What do you think of EAX?

[GeneralOreo]

Considering so many sound cards don't support the latest EAX, including high-end ones like the Asus Xonar, I wonder how many here would only buy a sound card with full EAX support and how many don't care.

 

[QueBert]

Positional 3d audio sounded better on my A3D Vortex 2 card. I have an Audigy 2 and don't know what all the fuss is about really. I've heard Vista EAX is basically worthless (good) a shame Aureal went under I would love to have an A3D 3 card right now

 

[BFG10K]

It makes a big difference to many games I play.

 

[GeneralOreo]

I hate choosing between EAX and Dolby Headphone. There's not a single card that supports the latest EAX and has DH. =\

 

[pontifex]

i don't know what it does...i have an audigy 2 card.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: BFG10K
It makes a big difference to many games I play.

Agreed, just wish A3D was still around

 

[mrblotto]

Didn't EA buy out A3D?

 

[chizow]

EAX can make an incredible difference in games. Usually the people who think it makes no difference or isn't a big deal don't have their software/drivers set-up properly, aren't running the proper connections (like using sp/dif out), or don't have speakers/system that would benefit from EAX or a SB card.

 

[CP5670]

Didn't EA buy out A3D?

No, it was Creative. They basically sat on the A3D technology until fairly recently, without doing anything with it. I only had a Vortex 1 card but I think it's only with the X-fi that Creative has managed to surpass what that card could do; all the Audigy EAX versions were definitely inferior. The X-Fi's EAX 4.0 is quite good though.

If Aureal had stayed around we would have had awesome positional sound by now. Back in the late 90s, I remember thinking that it was going to really take off alongside 3D accelerated graphics, but that never happened.

 

[ICXRa]

I never really thought it did much until I got the X-Fi but I can really tell a difference. I'm still using XP so I can't comment on Vista.

 

[mrblotto]

Originally posted by: CP5670

Didn't EA buy out A3D?

No, it was Creative. They basically sat on the A3D technology until fairly recently, without doing anything with it. I only had a Vortex 1 card but I think it's only with the X-fi that Creative has managed to surpass what that card could do; all the Audigy EAX versions were definitely inferior. The X-Fi's EAX 4.0 is quite good though.

If Aureal had stayed around we would have had awesome positional sound by now. Back in the late 90s, I remember thinking that it was going to really take off alongside 3D accelerated graphics, but that never happened.

D'oh, thats right.

Yeah, A3D seemed ahead of its time. Too bad nothing ever seemed to happen with it.

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: QueBert
I've heard Vista EAX is basically worthless (good)

You've heard wrong (or most likely not at all). In Vista, the ONLY way to get EAX or any 3D positional effects is with a Creative card (Audigy 2+ or X-Fi series). Vista dropped DirectSound hardware support and defaults to PCM stereo output done in software, meaning OpenAL is the only API that allows direct access to sound card hardware via HAL. OpenAL subverts Vista's UAA and allows for full hardware accelerated effects in games that support OpenAL natively. ALchemy allows for EAX support on Creative cards for older titles that support DirectSound only. Currently, only Creative cards support OpenAL (and ALchemy) in Vista, meaning everyone else is getting glorified Pro Logic II "surround sound" from a stereo source. This is much like people connecting their Audigys/X-Fis to their receivers via sp/dif and then scratching their heads wondering why their "surround sound" and EAX is unimpressive.

 

[Dacalo]

With Vista, aren't EAX features borked? I still use Audigy Platinum from 6 years ago.

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: Dacalo
With Vista, aren't EAX features borked? I still use Audigy Platinum from 6 years ago.

If the game supports OpenAL natively and EAX, then you'll get EAX effects in Vista. Actually I was wrong, even the original Audigy supports OpenAL. In games that only support DirectSound, you need ALchemy to subvert Vista's UAA but it looks like there's currently no support for ALchemy for Audigy cards in Vista. There might be hacked or modified ALchemy downloads out there, honestly I haven't paid attention even though I still have an Audigy 2 lying around. ALchemy's benefits aren't limited to older games btw, its any game that supports EAX, but not OpenAL. Like The Witcher for instance. You need to manually add it to ALchemy and do a few manual tweaks but you'd have to be deaf to not be able to hear the difference.

