I have a SB Live, what are the optimal fb2k settings? Options

[rejj]

Hi.

I'm starting this thread for two purposes, really. One, because I would like to know (obviously) and two, so that it can be all in one thread (one post hopefully, if someone gives a useful reply) to aid future searches of the forum.

I have a SB Live! soundcard (yes yes, I know. It was cheap, okay?) and was wondering what the best settings in fb2k for it were. So far from reading/searching the forum I have come up with the following, but I would like clarification and confirmation please.

16 bit fixed point playback, dithering on
triangular dither (the recommended setting)
strong noise shaping (also the default recommended setting)

I would like to know if the above is correct, and also I would like to know if resampling is recommended with a Live!, and if so to which frequency?

Thanks.

[AstralStorm]

Resampling is recomended with SB Live. (my wasn't cheap, I bought it 6 years ago)
Set it to 48000 Hz - Live internally resamples to this frequency (very poorly),
if the sound isn't of that frequency.

Your dithering settings are correct.
EDIT: For me strong ATH and trinagular dither color the sound...

This post has been edited by AstralStorm: May 2 2003, 10:30

[Ido]

I'm quite a noob and I don't know where to find these Strong ATH and triangular dithering setting.

My dithering is on but can't find the setting to choose the method.

thanks

[DustMagnet]

Here you go: Prefs>Playback>Dithering

[AstralStorm]

There is a bug in dithering/noise shaping selection:
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....9&t=8920&st=25&

[rejj]

Thanks, astral.

[SafirXP]

i've an audigy, what settings do i use?

[neoufo51]

Heh, I've got an old Turtle Beach Montego 2, but nobody's ever answered me the last time I asked. Anybody out there help me out, please?


P.S. SafirXP, Audigy 1 or 2?

[SafirXP]

Audigy 1. why do ppl want to hear the version number when a 2nd version comes out? all this while it was audigy. if i had an audigy2 i'd call it an audigy2.

[askoff]

i've an audigy, what settings do i use?

Same settings as Live! will do just fine.

[Crocodil]

Hi everybody
I also own SB Live! and thus I have 2 questions:

1. In the DSP Manager is the order of Active DSPs important? I have 2 active DSPs: Attentuator and Resampler (SSRC). What other DSPs would be recommended or simpy nice?

2. What about Output? Is Direct Sound ok?

Thanks to all the good people in this forum for answers

[Ido]

Here you go: Prefs>Playback>Dithering

thank you, it appears after relaunching Foobar

[askoff]

Hi everybody
I also own SB Live! and thus I have 2 questions:

1. In the DSP Manager is the order of Active DSPs important? I have 2 active DSPs: Attentuator and Resampler (SSRC). What other DSPs would be recommended or simpy nice?

2. What about Output? Is Direct Sound ok?

Thanks to all the good people in this forum for answers

1. At least in theory you can save some CPU power with optimal DSP order. Maybay Advenced Limitter should be used, but that's not so important if you use replay gain.

2. Direct Sound is ok, but Kernel Streaming is a bit better.

[David Nordin]

no, KS is not better.
Stick to DS to avoid weird behaviour.

It's adviced to use the Advanced Limiter, it won't affect your output unless the clip or near-clip occurs.

[Crocodil]

Thank you for your answers askoff and MTRH, you've been very helpful.

[slipstream3d]

i've an audigy, what settings do i use?

Same settings as Live! will do just fine.

Yeah, but the Audigy and Audigy2 are 24-bit capable (in some respects... lots of arguing about this) and 24-bit *seems* to increase quality. Other settings are the same as the SBLive tho.

Your milage may vary

This post has been edited by slipstream3d: May 5 2003, 22:18

[AstralStorm]

READ ABOVE!
(how many times I have to repeat that A1 is not capable of 24bit output?
Please do a FAQ entry about this...)

EDIT: For A2 just drop the resampler and set output to 24bit.

This post has been edited by AstralStorm: May 5 2003, 22:19

[tcmjr]

Ok I have an audigy 1 , should i choose Hardware Mixing ?
And where is this resampler option ? should i choose this one too ?

[AstralStorm]

You should use hardware mixing if it works right...
Resampler is in DSP section, put it after all other DSPs except channel converters.

[KikeG]

EDIT: For me strong ATH and trinagular dither color the sound...

Have you ABX'ed them? If so, how did you do? Did you use diskwriter? Have you tried with last 0.61a release?

I say that because I have measured and analyzed all dithering options in FB2K 0.61a and I've seen no traces at all of sound colouring, just the typical different dither noise floors.

This post has been edited by KikeG: May 6 2003, 08:56

[tcmjr]

You should use hardware mixing if it works right...
Resampler is in DSP section, put it after all other DSPs except channel converters.

Hey , tks for the reply
What do you mean by "if it works right" ?
And , is this resampler an 3rd party plugin ? if so , where can I get it and which setting should i choose ?

Thanks

[icube]

hey... how bout m-audio revolution 7.1..?

[AstralStorm]

@tcmjr: DirectSound hardware mixing causes severe problems for some Audigy1 users (maybe past drivers)...

@KikeG: I have ABXed the dither once, but that was a bug in selection, so I don't know what I've ABXed agains what.
Not happens as of 0.61a

This post has been edited by AstralStorm: May 6 2003, 14:33

[tcmjr]

I am using the audigy 2 drivers with the audigy 1.
Never had a problem so far with crashes like I had with the Audigy 1 driver.
I recommend every audigy 1 user to use the audigy 2 drivers.

btw , and what about the resampler settings ?
I am using target sample rate: 48000
internal precision :32 bits
slow mode : unchecked

My dsp order :
attenuator
crossfed
resampler

Should i change any settings ?

thnkas

This post has been edited by tcmjr: May 6 2003, 18:49

[Diablo]

What does resampling give? What does it do better ? I wanna know, because I have SB Live too :]