New Speaker System WOW!!!

[rhodges]

After all these years as an old simmer, I finally upgraded from desktop speakers to the Creative Inspire 5.1 (5200) package.

Operating off of Soundmax, all speakers are working evenly when I test them through the individual cycle. They also sound about even when playing a CD.

To start with, although the sound was great, particularly with the new sub-woofer, I did not think the rear or center speakers were working in FS9 only. After some experimentation, I discovered that they were in fact delivering engine sounds, but at a much lower level than the side front speakers.

Am I correct in assuming that at least for the aircraft I was useing, that with the engines on the wings directly left and right, that this is an attempt from FS9 for realizm, as those speakers would be representative of the closest locations to the engines?

Anybody had some experience with this setup? If so any comments?
Thanks:
RTH

Edit:
I just tried the Desault Falcon and Capt. Sim's 727 to see if I could tell any difference with an aircraft with rear engines. Made the following discovery. I could not tell that anything was coming out of the rear or center speakers. SubWoofer and front side speakers were fine. With the front speakers muted, I switched to another aircraft (Cessna 195) Sound boomed out of the rear and center speakers (I had turned the volume up to high on these selections only in my panel before when I heard nothing). I then turned the front speakers on. With them unmuted, they worked fine, but the rear and center quit.

This happens (so far at least) only in FS9. All speakers work fine with everything else I have tried.

Sounds like a good time to go to bed and sleep on it.

Second edit:
Well! That didn't work. I now cannot duplicate what happened in the first edit. Seems to be inconsistant. I am running my front speakers through the jumpered mod for the front case jacks so that I can plug and unplug my mic there. Maybe that is the problem.

[ant_1984]

I have the Logitech Z-640 5.1 set running through an audigy2ZS, and thay always have sound coming out of the rear speakers, it does sound softer out of the rear speakers though because FS9 only uses stereo sound but we're basically forcing it through to the other speakers as well.

Anthony

[rhodges]

Thanks Anthony:

I think I found the inconsistant problem for anyone useing SoundMax On Board sound.

In addition to simply selecting "Surround Sound Speakers (5.1 Surround)for the Speaker Setup Layour, "Open the SoundMax Control Panel>Preferences>Listening Environment. Be sure you have an Environment Model selected. I had "[None]" checked, and apparently if this is the case, the selection goes back to desktop speakers in FS9, not 5.1 Surround. So far with either "Generic" or "Room" selected, all speakers work as one would expect them to. A little additional testing is appropriate, but this may be the solution. If I find out differently, or anything else I will add it to this post.

What you say makes sense Anthony. The sound out of the rear speakers and my center speaker is softer, but it is definitely there in all speakers plus the subwoofer.

Thanks again.
RTH

[rhodges]

Down to one problem (well, make that two).

I can set up my speakers to the "5.1 Speakers" selection in my Autio Control Panel and everything works fine through all speakers.

If I start up FS9, the selection defaults to "Sterio Speakers" which are only the front left and right speakers. The "Rear, Center, and Subwoofer" sliders are dimmed out on the display as inactive.

With FS9 running, I can again select "5.1 Speakers" in the control panel and FS9 works fine through all speakers. (Sliders no longer blacked out)

When I shutdown FS9, everything continues to work fine.

If I restart FS9, the selection again goes back to "Sterio Speakers"

Bottom line, every time FS9 is started up, the speaker selection goes to the "Sterio Speakers" which is only the front left and right speakers. It really only takes a few clicks to change back to the "5.1 Speaker" selection where everything works, but it does puzzle me as to why FS9 has this affect on the settings.

There is another post regarding what appears to be this same problem on the FS2004 forum (Mother forum to these conferences)

I have also discovered that the selection goes back to the two speaker configuration when I change from one aircraft to some others as well. This is not true of all aircraft. The switch has no affect on some and does on others, so I suspect that the problem may be applicable to something in the sound setup for the individual aircraft. I also suspect that the reason some of us start up with this problem is that the aircraft we have chosen as our default startup aircraft is one of the birds with the sound bug, and those without the problem start up with a compatible plane.

Yep. I just tried with the Beechcraft Baron, one of the aircraft I could switch to with no sound problem. I made it my default startup plane, and FS9 started up with no sound problem, All six speakers worked like they should. If I start up with my chosen Boeing 717, I have the sound problem. I think this problem is aircraft specific, not a general FS9 problem.

Any time this happens, I can reselect "5.1 Speakers" in the audio panel and everything works again.

[ant_1984]

It could also be that you're using onboard sound, i'm assuming that's what sound max is. When I first got my speakers I had AC97 onboard sound and it would constantly change back to desktop speakers. Even with my Audigy2ZS it would change back but eventually it just stopped doing it and is constantly on 5.1 now.

Also I know this is a little off topic, but I noticed when using the onboard sound while set up for 5.1 I lost a reasonable amount of FPS, so if you're worried about that you may want to get a dedicated sound card like an audigy, in my opinion it makes a hell of a difference to sound quality as well.

Anthony

[flightsimmer747]

If you have a sound card make sure you disable your onboard sound as far as your problem goes i just fixed it myself i had the same problems as you make sure you uncheck 'synchronize with control panel', this should help this is found in your sound max properties where you set the 5.1 selection. Also make sure your windows sound (speakers) is set up for surround sound (5.1). Thats it i now hear sound from all speakers with any plane. Good luck!

[rhodges]

Thanks for the info Flightsimmer 747.

I am useing onboard SoundMax sound on a P4C800 Deluxe Asus MB which has worked flawlessly up to this point with little to no frame hit.

I do see a SW Sync option to activate a slider by that title, but I do not really see an option which exactly says "synchronize with control panel".

As I stated earlier, I can also hear sound through all speakers with any plane, but I must again choose the 5.1 speaker selection each time I start up FS9, or select one of the birds in question.

I believe I have somewhat isolated where the problem is. On a problem bird, if I click on a switch which has sound, (i.e. seat belt sign) in addition to the chime I hear a static crack, and the speaker selection goes back to "sterio speakers". I also replaced my panel (Boeing 717 custom panel) with the default 737 panel, and there is no problem at all. I feel sure that there is a sound gauge, or gauges in the problem panels which is causing the problem. By a process of elimination it probably can be found, but I don't really know if it is worth it or not.

Oh well. Time will tell.
Thanks again.
RTH