I just upgraded my logitech z-540 (the cheap ones) to a set of monsoon mh-505 5.1 speakers. I was sooo excited when they came but after hooking everything up, i noticed the center speaker has no sound. I have a creative soundblaster live! value soundcard. I thought this card supports 5.1 speakers?? maybe i am just dumb....i even downloaded the newest drivers but nothing seem to work. Do I need to upgrade to a new soundcard and if so which one? I heard audigy, audigy 2, and hercules fortissmo (cuz it's so cheap!) are pretty good. Will I notice a sound quality difference in relation to the price difference between those cards? Thanks for any advice!
Bought new 5.1 speakers but no sound from center...HELP!!
- Thread starter Ninjamyst
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young&wild
Posts: 896 +0
Creative Sound Blaster Value supports up to 4.1 i believe. An upgrade to Audigy1, 2 or Fortissismo will definitely improve the sound quality tremendously. I have a Hercules Fortissismo hooked to my Altec Lansing 641, its a pretty impressive card for its price.
I m not sure about the difference in sound quality between the two cards, but i m pretty sure that Fortissismo is equivalent to an Audigy 1 or slightly less. Audigy 2 is the most superior of three in terms of sound quality. Fortissismo will be the bang for buck card. Try to stay away from Creative...although they tend to produce good cards...their drivers are not that good.
I m not sure about the difference in sound quality between the two cards, but i m pretty sure that Fortissismo is equivalent to an Audigy 1 or slightly less. Audigy 2 is the most superior of three in terms of sound quality. Fortissismo will be the bang for buck card. Try to stay away from Creative...although they tend to produce good cards...their drivers are not that good.
XtR-X
Posts: 829 +0
SoundBlaster Live! supports 5.1, as far as I know. I made a computer for a customer and he wanted surround sound, so I loaded it with an SB Live! He hasn't complained to me about anything and he uses 5.1 Logitech Z640 speakers. He hasn't complained for a long time.
I also have used SB Live! myself temporarily, when I move my SB Audigy 2 Plat out, I had 5.1 speakers (may I add crappy speakers) and I got all the sound.
You may have plugged it in the wrong hole on your computer. Match up the colors if your speakers come color coded.
Make sure everything is connected to the back of the woofer or center device.
I also have used SB Live! myself temporarily, when I move my SB Audigy 2 Plat out, I had 5.1 speakers (may I add crappy speakers) and I got all the sound.
You may have plugged it in the wrong hole on your computer. Match up the colors if your speakers come color coded.
Make sure everything is connected to the back of the woofer or center device.
XtR-X : that's what i thought too! but maybe the reason mine is called SB Live! VALUE is because it is the lowest of the sb live! series and doesn't support 5.1. When I installed the drivers for it, there's no option to select more than 4 speakers setup.
Either way, i got myself an OEM audigy 2 for $71.50 shipped to my house. Only problem now is waiting for it......
Either way, i got myself an OEM audigy 2 for $71.50 shipped to my house. Only problem now is waiting for it......
poertner_1274
Posts: 3,874 +3
That's a simple solution, if you have the cash to pay for it. And I think you will like the upgrade.
iss
Posts: 1,994 +1
generally the only difference between retail and OEM soundxards is you dont get the nice box and often dont get the driver disk or any extra's with the OEM card.
as far as audigy2 if you check most forums you will find that most of them asking for help with a soundcard start out with.....".Help my audigy.........."
I gave up on creative sound cards a long time ago. to much of a resource hog to many compaitability issues and too many buggy drivers. hopefully you will expirience none of the above....good luck
as far as audigy2 if you check most forums you will find that most of them asking for help with a soundcard start out with.....".Help my audigy.........."
I gave up on creative sound cards a long time ago. to much of a resource hog to many compaitability issues and too many buggy drivers. hopefully you will expirience none of the above....good luck
XtR-X
Posts: 829 +0
I purchase tons of OEM stuff and never have they came without software. It may be somewhere else in the delivery box, but I still get the drivers.
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) just doesn't come bundled with extra software and such, and most obviously, not the fancy packaging that usually comes with purchases.
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) just doesn't come bundled with extra software and such, and most obviously, not the fancy packaging that usually comes with purchases.
young&wild
Posts: 896 +0
Yes indeed Ninjamyst, SB Live! Value is the base model for SB Live series! and only supports the following: a head phone, 2 speakers, 2.1 speakers setup and 4.1 speakers setup.
Its a SoundBlaster Live! 5.1.
There are few models in the SB Live! series:
i) SB Live! Value - supports up to 4.1
ii) SB Live! - supports up to 4.1
iii) SB Live! 5.1 - supports up to 5.1
By the way, Fortissismo I does cost less than $30, but Fortissismo III is around $54. So don't get mixed up with both. The later is a refined and updated version of the first with support of up to 7.1.
Audigy 2 do have its problems. If you care to google, you will find a lot of them(common problems) posted in other forums.
vassil3427
Posts: 633 +0
Dont worry about having problems with the new card you're getting, just get it, uninstall the old one, install the new one and enjoy the great sound:grinthumb of that 5.1 system...
Actually, Fortissimo III 7.1 is around $30-40 if u know where to look. My friend has the audigy 1 and he has no problem with it so far and he's been trying to con me into swtiching my audigy 2 for his audigy 1. HA! But thanks to everyone's advice so far. I also want to say that for $100, Monsoon MH-505 speakers sound GREAT :grinthumb . I turned the volume ALL THE WAY UP on both the speaker and my computer and no distortion at all.
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