Auzentech XMeridian is finally out!

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annnnnnnnnnnnd I'm still waiting for those 64 bit vista drivers..what did Auzentech do? Blow them off?
 
You cannot really blame Auzentech for driver support as the drivers come from C-Media so they are the ones you should be upset with.
I am not sure if the company has a in house programmer or not. I don't think so though, if they do it's low level applications like the Eeprom or the X-Meridian.
 
I guess Auzuntech and the other companies are only branding the drivers before releasing them. C-media is doing all the job.
 
Is anyone using this card w/ an XBOX 360?
I just got the card today and can't seem to get sound from the 360. It's plugged into the card via optical w/ the lil clear adapter thing. I've tried every possible setting I can think of.
I got sound from the 360 w/ the X-Fi before this though. X-fi got lots of crackling, so I wanted to get rid of it.
 
This is no surprise since the Vista drivers are still at beta stage ...

Just in case, you are pluged in the spdif in, right ??
 
I couldn't get s/pdif working in Vista with my XFi the last time I tried. Have they got that working yet? because it was the main reason I went back to xp64 which worked with everything I have thrown at it so far.
 
vudoo said:
Is anyone using this card w/ an XBOX 360?
I just got the card today and can't seem to get sound from the 360. It's plugged into the card via optical w/ the lil clear adapter thing. I've tried every possible setting I can think of.
I got sound from the 360 w/ the X-Fi before this though. X-fi got lots of crackling, so I wanted to get rid of it.
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The sound from XBox360 is encoded in DD signal and you need to have a decoding feature to get the sound. This card doesn't have the decoding feature, it only has a encoding feature. You need to use a receiver to decode the DD signal. X-Fi has a decoding feature but it doesn't work as well as a receiver. You can also try the DDTS-100, a small decoding box from Creative.

@magnetik, I don't know about s/pdif in but I think that the output with DD/DTS encoding works in Vista 32 based on some posts I've read on other forums.

Btw, it seems like Auzentech is now distributing the Sondigo Inferno card:
Sondigo is a Canadian-based manufacturer of quality sound cards. Auzentech, Inc has made the Sondigo Inferno available to its customers through a distribution agreement with Sondigo. X-Meridian, X-Plosion, X-Mystique, and X-Purity are trademarks of Auzentech, Inc. Sondigo Inferno is a trademark of Sondigo. All other trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.
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If you only want to use digital, the card should be the same like X-Meridian but X-Meridian is better for analogue output.
If you are looking for the ultimate in analog audio, the first choice is the Auzentech X-Meridian. But if you just want superior analog audio on a budget, or your primary use will be for digital output., then the Inferno is an excellent choice for playing music, movies, and games on your PC.
Click to expand...
 
I have read in another forum that the x-meridian driver set provided for windows xp does not correctly manages bass redirection.

Concretely, when using a 2.1 configuration, there is no bass output no matter what settings are specified in the Flexbass tab. The only solution is to set a 5.1 or 7.1 configuration but, in this case, stereo sound is ALWAYS upmixed to 6 or 8 channels.

This problems appears apparently only for Windows XP (not for the new Vista driver set).

Could anyone confirm this issue in XP? Have anyone been able to solve this problem using a different configuration and/or another driver set (from other C-media cards, maybe, such as Inferno, Barracuda or b-enspirer)?

Thanks!
 
I figured out my problem. I fumbled around a little more in the settings. The "Monitor" box has to be checked in the SPDIF IN properties. The XBOX360 audio has to be set to Dolby Stereo.
It seems that the X-Meridian doesn't want to accept any audio that is higher than your output is capable of. So if you have 2 speaks only or a heaphone like me, you can only set your XBOX360 to Dolby Stereo. Setting it to Dolby 5.1 or Dolby Pro WMA would only give you noise.
The X-Fi card didn't have this problem.
Oh, well. No more crackling. :eek:
 
vudoo said:
I figured out my problem. I fumbled around a little more in the settings. The "Monitor" box has to be checked in the SPDIF IN properties. The XBOX360 audio has to be set to Dolby Stereo.
It seems that the X-Meridian doesn't want to accept any audio that is higher than your output is capable of. So if you have 2 speaks only or a heaphone like me, you can only set your XBOX360 to Dolby Stereo. Setting it to Dolby 5.1 or Dolby Pro WMA would only give you noise.
The X-Fi card didn't have this problem.
Oh, well. No more crackling. :eek:
Click to expand...

Dolby 5.1 is an encoded signal, it needs to be decoded first. You will only get noise if there is no decoding feature even if you have a 5.1 setup. A decoder can "understand" this noise and will then give out an audible sound.
 
Also, The X-fi has a decoder. IIRC.
@Magnetik, People have gotten SPDIF to work fine in Vista. Don;t worry it is not a DRM thing if this is what your worried about. I notice you can set ALOT of things in the Audio applet in the control panel look through there and set things properly. Also in Vista now you card will have two output devices the speakers and the SPDIF out. Make sure the application is set for SPDIF out. Maybe this info will help you get it working.
 
Yea I really need the 64bit drivers with the new control panel. that the 32bit one uses. To set the input from 2channe l to 5.1 channel. Some reason Winamp looks at that instead of the output channel.

But if i remember right , in 32bit vista you had to change the inplug from 2 channel to 5.1 to make the programs set to 5.1 .

I am using beta 64bit drivers til they come. IT really doesnt make sense. Serious Sam 2 works in 5.1 with no problem but winamp and UT2k4 doesnt. And both Serious Sam 2 and UT2k4 uses OpenAL.

I thinking If serious Sam 2 is doing 5.1 with OpenAL shouldnt UT2k4 be doing it now also. I know openAL isnt in my drivers but you can use it if you had it installed. This just doesnt make sense to me heh.
 
vudoo can you run the xbox 360 audio through your xmeridian?

I just got mine and the biggest difference from the XFi is that this seems very warm... to warm if you are used to xfi lol but I will give it time to readjust. It sounds pretty much like our old denon stereo up stairs.

What is strange with the drivers is that you can´t adjust the bass levels at all. Are there no equalizer even?

Also the best settings for headphones...

Flex bass you can just disable that has no meaning for headphones I imagine... Don´t seem like it´s activated anyway.
As for dolby headphone I can just enable it and it will see my setup as 5.1 speakers automatically for games, movies and such? (choose 5.1 for movies).
 
I always tell people with the X-Meridian to swap out the opamps. The cards sound amazing right out of the box. Changing the opamps opens a new door of sound quality. There are alot of different choices for opamps they all sound good just different. If you have the X-Meridian it is definatley something to consider.
 
I know I already got the NA5462s lol but I am going to run with stock for a while first so I know how they fair lol.

Anyway that they are warmer sounding it´s all in the Opamps or?
 
You will get different sound qualities from different Opamps. I should have my LM4562's today as a matter of fact. I tried other aswell -they all sound good just different. Listen to your card for a good hour before you try the new amps. All the reports I have be getting say these OPAMPS are very good for this particular application.
 
SupaMan said:
seriously... I'm so fucking dissatisfied with this card. I want my money back
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The card itself is great, it's just driver support is blowing atm. I'm back on Windows XP64 so..until they get their asses moving and get those drivers out, Im stuck on this.
 
RailGunRiz said:
The card itself is great, it's just driver support is blowing atm. I'm back on Windows XP64 so..until they get their asses moving and get those drivers out, Im stuck on this.
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i don't even like the card ... don't think it sounds that much better than my 965p onboard, and sure as hell can't do surround right in games.
 
I did get my LM4562 and I got them installed and testing them out. I would definatly recommend these to anybody thinking of changing their opamps on the X-Meridian. I understand what all the fuss is about with these Opamps. Put them in this soundcard and your info some amazing sound.
 
sounds great :).

btw if you use headphone you don´t really need to switch more then the front amps or am I wrong? Is all in use if you say downsample 5.1 to stereo using dolby headphone?

I had some issues with that btw running with VLC the sound lagged quite a bit...
 
No if your only using stereo then you really only need to change the first Opamp. I would suggest changing them all though. You never know what type of setup your gonna have in the future. From what I have been told these amps evaporate..they are hard to find and when they are in stock they go fast.
 
well I would run digital out to my 5.1 setup and then they aren´t used at all I imagine. Anyway got 4 of them so have spares if any of them break.

I would love to hear how they change the sound compared to the stock op amps :)
 
oqvist said:
I had some issues with that btw running with VLC the sound lagged quite a bit...
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Did the sound only lag when using digital or it also lags with analogue. I don't use VLC but MP classic, I'll notice some lagging if I use digital encoding and I didn't setup my player correctly. I'll get a lag if the movie has an AC3 track and I setup my player to decode it first and the card will then encode the sound back to DD/DTS so I just need to set my player to pass the AC3 through S/PDIF. In this case, my receiver will detect a DD signal even if I use DTS encoding in the control panel.
 
I only run analogue... I tried windows media player but got crackles now.... Gonna have to try connecting my headphones directly to the soundcard to see if that helps...
 
I don't notice any lag in movies with AC3, I also watch live TV and everything is Synced. I think it has to do with player settings more then anything.
 
will try that.

I have tried a bit of gaming now. F.E.A.R extraction point since it uses EAX HD to a big extent and a bit of Dark messiah of might and magic.

Must say the X-Fi sounds better then the X-meridian with dolby headphone with my Proline 750s. I don´t have the DT 770 here since my brother borrowed them.

I remembered though that I missed bass with them when running with CMSS3D but the Proline 750 goes a bit lower and it obviously have more bass impact in this game. I still get lower bass with the X-meridian using dolby headphone as expected but I found the weapons effect having much more impact with the X-fi. Also voices didn´t feel so distant... Never thought I would say this but sounds seemed to distant with the X-meridian. Got a bit better if I changed to the DH1 setting. But still the EAX HD really helps the X-Fi in this game.

I have an 8800 GTX so can be quite CPU limited. I noticed a 5 % performance hit running the X-meridian instead of the X-fi. Absolutely no showstopper of course since I could max that game out anyway...

Dark Messiah don´t use EAX HD. Not even sure it uses EAX. It played. Running on the X-meridian with my Proline 750 was quite an experience. Much much better then running it with the DT 770 PRO. disabling dolby headphone made the music score a bit better but of course made the sound a bit flat...

Of to try the X-fi now.
 
You may also want to try the 7.1 virtual speaker with the DH. There is a "+" beside the speaker in the virtual speaker pane. Click this a few time and it seems to add more impact to the audio with Headphones
 
Has anybody heard when the X-tension board will be released? I am building a custom input PCI bracket to connect up to the internal AUX_IN and CD_IN. According to the spces these inputs are Digital DAT quality 16 bit @ 48Khz. It's a shame to let these input go to waste, so I got myself four RCA jacks and will be drilling 4 holes in a PCI shiled and using stock analog CD cables for the connectors. Very easy and adds to more inputs to the X-Meridian.
This info was posted on another forum and somebody already built one. I want this PCI bracket and the X-Tension board. I have alot of audio gear and I like I/O:cool:

Note, a user said he was speaking with tech support and he said no later then the end of Febuary but wasn't totally sure. If any of you guys were waiting for the X-M to be released you know the company doesn't release anything until it's 100% perfect.
 
I am definiatly going to have to switch the opamps... The X-meridian gives so much reverb to my headphones it ain´t funny. Hope other Opamps can help with that. Playing music with my Proline 750 is like playing music in a tunnel or sewer and all voices are behind a curtain or something. Very bad synergy... The bass seems overdone on the X-meridian as well but I suspect it´s the reverb issue makes it bloaty....

Preferr the Xfis cold technical sound seem less coloured and not much of reverb at all. Clearer sound and not overly warm.

Also I get crackles with both soundcards... Is it a bad idea running two soundcards beside eachother? I have figured out it´s not an issue with my amp, headphone or soundcards it´s something with my computer causing interference or something... I get it at times when playing CD:s I know don´t have any distortion at all.
 
oqvist said:
I am definiatly going to have to switch the opamps... The X-meridian gives so much reverb to my headphones it ain´t funny. Hope other Opamps can help with that. Playing music with my Proline 750 is like playing music in a tunnel or sewer and all voices are behind a curtain or something. Very bad synergy... The bass seems overdone on the X-meridian as well but I suspect it´s the reverb issue makes it bloaty....

Preferr the Xfis cold technical sound seem less coloured and not much of reverb at all. Clearer sound and not overly warm.

Also I get crackles with both soundcards... Is it a bad idea running two soundcards beside eachother? I have figured out it´s not an issue with my amp, headphone or soundcards it´s something with my computer causing interference or something... I get it at times when playing CD:s I know don´t have any distortion at all.
Click to expand...

Reverb? What settings did you use? DH? I don't like to use DH for musics. Sometimes I get reverbs after playing a game with EAX and I need to enable any environment effect in Xear3D and disable it back so that the reverbs go away.
 
Reverb?, you shouldn't have any unless you put it in there. Even with DH there still isn't any reverb. You sure you have the card setup properly? It sounds like you have effects enabled.
Not a bad things if used properly but it sound like your music is getting drownded out by reverb. How is your card setup?
 
I checked in the control panel I thought generic was default? I noticed that button was blue it seemed to be better clicking the more options button so it isn´t blue. :)
 
No, "GENERIC" is generic reverb and it is pretty deep. When something is blue it's on, Make sure nothing is blue. Well I guess when you turned it off you figured it sounded better right?;) Glad you got it fixed. How is your sound now? The more options button is the ENABLE for the reverb setting under it. The buttons to the left are also settings they will go blue when they are on. Enjoy.
 
Yeah it got much better lol. Still I find the X-Fi sounding better. I tried the OPAMPS now as well and they made it sound more like an X-Fi thus I liked it more... I am not sure I liked all what it did to my headphones though...

Anyway I got to much electrical noise or something in my computer. After a reboot it´s fine but the longer I run it the more crackles I got...
So I am probably going or one of these http://www.headphone.com/products/headphone-amps/the-micro-line/headroom-micro-dac.php
Question is when running digital out can you still utilize features like Dolby headphone?
Probably going to try and sell my x-meridian but going to have to play with it some more and see how it goes along with my coming Heed CanAmp.
 
Did you try the 7.1 Speaker shifter in conjunction with the Dolby headphone?
Try using your EQ?
As far as I know you can use all your cards features in digital or analog mode. It is starnge you saying your X-fi sounds similar. From what I have heard comparing the two cards the X-fi barley stacks up with stock amps and has no hope with better ones susch as the LM4562's You should have no noise at all. This is possibly why your getting the decrease in sound quality. Check things over, try muting inputs your not using, etc. When I use my headphones you would swear they are unplugged until I press play they are dead silent.
 
Yes they are silent until I play them. I don´t get the crackles all the time but often enough to drive you mad.

I tried the virtual speaker but haven´t got much time yet. It went a bit better but still not as good as the X-fi for games but I will have to test more.

The sound with the new OPAMPS is more of the X-Fi sound then the Stock amps. both are noise free I am talking more about sound signature :)
 
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