Creative Labs Sound Blaster ZxR
Contents
1. e 3 Speakers Headphones Speakers Headphones Configuration 5 1 Surround v Optional Speakers w Center w Subwoofer wv Rear pair Full Range Speakers Front left and right re prore O Sm BLASTER Bass Management Bass Redirection lt Custom gt LD _ _ 1 Switch between Speakers or Headphones mode 2 Speakers Headphones Configuration Select your current physical speakers or headphones configuration 3 For headphones select the gain for headphone out e Normal Gain 32 300 ohm headphones e High Gain 600 ohm headphones Note Setting to high gain may damage your headphones if their impedance does not match the specified level of 600 ohms 4 Option to set to high gain by default Select Always set to high gain when in headphones configuration This check box is only applicable when High Gain is being selected as shown in the figure below Using the Creative Software Suite 34 E LOLLO PRD STUDIO P9 speakers Headphones Q Speakers Headphones Configuration Headphones Select the gain for headphone out lE BEAKER S BEADIEH CINE hadi Normal Gain 32 300 ohm headphones Note Setting to high gain may damage your headphones if their impedance does not match the specified level of 600 ohms Vv Always set to high gain when in headphones configuration SI n e AAAS PROFILE BLASTER lt Custom gt 4 m Testing Your Audio Playba2. 3 5mm Headphone jack Connects to stereo headphones or head sets with a 3 5mm 1 8 inch plug Note The 6 3mm Microphone In jack takes priority over the 3 5mm Microphone In jack When connected to the Sound Blaster ZxR the built in beamforming microphone features CrystalVoice technologies which is designed to deliver crystal clear vocal fidelity in multiplayer games online chats and video conferencing It also enhances voice communications for popular VoIP solutions Voice effects can be controlled using bundled software ie Sound Blaster Z Series Control Panel The options of 3 5mm and 6 3mm Microphone and Headphone jacks let you have choices of your own on which headset or microphone to be used for recording and audiophile grade connection through the gold plated jacks on the ACM and Sound Blaster ZxR The Volume Control knob on the ACM controls the volume output to your headphones giving you quick control over the audio level from your games or music About Your Hardware 5 Note The ACM Volume Control Knob allows you to adjust headphone levels conveniently based on the maximum level set by your computer s master volume control We recommend that you determine the desired maximum volume on your computer before using the ACM About Your Hardware 6 Connecting Speakers and Headphones The connectors and associated components shown here may be different from that of your speaker system Consult the documentation of your sp
3. 6 3mm Microphone In jack Connects to microphones or the Sound Blaster Beamforming Microphone with a 3 5mm 1 8 inch plug 6 3mm to 3 5mm Adapter Converts 6 3mm 1 4 inch stereo jack to 3 5mm 1 8 inch stereo jack 3 5mm Microphone Plug Connects to the 6 3mm Microphone In jack on your audio card via an adapter Using Your Sound Blaster ZxR 27 Using the Creative Software Suite The following software is designed for you to access the basic as well as the advanced features of your audio cards We recommended that you familiarize yourself with their functions in order to make full use of the rich features of your audio cards To learn more about each application consult its Online Help Depending on the application you can do this by clicking on the toolbar of the application or selecting Help Topics from the Help menu Applications e Sound Blaster Z Series Control Panel e Creative ALchemy e Creative Software AutoUpdate e Creative Host OpenAL EAX5 0 HD e Creative Product Registration e Creative Diagnostics e Dolby Digital Live encoder e DTS Connect encoder e Sound Blaster Speaker Setup Bonus Applications on the Web supporting this product e Creative Music Server e Creative WaveStudio e Creative Smart Recorder e Creative Media Toolbox Trial Various other bonus Creative applications are also compatible for your audio cards Visit www creative com support and navigate to the relevant product page to view
4. Connecting your headphones and headsets to the Sound Blaster ZxR For headphones 6 3mm Headphone jack Connects to stereo headphones with a 3 5mm 1 8 inch plug via an adapter 6 3mm to 3 5mm Adapter Converts 6 3mm 1 4 inch stereo jack to 3 5mm 1 8 inch stereo jack 3 5mm Headphone Plug Connects to the 6 3mm Headphone jack on your audio card via an adapter Connecting Speakers and Headphones 16 For headsets ews 6 3mm Microphone In jack Connects to the 3 5mm 1 8 inch micro phone plug of your headset via an adapter 6 3mm Headphone jack Connects to stereo headphones with a 3 5mm 1 8 inch plug via an adapter 3 5mm 1 8 inch stereo jack 3 5mm Microphone In Plug Connects to the 6 3mm Microphone In jack on your audio card via an adapter 3 5mm Headphone Plug Connects to the 6 3mm Headphone jack on your audio card via an adapter 6 3mm to 3 5mm Adapter Converts 6 3mm 1 4 inch stereo jack to Connecting Speakers and Headphones 17 Connecting Audio Control Module The Sound Blaster ZxR comes with an external ACM that incorporates a 600 ohm headphone amplifier built in microphone array and mic headphone I O connections and a volume control knob Connecting your ACM to the Sound Blaster ZxR 6 3mm Microphone In jack Connects to the 3 5mm 1 8 inch microphone plug of your ACM 6 3mm Headphone jack Connects to your ACM with a 3 5mm 1 8 inch plug 6 3mm to 3 5mm Adapter Converts
5. Transform your gameplay into an exciting and realistic experience using Dolby Digital Live Audio cues and effects that follow the onscreen action are reproduced immersing you in 5 1 channel surround sound that puts you at the center of the action To learn more about Dolby Digital Live visit www dolby com DTS Connect DTS Connect is a real time encoding technology from DTS Inc for interactive media and is only available on the PC platform It converts any audio signal on the computer into 5 1 channel DTS format and transports it via a single digital cable With Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect a single digital cable is all that is needed to connect your computer to your home theatre system simplifying the setup and eliminating the confusion of multiple cables To learn how to connect your A V receiver or digital speaker system to your audio cards consult the following sections e Connecting Home Theater Systems e Connecting Digital Speaker Systems Watching DVDs Your DVDs are encoded with Dolby Digital audio technologies which have to be decoded to enjoy multi channel audio on your 5 1 speaker systems Decoding with a software DVD player You can use a software DVD player to decode Dolby Digital or DTS encoded signals from your DVDs and output multi channel audio through your audio cards to your speakers To do so you need to install a software DVD player such as PowerDVD or WinDVD latest version recommended Decodi
6. stereo to RCA cable Front Left jack Connects to the Line Out 1 jack on your audio cards using a 3 5mm 1 8 inch stereo to RCA cable Connecting Speakers and Headphones 13 Connect to 3 5mm Line Out 1 Rear L R 3 5mm Line Out 1 jack Rear L R Connects to the Rear Left and Rear Right jacks on your A V receiver using a 3 5mm 1 8 inch stereo to RCA cable 3 5mm 1 8 inch Stereo to Connects your audio cards and A V RCA cable receiver Rear Right jack Connects to the Line Out 2 jack on your audio cards using a 3 5mm 1 8 inch stereo to RCA cable Rear Left jack Connects to the Line Out 2 jack on your audio cards using a 3 5mm 1 8 inch stereo to RCA cable Connecting Speakers and Headphones 14 Connect to 3 5mm Line Out 2 Center Subwoofer 3 5mm Line Out 2 jack Center Sub Connects to the Center and Subwoofer woofer jacks on your A V receiver using a 3 5mm 1 8 inch stereo to RCA cable 3 5mm 1 8 inch Stereo to Connects your audio cards and A V RCA cable receiver Subwoofer jack Connects to the Line Out 3 jack on your audio cards using a 3 5mm 1 8 inch stereo to RCA cable Center jack Connects to the Line Out 3 jack on your audio cards using a 3 5mm 1 8 inch stereo to RCA cable Connecting Speakers and Headphones 15 Connecting Headphones and Headsets Do not listen to audio on your headphones or headsets at high volumes for prolonged periods of time as hearing loss may result
7. Creative the Creative logo Sound Blaster the Sound Blaster logo CrystalVoice Creative ALchemy SBX Pro Studio and the SBX logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Creative Technology Ltd in the United States and or other countries Manufactured under the license from Dolby Laboratories Dolby and the double D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners All specifications are subject to change without prior notice Use of this product is subject to a limited hardware warranty Actual contents may differ slightly from those pictured The software included in this package may not be used separately from the hardware Before using the software you must agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of the End User License Agreement Version 1 0 October 2012 License and Copyright 49
8. Optical S PDIF Out jack Connects to the Optical S PDIF Out jack on your audio card Using Your Sound Blaster ZxR 25 Creating Music You can set up a home music studio using your Sound Blaster ZxR Put together your own productions consisting of multiple music tracks from a MIDI synthesizer or an electric guitar Alternatively connect your electric guitar using a pre amp box to the RCA Aux In jacks Use a converter if your pre amp box comes with a larger for example a 6 35mm 1 4 inch connector You can also connect a microphone to your Sound Blaster ZxR 6 3mm Microphone In jack Connects to microphones with a 3 5mm 1 8 inch plug via an adapter 6 3mm to 3 5mm Adapter Converts 6 3mm 1 4 inch stereo jack to 3 5mm 1 8 inch stereo jack 3 5mm Microphone Plug Connects to the 6 3mm Microphone In jack on your audio card via an adapter RCA Aux In 1 jack Connects to the Left output line level L sources for example MP3 players with an RCA plug RCA Aux In 2 jack Connects to the Right output line level R sources for example MP3 players with an RCA plug Using Your Sound Blaster ZxR 26 Online Chatting Your Sound Blaster ZxR can also be connected to hands free microphones or the Sound Blaster Beamforming Microphone making over the Net chatting a hassle free affair Now you can enjoy clear voice chat for gaming and other online chatting purposes
9. PROFILE BLASTER lt Custom gt Smart Volume Dialog Plus 4 m 1 SBX Pro Studio enhancements Select to turn on or turn off each enhancement You can hover your mouse cursor over each enhancement to display a brief explanation 2 Enhancement Level sliders Adjust the amount of enhancement to apply 3 Audio Test controls Play Pause or Stop the demo video Enhancing Your Listening Experience You can adjust the amount to apply for each enhancement by dragging its slider left to decrease or right to increase To test the effects of the audio enhancements click Cra and listen to the demo video e SBX Pro Studio Surround provides immersion control of sounds not just around you but also above and below for a full 3D audio experience Hear the natural sense of audio depth spaciousness and stunning 3D surround effects from your audio content Enjoy an unbelievably true to life audio experience whether it s over stereo speakers or headphones e SBX Pro Studio Crystalizer restores the dynamic range that is lost when iTunes and MP3 music gets compressed This makes the music sound as good as the artist originally intended and adds an enhanced level of realism for movies and games e SBX Pro Studio Bass fills in the low frequency tones and gives the extra impact for a better entertainment experience It dramatically improves the sound experience without a subwoofer e SBX Pro Studio Smart Volume addresses the problem of abru
10. you should hear the original effects Note If the game is not detected do the following 1 Navigate to the folder where you have installed the game 2 Right click on the game s launcher and select Run as administrator 3 Exit the application and launch Creative ALchemy again The game should now appear in the left column Using the Creative Software Suite 40 Communicating with Voice over Internet Protocol VoIP Use a headset with your audio device to enjoy outstanding acoustic performance in popular VoIP applications like Ventrilo and TeamSpeak Hear and be heard clearly by teammates during multi player games to get the tactical edge You can enhance such voice communications using CrystalVoice enhancements For more details please refer to CrystalVoice Settings Using the Creative Software Suite 41 Creating Your Audio Sweet Spot with the Sound Blaster Speaker Setup Generally for a 5 1 speaker configuration there is an ideal speaker placement that allows you to position yourself in the audio sweet spot giving you the best surround and audio pleasure possible Please refer to Positioning Your Speakers or your speaker system documentation for details on the recommended placement Often however we may be unable to place our speakers ideally due to physical constraints such as room size and object placements etc Hence the Sound Blaster ZxR audio cards come bundled with the Sound Blaster Speaker Setup application
11. 6 3mm 1 4 inch stereo jack to 3 5mm 1 8 inch stereo jack Connecting Speakers and Headphones 18 Connecting your headphones and headsets to the ACM 1 3 5mm Headphone jack Connects to stereo headphones or headsets with a 3 5mm 1 8 inch plug 2 3 5mm Microphone In jack Connects to microphones with a 3 5mm 1 8 inch plug Note When two headphones are being connected to the 6 3mm and 3 5mm Headphone jacks simultaneously you will be able to hear both headphones with the same output However the Microphone In jacks on the ACM follow the priority sequence listed below e Priority 1 6 3mm Microphone In jack e Priority 2 3 5mm Microphone In jack e Priority 3 Built in Beamforming Microphone For example when user plugs in external microphones to both 6 3mm and 3 5mm Microphone In jacks the 6 3mm Microphone In jack will take priority over the 3 5mm Microphone In jack and the built in Beamforming Microphone However when no microphone is connected to all Microphone In jacks the built in Beamforming Microphone will function Connecting Speakers and Headphones 19 Installing and Uninstalling Software To take full advantage of your Sound Blaster ZxR audio cards you need to install device drivers and applications At times you may also need to uninstall some or all of the device drivers and applications to correct problems change configurations or upgrade outdated drivers or applications To learn how to d
12. Digital Live or DTS Connect Before enabling Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect e Stop all audio playback through your selected output device If not Dolby Digital Live may not be enabled Dolby Digital Live DTS Connect is not working for my applications and games To solve this problem e Set the Speakers option of your audio device as the default playback device in the settings menu of your applications and games and in the Windows Sound Control Panel Troubleshooting 46 Note If Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect is enabled only PCM audio and certain compressed audio for example MP3 can be played which will be encoded by Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect through your selected output device Problems with Multiple Audio Devices If there are other audio cards on the system You may have an existing audio device installed in your computer The audio device may be an audio card or an onboard audio chipset Before you install your audio device you are advised to disable or completely uninstall and remove your existing audio device Operating multiple audio devices in your computer may introduce usability issues Alternatively during the installation of your audio cards do the following e If your computer detects an installed Sound Blaster Audigy series Sound Blaster Live series or Sound Blaster PCI512 audio card a message box recommending that you completely uninstall and remove the older audio device will appear Click t
