Is there a 2.1 for sound?

[Craig]

I have a P4C800-E, and it uses SoundMax. Downloaded the newest driver from
Asus and installed. My problem is that I have 2.1 speakers, but that isn't
an option. 5.1 won't work. I had to just put it on "front speakers", but
it treats the sub as a regular speaker. I really need a fix for this as I
am in the market for new 2.1 speakers. I have no need for 5.1 on a darn
computer, not to mention anywhere to put them.

Thanks for the help,
Craig

 

[jaeger]

I have a P4C800-E, and it uses SoundMax. Downloaded the newest driver from
Asus and installed. My problem is that I have 2.1 speakers, but that isn't
an option. 5.1 won't work. I had to just put it on "front speakers", but
it treats the sub as a regular speaker. I really need a fix for this as I
am in the market for new 2.1 speakers. I have no need for 5.1 on a darn
computer, not to mention anywhere to put them.

There is no such thing as "2.1" sound. It's 2 channel stereo. Your
sound drivers or controller have no control at all over the sub, that
job belongs to the crossover and amp inside. If it isn't working, you
hooked it up incorrectly or it's broken.

 

[Craig]

Well, it was working perfectly on my old computer. Now it sounds like shit.

 

[Paul]

Well, it was working perfectly on my old computer.
Now it sounds like shit.

Towards the back of the downloadable PDF user manual, it says in the
SoundMax section:

"You must use 4-channel or 6-channel speakers for this setup.

SoundMAX 4 XL requires Microsoft Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP. Make
sure that one of these operating systems is installed before
installing SoundMAX."

A wacky suggestion would be to install another AC97 driver, like a
RealTek or something, one which understands the default controls
for audio (mixer sliders and the like) but doesn't know a thing
about SoundMax. Does the SoundMax installation process have any
option to not install the SoundMax part but still install the
vanilla AC97 part ? Maybe that would be a way to get a null
(unshaped frequency response) 2 speaker setup from the hardware.

Soundmax is a processing engine that sits in front of the regular
AClink to AC97 hardware path. With it disabled, I would hope a
perfectly flat frequency response (rolling off well before the
Nyquist limit), and no special effects applied, would result.

Good luck,
Paul