Sound Blaster Z problems

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kzaske

Limp Gawd
Joined
May 12, 2010
Messages
211

I have a huge problem with my recently purchassed Sound Blaster Z. The sound is so bad that it reminds me of my great grandfather's old 1946 GMC pick-up with a blown speaker. There is no bass at all, unless I am watching a video on YouTube or anything else that uses flash.
Here is an idea of what has happened so far:
When first installed, it worked great until I tried to game. Then the sound became choppy and the video frame rate dropped to a slide show. I had used the secondary port x16 PCI-E Buss. So I moved from my secondary x16 Buss (my video card in the primary slot) to my primary x4 slot (there was nothing in the secondary slot at that time). Please note that according to the documentation it should have worked fine in the secondary x16 slot.
Then I got a huge nasty buzzing sound that almost knocked out any other sound the card attempted to make. The RFI shield is on the wrong side of the card to stop the interference from the proximity of the video card, also the driver did not automatically reset itself to the new slot, it had to be manually set to the second Sound Blaster Z.
I uninstalled the driver, used DriverCleaner.net, shut down the computer and removed the sound card, wiped everything creative from the computer and started over.
Dozens of installs and a long set of e-mails with support later the only time I get acceptable sound is when I am watching something off of the web that uses Flash (like YouTube). Creative Support says they can not reproduce the issue. Everything I play on my computer sounds tiny. The sub-woofer simply does not cut in like it should.
I am seriously thinking of formatting and reinstalling windows, but I really don’t want to do that nor should I have too. I am considering asking for a refund...

Can anyone help?
 
Do you have anything else you can test the speakers with? Maybe the crossover or some of the cables are screwy?

Not saying it's that but it's good to eliminate other possibilities, also to not use that font ever again. :eek:
 
DeathPrincess said:
Do you have anything else you can test the speakers with? Maybe the crossover or some of the cables are screwy?

Not saying it's that but it's good to eliminate other possibilities, also to not use that font ever again. :eek:
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The speakers I am using are analog. The specific model is Altec Lansing VS3251. I have used them since 2006 and this is the worse problem I have every had with them. They worked fine with my X-Fi Xtreme Gamer as well as the on board sound chip so I know the problem is not them. Moving the sound card to my wife's computer with her cheap $20 speakers, the results were astounding they sounded much better when watching YouTube! Then the system crashed and she suffered the same fate; no bass. It was hard to notice because her speakers do not have a sub it both she and I could tell.
 
Either you have a bad Sound Blaster card or your problem is stemming from somewhere else. It is a great sounding sound card, i own it. If you know for a fact that your speakers and cables are good, try exchanging the card.
 
Same issues. two systems? Exchange the sound card. There is something wrong with it.
 
It was noted that the issue I described along with several others seem to be limited to the AMD 890/990 chipsets. I honestly think it's a driver conflict of some kind.
@Spaceman - both systems use the same motherboard, proc... The only difference is that her system uses a GTX460 1GB while mine uses a 6950 2GB.
 
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Well make certain that your onboard audio is disabled in bios. Also, uninstall any realtek audio drivers. That can cause issues.
 
I've been having the buzzing issue (after a couple hours of game play/Mumble voice chat) on a Z77 based motherboard (Gigabyte UP5 TH) - Creative accepted my RMA for my card but I'm annoyed at having to wait weeks to get my sound card back, so I'm hoping there is some other way to fix this though I'm increasingly thinking it is just a defective card.
 
I had hoped that someone would have actually had an idea not already covered. As for the Realtek on-board audio, I have never allowed it to be enabled on my system. Right now however my wifes Realtek sounds better than my SoundBlaster.
 
kzaske said:
I had hoped that someone would have actually had an idea not already covered. As for the Realtek on-board audio, I have never allowed it to be enabled on my system. Right now however my wifes Realtek sounds better than my SoundBlaster.
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And you find this surprising. jk
Sounds like a defective card return it.
 
Snufykat said:
And you find this surprising. jk
Sounds like a defective card return it.
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Alas, the card works perfectly when playing a youtube video but not when playing an audio file. Even audio files (be it an MP3 or WMA) that use to play perfectly. I had hoped it would just a speaker configuration setting or something like that. If I set windows to use my speakers as 2.1 everything works great but in 5.1 mode it just does not happen and everyone is pointing fingers at everyone else. Creative support were thier usual helpfullness, they did not even offer an exchange.
 
Get a Recon Soundblaster fatality card =) I love mine I just switched back to a ASUS cause I was thinking of a upgrade. Soundblaster card sound alot more fuller but it was a cheap ASUS DG I was comparing it too.
 
Comixbooks said:
Get a Recon Soundblaster fatality card =) I love mine I just switched back to a ASUS cause I was thinking of a upgrade. Soundblaster card sound alot more fuller but it was a cheap ASUS DG I was comparing it too.
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Recond 3D and Z use the same chip and driver package.
 
I wanted to read your posts, but I don't read crayon (sorry). Can you exchange the card with a retailer, or will you need to RMA it?
 
IdiotInCharge said:
I wanted to read your posts, but I don't read crayon (sorry). Can you exchange the card with a retailer, or will you need to RMA it?
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Sorry, it is easer for me to read than white text as white text appears as a blur to my damaged diabetic eyes. Alas there is nothing wrong with the hardware itself so an RMA with Newegg is not possible/feasable. I think something happened to the registery entries for this card when the computer first crashed.
 
kzaske said:
Sorry, it is easer for me to read than white text as white text appears as a blur to my damaged diabetic eyes. Alas there is nothing wrong with the hardware itself so an RMA with Newegg is not possible/feasable. I think something happened to the registery entries for this card when the computer first crashed.
Click to expand...

Don't apologize. I would explain that in my first post though.

At this juncture, an rma or return is your only option. That card is defective or damaged somehow.
 
kzaske said:
Sorry, it is easer for me to read than white text as white text appears as a blur to my damaged diabetic eyes. Alas there is nothing wrong with the hardware itself so an RMA with Newegg is not possible/feasable. I think something happened to the registery entries for this card when the computer first crashed.
Click to expand...

Trying switching to the mobile color scheme, then you get black text on white. The drop down for it is on the bottom left of the forum.
 
kzaske said:
Sorry, it is easer for me to read than white text as white text appears as a blur to my damaged diabetic eyes. Alas there is nothing wrong with the hardware itself so an RMA with Newegg is not possible/feasable. I think something happened to the registery entries for this card when the computer first crashed.
Click to expand...

You said you tried the card in two computers. So it can't be a problem with the registry entries.
 
reaper12 said:
You said you tried the card in two computers. So it can't be a problem with the registry entries.
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It worked perfectly until her system crashed, just as it had done in my system. The only difference between her system and mine is that she is useing a GTX 460 1GB to my HD6950 2GB.
 
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