[DarkWolf]

Interesting info. I did a few more rounds with CMSS-3D and EAX disabled, and that really helps. Without all the cheesy reverb, I can hear what's going on. Compair to using no DSP, the sound sort of seems larger and more open, and I could maybe hear someone coming from farther sway. In a game like CS or Battlefield, and might give an advantage. On the other hand, it still sounds really bad. Everything is so shrill, it's just not pleasant.
 
After switching back to straight SPDIF again, I have decided that no DSP still has sharper positioning on my system, and is especially better for telling exactly how close something is and where they are when they are close. In ME3, that is much more important than hearing someones footsteps a little farther sway. In fact, it may even be that I do not hear anything farther away with DSP, but everything just sounds farther away.
 
I think at this point, I'm perfectly content to simply not use any of the X-Fi's "advanced features" for gaming. I will keep it in the back of my mind that I want to try out SBX at some point, but it isn't critical.
 
Oh, about the stereo mix to digital out.. I googled it, and it seems to be under advanced features for newer, Creative cards I do not have.

 

[Skipshrike]

This will sound silly. But, I have my Windows volume slider down to about 4% and it still is loud. I currently have a Creative Sound Blaster Z--which has an AMP built in--but the problem existed before I installed the sound card. Previously I used a USB headset. I've checked all the Windows settings I could think of. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[NamelessPFG]

Interesting info. I did a few more rounds with CMSS-3D and EAX disabled, and that really helps. Without all the cheesy reverb, I can hear what's going on. Compair to using no DSP, the sound sort of seems larger and more open, and I could maybe hear someone coming from farther sway. In a game like CS or Battlefield, and might give an advantage. On the other hand, it still sounds really bad. Everything is so shrill, it's just not pleasant.
 
After switching back to straight SPDIF again, I have decided that no DSP still has sharper positioning on my system, and is especially better for telling exactly how close something is and where they are when they are close. In ME3, that is much more important than hearing someones footsteps a little farther sway. In fact, it may even be that I do not hear anything farther away with DSP, but everything just sounds farther away.
 
I think at this point, I'm perfectly content to simply not use any of the X-Fi's "advanced features" for gaming. I will keep it in the back of my mind that I want to try out SBX at some point, but it isn't critical.
 
Oh, about the stereo mix to digital out.. I googled it, and it seems to be under advanced features for newer, Creative cards I do not have.

 
If I have to, I'll move my X-Fi Prelude out of my 98/XP retrogaming box and back into my Q6600 system just to look for the option myself. I very distinctly recall it being there.
 
Also, the usual advice on EAX is that you want it on, but at 0.0db volume on the slider so that EAX effects in games that use them are present and sound correct. It shouldn't have any effect outside of those titles, and if it pertains to room presets, it's the completely wrong sort of EAX and should be disabled. (The volume slider I speak of is only present in Game Mode, which as you would expect, is the mode you should be using for gaming.)
 
There is a possibility that the effect just doesn't work for you like it should, or that the sound quality impact is too much for you to stand. But I have to be sure you're setting it up properly first, because it's not straightforward at all to set up. There's a reason I linked this in the guide.
 

This will sound silly. But, I have my Windows volume slider down to about 4% and it still is loud. I currently have a Creative Sound Blaster Z--which has an AMP built in--but the problem existed before I installed the sound card. Previously I used a USB headset. I've checked all the Windows settings I could think of. Anyone have any ideas?

 
This has been a problem since the PCIe generation of X-Fi cards. Plugging a set of headphones directly into the card will outright deafen you unless you turn it down all the way to 5%. Even then, it's still kind of medium-volume, and 4% or less volume is equivalent to mute.

 

[DJINFERNO806]

^ I don't believe that's a common problem of the z series. And it seems he had it before the z as well.

What headset are you using skipshrike?

 

[Skipshrike]

^ I don't believe that's a common problem of the z series. And it seems he had it before the z as well.

What headset are you using skipshrike?

Philips Fidelio X1 and AKG K712 Pro.
 
The USB headset, used previously, was a Corsair Vengeance 1700. (USB driver has been uninstalled)
 
I can't remember if I had this problem before the 1700, or not. I have been able to mitigate it with an in-line volume control. However, it seems odd that I would have this volume problem with both the USB headset and the sound card. Even 4% seems super loud.

 

[DJINFERNO806]

Ya that more likely sounds like an OS issue to me. Seems the windows mixer is setting the global digital gain too high. Try uninstalling all sound drivers even onboard and disabling it in bios. Use driver sweeper in safe mode too. And I mean no audio a drivers at all, even remove your sound cards. Get to the point where booting up yields no sound whatsoever and no sound devices are found in device manager. Then install just the z and see what happens.

 

[Skipshrike]

Creative's driver will take a bit to download. *Fingers crossed*

 

[shrimants]

Hey man, Asus xonar drivers download fast but half the time they ask you to "plug in or turn on the audio device".....which is plugged into a pcie x1 slot......

So yeah. Audio drivers need some serious work. Honestly I just stick to HDMI and dont really need my audio card anymore except for optical + dts-connect anymore in some fringe cases.

