Omg these wow my ears but I'm a frikin mute now
<div class="IPBDescription">It's the sound card's software?</div>Altec Lansing headsets suck, never buy one. That's <i>twice</i> now they haven't lasted more than 3 months before a wire in the cable that connects it to the computer breaks. So I decided to so a lot of reseach. I wanted 5.1 headphones, if for no other reason than I have a sound card that supports it with flying colors: a Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi Gaming version. But there were no good 5.1 headsets, only headphones. And then poof, Razer comes out with a new headset called the Barracuda:
<img src="http://www.xsreviews.co.uk/modules/FCKeditor/Upload/Image/RazerBarracuda/Stock.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
LINK: <a href="http://www.razerzone.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_16&products_id=38" target="_blank">http://www.razerzone.com/index.php?main_pa...;products_id=38</a>
Never owned a pair of 5.1 headphones or headsets, in fact I've only have ever owned 2.1 speakers or stereo headphones/headsets before. So these are truely shocking when listening to a movie or playing a game. They are soo accurate. Hell I not only tell that a skulk is sneaking up on me, but tell you that he's at my 8 o'clock up on the ceiling. Thankfully, I got them at about 60% of what they usually retail for. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
One problem though. The sound card's audio input "mic / line in" has failed. This happened before I got the Barracuda. And I can test it with a free standing mic and get the same results.
What do I mean by failed? I mean that if I have that the mic at anything other than mute I get an ear-splitting feedback like SCREAAAAAAAAAAM over the headset. It's about twice as loud as any audio. Even more odd. It only does it if mic is off mute and there is some mid-to-high-range frequence sound. If it's bass it'll work for awhile and then one little "blip" or "click" by Windows, Steam, whatever, and it'll go back to that noise that'll make your ears bleed.
I've never head of such a thing. I went to creative's website and re-installed all of my drivers. I guess it could be a hardware issue but I've never, EVER had a SoundBlaster fail like that before. I'm hoping I won't have to spend on yet <i>another</i> purchase. So for the time being I'm a mute, but you can't play some games like NS well without a mic. Nobody listens as well to an admin who can only type. Espeically since my typing has lots of typos. Plus, I'd like to use the microphone part of the Barracuda <i>headset</i> that I spent money on, even if I did get them for a good price.
This is really frustrating. The system is on an Asus Crosshair motherboard and it's protected by a 900W really nice UPS/BatteryBackup with AVR. I'm hoping one of you out there can fix this, or at least help me understand why the sound card is screwing up. (so if nothing else I can avoid making any of the same mistakes)
<img src="http://www.xsreviews.co.uk/modules/FCKeditor/Upload/Image/RazerBarracuda/Stock.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
LINK: <a href="http://www.razerzone.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_16&products_id=38" target="_blank">http://www.razerzone.com/index.php?main_pa...;products_id=38</a>
Never owned a pair of 5.1 headphones or headsets, in fact I've only have ever owned 2.1 speakers or stereo headphones/headsets before. So these are truely shocking when listening to a movie or playing a game. They are soo accurate. Hell I not only tell that a skulk is sneaking up on me, but tell you that he's at my 8 o'clock up on the ceiling. Thankfully, I got them at about 60% of what they usually retail for. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
One problem though. The sound card's audio input "mic / line in" has failed. This happened before I got the Barracuda. And I can test it with a free standing mic and get the same results.
What do I mean by failed? I mean that if I have that the mic at anything other than mute I get an ear-splitting feedback like SCREAAAAAAAAAAM over the headset. It's about twice as loud as any audio. Even more odd. It only does it if mic is off mute and there is some mid-to-high-range frequence sound. If it's bass it'll work for awhile and then one little "blip" or "click" by Windows, Steam, whatever, and it'll go back to that noise that'll make your ears bleed.
I've never head of such a thing. I went to creative's website and re-installed all of my drivers. I guess it could be a hardware issue but I've never, EVER had a SoundBlaster fail like that before. I'm hoping I won't have to spend on yet <i>another</i> purchase. So for the time being I'm a mute, but you can't play some games like NS well without a mic. Nobody listens as well to an admin who can only type. Espeically since my typing has lots of typos. Plus, I'd like to use the microphone part of the Barracuda <i>headset</i> that I spent money on, even if I did get them for a good price.
This is really frustrating. The system is on an Asus Crosshair motherboard and it's protected by a 900W really nice UPS/BatteryBackup with AVR. I'm hoping one of you out there can fix this, or at least help me understand why the sound card is screwing up. (so if nothing else I can avoid making any of the same mistakes)
Comments
HFI-700's (soon to be proline2500's) <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
What soundcard exactly do you have installed? Reason I ask is I have the Creative SoundBlaster Audigy and had a similar issue (my headset plugs in in the front of the tower).
5.1 headphones? How does that work? Do you strap five sattelite speakers and a subwoofer to your head?
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Yes. Yes you do.
One problem though. The sound card's audio input "mic / line in" has failed. This happened before I got the Barracuda. And I can test it with a free standing mic and get the same results.
What do I mean by failed? I mean that if I have that the mic at anything other than mute I get an ear-splitting feedback like SCREAAAAAAAAAAM over the headset. It's about twice as loud as any audio. Even more odd. It only does it if mic is off mute and there is some mid-to-high-range frequence sound. If it's bass it'll work for awhile and then one little "blip" or "click" by Windows, Steam, whatever, and it'll go back to that noise that'll make your ears bleed.
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You're getting feedback from the mic - if you have it unmuted like you say (which you shouldn't) the sound your mic picks up will come through your headphones, and the sound coming from your headphones is what your mic picks up. Essentially you're going to get an endless loop of the mic picking up and making sound through your headset only to repeat the sound it just made - bad explaination but read up on it if you really care to know.
Basically:
You're not supposed to have it unmuted under colume control, if you do it just means you'll be able to hear what sounds the mic picks up, which you don't want. To test if it's working just used the windows sound recorder and record something. Make sure the mic boost is on under advanced options in the volume control window.
You're getting feedback from the mic - if you have it unmuted like you say (which you shouldn't) the sound your mic picks up will come through your headphones, and the sound coming from your headphones is what your mic picks up. Essentially you're going to get an endless loop of the mic picking up and making sound through your headset only to repeat the sound it just made - bad explaination but read up on it if you really care to know.
Basically:
You're not supposed to have it unmuted under colume control, if you do it just means you'll be able to hear what sounds the mic picks up, which you don't want. To test if it's working just used the windows sound recorder and record something. Make sure the mic boost is on under advanced options in the volume control window.
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I was thinking the same thing. If he has my soundcard (which I think he does) he needs to turn off the speakers to eliminate this feedback.
your mic is playing over your line-out. this isn't a hardware issue. head over to the windows volume control and mute the mic on the playback volume control panel.
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Yes but then I try talking over it in-game and it's like:
x5: "---"
people: "nope can't hear you"
x5: "---?"
people: "nope nothing"
x5: "------------!!!"
<!--quoteo(post=1618803:date=Apr 4 2007, 06:26 AM:name=Depot)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Depot @ Apr 4 2007, 06:26 AM) [snapback]1618803[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
Sorry your Altec Lansing setup didn't work - I've had mine installed for two years without issue.
What soundcard exactly do you have installed? Reason I ask is I have the Creative SoundBlaster Audigy and had a similar issue (my headset plugs in in the front of the tower).
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Close. Mine is a Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi XtremeGamer
<!--quoteo(post=1618810:date=Apr 4 2007, 07:44 AM:name=enf0rcer)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(enf0rcer @ Apr 4 2007, 07:44 AM) [snapback]1618810[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
You're getting feedback from the mic - if you have it unmuted like you say (which you shouldn't) the sound your mic picks up will come through your headphones, and the sound coming from your headphones is what your mic picks up. Essentially you're going to get an endless loop of the mic picking up and making sound through your headset only to repeat the sound it just made - bad explaination but read up on it if you really care to know.
Basically:
You're not supposed to have it unmuted under colume control, if you do it just means you'll be able to hear what sounds the mic picks up, which you don't want. To test if it's working just used the windows sound recorder and record something. Make sure the mic boost is on under advanced options in the volume control window.
