Fustrated PC audio newbie!

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Hi I really hope you can help!

My Rig:

P4 3Ghz Prescott
512Mb RAM
Biostar 210M Small form factor using the C-Media audio chip
Maxstor 250Gb HDD
ATi 9600 pro
Hauppauge pvr-350
Sony STR-DE585 amp

The problem I am having is the Biostar onboard sound uses the CMI 3D
sound controller that tries to be way to cleaver for its own boots.

The really annoying thing with the onboard software is it has a virtual
equalizer, I am yet to find a decent set up on it to input to the amp!
Everything sounds like its going through tracing paper, and the sound
levels are distorted. I did find a slight fix by reducing the
'virtual' volumes on the speakers but I just dont know the best way
to set it up!

I turned the volume down on the pc, but its still not right.

Can I disable the cmedia software at all?

Anyway, the battle continues!

Ben

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

<bendyer@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1107893708.243181.14180@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com
> Hi I really hope you can help!
>
> My Rig:

> P4 3Ghz Prescott
> 512Mb RAM
> Biostar 210M Small form factor using the C-Media audio chip
> Maxstor 250Gb HDD
> ATi 9600 pro
> Hauppauge pvr-350
> Sony STR-DE585 amp

> The problem I am having is the Biostar onboard sound uses the CMI 3D
> sound controller that tries to be way to cleaver for its own boots.

This stuff has been known to work fairly acceptably.

> The really annoying thing with the onboard software is it has a
> virtual equalizer, I am yet to find a decent set up on it to input to
> the amp!

Flat responsce (all sliders centered) should be pretty fair.

>Everything sounds like its going through tracing paper, and
> the sound levels are distorted.

Sounds like something is being overdriven. What have you done with the
various level settings in the windows volume control?

>I did find a slight fix by reducing
> the 'virtual' volumes on the speakers but I just dont know the best
> way to set it up!

Start out with the virtual sliders set to about 1/2 of their range, and
bring them up in a balanced fashion until things are loud enough. IOW if you
set one to 2/3, set them all to 2/3/.

> I turned the volume down on the pc, but its still not right.

What's your source, what are your speakers, and what is your standard for
*right*?

> Can I disable the cmedia software at all?

No.

What are you doing when things sound bad? Are you recording an external
source? Recording from the PVR? Are you playing MP3s, wav files or
listening to video clips?