Sound problem hi, i am using a creative 5.1 sound blaster, but i don't get the stereo effects when i play winamp. how to get the best stereo effects and surround sound in a winamp? kindly help me with the solution.

http://download.cnet.com/creative-labs-sound-blaster/3000-2120_4-10022925.html
This is the latest driver update for the Sound Blaster Live! series of audio cards only for users running Windows 95 and 98. This release includes updated version of Surround Mixer 1.0 and AudioHQ, 1024-voice software MIDI synth for Sound Blaster Live! (Option to select up to 1024 software voices), and improved support for Occlusion and Obstruction effects in EAX2.0
http://download.cnet.com/creative-labs-sound-blaster/3000-2120_4-10005159.html

If you're using Windows 95/98, you can download this file and update your Sound Blaster 16, Sound Blaster 32, and Sound Blaster AWE drivers. Please refer to the readme file for installation instructions. This new version solves the audio distortion problem that occurred when the Sound Blaster 16Xpress chip was left running overnight.

http://download.cnet.com/sound-blaster-pci128-drivers/3000-2120_4-10038063.html This is an updated driver release for Creative Sound Blaster PCI128 for Windows NT only

http://download.cnet.com/sound-blaster-audigy-driverpack/3000-2120_4-10198813.html The driver contains optimized support for Windows 2000/XP operating systems and is designed for use with all current models of Sound Blaster Audigy audio cards (all existing Sound Blaster Audigy Card to SB023x models). Features includes: drivers are WHQL Certified; provides Dolby Digital decoding from external SPDIF Input; speaker settings in Creative Audio Mixer are synchronized with Windows Multimedia setting; new presets and effects added.

http://download.cnet.com/creative-sound-blaster-audigy/3000-2120_4-10198811.htmln This update is for all Audigy 2 and Audigy 2 ZS series audio cards, which include the Platinum, Platinum eX, Platinum Pro, Digital Audio and Gamer versions. This update is not meant for original Audigy series audio cards. This update contains additional features and fixes to improve the performance of your Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 or Audigy 2 ZS series audio card.


on cnet download.com you can find these drivers hope one of these will help

Reinstal your audio drivers

5.1 plays surround sound tracks when available, when playing an audio track that was recorded in stereo (2 channel) it should only emit from the front left and right speaker, and when playing a movie in 5.1 at points in the audio track all five speakers should emit sound. Is this the case?

you are going to need a external sound card.
the creative 5.1 speakers are design for dekstop computer with upgraded sound card.
the laptop or any laptop only produce mono or stereo at best. The building sound card are not design for high quality sound.

Hi,

I have a creative SoundBlaster LIVE! 24 Bit External Sound Card and this annoyed me for weeks.

depending on your surround sound reciever depends on the solution.

i have an Acoustic Solutions surround sound system with coxial and optical inputs, aswell as stereo red & white jack inputs.

not knowing the method or connection your using makes it difficult to give you a single solution so i'll list a few.

The soundblaster software shoudl include the Creative Audio console with all sorts of effects, one is CMSS (CMSS-3D) Stereo widening which is still stereo but gives a surround sound effect.. but i'm guessing you payed for 5.1 and you want 5.1 onto the next part

5.1 surround sound can only be produced when the actuall audio your playing contains 5 channels of audio, for example you cant play a stereo song in 5.1 surround sound without some sort of hardware or software sound manipulation. Luckily my surround sound system has Pro Logic II built in and some other effects which convert a 2.1 signal to a 5.1 signal and it works brilliantly. I'm not sure of a software alternative.

setup for your soundcard will be different under XP and Vista also, but there should be a properties option for your sound device where you can select your speaker setup such as headphones, built in speakers, 2.1 speakers, 5.1 speakers, 7.1 speakers and you should be able to manage this from the creative software.

If using Coxial / Optical or SPDIF under vista you MUST set the playback device as SPDIF, at least you have to with my sound card and drivers and seems to be a limitation of the actual sound card drivers for vista.

Personally i was looking forward to hearing the windows login melody in 5.1 surround sound too, but this doesnt happen.

