quality output" works at all. [EDIT] No wonder it wasn't working, it only applies to the SPDIF output jack.
In foobar, I have disabled dithering as per the guide's picture. Also, I'm using 24-bit padded to 32-bit.
So far DirectSound, Directsound 2, and waveOUT work, but Kernel Streaming does not. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but I do know I want to use Kernel Streaming as I did before.
Also, there seems to be way too much gain at the moment. I used waveout and Directsound2 and my amp's potentiometer is near-zero. In fact, if I tapped it in either direction right now, it would be either off or blasting me.
PLEASE HELP!
edit: Oh yeah, and BTW, the sound is heavenly compared to my Santa Cruz even as it is.
edit2: A piece of the puzzle! The Santa Cruz's kernel streaming output no longer works either. I'm thinking kernel streaming doesn't work with these two soundcards installed. I guess I might as well uninstall it, but how can I hook up my headphones to the high quality 7/8 jack (whatever one it is, might not be the green one I have it in right now) and then hook up my Promedia 4.1's to two other jacks and alternate between the two setups? I was able to do this on the Santa Cruz, but will I need to keep it just to run my speakers?
edit3: Well, I figured it out (snoping around here helped). In order to use digital out you have to actually put it in the 7/8 jack, which I finally figured out is the last one (darn it...that makes WAY too much sense
). Anyway, Kernel Streaming now miraculously works and the world is happy, including me. I'm loving the sound on this thing (more later). I uninstalled and removed the TBSC, my dad wants it to upgrade from his oh-so-crappy SBLive5.1. So there we are.
Sound:
The soundstage is incredible. For once, things are here...no wait, it's over there, and that's over THERE, and that? That's right HERE! This is definitely the most striking upgrade from the Santa Cruz. For the first time, when I listened to "The Last Waltz" soundtrack, I heard an echo in the voice, like they were in some huge hall like they were in the film. Quite a difference.
The bass is a tad more present (I've always felt the Santa Cruz was lacking in this area), and much cleaned up. Bass guitars are what I listen to most, and they finally sound like they should.
Highs and mids rock. Details are much more present, but surprisingly, Grato is a bit lessened, if anything.
Overall, the sound is just incredible in comparison to the Santa Cruz. The Santa Cruz sounds kind of muffled, like a small piece of fuzz instead of a large...non-fuzzy piece of... something. The sound just has this incredible impact and realism the Santa Cruz never kept my foot tapping with.
I love it.
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=75655
For some reason foobar will NOT let me use Kernel Streaming. It says error can't find device blah blah. Here's how I have it set up:
Physically, I have my headphone amp plugged into the green "line out" jack in the back of the card. I don't know whether this is the right jack, the 7/8 one, but that's where I've got it plugged in. Also, as per This Review's instuctions, I have moved the little JP jumpers (both of them) over one notch.
I tried using "Digital Output" in the control console like he says in his guide, but neither that nor the "high quality output" works at all. [EDIT] No wonder it wasn't working, it only applies to the SPDIF output jack.
In foobar, I have disabled dithering as per the guide's picture. Also, I'm using 24-bit padded to 32-bit.
So far DirectSound, Directsound 2, and waveOUT work, but Kernel Streaming does not. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but I do know I want to use Kernel Streaming as I did before.
Also, there seems to be way too much gain at the moment. I used waveout and Directsound2 and my amp's potentiometer is near-zero. In fact, if I tapped it in either direction right now, it would be either off or blasting me.
PLEASE HELP!
edit: Oh yeah, and BTW, the sound is heavenly compared to my Santa Cruz even as it is.
edit2: A piece of the puzzle! The Santa Cruz's kernel streaming output no longer works either. I'm thinking kernel streaming doesn't work with these two soundcards installed. I guess I might as well uninstall it, but how can I hook up my headphones to the high quality 7/8 jack (whatever one it is, might not be the green one I have it in right now) and then hook up my Promedia 4.1's to two other jacks and alternate between the two setups? I was able to do this on the Santa Cruz, but will I need to keep it just to run my speakers?
edit3: Well, I figured it out (snoping around here helped). In order to use digital out you have to actually put it in the 7/8 jack, which I finally figured out is the last one (darn it...that makes WAY too much sense
Sound:
The soundstage is incredible. For once, things are here...no wait, it's over there, and that's over THERE, and that? That's right HERE! This is definitely the most striking upgrade from the Santa Cruz. For the first time, when I listened to "The Last Waltz" soundtrack, I heard an echo in the voice, like they were in some huge hall like they were in the film. Quite a difference.
The bass is a tad more present (I've always felt the Santa Cruz was lacking in this area), and much cleaned up. Bass guitars are what I listen to most, and they finally sound like they should.
Highs and mids rock. Details are much more present, but surprisingly, Grato is a bit lessened, if anything.
Overall, the sound is just incredible in comparison to the Santa Cruz. The Santa Cruz sounds kind of muffled, like a small piece of fuzz instead of a large...non-fuzzy piece of... something. The sound just has this incredible impact and realism the Santa Cruz never kept my foot tapping with.
I love it.