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I'll try recording something when voice is on. Already tried Steam's "Test Microphone" and get nothing. Also already tried Ceative's Audio Creation mode and I can tell from the active monitor that there is nothing recieved. But I'll try the windows one too.
okay, head over to the sounds and audio devices. click on the volume button. there's a "device volume" section with an "advanced" button. press it. open the options menu and hit properties. make sure the "playback" radio button is active and check every box. do the same with "recording". leave the radio button on "recording" and check the box under the slider for "microphone." options->properties again and activate the "playback" radio button. mute the mic. head over to ventrilo, hit the setup button. play with the directsound checkboxes until you hear yourself over loopback (test button, bottom left).
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Oh I did that and I'll try to show it in the screenshot below.
<img src="http://www.xzianthia.net/images/micscreaming.gif" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
You see that red circle I added to the screenshot above? If I turn the mute off it produces this sound:
<!--sizeo:4--><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><b><!--coloro:#FF0000--><span style="color:#FF0000"><!--/coloro-->WARNING:<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--><!--sizeo:3--><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--> THIS IS LOUD AS HELL AND MAY CAUSE YOUR EARS TO BLEED IF YOUR VOLUME IS TURNED UP.<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->
<a href="http://www.xzianthia.net/sound/omg_my_ears.wma" target="_blank">Click to hear the sound that is annoying x5's ears at your own risk.</a>
Oddities about this:
Happens with any mic
Happens even though "mic volume" is turned all the way down
Happens even when muted when the computer shuts down
I recorded the above annoying sound using the sound card's software set to record "What U Hear" as the source
<!--quoteo(post=1618923:date=Apr 4 2007, 06:54 PM:name=Swiftspear)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swiftspear @ Apr 4 2007, 06:54 PM) [snapback]1618923[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
If you haven't already, update your soundcard's drivers relevant to your OS.
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Tried that immediately when the problem happened. Solved not a damn thing apparently.
Guys you are not thinking outside the box. I've thought of all the usual things. I have a multimeter but I don't know X-Fi architecture well enough to go poking probes on it, or how I would interpret any readings.
okay, it looks like a 60Hz buzz which means you're probably catching interference from an AC power source or a transformer. move everything away from your audio lines and try unplugging things. if possible, run the sound card in a different computer or with a different power supply. if you want, i can post the pretty pictures of the 60Hz interference buzz vs the spectrum from your file.
You said nothing is being recorded. What were the settings during that test? Microphone output was muted I expect, but what of input? The picture you posted shows that the recording level is set to zero, but is this intentional or...? Just want to clarify this bit.
But before I ramble on further, could you check your flexijack settings first?
** removed before someone else does
I had this exact same problem. There should be a box labeled that, uncheck it.
oh. that's sounds like the 60Hz buzz. going to run it through the spectrum. i'll get back to you.
okay, it looks like a 60Hz buzz which means you're probably catching interference from an AC power source or a transformer. move everything away from your audio lines and try unplugging things. if possible, run the sound card in a different computer or with a different power supply. if you want, i can post the pretty pictures of the 60Hz interference buzz vs the spectrum from your file.
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Yes post the pretty pictures please! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/nerd-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::nerdy::" border="0" alt="nerd-fix.gif" /> <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
Um the only high powered AC items in the vicinity are a 900W UPS/BatteryBackup and a 650W Antec power supply. Neither of which ever caused an issue before.
<!--quoteo(post=1618997:date=Apr 5 2007, 02:18 AM:name=Luukas)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Luukas @ Apr 5 2007, 02:18 AM) [snapback]1618997[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
Okay, let's try this again:
You said nothing is being recorded. What were the settings during that test? Microphone output was muted I expect, but what of input? The picture you posted shows that the recording level is set to zero, but is this intentional or...? Just want to clarify this bit.
But before I ramble on further, could you check your flexijack settings first?
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First of all, others here (usu. forum mods) will start yelling that your screenshot is breaking the forum margins. (too wide)
Sure but my controls aren't exactly the same. See below:
<img src="http://www.xzianthia.net/images/micscreaming.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
And the really odd thing I just noticed from testing more?
<b>This "60Hz noise" ONLY occurs on two conditions:
1. The OS mic is not muted and is my recording source
2. There is a mid-to-high frequeny sound comming out of the FRONT-RIGHT speaker.</b>
(Only that speaker seems to set it off.)
How did I find this out? But clicking the "Channel" test button you see on the main control panel above. It plays a sound only through one channel/speaker at a time in a clockwise fashion. I am 100% sure it is only the front right speaker.
