Auzentech X-Fi Prelude problem

[polonyc2]

anyone here own a Auzen X-Fi Prelude sound card?...I recently purchased the Auzen X-Fi Prelude sound card and am using it with the Creative Inspire P5800 5.1 speaker set. I don't get any sound at all from my rear speakers...I'm currently using the card in Audio Creation mode with Bit-Matched playback enabled at 96kHz. Even when using Game and Entertainment mode I still don't get any rear speaker sound...I don't get center speaker sound either unless I enable CMSS-3D when using Game or Entertainment modes

the manual did not come with clear instructions on how to connect my speakers to the sound card. I currently have the green plug going into
'Front', the black plug going into 'Center S.Woofer' and the orange plug going into 'Back Surround'...have I connected the sound card properly?...if so what do I have to do to enable rear channel sound?

 

[phide]

What multichannel sources are you trying to play? If you're trying to play stereo music or other stereo sources, expect stereo output only unless you enable some form of CMSS or use another upmixer. If you're playing multichannel DVDs or games, then make certain you have 5.1 speakers selected as your output format. In the Audio Creation panel, this is just above the signal monitor, which is just above the master volume 'knob' in the lower right.

You'll need to make sure all of your applications are set to output to 5.1 as well, whether they be software DVD players or games (though some games will just sync with the Windows control panel setting, like Half-Life 2). If you're using Vista, you may need to jump through additional hoops.

 

[jamiee]

Are you using an analog or digital connection?

If digital, than all you'll hear is 2ch PCM unless you're playing back a DD/DTS track.
If analog, then make sure the sound card software is setup correctly, and check online that their isn't some sort of a compatibility issue between those speakers and the Prelude.
(I recall their being some issues with the provided hookup cables that Creative adds in with some of their speaker sets)

Also try switching to and setting up Entertainment Mode.

 

[polonyc2]

I'm trying to play back some music files using Windows Media Player using analog speakers...when I played back any music files before with my X-Fi XtremeMusic sound card and these same speakers I was able to get all 5.1 channel playback...and this Prelude is based on the X-Fi processor so I assumed I would be able to get the same type of playback

I have everything set to 5.1 in my sound card properties

even when I enable CMSS 3-D I still don't get rear speaker sound...enabling CMSS makes my center speaker work but not my rear speakers...if I don't enable CMSS then all I get sound from are my front left and front right speakers (no center, rear)

 

[phide]

Okay. Switch to Entertainment Mode, click on the 'Speakers and Headphones' icon and click on 'Noise'. It'll play some noise in each channel. If the rears in the icon light up and you hear nothing, you might be looking at a bad connection. If you hear noise, then you might want to try playing back a discrete 5.1 track, whether that's a DVD, a WMA 5.1 file or a 5.1-supporting game.

 

[polonyc2]

Okay. Switch to Entertainment Mode, click on the 'Speakers and Headphones' icon and click on 'Noise'. It'll play some noise in each channel. If the rears in the icon light up and you hear nothing, you might be looking at a bad connection. If you hear noise, then you might want to try playing back a discrete 5.1 track, whether that's a DVD, a WMA 5.1 file or a 5.1-supporting game.

I wasn't hearing any sound at all from the rear speakers during the 'Noise' test...so I checked my connections and I had plugged in the rear speaker plug into the sound card jack labeled ''Back Surround'...apparently it needed to be plugged into the jack labeled 'Side Surround'...after doing that I am now able to get my rear speakers working during the speaker 'noise' test...that's a corny way of labeling the jacks...I thought 'rear surround' meant back speakers...buy they labeled it so that 'side surround' equals rear

but I still cannot hear any music through my rear speakers even when CMSS is enabled (only extra speaker in CMSS that works is my center channel)...so you're saying that this is normal and I will only be able to hear rear channel sound when a game or music is specifically 5.1 enabled?...do you happen to know of an audio sample online of a 5.1 audio track?

I also noticed no option for CMSS in 'Audio Creation' mode, is this normal?

 

[phide]

No CMSS in Audio Creation is normal. Audio Creation is designed for music/audio production, and CMSS would have no place there. Switch to Entertainment or Game.

A 5.1 test file is here or here.

 

[jamiee]

I wasn't hearing any sound at all from the rear speakers during the 'Noise' test...so I checked my connections and I had plugged in the rear speaker plug into the sound card jack labeled ''Back Surround'...apparently it needed to be plugged into the jack labeled 'Side Surround'...after doing that I am now able to get my rear speakers working during the speaker 'noise' test...that's a corny way of labeling the jacks...I thought 'rear surround' meant back speakers...buy they labeled it so that 'side surround' equals rear

but I still cannot hear any music through my rear speakers even when CMSS is enabled (only extra speaker in CMSS that works is my center channel)...so you're saying that this is normal and I will only be able to hear rear channel sound when a game or music is specifically 5.1 enabled?...do you happen to know of an audio sample online of a 5.1 audio track?

I also noticed no option for CMSS in 'Audio Creation' mode, is this normal?

Actually the jacks are labeled correctly for a 7.1 configuration. Though I can see how it might be a bit confusing if you are setting up a 5.1 system.

Anyway, glad you got it sorted out

 

[polonyc2]

I read that 'Audio Creation' Mode with Bit match playback enabled is the best mode to use for any audio source...it even works best for music/movie/games playback...but from my personal listening experience it only really sounds better when listening to music...for video/movies/games etc it is still better to change the Mode to 'Entertainment' or 'Games' based on the source

are there special settings/tweaks that must be enabled in order for Audio Creation Mode to be optimal for all types of playback?...or is it best to switch modes all the time based on the source?