Still having volume woes

StArSeEd · Jul 11, 2004, 10:08 AM

First, the requisite Information box paste:

----Hardware / Software configuration---------------
Driver Name:kX Audio Driver (Debug)
Driver Date: Feb 17 2004 00:43:22
Driver Version: 5.10.00.3537 - debug
DB Name:LiveBay2
SB0350 10k2 [ff40]
PCI Information:
Device: 41102 Subsys: 20021102 ChipRev: 4
Card is '10k2'
Card has MPU device
Card model is '5.1'
Card is Audigy2-compatible
Card HAS AC97 codec
Codec name: SigmaTel STAC9721/23
3D Extension: SigmaTel 3D Enhancement
Codec is 2.0 compliant
Capabilities[6940] :
DAC resolutions : -16-bit- -18-bit-
ADC resolutions : -16-bit- -18-bit-
Ext Capabilities [200]: -slot/DAC mappings-
Port: ff40 Irq: 0x10(16)
Playback buffer: 20a0
Record buffer: 4000
Number of AC3 buffers: 4
Tank memory: 256 kb
GSIF buffer: 256 samples
OS version: [2 5 1 ; 2 5 1 ; 156 148]
----------------------------------------------------

Card name/type: Audigy 2 ZS Platinum, stock Audigy 2 ZS Platinum internal drivebay.
Speakers: Cambridge SoundWorks FourPointSurround 2000 (attached via analog to Rear out only; my right-rear speaker output on the sub is quite dead, essentially making this a 2.1 setup - haven't tried unswapping Front/Rear and using Front out)
DSP settings: Default.
OS: Windows XP Pro

Normal severity; volume levels are not as they should be.

Volume problem #1:
The Audigy2 ZS itself is VERY LOUD, sounding like its DACs are getting way overloaded. With both Wave and Master volumes at maximum, clipping is very clearly audible on non-clipping audio sources. Setting and leaving the Master volume at about 75% seems to tame it quite a bit. Digital input sources, wave files, MP3 files, Winamp, Sound Forge, Windows Media Player, etc, etc, etc; it's pretty global. I haven't actually tested whether or not most of the analog inputs clip internally, but the next issue pertains to one of those specifically on the other end of the spectrum.

Volume problem #2:
The 2xRCA AUX2-In on the Audigy2Drive is still extremely low-volume. It was about -12dB low on my old Live! 5.1 Platinum (AC97: SigmaTel STAC9708) w/kX, and it's still very very low (even lower?) on this new Audigy2 ZS. Even with the AUX2 slider (to which this input is mapped) set at +12dB, the volume is still noticeably lower than line-level. Plugging my turntable (with its built-in preamp turned on, of course) into Line-In (AC97 @ 0dB, Line-In source, Line-In @ 0dB) on the card, then into AUX2-In (AUX2-In @ 0dB) on the Audigy2Drive is like night and day.

Volume problem #3:
OK, this may just be my MD deck misreporting clipping (ie, NOT reporting clipping on the disc because it's so miniscule), but on a disc which normally (listening via headphones to the deck's headphone out) has no reported or audible clipping, direct recording via S/PDIF (only tested Coax-In so far) produces a clipped recording (I did make sure the audio parameters of the source S/PDIF stream and recorded wave file matched). If I get a chance, I'll test recording an audio CD I know not to clip with a Playstation 2's optical output to Optical-In and try a bit-accurate overlap in Vegas. Anyway, the clipping here isn't major, just enough to cause a slight annoyance.

It's been so long since I've used Creative's drivers, I don't know whether or not any of these issues (well, certainly not #3) are common to theirs.

I miss having two coaxial S/PDIF outputs (one on my 5.1 Platinum's Live!Drive IR and one on the old SBLive! Digital I/O bracket I had chained to it).. why oh why did Creative have to go and use a different header pin arrangement on these new cards?! And they left off the extra AUD_EXT header on the new drivebay!! Oh, to chain Audigy2Drives... *le sigh*

-StArSeEd

**dj_stick** · Jul 11, 2004, 07:28 PM

starseed - these volume issues sound strange, perhaps it could be a damaged card - try getting it replaced

also the header for the AD_EXT has been almost completely mapped now

this thread is what im talking about

Doomsayer · Jul 12, 2004, 05:54 AM

Well, talking about point 1, it's also possible that your Audigy doesn't clip internally. Possibly your speakers' amp can't handle such high input. But then I wonder how can Creative claim their line out to be a standard line out?

**dj_stick** · Jul 12, 2004, 06:00 AM

can also be interference from the computer

StArSeEd · Jul 12, 2004, 08:17 PM

Re: #1, could also be me (and/or my old FPS2000 speakers) on crack. Sometimes I hear it, sometimes not. Right now, not. A phantom problem, if you will. I know my speakers have problems with fluctuating the volume whenever they feel like it.. a bad capacitor somewhere, I think. These old things have served me well, but it's about time to move on. Oh hey, right on cue, my volume suddenly went +20dB and sounds absolutely horrible. God I love these speakers.

As to volume issue #2, that one's definitely real, and again, it was like this on my SBLive! 5.1 Platinum too, though not quite as pronounced, IIRC. Anyone else with a Live!/Audigy/Audigy2Drive noticed low input volume with the analog RCA inputs (AUX2-In) on the front panel? I haven't checked Line2-In (the one paired w/Mic2-In with the Line2-In/Mic2Gain switch/fader knob), so not really sure if it's common to all the x-Drive line-level analog inputs, but my AUX2-In sure isn't "line-level", nor even close (+12dB = still low).

If I get a chance, tomorrow I'll try a few loopback and equipment hookup tests.

**dj_stick** · Jul 13, 2004, 06:47 AM

try testing the cable going between ur live drive and card… or perhaps connecting only the i2s wires together to see if that helps

StArSeEd · Jul 13, 2004, 10:29 AM

First test: successful. My PC is currently kX-free, with the Creative Audigy 2 ZS drivers having been installed for the very first time. AUX2-In sounds great. I think this rules out the cables, no?

StArSeEd · Jul 13, 2004, 10:36 AM

On a side note, ATI TV 9.1 no longer crashes on startup. I'm now seeing the initialization wizard for the first time since MMC 7.x. It IS the Audigy volume 'workaround' in 8.x+ that's causing the ATI TV crashing issues with kX.