Speaker setup doubts

ilean

Hello, i have some doubts that after reading the documentation i haven't been able to clear.


In windows multimedia control panel, should speaker configuration be set as 5.1 even if my soundblaster only supports 4 channels? (model 4760)


What exactly do the different values for 'surround' option in surrounder do?

My guesses are:

Copy: Sends front channel sound to rear channel.

On: Turns on a virtual surround mode that tries to simulate rear channels from regular stereo sound.

Off: Sound will only be sent to rear speakers if the sound being played was recorded with rear channel information.

Thank you in advance.

Maddogg6

I have the same issues about all the DSP plug-ins - no info as to what is going on.
There seems to be an assumption here that our intelligence on DSP/10Kx is higher than it is (for me at least) Especially in the forums here.

I could be wrong here, because I'm only using 4 speakers (analog) myself.
I beleive setting to 5.1 and only having 4 speakers will cause some things NOT to sound - Like center channel dialog may be expected to be present on that output, but no means for reproducing the sound. Where in 4 speaker mode - center channel will be mixed with the front L&R outs.

Am I right about this - ?? anyone else.

JohnMcClane

You should set windows speakers always to 5.1 and in kx surrounder depending to your system e.g. 4.1

Surround Modes: are used for "upmixing" stereo signals

Copy - Rear speaker = front speaker

On - Prologic Effect with different parameters

Off - no upmixing

Btw. if you use the search button of this forum then you will find explanations of many settings/plugins of this driver.

ilean

Could we say that setting surround to on is absolutely necessary if you only have 2 or 4 speakers?

I've noticed missing sounds in a couple of apps, like in 3dmark03 sound test, i assume it is because i'm telling windows i have a 5.1 setup in windows multimedia control panel.

Well i guess if the app allows you to set it to 2 or 4 channels you would be ok.

Opinions?

ROBSCIX

If it was me I would set windows to 4 speakers(Quadraphonic) and KX surrounder to 4.0. I don't understand why there would be any reason to set windows for a 5.1 set when you are only using 4 speakers. Doesn't make sense to me..But Maybe there is some hidden reason for it. I would just set everything for the speaker setup you have...

Russ

This is somewhat of a guess, but...
I think the Windows setting is for software sources only (i.e. software sources into kX), so underlying 5.1 hardware is not necessary (it is only how it goes into kX, after which you have control over how the channels are mixed and what physical outputs they go to, etc). Using other settings could possibly cause the channels from these software sources to get routed incorrectly into kX (i.e. kX expects the 5.1 setting and does it's routing with that expectation (i.e. where the channels show up on FxBus, etc)).

ilean

Yeah thats what my logic tells me but everyone pretty much insists on setting it to 5.1, i hope someone can give us some insight here.

ilean

Yeah, hence the need to have surround set to 'On' if you don't have 5.1 speakers.