View Full Version : Rant regarding Xonar software
lowfat
01-29-2009, 12:37 AM
The issues that I am having are:
1. Every thing is upconverted to 5.1. I want 2 channels of audio to play in stereo, and 5.1 to play in 5.1. Not everything to play in 5.1. And I don't have to have to select either 2 channel or 5.1 EVERY time i swap between them.
2. The EQ does absolutely nothing as far as I can tell.
3. 2 channel sound is half the volume of the upscaled 5.1 So everytime I swap between music and movies, I have to adjust the volume.
4. Mute only mutes the local sound, not the optical inputs sound.
I've tried every version of drivers that I have been able to find, and it doesn't look like they've made any improvements through driver releases. The card is marketed towards HTPC users, but it would drive any HTPC user mad.
I've had the card a whopping two days and it is likely going up for sale already. :down:
/rant
ranker
01-29-2009, 06:11 PM
The issues that I am having are:
1. Every thing is upconverted to 5.1. I want 2 channels of audio to play in stereo, and 5.1 to play in 5.1. Not everything to play in 5.1. And I don't have to have to select either 2 channel or 5.1 EVERY time i swap between them.
2. The EQ does absolutely nothing as far as I can tell.
3. 2 channel sound is half the volume of the upscaled 5.1 So everytime I swap between music and movies, I have to adjust the volume.
4. Mute only mutes the local sound, not the optical inputs sound.
I've tried every version of drivers that I have been able to find, and it doesn't look like they've made any improvements through driver releases. The card is marketed towards HTPC users, but it would drive any HTPC user mad.
I've had the card a whopping two days and it is likely going up for sale already. :down:
/rant
I'm RMA'ing my STX as we speak. These xonar cards f'ing suck.
cadaveca
01-29-2009, 06:29 PM
LOL. MAybe if you played your content on the pc, instead of your macbook plugged into your pc:shakes:, you'd not have the issues, Lowfat. :shrug:
Looking around you're complaining about scaling options being removed from CCC in ATi drivers, which isn't the case. You sure your system is ok? From your compliants, the opposite seems true...
Envydia007
01-29-2009, 06:31 PM
I was also not feelin my Xonar D2 with gaming. I replaced it with X-Fi Titanium.
lowfat
02-01-2009, 08:26 PM
LOL. MAybe if you played your content on the pc, instead of your macbook plugged into your pc:shakes:, you'd not have the issues, Lowfat. :shrug:
Looking around you're complaining about scaling options being removed from CCC in ATi drivers, which isn't the case. You sure your system is ok? From your compliants, the opposite seems true...
The 9.1's brought back the scaling options. But even I was having the scaling options on a different computer. ;)
Donnie27
02-02-2009, 07:22 PM
The 9.1's brought back the scaling options. But even I was having the scaling options on a different computer. ;)
9.1 is working great for me. I have two buds who RMA-ed their Asus card.
ROBSCIX
02-03-2009, 11:29 AM
@lowfat, What are you trying to do that is giving you so much trouble? I have always found the Xonar drivers to be very solid and versatile.
Odd ... my Xonar D2X is the best sound card upgrade I've made in years, asked some of the same people who are posting in this thread for advice, and they pointed me to this card ... Because the drivers just work ... and they do.
Go Figure?
Creative X-Fi no more, here.
I'm happy with my sound now.
cadaveca
02-03-2009, 05:17 PM
@lowfat, What are you trying to do that is giving you so much trouble? I have always found the Xonar drivers to be very solid and versatile.
Same thing as on HWC, sound from his Macbook pro, to the digital-in, being in surround when it's stereo format, etc...it's in the first post, but none of these issues are for users that play content on the system that has the Xonar. His issues stem from paying content on the macbook, and the audio on his pc, or through the pc to his amp.
:shrug:
The issues that I am having are:
1. Every thing is upconverted to 5.1. I want 2 channels of audio to play in stereo, and 5.1 to play in 5.1. Not everything to play in 5.1
I've tried every version of drivers that I have been able to find, and it doesn't look like they've made any improvements through driver releases. The card is marketed towards HTPC users, but it would drive any HTPC user mad.
I've had the card a whopping two days and it is likely going up for sale already. :down:
/rant
I use headphones as default, took me a little while to figure out the speaker selection process in the Xonar software, but it is there.
Are you wanting automatic speaker selection? that might be difficult, but no more than a couple of mouse clicks away with the latest drivers and interface I use.
Automation is bad IMHO.
I'm still not 100% sure what you are needing, though?
ROBSCIX
02-03-2009, 05:45 PM
I have raun through many Xonars since they have come out, in fact I have tested all most all of them. I find the drivers stable and solid.
lowfat
02-03-2009, 06:01 PM
I love the card besides the fact that a 2 channel PCM input through TOSLINK is upconverted in to 5.1 unless I select 2 channel playback. Same goes with the EQ, it only doesn't work with sound inputed through TOSLINK. Videos and sound on the PC itself work fine. :shrug:
Its something I'll just have to get use to.
ROBSCIX
02-06-2009, 05:04 PM
I love the card besides the fact that a 2 channel PCM input through TOSLINK is upconverted in to 5.1 unless I select 2 channel playback. Same goes with the EQ, it only doesn't work with sound inputed through TOSLINK. Videos and sound on the PC itself work fine. :shrug:
Its something I'll just have to get use to.
Never noticed that, although I have never used the Xonar for digital input. What rate is the audio data coming in at?
I have always found the Xonar drivers great and solid for anything I have done. Have you tried sending the data to the PC using analog Line-in?
The card should have reasonable ADC's.. Should allow you to apply effects or equalization to the incoming audio stream, just a suggestion.
lowfat
02-06-2009, 05:54 PM
Audio coming in is 2-channel 44.1KHz 24-bit. I would use the line-in however when using analog out on my MBP it is absolutely awful. Either way I've gotten use to having to change it, so it doesn't bother me as much as it use to.
ROBSCIX
02-06-2009, 06:14 PM
That explains the digital out.
Donnie27
02-06-2009, 07:30 PM
Xonar's software still sucks!
ROBSCIX
02-07-2009, 12:52 PM
Audio coming in is 2-channel 44.1KHz 24-bit. I would use the line-in however when using analog out on my MBP it is absolutely awful. Either way I've gotten use to having to change it, so it doesn't bother me as much as it use to.
If it is something you really want to have, EQ on a incoming stream you may be able to work with VST or DX effects and a realtime host. I have had setups similar to this for recording where the incoming stream was processed through a few effects prior to output. You could just simplify and use a graphics or parametric EQ depending on what your trying to do.:yepp: There are many ways you can do this if you wanted..