Infact i find that almost all programs bar a few will not play Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1 surround sound via any or my output options hence the next solution..

if you have the 5.1 sound but winamp simply just plays it in stereo try the following.

You need to use DirectSound Output:

Preferences (Ctrl-P) > Plug-ins > Output > Select "DirectSound Output"

That should work in most cases, but if not, then:

Checkmark: "Allow hardware acceleration" in DirectSound Output config,
and make sure your sound card/chip is selected as Output Device.

Note that any changes will take effect only after playback is restarted.
In some cases, a Winamp restart is required.

If that doesn't work make sure you have the latest version of DirectX
(v8.x or higher is required)

Winamp 5.25/5.3 and higher:
For actual multi-channel files (ie. aac/wav/ac3/ogg/wma files encoded in 5.1ch surround, as opposed to standard 2-channel stereo mp3's), you need to checkmark "Allow surround sound" in 'Winamp > Prefs > Playback' for the music to play in its original 5.1 channel format (Note that this setting is checkmarked by default).

Windows Vista:
In addition to the above instructions, Vista users will also need to go to:
Control Panel > Sound > Playback tab > Speakers > Configure:
Select: 5.1/7.1 Surround.
Then:
Control Panel > Sound > Playback tab > Speakers > Properties > Enhancements tab
and checkmark "Speaker Fill"

Hope this helps

Anthony Kinson

Cakewalk has it's own control panel to select output buses. Consult the software manual. Also make sure you have the correct ASIO (Audio Stream IN OUT) driver for your sound card. You can most likely find this at www.soundblaster.com -Keep in mind that sound blasters were not made for pro audio applications. Consider investing in a better sound card if you really want to take your music to the next level. Good luck!

try downloading the software directly from the manufacturer's website.

search in the soundcard software for a place where you can choose stereo 5.1 6.1 ect

go program files and look for the folder creative in there ther is like a file named somethig like creative console its in there the stereo option!

There is nothing wrong with the speakers.

There is nothing wrong with the sound card.

Your audio software has to support 5.1 playback. If you're using Winamp for instance, you have to figure out how to get it to play music back in 5.1 surround.

Otherwise, your audio player software will only play back in 2.1.

If you want your music to play back in 5.1, you'll most likely have to install a plugin for it.

Although I myself don't recommend that kind of sound because it seems to ruin the sound quality. Remember that the music is not recorded in 5.1. It's recorded in stereo. It wasn't designed to play in a center speaker. Your player software is doing exactly as it is designed to do.

A digital plugin for your audio player software may convert it into a streaming 5.1 signal, though. I'm sure that there are plenty for Winamp and you'll find them on Winamp's website.

Otherwise, you might find audio DVD's where they've remade the albums in 5.1. However, that'd require a DVD player application that is capable of decoding 5.1.

OR... If you have Logitech Z-5500's or other AWESOME speakers like them, you can switch the speakers themselves to use a Dolby ProLogic mode. My Z-5500's have a mode called "Dolby ProLogic II Music" where it does exactly what you're talking about. It converts the 2.1 stream into 5.1. (This is NOT true surround sound, mind you! It is EMULATED. The ONLY time you have TRUE surround sound is when the source itself is done in 5.1 or better.)

Also, you can use the Soundblaster card's EAX effects to produce a similar sound, but you may not like the results. Environmental Audio isn't meant for music.

I'm not sure... I can't recall, but the newer drivers for the Live! 5.1 may even have CMSS which also uses the center channel. My first-gen Audigy Platinum uses it. You can find out if the Live! 5.1 uses CMSS by finding the "Creative Audio Console" in your Start > All Program > Creative folder.

If you don't see it there, make sure that you have the most recent drivers for the 5.1 card.

But that's not easy, either. Creative Labs has decided that it doesn't like it's customers anymore and has cut ALL support for the Live! series except for the 24-bit Live! card. They no longer list drivers on their website for those cards. Here is what you get when you go to find drivers for the Live! 5.1:

" You have selected Live! 5.1.
To receive support for a different product, click here

Please note that the product you have selected has been classified as "End of Service Life"

The product you have selected has reached the end of its service life. Support for this product is limited to materials available on the Creative Customer Support website before its discontinuation. This may include Knowledge Base solutions, drivers, application updates and product documentation. Search archives now.