13. jack Optical cable Optical S PDIF In jack Connecting Speakers and Headphones 11 Connecting Home Theater Systems Your Sound Blaster ZxR comes with an Optical S PDIF jack which allows you to connect your home theatre system Most home theater systems connect the audio cards to an A V receiver For more information on your A V receiver s speaker connections consult the documentation of your A V receiver Connecting your A V receiver to the Sound Blaster ZxR Jack Connector or Cable Optical S PDIF Out jack Optical cable 3 Optical S PDIF In jack Connecting Speakers and Headphones 12 Connecting your A V Receiver using Line Level inputs If your A V receiver supports multi channel line level inputs you can connect them directly to your audio cards Line Out jacks instead of the Optical S PDIF Out jack as shown below Connect to RCA Line Out 1 and Line Out 2 Front L R Connects to the Front Left jack on your A V receiver using a 3 5mm 1 8 inch stereo to RCA cable Connects to the Front Right jack on your A V receiver using a 3 5mm 1 8 inch stereo to RCA cable Y Splitter cable available separately Converts the RCA cables to a stereo cable 3 5mm 1 8 inch Stereo to RCA Connects your audio card and A V receiver cable available separately Front Right jack Connects to the Line Out 1 jack on your audio cards using a 3 5mm 1 8 inch
14. placement tips consult the documentation of your speaker system For 5 1 channel speakers Connecting Speakers and Headphones 8 Connecting Analog Speaker Systems Your audio cards support analog speaker systems of up to 5 1 channels To learn more about connecting different channel speaker systems consult the following sections e 2 1 channel analog speakers e 5 1 channel analog speakers 2 1 channel analog speakers 5 Audio Input jack Connecting Speakers and Headphones 9 5 1 channel analog speakers Zz Jack Connector or Cable 2 RCA Line Out 2 jack Front R 3 5mm Line Out 1 jack Rear L R 3 5mm Line Out 2 jack Center Subwoofer RCA Line Out 1 jack Front L Y Splitter cable available separately 6 2 channel audio cable available separately i pamena p innen Connecting Speakers and Headphones 10 Connecting Digital Speaker Systems Your Sound Blaster ZxR comes with an Optical S PDIF Out jack which allows you to connect your digital speaker system Most digital speakers systems connect the audio cards to the subwoofer or an external unit For more information on your digital speaker connections consult the documentation of your digital speaker system Connecting your digital speakers to the Sound Blaster ZxR m Jack Connector or Cable Optical S PDIF Out
15. right to increase and left to decrease Click the icon to mute unmute the input output You can click the E icon to adjust the settings for your input output Using the Creative Software Suite 37 Equalizer Settings em JJO EQUALIZER i sn lutte way C ES BLASTER lt Custom gt LD _ 1 EQ presets Select an equalizer preset to apply to your audio 2 EQ sliders Adjust the equalizer settings Customizing Your EQ Settings Select the EQ checkbox to enable this feature then click the EQ drop down arrow and select a preset from the list Selecting a preset will move the EQ sliders to the appropriate values You can then adjust the equalizer setting by dragging the sliders up or down to the desired level Click to save the new configuration as a new preset Note The list of default EQ presets cannot be deleted or overwritten Using the Creative Software Suite 38 Advanced Features Settings Play stereo mix to digital output lt cCustom gt GD _ m 1 Play stereo mix to digital output 0210 Select the checkbox to down mix the audio with its effects to a stereo PCM stream to be channeled to digital output Note You must first select Speaker as the playback device to use this feature Using the Creative Software Suite 39 Using Your Audio Device Playing Games Your audio device is equipped with cutting edge audio technologies and software to enhance the a
16. Blaster Sound Core3D Audio Processor e Advanced hardware accelerated digital effects processing e Dedicated DSP capable of both time and frequency domain audio processing Professional Digital Audio Processing e 24 bit Analog to Digital conversion of analog inputs at up to 96 kHz sample rate e 24 bit Digital to Analog conversion of digital sources to analog outputs e 16 bit to 24 bit recording sampling rates 44 1 48 and 96 kHz e Supports Sony Philips Digital Interface S PDIF format of up to 24 bit 96 kHz quality e S PDIF output at selectable sampling rate of 44 1 48 or 96 kHz from Microsoft Control Panel e S PDIF output not available during playback of protected digital audio content authored with DRM Digital Rights Management technology Note Depending on your system configuration output sampling frequencies may be available at 48 and 96 kHz Flexible Mixer Control e Selectable input source from various audio sources for recording e Adjustable master volume control e Independent volume control SBX Pro Studio Technology e SBX Pro Studio Crystalizer e SBX Pro Studio Surround e SBX Pro Studio Bass e SBX Pro Studio Dialog Plus e SBX Pro Studio Smart Volume Sound Blaster CrystalVoice Technology e CrystalVoice Acoustic Echo Cancellation e CrystalVoice Noise Reduction e CrystalVoice Smart Volume e CrystalVoice FX e CrystalVoice Focus General Specifications 45 Troubleshooting This section provides solutions to problems you m
