X-Fi and external amp- No Bass

S

silentwolf

n00b
Joined
Dec 4, 2005
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Ok, I jsut went out today and bought a Yamaha home theater system, with a amplifier and 5.1 speakers. I get it home, and hook it up to my Sound blaster X-Fi sound card.

Now here is the problem. I am using the multi channel analog inputs to send the sound from the soundcard, to my amp. However, I cannot get any Bass out of the system. It refuses it use the subwoofer, instead making the speakers attempt to create the lows.

I know I have everything hooked up correctly, because the X-Fi speaker test correctly uses the subwoofer. I have not played any games yet, so I dont know if they will use the subwoofer, but my music applications are not using the subwoofer.

What am I doing wrong? I know its a problem related to the multichannel out, and possibly not all programs using the subwoofer channel, hence being my problem. So basically, I am asking how to get all my programs to access subwoofer channel, or getting my receiver/amp to use the subwoofer in the absence of information on the subwoofer channel.

Thanks for the help.
 
Most receivers have a small and large speaker setting that when it is set to small it sends the low frequencies to the sub, doing that will help. Also check the X-Fi drivers and see if there is an option to create an LFE channel(I'm not sure if it does as I don't have an X-Fi soundcard).
 
My Yammie has a OFF / SUB / BOTH setting on top of the Large/Small front speaker setting. If it doesn't have that, then the Small/Large settings should take care of the problem. Check your menu's, you'll find it. Good Luck
 
Your saying that the channel test sends bass to the sub channel but when you play music no bass comes from the sub right? If so, it just means you have to use bass redirection to send low frequency signals to the sub output.

There are two ways to do it:

-One, an option under the THX settings in the X-Fi control panel under bass management allows the settings, it affects sound globally (not just THX content).

-Two, use CMSS 3D (This has effects on overal sound quality and I don't really care for it myself).

I think the driver options should have been laid out a little more intuitively.
 
Try the following volume adjustments just for the heck of it, solved bass issues with my Audigy2 ZS.

Adjust the volumes in the Surround Mixer Program.

Front Left/Right/Center Volume- 62%
Rear Left/Right Volume- 64%
Subwoofer Volume- 100%

Also as others have stated make sure bass redirection is on and set to the proper frequency.
 
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