Problem w/ Sound Cards in Unshared PCI Slot - Running 2 Cards

kelston · Oct 7, 2004, 11:24 PM

Alright. I'm attempting to run 2 sound cards at once. A modded Revo 7.1 for superior audio quality and an Audigy 2 ZS for gaming because Sensaura got screwed.

The problem I face is that I run an ASUS A7N8X Deluxe Rev 1.04. The unshared PCI slots are Slots 2 and 4 (out of 5). However, because I have the Arctic Cooling VGA Silencer on my video card, PCI slots 1 and 2 are unusable.

On top of this, the Revo has 2 problems. Because it is modded, the capacitors are changed and therefore it blocks the PCI slot above it and below it. This is not so bad given the increased audio quality. However, attempting to install it in Slot 4 makes the card not work. XP seems to insist that it is an Envy 24HT when it is a normal Envy 24 card and therefore it wants to install generic E24HT drivers. The E24HT drivers install successfully and think the card is installed successfully but audio will not work so installing the Revo in Slot 4 is not an option. So right now it's in Slot 3, thereby blocking Slot 4 and Slot 2.

The only option for installing the Audigy 2 is either Slot 3 or Slot 5 (Slot 3 forces the Revo to be moved to Slot 5). However, isn't it likely that the Creative cards have problems using a shared PCI slot?

Geminiwave · Oct 8, 2004, 12:51 AM

they can. but if its not working, you might as well try it that way.

I havent seen much trouble doing that though. I mean its not going to ruin anything to try running them on one PCI bus. Since you wont be using them simultaneously, there shouldnt be a bandwidth issue.

**dj_stick** · Oct 8, 2004, 02:36 AM

creative cards have a problem when too much PCI bandwidth has been taken up… but i myself have and audigy 2zs and audigy es working fine with only slight issues

Vampyromaniac · Oct 8, 2004, 03:01 PM

may I ask what mod(s) you have done to the Revo?

**dj_stick** · Oct 8, 2004, 03:15 PM

it seems he has replaced several capacitors to increase the audio quality

kelston · Oct 8, 2004, 09:32 PM

I've had the mini-stereo opamps replaced (I think the original ones were 5322s) using AD8620s (Analog Devices), pretty sure I used AD8620 ARs.

ELNA Cerafine caps were used to replace the ones on the front of the card and a Panasonic cap was used to replace the one on the back.

I've been considering having a digital clock mod done to the card as well so that the Digital Coax Out gets an increase in audio quality but it is pretty pointless since i'm not using any high end speakers (just normal Klipsch 5.1 Ultimates) so I have my PPA headphone amp connected to the mini out.

Vampyromaniac · Oct 9, 2004, 12:27 AM

interesting

are you sure you have a Revo 7.1 ?
because as far as I know they do have the Envy24HT chip. and also there's no cap on the back of the card

kelston · Oct 9, 2004, 01:47 AM

Yeah it's a Revo 7.1, here's the pics. I apologize beforehand but I don't have a digital camera so it's sort of hard to turn off the PC and take out the Revo to take a picture of it. The pics are very shitty but it'll give you the idea of the caps being there.

The opamps that are replaced are shown in this very crappy MS Paint pic haha.

All 4 chips labelled as "Filter"s are replaced with the AD8620ARs.