Customers are also welcome to participate in our user-to-user discussion forums to obtain further information about discontinued products.

For additional information regarding Creative's End of Service Life Policy, please review the list of frequently asked questions."

Yeah. Thanks a LOT, Creative Labs. Right?

But if you pal around online for drivers, you might find them somewhere. There are actually also alternate drivers NOT made by Creative Labs. You can find them at the following link...

http://kxproject.lugosoft.com/index.php?skip=1

Sorry for my rant. I'm kind of anti-creative after the way they've treated all of their customers - past and present - over the last few years.

If you need more information, please let me know. I've taken lots of time to help people with Sound Blaster products so that they don't have to deal with all of the frustration I have with that company.

Hope this answers your question. :)

Cyryl

I'll make this easy on me... I'll post the same answer to you as I did in another post for someone with the same issue.

There is nothing wrong with the speakers.

There is nothing wrong with the sound card.

Your audio software has to support 5.1 playback. If you're using Winamp for instance, you have to figure out how to get it to play music back in 5.1 surround.

Otherwise, your audio player software will only play back in 2.1.

If you want your music to play back in 5.1, you'll most likely have to install a plugin for it.

Although I myself don't recommend that kind of sound because it seems to ruin the sound quality. Remember that the music is not recorded in 5.1. It's recorded in stereo. It wasn't designed to play in a center speaker. Your player software is doing exactly as it is designed to do.

A digital plugin for your audio player software may convert it into a streaming 5.1 signal, though. I'm sure that there are plenty for Winamp and you'll find them on Winamp's website.

Otherwise, you might find audio DVD's where they've remade the albums in 5.1. However, that'd require a DVD player application that is capable of decoding 5.1.

OR... If you have Logitech Z-5500's or other AWESOME speakers like them, you can switch the speakers themselves to use a Dolby ProLogic mode. My Z-5500's have a mode called "Dolby ProLogic II Music" where it does exactly what you're talking about. It converts the 2.1 stream into 5.1. (This is NOT true surround sound, mind you! It is EMULATED. The ONLY time you have TRUE surround sound is when the source itself is done in 5.1 or better.)

Also, you can use the Soundblaster card's EAX effects to produce a similar sound, but you may not like the results. Environmental Audio isn't meant for music.

I'm not sure... I can't recall, but the newer drivers for the Live! 5.1 may even have CMSS which also uses the center channel. My first-gen Audigy Platinum uses it. You can find out if the Live! 5.1 uses CMSS by finding the "Creative Audio Console" in your Start > All Program > Creative folder.

If you don't see it there, make sure that you have the most recent drivers for the 5.1 card.

But that's not easy, either. Creative Labs has decided that it doesn't like it's customers anymore and has cut ALL support for the Live! series except for the 24-bit Live! card. They no longer list drivers on their website for those cards. Here is what you get when you go to find drivers for the Live! 5.1:

" You have selected Live! 5.1.
To receive support for a different product, click here

Please note that the product you have selected has been classified as "End of Service Life"

The product you have selected has reached the end of its service life. Support for this product is limited to materials available on the Creative Customer Support website before its discontinuation. This may include Knowledge Base solutions, drivers, application updates and product documentation. Search archives now.

Customers are also welcome to participate in our user-to-user discussion forums to obtain further information about discontinued products.

For additional information regarding Creative's End of Service Life Policy, please review the list of frequently asked questions."

Yeah. Thanks a LOT, Creative Labs. Right?

But if you pal around online for drivers, you might find them somewhere. There are actually also alternate drivers NOT made by Creative Labs. You can find them at the following link...

http://kxproject.lugosoft.com/index.php?...

Sorry for my rant. I'm kind of anti-creative after the way they've treated all of their customers - past and present - over the last few years.

If you need more information, please let me know. I've taken lots of time to help people with Sound Blaster products so that they don't have to deal with all of the frustration I have with that company.

Hope this answers your question. :)

Cyryl