Mixamp + MMX 300 + Sound card? (Surround sound related)

[fuzionxZ]

Hello,

Recently I just bought some Beyerdynamic MMX 300 headphones (which are the best sound devices I've ever used), and used the mixamp. Both of these components support Dolby surround sound, but I'm just not getting it whilst listening to music/playing games. My amp is ONLY getting surround sound when I use the 'test' feature of Windows 7. The tests work correctly on both Dolby Digital and DTS.

Apparently from some research the issue is my onboard sound - will I have to buy a sound carfd in order to get surround sound? (I thought I only would've needed the mixamp and some good headphones).

Oh and I'm using the SDPIF to connect. Would the sound card utilise HDMI ports? (Currently looking at the Asus Xonar STX).

Thanks a lot.

 

[reprotected]

SPDIF bypasses the sound card, so it won't help getting a new sound card. Make sure you have your settings in your games (or drivers) set for surround sound. Do you have any screenshots of your drivers and settings and perhaps a diagram of how you are connecting your headphones, mixamp and your computer?

 

[fuzionxZ]

SPDIF bypasses the sound card, so it won't help getting a new sound card. Make sure you have your settings in your games (or drivers) set for surround sound. Do you have any screenshots of your drivers and settings and perhaps a diagram of how you are connecting your headphones, mixamp and your computer?

Hi,

I don't know how I should do that. (Windows 7) I've went to playback devices --> (the playback which works on my headphones/mixamp is listed as 'Realtek Digital Output (Optical)' --> right click, 'Properties' --> 'DTS audio' and 'Dolby digital' work fine when I click 'test', however when I go to 'advanced' and go to the default format to select 'DTS Interactive (5.1 Surround Sound), I don't hear anything.

I can't really post pictures here but on http://www.astrogaming.com/manuals/MixAmp58_Manual.pdf , the 'PC setup' diagram shows the optical cable connecting to 'Optical Out' on the PC (I don't have that -- I only have 'SPDIF Out' -- which I can only use), and the other end of the cable connected to 'Opt in' one part of my mixamp.

The other part is wireless, and it just connected to my headphones.

With my mixamp currently, I'm not hearing much difference to my headphones (it's just upmixed stereo as opposed to Dolby surround sound). Someone on this topic says that 'SPDIF is horrible over Coax/Optical' because it can only carry 2.1 and also says that Optical can only carry 2.1 and I need DDL support with another sound card like the Sonar DX. http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/323920-10-dolby-live-capable-card-astro

Oh and, what drivers are you referring to?

Thanks a lot for your reply.