Now what in the HELL does that mean?! I got a real technological mystery I tell you! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
First of all, others here (usu. forum mods) will start yelling that your screenshot is breaking the forum margins. (too wide)
Sure but my controls aren't exactly the same. See below:
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Thanks for the warning. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wow.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":0" border="0" alt="wow.gif" />
What about Windows' own volume controls then?
<img src="http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/6645/moarxfistuffkb4.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
If you do need to buy new headphones, consider taking a look at stuff like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_localization" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_localization</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binaural_recording" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binaural_recording</a> before you do. Remember, we only hear through two channels. For speakers, 5.1+ arrangements usually do improve the effect of 3D sound, but it's not neccessary if you're listening through headphones. I guess you can turn off 3.1 channels if you want a 2-channel listening experience, but for the extra price you pay for those 3.1 channels, I'd rather buy a superior-sounding 2 channel headphone. Once you listen to a good binaural recording you'll know what I mean. I must admit though, I haven't tried a pair of 5.1 headphones in several years, so perhaps the technology has some worth now... I'll make a note to check that out. In the meantime, I'll stick to my orgasmic Ultrasone
HFI-700's (soon to be proline2500's) <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
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You sir, lead me to a site(HeadRoom) that makes me squeal in delight. My current headphones, a 5.1 set(that I'm never buying again- either cord issues or plastic issues, not to mention hearing truly better sound quality, means I won't buy these again).
Thanks for the resources.
<img src="http://www.xzianthia.net/images/micscreaming2.gif" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
ugh...
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Yay for unified drivers...? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/confused-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="???" border="0" alt="confused-fix.gif" />
Apparently it has an auto-sensing function, which - unsurprisingly - does not work like it should! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
<a href="http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs/board/message?board.id=soundblaster&message.id=88615#M88615" target="_blank">http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs/bo...id=88615#M88615</a>
As for the sound only coming through one particular speaker only, this is propably a result of the signal being mono. Just a guess, but that's how the flexijack works: an S/PDIF cable only connects to the ground and one of the signals (apparently the right channel lead in this case).
** Gawds I just can't remember to remove pictures from quotes...
I not sure what you are getting at. Is there a patch I can download that'll give more advanced options?
It's not my sound card having latency requesting data from the south bridge either (yay for having an Asus Crosshair mobo):
<img src="http://www.xzianthia.net/images/micscreaming3.gif" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
<a href="http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml</a>
Well it's not mono, it's just that the front-right speaker channel sets it off.
I not sure what you are getting at. Is there a patch I can download that'll give more advanced options?
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Oops. I really need to read these things more carefully.
I don't expect there to be a patch or anything, it was merely an observation. Didn't (and still don't) have time to scour the Creative forums in detail. However, if you want to try it, swapping the card to another PCI slot might help. A friend's X-Fi xtrememusic recently, for all intents and purposes, died. But a simple slot change "fixed" it.
<!--QuoteBegin-x5 on their site+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(x5 on their site)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Please help. I'm having the same problem it would seem.
A huge amount of detail can be found at the Natural-Selection Forum thread here:
<a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?s=8782305910489093120&showtopic=101053" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index....howtopic=101053</a>
I don't think I could or should re-post it all here. So please if one of you creative mods could read this and reply (best of all reply on the NSF board itself) that would be excellent indeed. At least give us a patch to allow for more options and advanced controls.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
It's really daft that they completely disabled the option to manually select between analog in/out and digital out. I mean, what could possibly be the harm in having both auto-sensing and that?
<a href="http://blackmage.org/bbs/src/1175786984925.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://blackmage.org/bbs/thumb/1175786984925s.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" /></a>
and
<a href="http://blackmage.org/bbs/src/1175787004411.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://blackmage.org/bbs/thumb/1175787004411s.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" /></a>
top one is a computer-generated 60Hz interference tone, the bottom one is yours.
Creative hasn't responded. I'm not sure what my next action should be. Trying installing the drivers from another card in the series? Would that just make matters worse? This sucks, Creative used to be the very best sound cards period.
Hey, that's pretty cool BlackMage. You can note though that they are quite different in some aspects.
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whatever. you're the guy who makes money working with computer audio systems.
It seems really annoying that it all comes down to that they disabled it in the drivers.
What kinds of SPU's (Sound Processing Units; aka sound cards) do you all have? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />