Soundblaster Live! 24-bit USB External Setup

**drago** · **04-12-08, 11:07 AM**

I believe with the new creative drivers and the new software, as of March 11 2008. the software works under VISTA, can any one confirm this.

**lalakersfan34** · **04-12-08, 01:08 PM**

You're right. I got things to work today just fine - had one of those "DUH!" moments regarding my SPL meter I was using as a microphone. Everything works fine on my Vista PC.

**brucek** · **04-12-08, 03:29 PM**

Quote:

You're right. I got things to work today just fine

Interesting.

So, in the Settings page, do you see the SoundBlaster card in the Output Device and Input Device selection pulldowns? Previously, REW had no access to the card and Default had to be chosen.

If you are indeed able to select the SoundBlaster card now, then is the Wave Volume and Output Volume and Input Volume not grayed out anymore? Do you have control of these parameters in VISTA?

brucek

**DougMac** · **04-12-08, 06:17 PM**

Quote:

lalakersfan34 wrote:

You're right. I got things to work today just fine - had one of those "DUH!" moments regarding my SPL meter I was using as a microphone. Everything works fine on my Vista PC.

Would you mind posting some instructions for those of us not quite at the DUH! stage? I can't find a way to turn the monitor off to prevent feedback. I'm using Vista on a Toshiba laptop.

Thanks,
Doug

**lalakersfan34** · **04-12-08, 07:03 PM**

Quote:

brucek wrote:

Interesting.

So, in the Settings page, do you see the SoundBlaster card in the Output Device and Input Device selection pulldowns? Previously, REW had no access to the card and Default had to be chosen.

If you are indeed able to select the SoundBlaster card now, then is the Wave Volume and Output Volume and Input Volume not grayed out anymore? Do you have control of these parameters in VISTA?

brucek

Well, things aren't great, but I got an input signal. I do get to choose the SoundBlaster card in the Output and Input device pulldowns. However, Wave Volume, Output Volume, and Input Volume are grayed out.

Here's my current issue. When calibrating my sound card, I cant get the output and input any closer together than about 8dB. That's way too far off to be making accurate measurements. I've maxed the input for the SoundBlaster, and maxed the output as well, as REW suggests when you can't adjust with REW itself, but I'm seeing about 8dB of separation. Any suggestions?

Edit: the input volume is too low and can't get high enough in relation to the output volume.

**brucek** · **04-12-08, 07:12 PM**

Quote:

I cant get the output and input any closer together than about 8dB

I don't see a real problem there. I might suggest to simply use the left channel calibrate method and then you don't go through the soundcard cal routine.

Connect a cable on both left and right channels with the left channel calibrate checkbox ticked and take a measure and see if you get a nice flat line...

brucek

**lalakersfan34** · **04-12-08, 07:14 PM**

Ok I'll try that right now and I'll let you know what happens in a few minutes

**lalakersfan34** · **04-12-08, 07:28 PM**

Ok, I just calibrated it and it seemed to work fine. Here's a link to a picture of the calibration. Please tell me if it looks ok. Thanks

.

http://s245.photobucket.com/albums/g...alibration.jpg

**brucek** · **04-12-08, 09:03 PM**

Perfect...................

**lalakersfan34** · **04-12-08, 10:08 PM**

. Thanks for your help, Bruce. Looks like the SB Live! 24 USB works with Vista. Incidentally, I installed the drivers on the CD that came with the card and updated the drivers, but ended up deleting them all from my PC. Creative's "Vista" drivers might actually cause problems. I don't know that for a fact, but just thought I'd let everyone know that this is without Creative's drivers.

**affeking** · **04-19-08, 06:14 PM**

Quote:

DougMac wrote:

I can't find a way to turn the monitor off to prevent feedback. I'm using Vista on a Toshiba laptop.

Doug - Did you ever figure this out? I just bought a Toshiba and was about to head out to buy the Soundblaster. Hopefully you got it to work?

Jeff

**DougMac** · **04-19-08, 10:18 PM**

Quote:

affeking wrote:

Doug - Did you ever figure this out? I just bought a Toshiba and was about to head out to buy the Soundblaster. Hopefully you got it to work?

Jeff

Yes. Essentially, you use the output of one channel to be the input of the other. You can't take a mini plug cable with two males on either end and plug one into the output (speakers) and the other into the input. You have to cross them. You can buy some cables and do it, see some posts above, or the way I did it was to use a Behringer Eurorack mixer that was handy. It could be argued that the mixer will affect the calibration. When I get into critical testing, I'll run by RS and get some female to female RCA adapters.

It's very easy once you think about it.

Doug

**brucek** · **04-20-08, 07:13 AM**

Quote:

I just bought a Toshiba and was about to head out to buy the Soundblaster. Hopefully you got it to work?

Perhaps you might consider a different soundcard.

Quote:

It's very easy once you think about it.

Not sure I really understand the fix. The monitor capability is an internal loopback in the card itself.

brucek

**affeking** · **04-20-08, 12:56 PM**

Well, I've yet to see any other recommendations on USB soundcards that sounded too great. I also saw some more recent posts (March 08) that indicated the newer version of the SB software is working well with Vista.

It also sounds like I can use the card just fine without the SB software. Am I losing out on anything in terms of REW functionality without having the Soundblaster software installed?

Thanks,
Jeff

**brucek** · **04-20-08, 01:53 PM**

Quote:

Well, I've yet to see any other recommendations on USB soundcards that sounded too great.

Well, I guess you didn't read my review last week of the Turtle Beach Audio Advantage SRM external soundcard. I really like it, and it works perfect with VISTA. No one seemed very interested in the review though, I'm guessing not many people use Vista on a laptop.

Quote:

It also sounds like I can use the card just fine without the SB software.

Why do you assume that? I don't consider looping cables etc to trick monitor mode as working correctly. Do you really want the monitor mode on permanent when you use the SB card? It seems this may be a problem.. I sure wish someone would tell us if they have this working properly with Vista and REW.

brucek

**affeking** · **04-20-08, 02:11 PM**

Well, I was hoping to use the SB for a few reasons. Mostly, it seems to be the most widely used external card for REW users. Another reason is that it was cheaper than the turtle beach card, and I'm not going to be using this for much beyond my initial setup and tweaking of my speaker placement. The last thing is that I wanted to get started this weekend and I was able to pick up the SB.

However, I agree with your point that tricking out the monitor is not an idea solution. If that's really the only option, I'll return it and order the turtle beach.

Better yet - maybe I'll install XP on this laptop instead of this piece of crap OS.

Jeff

**brucek** · **04-20-08, 02:31 PM**

Quote:

Mostly, it seems to be the most widely used external card for REW users

For XP............................

Quote:

I'm not going to be using this for much beyond my initial setup and tweaking of my speaker placement

It doesn't hurt to have an external USB card around that will output and input both digital and analog signals.

Quote:

maybe I'll install XP on this laptop instead of this piece of crap OS.

Well, I don't think that's the answer. Vista is the operating system that Microsoft is offering right now and there will be no further support of XP at some point. People will have to get used to Vista.

brucek

**affeking** · **04-20-08, 07:49 PM**

OK...can someone just explain to me simply why I don't want to use this card with REW and Vista? I'm fairly new to REW so that may be why I don't understand the issues mentioned above. I did see lakersfan mention that it is working, so I must be missing some shortcoming. Is this related to the fact that REW isn't able to control the volume on this device due to issues with the driver? How exactly does this impact me?

Thanks for the help. Just getting a bit confused. I am probably going to return this thing (not yet opened) but was really hoping I could make it work.

Thanks

**brucek** · **04-20-08, 08:14 PM**

There have been problems with this card not working with Vista, until recently lalakersfan34 reporrted that now it does work.

I've never personally tried the card. I only know what has been reported from threads like this.

It may be just fine now. It would be interesting to know if the card now works with VISTA combined with the SoundBlaster supplied drivers, along with no jiggery pokey required to make it work......

brucek

**affeking** · **04-22-08, 11:56 AM**

OK...I started setting my SB up with Vista and am running into some slightly different issues.

Unlike lakersfan, I was able to get the input and output DB within the 3DB threshold. To do this, I had to turn the input AND output volume up all the way.

The problem came when I built the calibration file, and went to run a test measurement with the loopback still in place. When doing the 'test volume' it tells me that the volume is too high. The issue here is that, when I turn it down, I end up outside of the 3DB threshhold between the Input and Output.

The question is - is that volume high warning an issue or not? I still seemed to get what I believe is a good graph when I ran it. I'll try to post one later if that's helpful.

Thanks,
Jeff

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