5.1 Speaker Setup in Arma. Does yours work?

UPDATE: The problem has been solved. I finally received the original software (Creative EAX) from Creative and after calibrating the sound with the program everything works perfectly.

NOTE: This entire post was revised as of 6:43, July 19, 2008.

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Old post

I've got a big problem when it comes to surround sound with this game. A situation I have setup for myself in the editor: I am standing on an island and there is a chopper 300m hovering behind me. I hear the sound come out of my center speaker but not the back or the left front or right front speakers.  The chopper and I are on level terrain and there is nothing blocking it from me.

Specifications:

Sound Card: XFi-Elite Pro (Updated with latest Drivers)

OS: Windows XP (32Bit) SP2

Control Center & Audio Center Speaker Setup: 5.1

Speaker Cables: All speaker cabling from speakers to subwoofer (RF, LF, C, RR, LR all connect to respective SW ports)

Speaker Setting: Direct

Speaker Effect: 6 Ch. Direct

Speaker Switch on back of module: Switched up to 6Ch Direct.

Audio Console:

Speaker Config: 5.1

SVM: Off

EAX: Off

Mode: Entertainment (Game mode has same result)

Digital Output Settings: 48 KHz

Decoder: Use Built In Decoder

-Dolby Digital Settings:

--Dynamic Range: Normal

--Dolby Pro Logic: On

--Dolby Digital EX: On

--Gain: +4dB Unchecked

X-Fi Crystalizer: OFF

X-Fi CMSS-3D Sound: Disabled.

Arma:

EAX Effects: On (Off doesn't change anything)

Hardware Acceleration: On (Off doesn't change anything)

The surround sound works brilliantly on movies and other THX/Dolby Digital content in its respected effect mode "PLII Movie". I have tried all of the "Effects" on the receiver to try and create that "surround sound" feel in Arma but it just not seem possible. I have a Optical cable that I use with my Xbox 360 and the Xbox360 runs flawlessly as well in terms of all of the sounds produced from their respective speakers.

Note: the effect Stereo x2 does play the choppers sound through the rear speakers however, the same dB of volume leaves the front speakers so it is impossible to be able to determine if the sound is in front or behind you.

I've never been able to get this to work with Arma, any help appreciated.

X-Fi CMSS-3D Sound: Enabled

--Upmix Mode: Stereo Xpand

--Upmix: Auto

--Stereo Envelopment: 50%

Try 'Stereo Surround' or turning it off completely.

Yeah, I find I have to put mine up to ~80% before I can actually notice my rear speakers doing anything.

When you set the card to stereo expand or any other stereo mode, you will not get 5.1 sound.

Disable CMSS3D, and you will get 5.1 sound from your 5.1 speakers.

Afaik CMSS3D is responsible for the enhancement of stereo sounds, and will not allow real 5.1 sound as long it`s active.

When you set the card to stereo expand or any other stereo mode, you will not get 5.1 sound.

Disable CMSS3D, and you will get 5.1 sound from your 5.1 speakers.

Afaik CMSS3D is responsible for the enhancement of stereo sounds, and will not allow real 5.1 sound as long it`s active.

Sooo what is real 5.1 sound? six different chanels running in relationship to your head facing in the game? Well the boom/sub is just a filler, and your front speakers should have some bass too, Do you need to set up a Crossover balance to get even more real 5.1? the cmss-3d does give you better height awareness with out much loss of distinct channel sounds...

X-fi, Kilpsch 5.1

You can enhance stereo sound, so that it comes from all speakers with CMSS3D.

Set your speaker settings to 5.1, do not use stereo x2 or any other CMSS3D stereo enhancement.

You want 5.1 sound, not an enhanced 2.1 sound.

Edit:

To say it clear.

You don`t need CMSS3D for games that support 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound.

You need CMSS3D if you want to use all speakers, but the game, or  another sound source, is stereo only.

If the game supports 5.1 surround, what ArmA does, than all speakers will get used without, and only without, CMSS3D.

At least on my Audigy2 surround sound works without CMSS3D, and should work on X-FI cards as well.

Edited this post out and updated it the main post.

You tried playing with Creatives Speaker Connection Wizard?

I do not have the CD provided that came with the soundcard. I've tried everything that you can download from Creative's website, however you cannot download the CD that was given to you when you bought the speakers, that software allowed you to listen to each speaker while a virtual ball went around you, allowing you to test each speaker and hear its relation to other speakers. However there is no such thing available for download on creatives website. Again I have downloaded every program available there, so it's really pointless to look to creative unless I can get a WindowsXP version of the software that came with my soundcard, which Creative will not provide.

