Dual Sound

alphakp295 · Jul 25, 2006

hi,
i got creative x-fi platinum.
so far, i luv it... BUT!!!
one thing about this is that i cannot connect headphone & speaker same time
does anyone using this setting?

if not...
i was going to use two sound cards... one x-fi and one onboard.
i have the mobo listed below in my signature area.
DFI provides with Realtek AC97 codec,
but whenever i use that w/ x-fi, windows does not boot up.
so, i tried to install nvidia sound driver;
seems like it works ONLY with nvmixer.
all other times, i can't hear jack shit.
with realtek driver, i could hear sound from onboard & x-fi
with nvidia driver, i can't hear anything that x-fi produces.
i don't care whether realtek or nvidia;
i just want this damn thing to work right...
does anyone know how to fix this??

i'm not sure if i made my statements clear...
thanx in advance.

mesarectifier · Jul 25, 2006

Usually you have a headphone out on the speaker system's control unit. What speakers are you using?

Is there any other reason you want two sound cards?

womble · Jul 25, 2006

Well you have the platinum version and that's supposed to have a proper headphone and volume control on the front panel. I would assume it would default to switching off the external speakers. However I'd like to think that the Creative drivers give the option for both, admittedly I can't think of many times where you'd want both. However I can imagine that if you are using the card for some sort of home studio setup it might be handy, and this is their premiere all singing and dancing bit of kit. As usual promising the earth and missing "insert your favourite country here".

I have a lowly Soundblaster Live and have my onboard sound enabled at the same time so that I can use the front ports on my case. I need these so I can easily use my mic/headphones for skype, thankfully it lets me specify the correct sound device within the application options (as all software should really). Any other settings I can just flip between the soundcards with the normal windws mixer. So really, there is no technical reason why you shouldn't be able to use both. I had my soundcard installed and then enabled (not auto in my bios) my onboard afterwards. I'm using a Uli board and IIRC the standard Realtek drivers.

Karl

hcforde · Jul 25, 2006

I got a set of speakers a few years ago that I can plug my earphones into therefore I can have both.

I am currently building a computer that will have 2 active sound devices but 1 is for creating sound and the other is for recording it back to the computer after going through a mixer.

I am not sure if what you want can be done because the cards will be assigned different addresses and as I recall you have to chose a device say in a game that the sound will be coming from. Even if you had 2 video cards in a computer you would have to choose which one the game would be played on.

uncle_ben · Jul 25, 2006

1) if you want to have the same sound on headphones and speakers then use headphone jack on the platinum panel for headphones and line outs for speakers

2) if you, for some reason, want to use only connectors on the PCI card then plug headphones into line out 1 and your stereo speakers into line out 2. Select 4.1 speakers and enable multiple stereo in CMSS settings

3) if you want to hear 2 different sounds you either need to use ASIO software and run X-Fi in Audio Creation mode or you need multiple sound cards. Onboard sound together with PCI card often do not work on some mobos. Two PCI sound cards are more likely to work fine together.

intrepid_admin · Jul 25, 2006

Why not just get a headphone/speaker switch like this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000069E1V/002-7054936-5505639?v=glance&n=172282

I had one for a bit and it worked well for 8 bucks. It did break, but after 4 years.....

KlaasVaak · Jul 25, 2006

hi,
i got creative x-fi platinum.
so far, i luv it... BUT!!!
one thing about this is that i cannot connect headphone & speaker same time
does anyone using this setting?

Have you tried the "Creative Audio Console".
There is a item "Headphone Detection" there.

engrpiman · Jul 25, 2006

you can.. just goto into the creative controls in windows and check/ uncheck the box that labled turn off speakers. i have an audigy 2 zs platinum and i know that you can have both

halcyon · Jul 25, 2006

hi,
i got creative x-fi platinum.
so far, i luv it... BUT!!!
one thing about this is that i cannot connect headphone & speaker same time
does anyone using this setting?

if not...
i was going to use two sound cards... one x-fi and one onboard.
i have the mobo listed below in my signature area.
DFI provides with Realtek AC97 codec,
but whenever i use that w/ x-fi, windows does not boot up.
so, i tried to install nvidia sound driver;
seems like it works ONLY with nvmixer.
all other times, i can't hear jack ****.
with realtek driver, i could hear sound from onboard & x-fi
with nvidia driver, i can't hear anything that x-fi produces.
i don't care whether realtek or nvidia;
i just want this damn thing to work right...
does anyone know how to fix this??

i'm not sure if i made my statements clear...
thanx in advance.

