Pulling My Hair Out (Audigy 2 content)

[lowendgenerator]

Ive literally started to pull my hair out and bite myself over this damned card. If I hadnt destroyed the box it came in trying to get it out, I would have returned it by now. I am learning a bit late in the game that this soundcard is not really the soundcard of choice, contrary to what my 'experienced' friend told me, but Im stuck with it so here goes.

1. Sound from input being piped back thru monitors. This is really annoying when trying to play directly into the box with my guitar, and downright impossible to do when micing my amp. Sure, I can record without feedback, as long as the monitors are turned off.

2. This one seems to be pretty common. It is almost impossible to route signal paths with the Soundblaster software. For one program, I have to use Aux2/Mic2 to get sound, for another program I need to use wav mix to get a signal. Under "Advanced" tab in the Creative Volume Control I have 3 sliders, Volume, Bass and Treble. Wow. How advanced.

3. (Last one I promise) The 1/4" In on the front of the breakout box labeled "Aux2/Mic2". When is it aux2, and when is it Mic2? I usually plug my guitar/amp/whatever into it, and Im rather confused about the knob next to it. In the off position, I can still hear the signal, in the on position, its louder. In both cases, I hear this signal thru my monitors at all times.

Ive already returned another product in disgust, a Lexicon Omega (no usb 2.0 support? no firewire? wtf?) So for now Im stuck with it. I sure as hell wont be putting in my production machine when it comes time to build one, but for now I need to be able to get work done in order to build said box. I had an easier time plugging into the back of my onboard soundcard (also a POS creative labs product) via 1/4" to 1/8" adapter direct to my guitar.

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated, Thank you.

 

[brett304]

Audigy 2

I know you don't want to do anything with this card except stick it through untill you build your dream machine, but be realistic... You don't want tech headaches keeping you from your creative endeavors... From what I remember offhand, this is an expensive card...You can get a much better card for half the price.... I know you don't want to feel like you lost money, but I suggest you sell it and buy another card...You'd get enough for the Audigy to get a card that you would be happy with... If I were faced with the situation, I'd trade my Audigy for an M-Audio card anyday..

 

[lowendgenerator]

I totally know what you mean about tech dif. getting in the way of the creative process. Very frustrating to go to great lengths of time and money to put together a simple way of catching your ideas before they float away, only to run into problems at whats supposed to be the "plug n play" part.

Ill look into those M Audio devices. Ive read more than a few positive things about them. If I remember right, they go for around $250, which is $50 more than I paid for the Audigy.

Id eventually like to see myself into a pro-tools setup or maybe Ill get lucky and find a Neve console sitting out at a garage sale for $50. (keeps dreaming).

Thanks for teh reply, Cheers!

 

[brzilian]

Ill look into those M Audio devices. Ive read more than a few positive things about them. If I remember right, they go for around $250, which is $50 more than I paid for the Audigy.

The Audiophile 2496 costs $99 and the 192 $180.

 

[aaroncomp]

1)Use headphones.

2)Try selecting "What you hear" under the record slider in the SB Mixer. I think this will solve the problem you were describing.

3)Aux2=Mic2. The knob next to it simply acts as a gain/volume control. When it is on, it acts as a preamp, so to speak. If you don't want sound coming through it, just mute the Aux2/Mic2 in the SB mixer.

 

[thane1200]

Ive literally started to pull my hair out.......

3. (Last one I promise) The 1/4" In on the front of the breakout box labeled "Aux2/Mic2". When is it aux2, and when is it Mic2? I usually plug my guitar/amp/whatever into it, and Im rather confused about the knob next to it. In the off position, I can still hear the signal, in the on position, its louder. In both cases, I hear this signal thru my monitors at all times.

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated, Thank you.

It's not [OFF/ON] its line [Mic level/Line level], it 'clicks' to distinguish to positively between those options. If you look at the front panel you can clearly see a line pointing to the [Lin2] when the knob is 'clicked' in this means line level input, also there is a adjustabl gain for the [Mic2] option that has a picture showing the gian increase from nothing to full......thats the dot on the other side of the knob.

It's also labelled [Mic2] because [Mic1] is already on the back pci card panel.