Strange 5.1 Audio issue... :-/

[Prof.Wizard]

OK, just installed my new Philips Multimedia Speaker System (MMS206)... I was a expecting a smooth installation and everything go but, as always happens, it wasn't that easy...

The 5 speakers connect with the subwoofer which has input holes for the cable which connects to the sound card. The Audigy manual says to connect in the following way:
Central speaker/subwoofer --> Analog/Digital Out
Front Speakers --> Front Out
Surround Speakers --> Rear Out

I did the exact thing and on testing (an hearing...) the subwoofer was not working. If I disconnect the central speaker, which frankly is the one that can go sacrificed in the case, the subwoofer is working fine again...

What is this crap though? I thought I buyed a 5.1 system, I want my central speaker too... why does the woofer switches off when I enter the cable?!

Any ideas... :eekers:

 

[Mercutio]

Did you enable LFE in the Creative Speaker Control?

 

[Prof.Wizard]

Enable what? :-?
Are you sure there is a setting like this in Audigy? (I have the Italian version of the drivers... need to know the exact meaning of "LFE"...)

 

[Stereodude]

Enable what? :-?
Are you sure there is a setting like this in Audigy? (I have the Italian version of the drivers... need to know the exact meaning of "LFE"...)

Low Frequency Effects. It's the .1 channel.

Stereodude

 

[Sol]

In my version of the Audigy software its called Base Redirection. You find it under the speaker settings in Surround Mixer.
My suggestion is to check that the sub and center speaker are plugged into the right channels. Center on the right sub on the left - this one had me stuck for a while because the sub still worked(sort of) but the center didn't.

 

[Prof.Wizard]

In my version of the Audigy software its called Base Redirection. You find it under the speaker settings in Surround Mixer.
My suggestion is to check that the sub and center speaker are plugged into the right channels. Center on the right sub on the left - this one had me stuck for a while because the sub still worked(sort of) but the center didn't.

Yes, that's right... Redirezione bassi is the Italian translation. It's activated for the LFEs and now the subwoofer works, even if it hurts me it doesn't have a volume on its own (as my old, always from Philips).

What center on the right and woofer on the left are you talking about?! :eekers:
The Audigy has an exclusive output for the central/subwoofer channel. It's the Analog/Digital Out...

Check at www.storagereview.com for the same thread. I even did a design there.

All things considered I think I've dealed with the problem. Thanks all for your input.

 

[Sol]

The Analog Digital plug being stereo I meant that the center speaker is the left chanel and the sub the right - My system seperates all the channels with seperate plugs for each, from you diagram my mistake would be impossible on your system.

The is a sub woofer volume control situated right above the Bass redirection check box on my system.
Not as good as having it on your remote control but you can't win them all (Actually if you can win one you one up on the rst of us trying to get 5.1 going to our satisfaction ).

Enabling Bass redirection and adjusting the threshhold should mean that your suboofer will always work as any sound with a frequency lower than the threshhold on any channel will be played through the sub instead.

The only other thing you can do about not getting surround all the time is enable CMSS when using creatives player software. This will upmix stereo to 5.1. The only downside is that you have to use play center for pretty much everything.

CMSS stands for Creative MultiSpeaker Surround so I'm not really sure what that would be in Italian (but it is a trademark so it should be the same). It can be very hard to find and doesn't appear on all the skins for play center. Moving to the smaller player iew may help you to find it.

Finally - Welcome to the world of 5.1 PC sound where the .1 is how much of the time it actually works.

 

[Stereodude]

This sounds like too much trouble to get 5.1 sorta working on an Audigy. I'm glad I don't have this problem. I have a DD/DTS receiver that does all my 5.1 decoding. The Philips Acoustic edge does a decent job with 5.1 also. It can expand any source to 5.1, even the line input or microphone. So you're not stuck using some proprietary app *gag* playcenter *gag*.

Stereodude

 

[Prof.Wizard]

Thank you both. Actually now everything works to my liking. Believe me, I played yesterday Operation Flashpoint which is encoded in 5.1 and I was totally amazed!

Sol, I'll try the CMSS setting, if I find it... The problem is I haven't installed much of anything Creative-related... Their applications controls are lame, Creative is not what it used to be regarding the quality of bundled software.

Stereodude, the Audigy works like charm now. And it wasn't much of a hassle setting up the whole thing. My problem has been I didn't know (in practice) how would a 5.1 system behave when playing a normal stereo sound, so I neglected the Redirezionamento bassi (LFE) setting. Now everything is up and running, even if it doesn't support Dolby Surround Pro Logic II as Mercutio stated in another thread.

Audigy is fine. Provided you have installed successfully the drivers... and remained there!! :mrgrn: