Can someone help me set up surround sound?

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Astralogic

Gawd
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Apr 24, 2012
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Hi, I have a Soundblaster Z and a pair of ATH-AD700X's.

I assume I need to be in either Dolby or DTS mode for the surround sound to kick in right?
 
Dolby Live or DTS Connect (if that's what you mean) doesn't need to be enabled for this.

Try this:
http://support.creative.com/kb/ShowArticle.aspx?sid=96663&AID=10274033&PID=3891137

Essentially, set Windows to 5.1 or 7.1 speakers, then enable CMSS-3D in the Creative software and tell the Creative software that you're using headphones.

Games determine what speaker mode they'll run in depending on how Windows is configured. What this does is tells the game to operate in 5.1 or 7.1 (probably only 5.1 since the Z doesn't do 7.1) mode and then Creative's software mixes it down for the headphones and does the proper positioning stuff.
 
djoye said:
Dolby Live or DTS Connect (if that's what you mean) doesn't need to be enabled for this.

Try this:
http://support.creative.com/kb/ShowArticle.aspx?sid=96663&AID=10274033&PID=3891137

Essentially, set Windows to 5.1 or 7.1 speakers, then enable CMSS-3D in the Creative software and tell the Creative software that you're using headphones.

Games determine what speaker mode they'll run in depending on how Windows is configured. What this does is tells the game to operate in 5.1 or 7.1 (probably only 5.1 since the Z doesn't do 7.1) mode and then Creative's software mixes it down for the headphones and does the proper positioning stuff.
Click to expand...

I've downloaded the Creative Console Launcher but it says it can't find any supported hardware on my computer and won't install :( And it's a necessary program. Any ideas how I can' get it installed?

If I knew the SBZ only did 5.1 I would gone for a more expensive version.
 
That article is both assuming you have an X-Fi (previous model) and also, more importantly, is for setting up a Creative headset (crappy). So ignore it. Just install the most recent Z drivers, and on the control panel, go look for a feature called "SBX". That is the successor to CMSS-3D and is their surround algorithm for video games. I don't have a Z, but if there is a channel selector in the control panel, set it to a 5.1 channels and speakers to headphones otherwise go set it up in Windows. Then in your games, select an output of 5.1/7.1 speakers.

Spaceman has a Z so check out his link and if that doesn't help he can probably provide you with more specific instructions.
 
Last edited:
Astralogic said:
I've downloaded the Creative Console Launcher but it says it can't find any supported hardware on my computer and won't install :( And it's a necessary program. Any ideas how I can' get it installed?

If I knew the SBZ only did 5.1 I would gone for a more expensive version.
Click to expand...
Sorry about the old article. Listen to the poster above.

Creative doesn't make 7.1 cards anymore. Probably doesn't matter much with headphones anyways. 7.1 is nice with actual speaker setups but 5.1 is probably plenty adequate for headphone surround sound virtualization.
 
Valaire said:
That article is both assuming you have an X-Fi (previous model) and also, more importantly, is for setting up a Creative headset (crappy). So ignore it. Just install the most recent Z drivers, and on the control panel, go look for a feature called "SBX". That is the successor to CMSS-3D and is their surround algorithm for video games. I don't have a Z, but if there is a channel selector in the control panel, set it to a 5.1 channels and speakers to headphones otherwise go set it up in Windows. Then in your games, select an output of 5.1/7.1 speakers.

Spaceman has a Z so check out his link and if that doesn't help he can probably provide you with more specific instructions.
Click to expand...


Sorry I didn't notice your post. I have everything set up as you describe, but in the SB CP if I set my output to 5.1 it sets it back to speakers (from headphones).

In windows sound properties I have it set to 5.1. It looks like all I can set my headphones to is stereo, will that work?
 
Again, I'm just guessing based on how past iterations worked because I don't have a Z on my computer, but try this:

Windows: 5.1
Creative CP: Headphones (or Stereo if there is no headphone selection); SBX On
Games: 5.1

YMMV with regard to how you like SBX in certain games. I always use Dolby Headhphone with my Xonar as it gives me much better positional audio, but some others, I believe Spaceman is one, don't use any virtual surround at all--I think he uses just stereo with his headphones.

Try both in each game and see what you like.
 
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