17. CREATIVE Sound Dd an SB1510 Sound SBX Jon SBX User s Guide Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of Creative s latest audio revolution Sound Blaster ZxR The Sound Blaster ZxR is the flagship of the ultra high performance Z Series of Sound Blaster PCI Express sound cards Designed to deliver the ultimate audio playback and creation solution for the PC Sound Blaster ZxR personifies the ultimate gaming and entertainment performance for a sound card It comes with DBpro Daughter Board an external Audio Control Module and a high quality Beamforming Microphone This User Guide contains software installation and usage information for your audio cards System Requirements Minimum Requirements Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD processor equivalent Core 2 2 0 GHz AMD processor equivalent or faster recommended Intel AMD or 100 compatible motherboard Microsoft Windows 8 32 bit or 64 bit Windows 7 32 bit or 64 bit 1 GB RAM gt 600 MB of free hard disk space Available PCI Express slot and an empty I O slot CD ROM or DVD ROM drive for software installation High quality headphones or powered amplified speakers 5 1 preferred Additional Requirements where applicable DVD Video 6x or faster DVD drive DVD player software such as InterVideo winDvD or CyberLink PowerDvD latest version recommended installed 5 1 speakers for optimal listening experience Notes Some motherboar
18. DVD drive Your CD should start automatically If it does not follow the steps below i Click Start gt Computer ii Right click the CD or DVD drive icon and then click Open AutoPlay To complete the installation follow the instructions on the screen If you encounter the following message click Install Would you like to install this device software yy Name CREATIVE Sound video and game controlle Q Publisher Creative Technology C Always trust software from Creative Technology Install You should only install driver software from publishers you trust How can decide which device software is safe to install When prompted restart your computer For Windows 8 Insert the Installation CD into your CD or DVD drive In a short while a drive icon will be displayed Click on the icon and then choose Run setup exe If you do not see the drive icon follow the steps below i Right click on the background of the Windows start screen and then click All apps ii Click Computer iii Right click the CD or DVD drive icon and then click Open AutoPlay To complete the installation follow the instructions on the screen If you encounter the following message click Install Would you like to install this device software ANA Name CREATIVE Sound video and game controlle we Publisher Creative Technology C Always trust software from Creative Technology Install You should only insta
19. Daughter Board DBpro offers optical output for amazing audio playback and professional grade 123dB analog to digital converters ADCs with RCA Aux in and optical input for studio grade recording quality Sound BLASTER Sound PROSTUDIG RCA Aux In 1 jack Connects to the Left output line level sources for L example MP3 players with an RCA plug RCA Aux In 2 jack Connects to the Right output line level sources for R example MP3 players with an RCA plug a Optical S PDIF Out jack Connects to recording devices with optical connectors for example Digital Audio Tape recorders MiniDisc recorders or external hard disk recorders Optical S PDIF In jack Connects to playback devices with optical connectors for example Digital Audio Tape players 1 2 3 MiniDisc players or DVD players 5 Main board connector Connects to the Main Board About Your Hardware 4 Audio Control Module An external ACM Audio Control Module provides a built in beamforming microphone and microphone headphone I O connections BLASTER Volume Control Knob Controls the playback volume of the sound cards Beamforming Microphone Built in Sound Blaster Beamforming Microphone 6 3mm Microphone In jack Connects to microphones with a 6 3mm plug 6 3mm Headphone jack Connects to stereo headphones or head sets with a6 3mm plug 3 5mm Microphone In jack Connects to microphones with a 3 5mm 1 8 inch plug
20. Simply launch this application from the Sound Blaster Z Series Control Panel E icon found in Speakers Headphones settings or your Windows start menu and adjust the settings to create a virtual speaker placement Speaker Configuration Here you can configure your current speaker system and also conduct sound tests to check your setup O Sound nonor sronror sao O gt _ Speaker 5 Configur Bass Management s Polarity Selection Speaker Position J Speaker Level Channel Test Noise Test Default CREATIVE Bass Management Direct bass audio to your subwoofer using the various configuration options found in this tab You can perform a base test to monitor for frequencies that drop as the tone sweeps from your front speakers to your subwoofer Adjust as desired O soun nonor sronror sao I _ Speaker Configuration Polarity Selection Speaker Position Speaker Level Bass Test en tor frequencies tnat e drop out or fall in volume as the to Default CREATIVE Using the Creative Software Suite 42 Polarity Selection If you have an audio video A V receiver your speakers must be wired appropriately in phased in order to reproduce sound fields correctly The Polarity Selection tab helps you correctly connect all negative and positive output terminals on the A V receiver to the inputs on the speakers Click the Start button and follow the on screen procedure to check your th