I installed an X-Fi and an SB Live! for this exact reason. Those two live together and play nicely as long as I install the SB Live! first usinig either the WinXP built in drivers or the Kx Project drivers for the Live!...then I can install the X-Fi's drivers without incident and switch back and forth @ will. I've not tried the AC'97 drivers for the onboard sound @ all...but just wanted to let you know that two cards can be installed and working trouble-free.

alphakp295 · Jul 25, 2006

thanx for the replies
I am trying to use the onboard sound card because I have 5.1 headphone.
front panel of x-fi platinum only has 1 hole to plug in.
other than 5.1 headphone, i have a headset which includes mic.
That one is plugged into the mic port on the back.
why can't i use the front mic port..?
my electric guitar is plugged into the front mic port.
so i was looking for a way to just plug everything on the back,
so i don't have to pull out and plug one on the back and one on the front, etc.
any suggestions? =)

alphakp295 · Jul 25, 2006

do u know if it will work if i put both x-fi and audigy LS?
I do have an audigy LS and Audigy 2 ZS floating on my desk...
i have to get rid of one of pci... i guess i'll remove my old v92 modem..

ilyar · Jul 25, 2006

i have a question aside from the dual sound topic. Is there any way to hook up 2 speaker sets to the audigy card. I have logitech 5.1 speakers and a klipsch 2.1 set. Is there a way to have them both hooked up? Thanks

uncle_ben · Jul 25, 2006

@Alpha:
Plug your 5.1 headphones into line outs 1, 2 and 3 on the back of the card.
Plug you guitar into the mic in on the back of the card.
Plug your other headset into the front connectors on the panel.
(might cross-swap connections for the guitar and the mic)
I am not sure you actually need 2nd sound card, do you?

@Ilyar
Can use jack splitters to do that.

alphakp295 · Jul 25, 2006

@Alpha:
Plug your 5.1 headphones into line outs 1, 2 and 3 on the back of the card.
Plug you guitar into the mic in on the back of the card.
Plug your other headset into the front connectors on the panel.
(might cross-swap connections for the guitar and the mic)
I am not sure you actually need 2nd sound card, do you?

but i also got 5.1 speaker to hook up to...
so basically... two 5.1 system.

ilyar · Jul 25, 2006

@Alpha:
Plug your 5.1 headphones into line outs 1, 2 and 3 on the back of the card.
Plug you guitar into the mic in on the back of the card.
Plug your other headset into the front connectors on the panel.
(might cross-swap connections for the guitar and the mic)
I am not sure you actually need 2nd sound card, do you?

@Ilyar
Can use jack splitters to do that.

What exactly do u mean by jack splitters? splitting the wires? or a special adapter that splits the regular connectors coming out of the sound card? can u link me to where i can find one thx

FITCamaro · Jul 25, 2006

*sigh*

The simplest answer is always the one no one thinks of.

USB headset. Plantronics DSP-400s or DSP-500s.

halcyon · Jul 25, 2006

do u know if it will work if i put both x-fi and audigy LS?
I do have an audigy LS and Audigy 2 ZS floating on my desk...
i have to get rid of one of pci... i guess i'll remove my old v92 modem..

Its worth giving it a shot. 8O

uncle_ben · Jul 26, 2006

What exactly do u mean by jack splitters? splitting the wires? or a special adapter that splits the regular connectors coming out of the sound card? can u link me to where i can find one thx

google it man, some examples here.
http://www.advancedmp3players.co.uk/shop/popup_image.php?pID=820&image=0
http://www.3wisemonkeys.co.uk/proddet.jsp?id=1167&cat=20

If I follow you correctly you want 5.1 speakers AND 5.1 headphones AND a headset AND a guitar to be connected to the sound card. Well, this is possible with X-Fi platinum but you might be short of mic-in inputs if your 5.1 headest also uses up one. Otherwise you simply need 3 splitters for all 3 line inputs on the card to connect 5.1 speakers and 5.1 headphones. Headset (without mic) and the guitar can plug into the front panel inputs. Mic plugs into mic input on the card (need to configure flexijack to be the mic input)

Good Luck.

alphakp295 · Jul 26, 2006

would the splitter impact on sound quality??

uncle_ben · Jul 26, 2006

There will be drop in audio voltage. This depends on quality and the difference in impedence between the two conductors used. This can be disregarded though unless you want all possoble full volume all the time. Alternatively you need two 5.1 soundcards or some sort of a switchbox that may also cause same problems.

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