Sb-Live, EAX is good or NOT ?

[BD2003]

A3d is not equal to 3d sound. Most games dont support a3d 2. The monster sound m80 will support as much of a3d 2 as a sound blaster live would (and that means up to a level of a3d 1), so know what youre talking about before you post misinformation.

Also, you cant fix in game sound by changing the variables from the audiohq panel. Games initialize their own eax settings and completely override any you have set in the panel, so as far as lowering that reverb, youre SOL.

As far as the nic goes, try disabling sound blaster emulation and the gameport if you dont use it. They both take up IRQs that you could probably save, and are probably conflicting with your nic.

 

[nortexoid]

a3d 2.0 equals the best presently offered positional 3d audio on the market...

discuss amongst yourselves.

 

[TravisBickle]

I've never used or heard EITHER sound formats! but I have read about them and A3D seems decidedly (wow, I'm talking like a posh limey) DECIDEDLY more intelligent. by taking 3d information (already present and calculated of course) and using it in the suitable way to provide effects and positioning of sound you would get something natural, without much cpu overhead, right?
maybe Creative are best advised to simply rename A3D and carry on with it!

 

[Auric]

BigDee2003 has got it. The last A3D version technically may have been able to produce better effects than EAX but game developers are too lazy to even do EAX right which is easier to program. That's the reason Aureal died. There was no point in buying an otherwise substandard card if its only possible advantage never panned out.

 

[ZaijiaN]

>>> Oh yeah... counter strike and half-life based games aren't bad.. except for that WATER noise in DUST that appears sometimes..... ?!?!?!?

That was confusing me too, but then I found out that the generic water noise is also for when the bodies disappear.

 

[Wingznut]

Add me to the club that bought into the EAX/SBLive! hype. The 3D positional is absolutely horrid. I remember that I could turn my back to a sound, and it would simply disappear. I quickly returned it, in favor of a MX300. Great card.

Since then I've upgraded to a Santa Cruz. An even better sound card.

 

[MadMerc]

i went from an old ISA AWE 64 to a Santa Cruz (or Sonic Fury as it is here) - Cant comment too much on its 3d implementation as i only have 2 speakers, but i love it purely for its features and the fact that i have dos sound again

and yes, i still play some old dos games

 

[Adrian Tung]

I would like to make a comment from the sound designer and programmer's point of view on EAX.

Firstly, I used the EAX API for my final year project back in university. I think EAX is a fine API which complements DirectSound3D nicely. It is easy to learn and easy to program. However, in order to do it right you have to have at least some professional knowledge in audio engineering or sound design.

The main problem I have seen in most games is TOO MUCH REVERB!!! That's why you end up hearing too much echo which drowns out every other sound. Furthermore, when you guys mention about sounds jumping from one source to another, it's all bad or lazy programming. DirectSound3D's 3D sound positioning may be a bit complicated to manipulate if you are just a programmer without proper audio knowledge, but if the parameters are set right you shouldn't be hearing the anomalies that you guys complain about.

BigDee is right about what he says. It's all mainly lazy programming.


atwl

 

[Remedy]

Well if it is based on Lazy Programming and the EAX APi easy to use, why get lazy on a easy API? I can see it were A3D But its only EAX. I think if A3D 3.0 would of taken off then their wouldn't even be Next Generation EAX api.

Now i have question, When a game such as Q3A supports A3D 2.0 but you only have a Suckblaster Live!(Which doesn't support 2.0) does it drop back to EAX 1.0 or 2.0?

 

[Rent]

You guys almost have me convinced to throw my MX300 back in my machine and give my mom the SBLive...

From what I've read, the 4 speaker setup with A3D is MUCH better than EAX... I guess I'll have to do an experiment tonite

 

[Stephen24]

You guys are so such nay sayers. EAX is great, I love it. Now stop your fvcking bitching and complaining.

 

[Remedy]

Anyways, :disgust:

 

[Auric]

UT EAX improvements just out

 

[BD2003]

Theres a good reason for developers to be lazy about eax: money. Theyd have to hire someone to map out every room in every level for it to sound great. That'll take a LOT of time. It doesnt appear that theres many people in the industry with the knowledge to do this correctly. And the point...why bother when most people arent even going to notice to begin with. Saying it cost an extra 50,000 bucks to hire someone over a year to do this, thats a lot of extra games theyll have to sell to make up that difference. People dont notice sound, they notice graphics. pretty sad, isnt it?

 

[Biggs]

EAX is good when you use EAX demos IMHO. I for one haven't really notice a head-turning improvement in games with EAX enabled. Sometimes, some of the sounds even get left out or sound very different like my experience in Baldur's Gate 1. Enough ranting now.