21. and download these applications Note e The applications included with your audio cards may differ from those described here Your audio cards may also come with third party applications e Some applications are available for certain operating systems or certain card models only e The color of Sound Blaster Z Series Control Panel may differ for different sound cards Using the Creative Software Suite 28 Sound Blaster Z Series Control Panel a JIG PRO STUDIO User Profiles Adventure and Action B m ioc BLASTER ADVENTURE AND ACTION 4 q Managing Your Profiles Click the button to display the Profiles pane Activate a profile by clicking the ers and selecting it from the list Click to save all settings to the current profile or create a new profile Click to delete the active profile lt 2 __ k mpe e esae emee mae s PROFILE f BLASTER lt Custom gt Sharing Profiles You can export your custom settings and share them with others or import other gamers custom settings Customizing Your Avatar You can customize the avatar for each profile Double click the current avatar to open the selection window You can either select an avatar from the list or click to select your own image file to be used as the avatar Select an image that will identify your profile Using the Creative Software Suite 29 Adjusting Your Master Volume Settings Drag the master volume slider to adjust
22. ay encounter during installation or normal use This includes e Problems with Digital Audio Devices e Problems with Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect e Problems with Multiple Audio Devices e Problems with Sound If you have any other technical problems with this product you can also consult our self help tool Knowledge Base for online troubleshooting and solutions Visit www soundblaster com and select your region Problems with Digital Audio Devices Popping noises are heard during playback The DMA feature may not be enabled for your computer s drives To solve this problem For Windows 7 1 Click Start gt Control Panel gt Hardware and Sound gt Device Manager If the User Account Control dialog box appears click the Continue button Double click the IDE ATA ATAPI Controllers icon For each ATA Channel in the list right click and select Properties Click the Advanced Settings tab and select the Enable DMA checkbox Click the OK button a eS For Windows 8 1 Atthe right toolbar click Settings gt Control Panel gt Hardware and Sound gt Device Manager If the User Acocunt Control dialog box appears click the Continue button Double click the IDE ATA ATAPI Controllers icon For each ATA Channel in the list right click and select Properties Click the Advanced Settings tab and select the Enable DMA checkbox Click the OK button Cae WN Problems with Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect Cannot enable Dolby
23. ck Select the appropriate configuration based on your setup then click i to hear a sample audio clip being played back through your setup Note Stereo Direct is an option for direct playback to stereo speaker channel sampled at 192kHz The following features will not be applied to this playback e SBX Pro Studio suite of audio enhancements e DTS Connect e Dolby Digital Live e Equalizer e Listen to this device Using the Creative Software Suite 35 Cinematic Settings BLASTER PRO STUDIO EINEMATIC aaa lll innate go BLASTER lt Custom gt o gt 1 Encoder settings Encoder No Encoder CO DOLBY DIGITAL LIVE COWO O DTS Connect indudes DTS Neo PC and DTS Interactive to dts give you DTS Digital Surround on your PC DTS Interactive will Con be enabled automatically whenever DTS Connect is selected Select No Encoder if you wish to turn off encoding or select Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect to turn on the respective encoders Using the Creative Software Suite 36 Mixer Settings EmN BLASTER PRO STUDIO Playback Speakers eae Digital Audio S PDIF Digital Audio S PDIF Aux What U Hear _ ee M Microphone PROFILE Ei BLASTER lt Custom gt LD m 1 Volume sliders Adjust the playback and recording volume for your various inputs and outputs Adjusting Your Mixer Settings Slide the volume level sliders
24. ds reserve the PCI Express x16 slots for video cards only Use a x1 or x4 slot instead For more information consult the documentation of your motherboard Other applications may have higher system requirements For more information consult the documentation of your application Introduction 1 More Help For the latest news and products for Sound Blaster visit www soundblaster com The site also includes information on making purchases technical help and the latest driver updates Using Creative Software AutoUpdate Locating downloading and installing updates for your Creative products is now simpler and faster with the web based Creative Software AutoUpdate system When you connect to Creative Software AutoUpdate via the Internet the web site will analyze your computer system to determine what operating system OS language and Creative products are installed in your system After the online analysis you will be able to select from a list of only the most relevant software and driver updates The files will then be retrieved and installed on your system for you To learn more about Creative Software AutoUpdate visit www soundblaster com support Notes e First time users of Creative Software AutoUpdate may be prompted to authorize the download of a browser component required for system inspection Ensure that the content is signed by Creative Labs Inc then click the Yes button e Ensure that all your Creative products are c
25. e speaker wiring Sound Blaster Speaker Setup Configuration 5 Bass Management Polarity Selecti Speaker Position Speaker Level Default CREATIVE Speaker Position This tab helps you to maximize your speakers audio performance when you are unable to optimize your speaker positioning due to physical space constraints You will need to specify e the distance between the ideal listening position and each of your speakers e the angle of your speakers e position of the Front Center Channel if available to compensate for its actual position either above or below the monitor Sound Blaster Speaker Setup Speaker Configuration Bass Management Polarity Selection Speaker 5 Position Speaker Level Defaut CREATIVE Using the Creative Software Suite 43 Speaker Level This set of configurations enables you to achieve a balanced level for each speaker Speaker level is affected mainly by the distance between the speaker and the listener Click the Level Test button and adjust the speaker level for each speaker accordingly Sound Blaster Speaker Setup a Default CREATIVE Using the Creative Software Suite 44 General Specifications This section details the specifications of your Sound Blaster ZxR audio cards PCI Bus Mastering e PCI Express Specification Version 1 1 compliant e Bus mastering reduces latency and speeds up system performance Sound
26. eaker system to identify similar input connectors You can upmix your stereo sources for example CD Audio MP3 WMA MIDI and Wave to enjoy multi channel sound on your speakers or headphones To learn how to connect different types of speaker systems to your audio cards consult the following sections e Connecting Analog Speaker Systems e Connecting Digital Speaker Systems e Connecting Home Theater Systems e Connecting Headphones and Headsets e Connecting Audio Control Module For tips on how to arrange your speakers consult Positioning Your Speakers For a list of supported Creative speaker systems or interactive help on speaker connectivity visit www soundblaster com Note e Actual products may differ slightly from those shown in this chapter e Select the correct speaker setup or headphone option in the Sound Blaster Z Series Control Panel to get the best experience For more information refer to their respective Online Help e The cables shown in this chapter may be bundled with your peripheral or are available separately from www creative com e For more information on the Creative peripherals mentioned in this chapter visit www creative com Connecting Speakers and Headphones 7 Positioning Your Speakers Good speaker placement is crucial to getting optimal performance from your audio system and achieving an enhanced listening experience Below are our recommendation for 5 1 channel speakers For detailed speaker
27. he Yes button and follow the instructions on the screen to complete the removal of the old audio device Remove the old audio card from your computer e If your computer detects any other installed audio card a message box recommending that you completely uninstall and remove the older audio device will appear Click the Yes button to continue with the installation of the audio cards After the installation of the audio cards completely uninstall the existing card and remove the audio card from your computer If the system has an onboard audio chipset Disable your computer s onboard audio chipset Consult the documentation of your computer s motherboard for details Problems with Sound No sound from the headphones Check the following e The headphones are connected to the cards Line Out 1 jack Front L R e In the Speakers Headphones tab of the Sound Blaster Z Series Control Panel the Headphones option is selected No audio output when playing digital files such as WAV MIDI files or AVI clips Check the following e The speakers volume control knob if any is set at mid range Adjust the volume in Mixer Settings of the Sound Blaster Z Series Control Panel if necessary e The powered speakers or external amplifier are connected to the cards Line Out jacks e There is no hardware conflict between the cards and a peripheral device See Problems with Sound e The Speakers Headphones Configuration settings in the Speakers Headp
