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X-Fi Game Settings

T

The18thLetter

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Dec 27, 2004
Messages
1,615
I asked this in the Games & Game Equipment forum, but it didn't get as much of a response as I had hoped. So, I'm asking these 2 questions to you audiophiles:

1. Do you use the Crystalizer with games? Do you suggest using it?

2. CMSS... should I use it with games?

I don't use either in Game Mode, because I'm wary that they'll fuck up my in-game sounds, particularly the CMSS-3D, because the game is already on Surround Sound... I found the CMSS to be kind of an artificial Surround Sound, or at least that's how it works in Entertainment mode (puts 2 speakers' output into all 5)...
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The game in question is BF2, but I also play AA regularly, in case it matters.

Any relative feedback is appreciated.

Thanks guys!
 
I just picked up an X-Fi Fatality and have no idea what I'm doing. I was running BF2 with ultrahigh/X-Fi sound enabled, and CMSS and Crystalizer enabled and thought it sounded great on my Klipsch 4.1 set-up.
 
Dr_John said:
I just picked up an X-Fi Fatality and have no idea what I'm doing. I was running BF2 with ultrahigh/X-Fi sound enabled, and CMSS and Crystalizer enabled and thought it sounded great on my Klipsch 4.1 set-up.
Click to expand...
lol

I'm fine with my Entertainment Mode settings.

I have it set up with the Crystalizer on 100%, and CMSS-3D on Surround @ 50% (so I have Surround Sound for my music). That's fine.


But my problem with the Game Settings is that... the game automatically detects what I have, correct?
Well, what I found with the CMSS-3D is that it creates a sort-of artificial Surround Sound Setting, moving the output from 2-3 speakers to 5-7. So I'm not sure if using that with BF2 is good, because it might actually fuck up my sound settings in the game. :|

Blah. I think I'm just thinking into it too much. lol
 
CMSS does mess up game sound directionality.

I tried BF2 with CMSS off, Crystallizer at about 30%, wave volume at about 60% (much higher and it would overdrive and distort). The sounds were awesome. Very good positioning and impact.
 
I have the klipsche PM 5.1's and just turn on the crystalizer at 50%, no CMSS or EQ. I use the windows "EQ".
 
LOL...well...so this thread got me thinking. :)

I checked the default game settings. which I was using. Crystallizer is off by default. If I activate it, jump in BF2, all sound disappears after about 30 secs. Disable it, sound persists. For my 4.1 set-up, even with CMSS enabled, sound positioning is fantastic. I'm pretty happy with the card. The sound in BF2 is incredible. I can't wait until I actually set it up correctly. :)
 
Dr_John said:
LOL...well...so this thread got me thinking. :)

I checked the default game settings. which I was using. Crystallizer is off by default. If I activate it, jump in BF2, all sound disappears after about 30 secs. Disable it, sound persists. For my 4.1 set-up, even with CMSS enabled, sound positioning is fantastic. I'm pretty happy with the card. The sound in BF2 is incredible. I can't wait until I actually set it up correctly. :)
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Haha, be sure to come back and let us(me) know what your best sound settings came out to. :)
I'd appreciate it. :p
 
I've found the best results with headphone mode, a bit of a bump in bass for the explosion lovin', and cmss 3D. :p
 
Jodiuh said:
I've found the best results with headphone mode, a bit of a bump in bass for the explosion lovin', and cmss 3D. :p
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Really? i found i like the 2/2.1 speaker selection in Game mode with cmss-3D and without the crystalizer to be the most pleasing to my ears with Headphones.
 
different strokes for different folks. for my 2.1 i use both game mode and entertainment mode respectively. for games, i enable cmss-3d. i haven't really tried the crystalizer w/ games. well cause it was intended for low bit rate mp3's and not really for gaming.
 
Stupid question:

If I have headphones connected to an X-Fi in game mode with CMSS-3D Headphone enabled, with "headphones" selected as my speakers, what audio mode do I need to select in-game? i.e. "stereo" or "surround" in Doom 3?

On the one hand, "stereo" seems the logical choice with headphones connected. On the other hand, I don't see how any algorithm can generate directional information from a left-right stereo signal, yet I've seen several reviews and threads claiming that CMSS-3D in games does provide accurate 360 deg directional info.
 
stevenmh said:
Stupid question:

If I have headphones connected to an X-Fi in game mode with CMSS-3D Headphone enabled, with "headphones" selected as my speakers, what audio mode do I need to select in-game? i.e. "stereo" or "surround" in Doom 3?

On the one hand, "stereo" seems the logical choice with headphones connected. On the other hand, I don't see how any algorithm can generate directional information from a left-right stereo signal, yet I've seen several reviews and threads claiming that CMSS-3D in games does provide accurate 360 deg directional info.
Click to expand...

Install the Doom 3 v1.3 patch. Without it, you won't get OpenAL support, which is needed to take full advantage of CMSS3D-Headphone. After installing the patch, make sure you enable EAX Advanced HD. Unfortunately, there is no setting for OpenAL WITHOUT EAX Advanced HD for owners of non-Creative soundcards.
 
I've installed the patch and have EAX selected. I typically use my 7.1 speakers. What I'm asking is when I want to use headphones with CMSS-3D, should I leave the in-game settings on "surround" or should I change it to "stereo".

In another thread, someone said it should be set to "stereo." I played a little last night with it set to "surround", and seemed to be getting accurate directional sound through the headphones.
 
As for the general topic of the thread...

Most games support either DirectSound3D or OpenAL. If there is a setting for hardware accelerated 3D audio, it probably supports one of the two. For such games, setting the X-Fi to "Game mode" is a safe bet. You should turn on CMSS3D if you have 4/4.1, 2/2.1, or headphones. If it is a first-person-perspective game, you probably want to set ElevationFilter and MacroFX to "On" as well. For 5.1 or more speakers, CMSS3D shouldn't really effect things, so you can leave it off. Note that you can't get ElevationFilter or MacroFX with more than 4/4.1 speakers. With regard to speaker settings in-game, for games that use DirectSound3D or OpenAL often won't have such a settings. DirectSound3D and OpenAL automatically use the setting specified in the Creative control panel. For those games that DO have a settings, it most likely will simply change the Windows control penel speaker setting, which in turn will change the Creative setting IF you have not checked the box which unsychs the Windows and Creative settings.

HL2 is a special case when it comes to 2/2.1 or headphones. Search the forum for "hl2 cmss" for answers.
 
stevenmh said:
I've installed the patch and have EAX selected. I typically use my 7.1 speakers. What I'm asking is when I want to use headphones with CMSS-3D, should I leave the in-game settings on "surround" or should I change it to "stereo".

In another thread, someone said it should be set to "stereo." I played a little last night with it set to "surround", and seemed to be getting accurate directional sound through the headphones.
Click to expand...

If EAX is enabled, the stereo/surround setting is ignored. The stereo/surround setting is only used for the original sound engine.
 
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