Wow, What a difference - Auzentech new drivers

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Zetherin

Gawd
Joined
Jan 21, 2008
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765
So, after having the rig in my sig for a month, I really thought I was taking advantage of my Prelude (the best that I could with my Logi5500's, that is). However, after installing the recently released drivers from Auzentech - WOW.

After enabling the Dolby Digital Live encoder within the new software, the difference in sound quality is just unbelievable. And, after my recent download of my favorite album, Tool - 10,000 Days in 5.1 DTS, I've been orgasming ever since.

No questions here, just wanted to relay my observations and praise.
 
which drivers did you install? auzentech is supposed to release new drivers today, but it doesn't look like it's available yet.
 
kumquatsrus said:
which drivers did you install? auzentech is supposed to release new drivers today, but it doesn't look like it's available yet.
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The one's that were updated on 07/16, version 6.0.1.1281.

I had since then been using really old drivers, without access to DDL.
 
I wonder if someone will hack them to work on the regular X-Fi boards...

...although Creative is supposed to enable DDL on their X-Fi boards sometime in August, or so I hear...
 
You can thank Creative for the delay, those are the rat bastards who still can't produce a *fully functional* driver....imagine that.
 
Blue Falcon said:
I wonder if someone will hack them to work on the regular X-Fi boards...

...although Creative is supposed to enable DDL on their X-Fi boards sometime in August, or so I hear...
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Lets hope not, I'd hate to have even more hoops to jump through to get my Prelude drivers because Creative customers are trying to get something they didn't pay for.
 
Hopefully, the lack of hardware acceleration in vista will hurt creative terribly. I can only hope. Bastards need to go away forever.
 
CrimsonKnight13 said:
Try going with DTS Digital. It sounds even better on that speaker system. :D

Edit: Major BS!!!
I'm not installing this version at all...
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DTS, huh?

Hm, you have me curious now. I see that they have the experimental DTS drivers. I suppose I'll try them and report back.

I wonder how much better this DTS is compared to DDL...
 
Hmmm I hope they update the X-Meridian drivers. FlexBass refuses to work for me unless I use the drivers from last year ...
 
CrimsonKnight13 said:
Try going with DTS Digital. It sounds even better on that speaker system. :D

Edit: Major BS!!!
I'm not installing this version at all...
Click to expand...

are you talkin about the driver that came out yesterday? i installed it and it gives me the option to use dts interactive.
 
Zetherin said:
No it doesn't.

I've installed it and it only allows DDL.

It even states it in the driver notes.
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lol, well i guess i must be some weird exception cause it let's me select dts interactive in the auzentech control panel.

i can post a screenshot of the driver version and the panel if you think i'm bs-ing.
 
kumquatsrus said:
lol, well i guess i must be some weird exception cause it let's me select dts interactive in the auzentech control panel.

i can post a screenshot of the driver version and the panel if you think i'm bs-ing.
Click to expand...

Interesting.

EDIT: I realize now what you did:

Before installing this new driver you didn't uninstall the DTS Connect Pack (which you obtain from the experimental driver; it's in your uninstall programs list). Therefore, even after you installed this new driver without the DTS Pack, you still had DTS. I think I may try this as there are problems using microphones with the experimental driver (and I use my mic often for gaming).

I'll report back after I try this.
 
Zetherin said:
Interesting.

EDIT: I realize now what you did:

Before installing this new driver you didn't uninstall the DTS Connect Pack (which you obtain from the experimental driver; it's in your uninstall programs list). Therefore, even after you installed this new driver without the DTS Pack, you still had DTS. I think I may try this as there are problems using microphones with the experimental driver (and I use my mic often for gaming).

I'll report back after I try this.
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lol, i believe you are correct. i must have combined them into a super-mutated driver! hope my pc doesn't explode now.
 
If the "combined" drivers work... I'll install the new ones. Test it out & let us know if you would kindly... ;-) *waits for lulz to ensue over paraphrase*
 
wait. no one commented on this yet, which is hard to believe!

If you are connecting through optical, it means you are using the DACs built into the Z5500, I'm going to venture a guess and say that the DAC built into the sound card is MUCH better(just guessing here!) so forget DDL / DTSI plug it in through analog and prepare to have your socks blown off.
 
Um... how about not? I prefer DTS over optical any day over analog. I hear a considerable difference in fidelity while going digital.
 
CrimsonKnight13 said:
Um... how about not? I prefer DTS over optical any day over analog. I hear a considerable difference in fidelity while going digital.
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how is that even possible? the Soundcard has much better DACs then the Z5500, which would suggest that you're nuts. the only thing DTS and DDL are going to add is 5.1 encoding over digital for sources that are 5.1 and not DD or DTS.
 
Digital Viper-X- you are correct.
I tried analogue and digital with my old amp, a decent Sony AV amp and analogue was way better.
I now have the Onkyo 875 AV amp with similar quality Burr Brown DACs as the Prelude and am hard pressed to tell the difference.

Digital sounds louder on both amps which does create an immediate good impression.
After normalising both analogue and digital sound levels, it is no contest, analogue wins out unless you have a very good amp.
 
Better DACs or not, I still prefer DTS over analog.

Let's not make this another Analog vs. Digital fight...
 
CrimsonKnight13 said:
Better DACs or not, I still prefer DTS over analog.