 

[Skipshrike]

I followed Ripley's sage advice: "I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
 
Complete fresh install of entire system. The issue seems to have been resolved... I still have the volume at 6% because that's comfortable. However, it actually sounds like 6% volume. The windows noise, made when adjusting volume, can barely be heard if my opened-back headphones are off my head. That's a definite improvement!
 
Also, my OS is nice and trim now. Added bonus.
 
Update: I don't think anything changed. Next week I will test volume through the line-out and see how it compares to the headphone-out jack (the one with the amp).

 

[Valken]

...

 

[darkknight2193]

I just purchased my pair of K712s about two weeks ago.
I'm now in search of a proper way to power these babies!
As of today, I have just integrated sound from my computers motherboard. I would like to throw some more power to them to unveil what AKG has to offer.
What would be a good choice for me at ,~$100, ~$200,~$400, and ~$600? I mostly play pc game, but don't want to sacrifice audio quality when listening to music, occasionally mixing my own house mixes, and watching films.

 

[pox67]

I am now having a couple of issues with my set up.
 
I have Windows 8.
X-Fi Titanium (non-HD) stereo out --> 5" monitor speakers (volume knob @15%)
X-Fi Titanium (non-HD) optical  out --> Audioengine D1 DAC/AMP --> headphones.
 
For starters the speakers are loud at 6% windows volume and cut out at 4%. Doesn't give me much range to play with, any ideas?
 
I have installed Creative Alchemy to get EAX with an older game but even if I have the headphones set as default in Windows the sound still comes through the speakers, any ideas?
 
In the Windows sound source picker the Creative Optical out is displayed as SB Optical What U Hear and doesn't allow me so set the speaker setup. Thus I can't set it to 7.1 to properly set up CMSS-3D.
 
Any help greatly appreciated, I'll post in some screen shots later.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I just purchased my pair of K712s about two weeks ago.
I'm now in search of a proper way to power these babies!
As of today, I have just integrated sound from my computers motherboard. I would like to throw some more power to them to unveil what AKG has to offer.
What would be a good choice for me at ,~$100, ~$200,~$400, and ~$600? I mostly play pc game, but don't want to sacrifice audio quality when listening to music, occasionally mixing my own house mixes, and watching films.

Audio-GD NFB-15.32 DAC/Amp, $255+ shipping (my total was $298).
Dual WM8741 DAC chips and a headphone amplifier that easily drives my 600-Ohm headphones, the AKG K712 Pros are only 62-Ohms.
Comes with USB and S/PDIF (optical & coaxial) inputs, so it can be used with the on-board audio or an internal sound card.
Plus comes with a separate line-out for a (stereo) speaker amplifier hook up.
http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/NFB1532/NFB15.32EN.htm

 

[pox67]

  I am now having a couple of issues with my set up.
 
I have Windows 8.
X-Fi Titanium (non-HD) stereo out --> 5" monitor speakers (volume knob @15%)
X-Fi Titanium (non-HD) optical  out --> Audioengine D1 DAC/AMP --> headphones.
 
For starters the speakers are loud at 6% windows volume and cut out at 4%. Doesn't give me much range to play with, any ideas?
 
I have installed Creative Alchemy to get EAX with an older game but even if I have the headphones set as default in Windows the sound still comes through the speakers, any ideas?
 
In the Windows sound source picker the Creative Optical out is displayed as SB Optical What U Hear and doesn't allow me so set the speaker setup. Thus I can't set it to 7.1 to properly set up CMSS-3D.
 
Any help greatly appreciated, I'll post in some screen shots later.

 
Loud volume is sorted as I think I had Headphones picked as speaker type - this gives a boost to volume.
 
Below is are sound sources available: (I have disabled onboard realtek)

Notice that Configure is greyed out, that is where you normally choose 7.1 for the headphones.
 
After installing Alchemy and configuring a game when I have the Optical out selected (for headphones) this test will play through the speakers only. Very odd...

 
I am so confused!
 
Should Play Stereo Mix using Digital Output be ticked?

 

[NamelessPFG]

Loud volume is sorted as I think I had Headphones picked as speaker type - this gives a boost to volume.  
Below is are sound sources available: (I have disabled onboard realtek)

Notice that Configure is greyed out, that is where you normally choose 7.1 for the headphones.
 
After installing Alchemy and configuring a game when I have the Optical out selected (for headphones) this test will play through the speakers only. Very odd...

 
I am so confused!
 
Should Play Stereo Mix using Digital Output be ticked?

 
You've got it all wrong; not that I'm surprised, because Creative does make it VERY confusing!
 
-Set your default audio device to "Speakers". NEVER use any form of SPDIF Out as a default audio device. I've never had audio output from any audio device that way, unless it was a DVD movie with a Dolby Digital/DTS track bitstreamed through the S/PDIF port.
 
-You're set to "2/2.1 Speakers" in the X-Fi control panel, NOT "Headphones". You have to change that to get the proper CMSS-3D version and to keep Windows from setting your speaker output back to stereo instead of 5.1/7.1.
 
-"Play Stereo Mix using Digital Output" should be enabled if using the S/PDIF output. What this does is take the audio it's outputting over analog, through the "Speakers" playback device, and pipes it out over S/PDIF automatically without fuss, complete with CMSS-3D Headphone if enabled. I've tested it myself; analog and digital outputs with it enabled are pretty much identical.