[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Yes, but like I said: "Also, even when I switch to PCM mode and turn on Dolby Headphones, there is no audible change whatsoever. And I know what it should sound like, because I used to use analog instead of digital before I got my NFB-12.1, but DH is definitely not doing anything when I select it."

In your windows playback setting, you have Xonar S/PDIF set as default output device, so I'm assuming windows is bypassing the Xonar audio processing and send the audio straight thru the Xonar's S/PDIF output.
In playback set default to "Speakers Xonar DX Audio Device".
Windows needs to know you want the audio sent to the Xonar sound card first, then let the Xonar sound card process the audio and let the Xonar DX send the audio out thru the Xonar's S/PDIF

 

[Aelius]

Quote:

In your windows playback setting, you have Xonar S/PDIF set as default output device, so I'm assuming windows is bypassing the Xonar audio processing and send the audio straight thru the Xonar's S/PDIF output.
In playback set default to "Speakers Xonar DX Audio Device".
Windows needs to know you want the audio sent to the Xonar sound card first, then let the Xonar sound card process the audio and let the Xonar DX send the audio out thru the Xonar's S/PDIF

 
Do I then switch the default device back to the Xonar S/PDIF once I'm done gaming, or leave the default device as "speakers" and simply turn Dolby Headphones on or off, depending on whether I'm gaming or not?
 
Also, do I always leave it on PCM and never on "Dolby Digital Live"?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

 
Do I then switch the default device back to the Xonar S/PDIF once I'm done gaming, or leave the default device as "speakers" and simply turn Dolby Headphones on or off, depending on whether I'm gaming or not?

In Windows Playback, the default device should be left on "Speakers Xonar DX Audio Device". no reason for you to switch to anything else (ever).
 
The only reason to set Windows playback to "S/PDIF Pass Thru Device" is if you want to bypass all Xonar audio processing and functions.
It turns the Xonar DX sound card into nothing but an Toslink optical output port.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

 
Do I then switch the default device back to the Xonar S/PDIF once I'm done gaming, or leave the default device as "speakers" and simply turn Dolby Headphones on or off, depending on whether I'm gaming or not?
 
Also, do I always leave it on PCM and never on "Dolby Digital Live"?

Dolby Digital Live is when Dolby encodes the audio stream, I guess it's compressed audio, up to six channels (audio 5.1).
and need another (Dolby?) device at the other end of the cable to decode/uncompress the audio.
S/PDIF can send this compressed (digital) audio with both optical and coaxial
 
PCM is just 2-channel audio, but it's can be sent with an optical (light wave) signal and coaxial (digital electric), Red/White RCA is 2-channel but in an analog (electricity) signal.
 
As headphone is a 2-channel signal, you use the PCM setting to send it out.
With PCM you do not need any special decoder at the other end, it usually just something that turn the lightwave into analog (electricity).
Hope this help some what.

 

[Brooko]

Thanks for helping him out guys.  Was definitely a different set-up to the way I use my X-Fi.

 

[bowei006]

I still am compltely lost on what I should be doing to get the best out of my games. 
 
I currently follow this setup:
 
Computer optical S/PDIF out-->Optical Toslink cable-->NFB 12.1 DAC fixed line out-->RCA cable-->O2 --->Q701
 
Here's my onboard sound codec
http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/audio/codecs/vt1708s/
 
has these

 
 
What can I do to get that beautiful sound in the video on Mad Lust Envy's thread?.....holy crap when they went from 1:08 to the rest... I knew I was missing out.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I still am compltely lost on what I should be doing to get the best out of my games. 
 
I currently follow this setup:
 
Computer optical S/PDIF out-->Optical Toslink cable-->NFB 12.1 DAC fixed line out-->RCA cable-->O2 --->Q701
 
Here's my onboard sound codec
http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/audio/codecs/vt1708s/
 
has these

 
 
What can I do to get that beautiful sound in the video on Mad Lust Envy's thread?.....holy crap when they went from 1:08 to the rest... I knew I was missing out.

What make and model motherboard are you using?
Does it have coaxial digital output?
Try updating to the latest version of your audio software.
Double check all audio setting, try 24/96, if not all ready.
 
Try an Asus Xonar DX sound card (used $55).
 
A USB/optical converter might improve sound, but limits surround sound.

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

What make and model motherboard are you using?
Does it have coaxial digital output?
Try updating to the latest version of your audio software.
Double check all audio setting, try 24/96, if not all ready.
 
Try an Asus Xonar DX sound card (used $55).
 
A USB/optical converter might improve sound, but limits surround sound.