Please post in the correct forum next time.

*Moving*

X-FI and Z-5500 works without issues as long as you have the right settings (I'm using the same combination).

Turn off X-Fi Crystalizer, EAX and X-Fi CMSS-3D Sound in your soundcard settings. EAX can be left on ingame. HW-acc must be enabled ingame.

Use the analogue 3-minijack cable that was bundled with your speakers (using digital cable means you need a realtime DD encoder running, good luck with that).

Set the speakers to 6ch. Make sure your speaker settings in Windows Controlpanel is set to 5.1.

If your sound is still imballanced check all cable connections betweent he sound card and the amp and between the amp and your speakers.

Quote[/b] ]It is worth mentioning that at 2 o' Clock the Subwoofer is at 100% while ALL speakers are silent.

Sounds like you mixed the green (front left/right) minijack with the (orange) sub/center minijack at one of the ends.

I did all as you said Shadow. Except the back of my soundcard is basically a golden slate with no color indicators as to which cord the green/orange/black one should be connected to. I've been trying a lot of combinations but still nothing good as come of it.

Edit: I'm getting the soundcard manual sent to me via email because creatives website didn't let me download it. I'm going to look it up and probably update my main post so everyone's updated.

I hope they did not made the same mistake with the X-FI cards, that they did with the Audigy cards years ago.

The markings for all speakers where incorrect, for my Audigy2 and for other Audigy`s that friends of mine use too.

I hope they did not made the same mistake with the X-FI cards, that they did with the Audigy cards years ago.

The markings for all speakers where incorrect, for my Audigy2 and for other Audigy`s that friends of mine use too.

You can now redefine all the ports on the soundcard to be whatever you want with the X-FI series (what Realtek AC97 has had for years).

Victor take a look at this:

http://img32.picoodle.com/img/img32/4/6/19/f_DSC00354m_002f2ee.jpg

Basically it's a picture detailing how to connect 5.1 speakers to your sound-card!

Hope it helps

---> Dashnaw

I did what you suggested dude from that link. No luck, now all my sound comes out of the center speaker! (Just in arma!

Let me see if I got this right.

You're hearing 90% of the sound coming from the center if the helo is to your 9, 12, 3 and 6'o'clock?

Does this happen in other games too?

Tried re-installing/upgrading the OpenAL drivers?

After switching the cords according to Mr. Dashnaw's picture link, when the speakers are set to 6Ch. Direct all of my music and videos also come from the one center speaker. I've already downloaded the manual for this soundcard and get this in all of the help links/directories:

I'm starting to think I'll never have "surround sound" in Arma.  

I'll be online later tonight and check back. Got a reunion to get to. If you need like actual pictures, I'll get them up as soon as I can.

Victor it sounds like theres something wrong with your jack-sticks! Are you sure they are connected correctly to the physical speakers? Or have you perhaps muted all the other speakers?

Anyhow, if the manual can be of any help, I've uploaded both a HTML and a PDF version of the Xfi series manual!

As of such, you'll need adobe acrobat reader to view the PDF version!

HTML Version: http://myfreefilehosting.com/f/4b1b06e7a1_1.49MB

PDF Version: http://myfreefilehosting.com/f/1e70425921_2.09MB

Hope this helps.

---> Dashnaw

I appreciate the upload Dash, however the links all give me a Page Load Error.

If it serves everyone here. I will be taking all of the speakers out of the wall tomorrow, putting them side by side and creating a YouTube video visually showing you guys whats going on. I will be using a screen capture program and visually display all of the menu's and options I have available to me. I will hopefully have it done by tomorrow. Since trying to describe it with photo shopped pictures and huge lists isn't helpful to any possible help(er).

So if it makes things easier, could a moderator delete this thread? So when I finally present my case, it will be as clear as glass with no confusing jargon?

Has anyone else found the transition between front and rear sound channels to be annoyingly abrupt?

UPDATE: The problem has been solved. I finally received the original software (Creative EAX) from Creative and after calibrating the sound with the program everything works perfectly.

Thanks Shadow, Dashnaw, ofpforum, Mr_Tea, and Infam0us. Yall were a really big help.

Good to hear you finally got it sorted mate!

Yea I really had no idea the game sounded so good until now.

The sound mods make it so much cooler too. I mean I can say "ZOMGZ theres a tank somewherez over dats hill atsz elelvan o'clock wooo!" instead of, "A tankxz? wheires!? I cantz hear it!"