[BlackstoneJD]

My setup is a soundblaster x-fi xtreme music card into a dedicated headphone amplifier and then into Sennheiser 600 series headphones.

I am wondering what settings will produce the best results in Team Fortress2 and other first person games? Positional audio is important but so is fidelity.

Should I set the speakers in the control panel to 2.1 speakers, surround speakers, or headphones?

Should I enable CMSS-3D?

I have my own opinions about these settings but I would like to hear what you use and why?

 

[s4nder]

2.1 speaker mode, no CMSS-3D works best for me. As little processing as possible, just like with music.

 

[carmatic]

i think, but im not sure, that this should be posted in this forum Computer Audio (Computers-as-Source Components) - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio ...

anyway, the de facto mode in the x-fi for games using hardware accelerated sound is gaming mode, the performance increase really outweigh any sound quality advantages... but if your game only supports software audio, then isnt it abit like watching a movie as far as the sound is concerned? i'd think that 'entertainment' is more suitable in that case, like you can set the stereo widening effects etc

::edit:: aahh didnt finish reading your post... yeah, the headphone mode cmss effect is really down to your personal preference, unless you are used to having some sounds come only from one ear, you should turn it on, it adapts the sound to how we actually hear i.e. if there is a noise coming from your right you will still hear it in your left ear... personally if i turn cmss off in a game i get motion sickness... 2.1 speaker cmss makes it even worse because it seperates the left from the right even more

 

[ourfpshero]

as a fellow gamer:

cmss3d on, headphone mode- this is for the specifically for headphones 3d hrtf algorithms.
however- tf2 and all source games do not support hardware acclerated sound. in the x-fi-same settings same as above- in game set the sound to 5.1 speakers- the x-fi translates this to 3d sound

 

[cooldude1015]

I've been thinking of this problem for a long time as well. I've tired setting 5.1 in game and enabling the CMSS-3D thing, assuming that it takes the 5.1 and translate it into positional audio for your headphones. To say the truth, however, I don't really think that's the case. My assumption is that CMSS-3D basically does what someone said above said. It takes the right channel and plays it in the left channel as well albeit a lot lower in volume so it better models actually hearing something on your right. (Your right ear hears it first in real life and your left ear hears it afterwards and at a lower intensity. then your brain translates the difference in timing into how far to the right and whether it's in front or in back of you).

In my opinion, I would suggest just using headphone settings and turning off CMSS-3D for unadulterated sound. I've used CMSS-3D with both in-game set to headphone and 5.1 and I've found trouble with telling position the most with 5.1. I think the reason is that CMSS-3D for headphones only works with the left and right channel. So when you set the game to 5.1 you get the audio without cues as to whether it is in front of you and in back of you because the game assumes your have speakers in front and in back of you. Thus you can only tell if they are to the left of you or the right.

Another reason why I think you just shouldn't use CMSS-3D is because a lot of games already have those audio cues to tell your ear whether someone is in back of you or in front of you. Moreover, if you happen to find yourself playing on a computer without CMSS-3D it'll probably feel really weird.

As a result of all of this, I suggest use "Game Mode" with everything turned off (CMSS-3D, Crystalizer, EQ, etc.) but EAX turned on (for games that have EAX effects.)

If anyone really knows how CMSS-3D works please chime in.

 

[cooldude1015]

I've found some good references.

This is a continuation of the debate
X-Fi CMSS-3D Headphone - Guru3D.com Forums

"If you only have two speakers or headphones connected,but you have a 5.1 configuration selected in this menu, then guess what's going to happen? Audio meant for the centre or rear speakers will be lost. When you select headphones or 2/2.1 speaker mode, the sound card will do a great job of 3D positioning for your sound system."

Here is an official source of how to "set-up" your settings (for Battlefield 2142)
Sound Blaster Gaming: Battlefield 2142™ Audio Gaming Guide

Another official source (click on CMSS-3D)
Sound Blaster Technology
"Simply select X-Fi CMSS-3D and set your speaker settings to headphones"

Anyways, I'm glad I found this stuff because I think it settles the debate in my mind. I think you should do whatever you what feels best to you because sound is personal.

I would also suggest testing the two different settings. I think it would be interesting to know how people feel. In the thread that I posted, despite hearing the official explaination people still think 5.1 is the better setting. Maybe that's the case, I don't know. I just assume Creative Tech know what they're supposed to say without actually knowing how the CMSS-3D algorithm works. Maybe the algorithm accounts for converting 5.1 sound into stereo sound. Who knows?

 

[ourfpshero]

setting the sound to 5.1 in game and headphones in the x-fi control panel is ONLY for Source engine games. otherwise u would get screwy sound

for games that support the x-fi- which is almost all shooters- the sound positioning is Drastically_improved w/cmss3d on. some games- like bf2142 and unreal tournament3- sound like hell w/o an x-fi. the x-fi positions sound above, below, behind, and in front of u.
as a competitive clanner this sound card helps much in locating enemies.
for games its essential audio-wise. my feelings anyway- i've been a fan of 3d audio since the Aureal vortex cards

p.s. cmss3d only works well in 3d audio supported games (and maybe movies) for music and non-3d audio games it is terrible

 

[MaZa]

Quote:

ONLY for Source engine games

...or any other game that does sound calculations on its own and not use DirectSound/DirectSound3d/OpenAL. Doesnt unpatched Doom 3 fall to this category too? IIRC it did sound calculations itself, and therefore need to fool to use surround sound that CMSS3D then downmixes to good surround sound. It was later patched to use OpenAL for hardware surround and EAX support. There may be other games too. Oblivion? I have tried to search but not found how it handles sound, on its own or by hardware?

 

[liamlw]

2.1
Bit Matched playback
audio creation.

seriously, this works best for HL and HL2 based games (source, cs1.6 - games that have their own sound) etc for me. I still get that '3d' surround sound.

game mode gives you muddy bass.

 

[carmatic]

cool, i never knew about setting the speaker mode to 5.1 in non-openal games to get cmss surround... ive gotta try that!

::edit:: nope, no beef... changing the speaker setting in-game is the same as changing the speaker setting in windows or the creative audio console
i wish it actually did downmix surround sound to virtual surround headphones tho, that would have helped in sooo many non-hardware audio games...

 

[BlackstoneJD]

It seems to me that in TF2, the more pure the signal is, the more cues I am get as to the position of things like sentry guns, ect.

In BF2, the CMSS3D headphone mode made a drastic improvement in positional audio, but that does not seem to be the case in TF2.

 

[KarateKid]

audio creation mode gives me the big positional sound afaik. Game mode sounds tinier and cmss3d while sounds cool isn't the best in positonal audio for games. audio creation is really accurate.

 

[skudmunky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by s4nder /img/forum/go_quote.gif 2.1 speaker mode, no CMSS-3D works best for me. As little processing as possible, just like with music.

agreed

for games, game mode, 2.1 speakers, no CMSS-3D, no EAX, no crystalizer.

for music, audio creation mode, bitmatched playback. I have mine set to 5.1 because i switch between headphones and 5.1 speakers for when I want tp lay my 5.1 audio mixes

 

[ourfpshero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by skudmunky /img/forum/go_quote.gif agreed for games, game mode, 2.1 speakers, no CMSS-3D, no EAX, no crystalizer. for music, audio creation mode, bitmatched playback. I have mine set to 5.1 because i switch between headphones and 5.1 speakers for when I want tp lay my 5.1 audio mixes

then why buy an x-fi? its made for those features- otherwise get a music oriented card

 

[j0shimi]

skudmunky, if your not using any gaming features why not run it in Audio Creation with Bit-Matched playback? Your gaining nothing by running in game mode without EAX or CMSS-3D.

When gaming I use Game Mode with EAX and CMSS-3D in headphone mode. CMSS-3D has much better positioning in Headphone mode as opposed to 2.1, I really like the improved soundstage even if it does muddy the sound a touch.