ASUS M4A78T-E
Sadly no. It only has Optical out.
 
I am already at the latest. It goes up to 192KHz...but I use my DAC through S/PDIF out. I have no idea the uses of PC gaming with equipment so i'm here to see what I can salvage with my measley set.
 
Anyway, I'll start downloading all the utilities that my Audio codec*dolby) came with and see if I can send it along with the digital out stream...but as it's......"that" kind of dolby. I'm not sure if it will be good. Anyway, I'll try it tomorrow.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

ASUS M4A78T-E
Sadly no. It only has Optical out.
 
I am already at the latest. It goes up to 192KHz...but I use my DAC through S/PDIF out. I have no idea the uses of PC gaming with equipment so i'm here to see what I can salvage with my measley set.
 
Anyway, I'll start downloading all the utilities that my Audio codec*Dolby) came with and see if I can send it along with the digital out stream...but as it's......"that" kind of Dolby. I'm not sure if it will be good. Anyway, I'll try it tomorrow.

As the Dolby is software based, it's easier for Dolby to add fixes, updates and improvement.
Dolby latest audio processor the Dolby Pro logic IIz came out in 2009, so designed in 2008.
So your software Dolby could be up to 4 years "newer".
Asus has not update the software for your board in three years.
 
You always welcome to try an Asus Xonar DX (used $55) sound card, see if it makes any difference.

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

As the Dolby is software based, it's easier for Dolby to add fixes, updates and improvement.
Dolby latest audio processor the Dolby Pro logic IIz came out in 2009, so designed in 2008.
So your software Dolby could be up to 4 years "newer".
Asus has not update the software for your board in three years.
 
You always welcome to try an Asus Xonar DX (used $55) sound card, see if it makes any difference.

Hmm I just might but I will see if any of these free solutions will work better. I don't have much money to spend on audio...... I came into most of my gear through luck and perserverance 
 
I'll make this a weekend project to see if the DOLBy that my motherboard supports or allows is viable and if I can pass it to my Audio GD unit

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Hmm I just might but I will see if any of these free solutions will work better. I don't have much money to spend on audio...... I came into most of my gear through luck and perserverance 
 
I'll make this a weekend project to see if the Dolby that my motherboard supports or allows is viable and if I can pass it to my Audio GD unit

When your output digital thru the optical to the NFB 12, make sure S/PDIF output is set to PCM, not DDL (Dolby Digital live).
PCM is a simple two channel signal and I'm guessing the NFB 12 only knows how to deal with a simple 2-channel signal.

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

When your output digital thru the optical to the NFB 12, make sure S/PDIF output is set to PCM, not DDL (Dolby Digital live).
PCM is a simple two channel signal and I'm guessing the NFB 12 only knows how to deal with a simple 2-channel signal.

Will do and yeah exactly. Audio devices like such are just stereo.

 

[NamelessPFG]

This isn't directly related to PC gaming audio, but bear with me-you'll see the parallels.
 
Dolby Atmos
 
Unlike their earlier formats, Atmos is not quite a specific speaker configuration, though Atmos-enabled theaters have a LOT of speakers to utilize it (including overhead speakers for height, something long overdue in such systems). Instead, movies that use Atmos have the sounds positioned in 3D space, and the Atmos system will play back those sounds through the channels closest to those sound positions, downmixing to 7.1 or 5.1 if the full Atmos speaker array is not present.
 
...Wait a minute, this is basically the DirectSound3D and OpenAL way of doing things, and DS3D is over a decade old! What took them so long? It's amazing how ahead of the curve PC gaming tends to be.
 
I do hope that they also think about improving Dolby Headphone with the Atmos production system. Just imagine its HRTF applied to a true 3D positional audio source, and not downmixed 5.1/7.1...it may even surpass CMSS-3D Headphone (when fed with DS3D/OAL 3DPA data).

 

[Phos]

Quote:

When your output digital thru the optical to the NFB 12, make sure S/PDIF output is set to PCM, not DDL (Dolby Digital live).
PCM is a simple two channel signal and I'm guessing the NFB 12 only knows how to deal with a simple 2-channel signal.

If it's anything like the NFB-5, it'll just make a buzzing if you send it a DD signal.  
 
Edit: Dolby Atmos sounds like an ambisonic format, or that it includes one.  If it isn't, they should throw it out and just make an ambisonic format.  

 

[NamelessPFG]

I'll admit, I don't exactly know what "ambisonic" means, other than that Blue Ripple Sound makes heavy use of higher-order ambisonics for Rapture3D.
 
But if it's independent of fixed speaker channel locations, I'm all for it.