Old Subwoofer/Audigy 1 and 2

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Rhys

Weaksauce
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Aug 3, 2004
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I have two computers. One with the Audigy Gamer and one with an Audigy 2. I have an old (ancient) computer subwoofer (JBL) that was designed for two speaker only setups to increase bass. The 1/8" line goes to the subwoofer then there's an out line to the speakers.

(I have two of the subwoofers and they both do the same thing).

I've plugged the subwoofer only line (splits on the line 3 out between subwoofer and center) from the Audigy Gamer (later the Audigy 2) into my old subwoofer. I have to crack the subwoofer volume to 100% in the mixer and the subwoofer to get anything out of it. I've toyed with bass redirection and the levels to no benefit.

QUESTION:
Is it possible that the old subwoofer is only taking part of the signal from the dedicated line on the new soundcard and only processing that rather than the full outputted signal? Does the output on the Audigy produce only a low signal or is it a full signal that the newer subs use? Did that make any sense? I can't quite explain it.
 
The old subwoofer sounds like it is designed to integrate with a stereo system, not surround. It likely has an integrated crossover that passes sound above a certain frequency on to the speakers, while the sub does the work of reproducing the lower frequencies. Don't mess around with bass redirection. That is a driver function that does that crossover stuff in the soundcard, and routes the sum of all the low freq sound out to a dedicated subwoofer channel. Your subwoofer does not have a dedicated subwoofer input.

You could feed it the dedicated LFE channel by plugging an mini-jack y-splitter into the sub/center (?) output and plugging one end of the splitter into the subwoofer.

Does this sound right? I'm kinda wingin' it here...
 
I am feeding it the dedicated LFE line using a y splitter that separates out the Center/Sub to different 1/8" connectors. However, I get more bass by passing the front speakers through the subwoofer and back to the fronts then directly connecting the sub to the y splitter.

So I'm guessing what you guessed. The sub woofer isn't designed for the dedicated LFE output from the split line 3 on the Audigy.

I'm doubting I can find just a single subwoofer out there that will work. I probably have to purchase an entire speaker system. :(

Thanks anyway.
 
Rhys said:
I am feeding it the dedicated LFE line using a y splitter that separates out the Center/Sub to different 1/8" connectors. However, I get more bass by passing the front speakers through the subwoofer and back to the fronts then directly connecting the sub to the y splitter.

So I'm guessing what you guessed. The sub woofer isn't designed for the dedicated LFE output from the split line 3 on the Audigy.

I'm doubting I can find just a single subwoofer out there that will work. I probably have to purchase an entire speaker system. :(

Thanks anyway.
Click to expand...

Bah!!!! All sound cards use some form of Bass management! Most folks I see here complainning don't even own an Audigy of any kind.

http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/m-audio-revolution71/

Scroll down about 1/3? You might want to be careful what 1/8" jacks you use. The Center Sub connecter needs to be a 4-Segment 3-pin cable made like the ones for Video Cameras.

Donnie
 
QUESTION:
Is it possible that the old subwoofer is only taking part of the signal from the dedicated line on the new soundcard and only processing that rather than the full outputted signal? Does the output on the Audigy produce only a low signal or is it a full signal that the newer subs use? Did that make any sense? I can't quite explain it.
Click to expand...

http://www.rpelectronics.com/Defaul...asp&Detail=/English/Content/Items/211-348.asp

Is the cable to get the Sub from the 3rd Jack. Bass management setting only need to be set to between 120 to 160, at 132, you still get bass from you Sats.

Donnie
 
I definitely have the right cable for it and the right splitter. If I hook up headphones to the subwoofer split on line 3, when testing individual speakers, I hear it through the headphones when the subwoofer comes up.

Yeap, just tested it again with speakers. If I hook up speakers to it, it only plays out the right speaker like it's supposed to.
 
Hmmmm. I pulled the splitter off completely and hooked up a set of speakers directly to line 3. I hear the center out of the left (like I'm supposed to) and the sub on the right (like I'm supposed to).

However, the static (test) sound is pretty much identical on both speakers. So my guess is that a full range is sent to a dedicate subwoofer. Mine will only pickup the bottom of that range and use it. Sigh. Don't have money for speakers. Guess I better save up.
 
Really really don't have the money now. 12 year old tv finally went out. Apparently saving up for that first. :rolleyes:
 
Rhys said:
I definitely have the right cable for it and the right splitter. If I hook up headphones to the subwoofer split on line 3, when testing individual speakers, I hear it through the headphones when the subwoofer comes up.

Yeap, just tested it again with speakers. If I hook up speakers to it, it only plays out the right speaker like it's supposed to.
Click to expand...

The link to that 3Pin 4 segment (3~4) cable shows Yellow for Video, Red and White for Left and Right. Yellow will go to the Sub, White to the Front and if you're using 6.1, Red to the Rear Center. You have to set the speakers to at least 5.1 for it to work and NO, nomal 2 pin 3 segment (2~3)Jack DON'T work, been there done that. The Common Ground are the base of a normal Jack, or Splitter does NOT work. Ask MisterX?
TO prove a point, while the system is on and you have you jack connected to the 3r plug,
keep the Volume down but enough to hear it well,
then slowly pull the jack out about 1/3 the way,
Sound will jump channels.

This 3rd connecter is proprietary for Creative and the rest use 4 connectors on their I/O panels instead of 3 like Creative.

The area for the common ground on one these 3~4 jack is half the sized of 2~3 ones that runs about half it's lenght. Get one of these, Connect the White to the Front Center, Yellow to the Sub and the then turn the Bass Management to between 115 and 160 then you're set.

Donnie
 
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