 

[tigersty1e]

Originally posted by: Dacalo
With Vista, aren't EAX features borked? I still use Audigy Platinum from 6 years ago.

It's borked in that you have to do some extra easy steps to enable EAX in games that support EAX....

Alchemy installs 2 sound files in the executable game folder.

 

[Oyeve]

Originally posted by: tigersty1e

Originally posted by: Dacalo
With Vista, aren't EAX features borked? I still use Audigy Platinum from 6 years ago.

It's borked in that you have to do some extra easy steps to enable EAX in games that support EAX....

Alchemy installs 2 sound files in the executable game folder.

But arent all cards basically borked as well?

 

[imported_Imp]

I never had anything other than a Creative card now or back in the day, so can't really compare. Therein lies the problem...

 

[Munky]

Since I use my PC for other things besides gaming, like music and movies, I care more about the sound quality than EAX, so Creative cards aren't an option for me.

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

I can only notice it in some games (mostly Battlefield 2), where I get an echo or something like that.

 

[BFG10K]

Usually the people who think it makes no difference or isn't a big deal don't have their software/drivers set-up properly, aren't running the proper connections (like using sp/dif out), or don't have speakers/system that would benefit from EAX or a SB card.

Also some try it on onboard solutions and conclude there's no difference, which of course is invalid since many onboard solutions have lacking/incorrect implementations compared to Creative.

Since I use my PC for other things besides gaming, like music and movies, I care more about the sound quality than EAX, so Creative cards aren't an option for me.

The X-Fi series has very good playback for music and movies.

 

[TheVrolok]

I'm an audio noob. My motherboard does have 7.1 output through spdif/optical out, I'm running the spdif to my receiver (a crappy 5.1 HTIB) and just want to make sure I'm actually getting surround sound in my games. (it seems I am) Can someone point me at a guide or something to look into learning more about sound in gaming/soundcards/etc.. I actually have an Audigy 2 sitting right in front of me (from an old system of mine) but I just don't know enough about audio to even begin.

 

[Canai]

Originally posted by: ICXRa
I never really thought it did much until I got the X-Fi but I can really tell a difference. I'm still using XP so I can't comment on Vista.

Same here. I'm amazed at the difference it makes.

*disclaimer* I am a musician, so I have more sensitive / attuned ears than most

 

[Inspector Jihad]

whenever i enable EAX, i get a tinny or hollow sound. a lot of times dialogue or gunfire is very low compared to the rest of the sounds. i get all sorts of problems...any idea what i'm doing wrong?

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
whenever i enable EAX, i get a tinny or hollow sound. a lot of times dialogue or gunfire is very low compared to the rest of the sounds. i get all sorts of problems...any idea what i'm doing wrong?

Open creative control panel > CMSS 3d tab > CMSS Modes > disable CMSS

Disabling CMSS may not be a good idea depending on your speaker setup.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: BFG10K

Usually the people who think it makes no difference or isn't a big deal don't have their software/drivers set-up properly, aren't running the proper connections (like using sp/dif out), or don't have speakers/system that would benefit from EAX or a SB card.

Also some try it on onboard solutions and conclude there's no difference, which of course is invalid since many onboard solutions have lacking/incorrect implementations compared to Creative.

Since I use my PC for other things besides gaming, like music and movies, I care more about the sound quality than EAX, so Creative cards aren't an option for me.

The X-Fi series has very good playback for music and movies.

I would disagree with the last statement, X-Fi cards sound good, very good? I've heard many cards that sound better. My Razer sound card sounded better to my IMHO. I don't think unless you buy a ghetto no name sound card that you'd find a worse sounding card. Not saying X-Fi's sound bad, they don't, but they don't sound any better than a decent card.