Let's not make this another Analog vs. Digital fight...
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it's not a fight, it's a matter of fact, if you were using a good receiver with good DACs to receive the digital signal, that would be something different, but the DACs on the Prelude XFI are much, much, MUCH better then the Z5500. From what I know DTS does sound better then DD.

The DAC(Digital-Analog Converter) converts the digital sound into analog which the speakers can play, so when you pass a digital signal to the speakers, it converts it to analog.

DDL and DTS-i are not there to give you better Sound Quality from your speakers. they are meant to encode a non-dolby, non-dts 5.1 signal into a DTS or DD format, and pass it onto your reciever when will receive a full 5.1 signal now instead of a standard 2ch pcm signal.

Normally, optical / coax connections can carry a limited amount of bandwidth, so only 2.0/2.1 streams are passed along, unless they are compressed with Dolby Digital, or DTS in which case they can go as 5.1 via optical/coax.

Analog -> Z5500 therefore makes more sense, better sound quality , + you still get your 5.1 without having to re-encode and then decode a stream. which ALSO sets your the timing off a little bit.

I'm not trying to argue with you, just explaining the difference. There is no reason to prefer DTS to analog, your sound card / software can decode DTS and DD without any problem. and do a much better job then the speakers.
 
Anyone else know why the volume when using Digital is much louder then when using Analog?
Have to turn my Z-5500's up to like 10 bars of level to get the same volume I do from Digital a 3 bars.

As for DTS, sucks that Auzentech added that for Vista only. Never using that crap O.S. XP Pro 4 life!!!
 
Digital Viper-X- said:
it's not a fight, it's a matter of fact, if you were using a good receiver with good DACs to receive the analog signal, that would be something difference, but the DACs on the Prelude XFI are much, much, MUCH better then the Z5500. From what I know DTS does sound better then DD.

The DAC(Digital-Analog Converter) converts the digital sound into analog which the speakers can play, so when you pass a digital signal to the speakers, it converts it to analog.

DDL and DTS-i are not there to give you better Sound Quality from your speakers. they are meant to encode a non-dolby, non-dts 5.1 signal into a DTS or DD format, and pass it onto your reciever when will receive a full 5.1 signal now instead of a standard 2ch pcm signal.

Normally, optical / coax connections can carry a limited amount of bandwidth, so only 2.0/2.1 streams are passed along, unless they are compressed with Dolby Digital, or DTS in which case they can go as 5.1 via optical/coax.

Analog -> Z5500 therefore makes more sense, better sound quality , + you still get your 5.1 without having to re-encode and then decode a stream. which ALSO sets your the timing off a little bit.

I'm not trying to argue with you, just explaining the difference. There is no reason to prefer DTS to analog, your sound card / software can decode DTS and DD without any problem. and do a much better job then the speakers.
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Prior to trying optical with DTS, I used analog for a good three months through my Prelude (I have the 5500's). Perhaps it's all in my head, but it really seems like the sound quality is way better through optical.

However, I don't quite understand what you speak of concerning this conversion stuff. When I plug my analog cables into my Prelude from my 5500's, what conversion is taking place? You're saying it's D to A? How does D have anything to do with it?
 
Seraphic said:
Anyone else know why the volume when using Digital is much louder then when using Analog?
Have to turn my Z-5500's up to like 10 bars of level to get the same volume I do from Digital a 3 bars.

As for DTS, sucks that Auzentech added that for Vista only. Never using that crap O.S. XP Pro 4 life!!!
Click to expand...

The output from the DAC in your soundcard is processed by the soundcards internal pre-amplifier.
This is what sets the base volume level which is then further amplified + controlled with the Windows volume levels.
In both my amplifiers, their DACs pre-amplifier seems to have a higher output level than the equivalent circuit on the sound card.
Note: when using Digital out, the Windows main volume control is not used, it does nothing.

When you do a volume level comparison, set all the Windows volume levels on full (like wave etc).
Set the amps digital speaker gains back to 0dB otherwise your amp may be artificially raising the volume when using digital.
Only use your amplifier volume control to adjust the loudness.

Digital does cause me an issue as the sound processing of my new amp takes time and this is noticeable when gaming, especially with Guitar Hero.
I can configure Guitar Hero for sound lag but the delay is too long!
For gaming I cant use Digital, so its an Analogue win/win here :)
 
Well I installed the driver and I don't really see a big difference. I'm also using z5500.
 
Zetherin said:
Yes, through optical.
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Man, why would you use optical with a sound card that has such nice analog sound? When you use Optical, it's just passing on the digital data to the Z5500's DAC to convert the digital data to sound. The Prelude's DACs are waaayyyy better than the z5500'd reciever. So really, right now, your Prelude is doing about the same job as any other sound card with optical out. :(

EDIT: Whoops, didnt see Page 2 of this thread. A few other people have already made this point.
 
WhiteZero said:
Man, why would you use optical with a sound card that has such nice analog sound? When you use Optical, it's just passing on the digital data to the Z5500's DAC to convert the digital data to sound. The Prelude's DACs are waaayyyy better than the z5500'd reciever. So really, right now, your Prelude is doing about the same job as any other sound card with optical out. :(

EDIT: Whoops, didnt see Page 2 of this thread. A few other people have already made this point.
Click to expand...

Eh, the optical sounds better to me...

Maybe I don't have my analog completely configured or something :(
 
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