28. hones tab of the Sound Blaster Z Series Control Panel corresponds to your actual speaker or headphone configuration Troubleshooting 47 Safety Information Refer to the following information to use your product safely and to reduce the chance of electric shock short circuiting damage fire hearing impairment or other hazards Improper handling may void the warranty for your product For more information read the warranty available with your product e Do not dismantle or attempt to repair your product Refer all servicing to authorized repair agents e Do not expose your product to temperatures outside the range of 0 C to 45 C 32 F to 113 F e Do not pierce crush or set fire to your product e Keep your product away from strong magnetic objects e Do not subject your product to excessive force or impact e Do not expose your product to water or moisture If your product is moisture resistant take care not to immerse your product in water or expose it to rain Safety Information 48 License and Copyright Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Creative Technology Ltd No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical including photocopying and recording for any purpose without written permission of Creative Technology Ltd Copyright 2012 Creative Technology Ltd All rights reserved
29. ll driver software from publishers you trust How can decide which device software is safe to install When prompted restart your computer Installing and Uninstalling Software 22 Using Your Sound Blaster ZxR Sound Blaster ZxR delivers the ultimate audio playback solution for the PC Studio grade components which include external digital to analog converters DACs that deliver 127dB signal to noise ratio SNR sockets for swappable OP Amps a high end 80mW into 600 ohm headphone amplifier and 197kHz pass through deliver phenomenal audio quality Your Sound Blaster ZxR works seamlessly with many external devices to perform different tasks To learn more about these tasks and how to connect additional devices consult the following sections e Playing Games e Watching DVDs e Playing Recording Music e Creating Music e Online Chatting Note e Actual products may differ slightly from those shown in this chapter e The cables shown in this chapter may be bundled with your peripheral or are available separately from www creative com e For more information on the Creative peripherals mentioned in this chapter visit www creative com Playing Games Your Sound Blaster ZxR is specially designed to enhance audio in games using Creative s cutting edge audio technologies Playing games will be more exhilarating than ever before To learn more about the following audio technologies visit www soundblaster com CrystalVoice In ga
30. ming today if you re not communicating you re not winning Experience the crystal clear communication with your teammates with the CrystalVoice suite of technologies that removes echoes ambient noises and picks up your voice even accurately even when you move around the room EAX ADVANCED HD Make your games come alive with EAX ADVANCED HD and immerse yourself in worlds that their creators envisioned Hear multiple audio effects being played simultaneously and precise environment settings applied to them to create a life like environment and heighten the sense of realism Each effect is also accurately positioned in its 3D environment allowing you to tell where it is coming from relative to your location and you will be able to discern where your teammates and enemies are using only these audio cues EAX ADVANCED HD is a weapon that will give you the competitive edge especially in multiplayer games Creative ALchemy Creative ALchemy is a powerful tool that restores the audio for a DirectSound 3p game running on Windows 7 or Windows 8 to its former glory in full surround sound with hardware accelerated audio mixing sampling rate conversion and EAX effects Using Your Sound Blaster ZxR 23 Dolby Digital Live Dolby Digital Live is a real time encoding technology from Dolby Laboratories that converts any audio signal into a Dolby Digital bitstream for transport and playback through your home theatre or digital speaker system
31. ng with an external decoder You can pass Dolby Digital or DTS encoded signals from your DVDs through your audio cards to an external decoder for example an A V receiver and output multi channel audio to your 5 1 speaker systems Some digital speaker systems are also capable of decoding Dolby Digital or DTS encoded signals To learn more consult the documentation of your external decoder or digital speaker system To learn how to connect your A V receiver or digital speaker system to your audio cards consult the following sections e Connecting Home Theater Systems e Connecting Digital Speaker Systems Using Your Sound Blaster ZxR 24 Playing Recording Music Add studio quality audio sound tracks or voice tracks to your video clips or home videos with studio grade components which include 123dB analog to digital converters ADCs with RCA Aux in and optical input for outstanding recording quality Connecting your external device to the Sound Blaster ZxR You can play music from and or record music to external devices for example Digital Audio Tape player recorder by connecting them to your Sound Blaster ZxR Optical S PDIF Out jack Connects to recording devices with optical connectors for example DAT recorders MD recorders or external hard disk recorders Optical cable Connects the playback or recording device to your Sound Blaster ZxR
32. o so in all supported Windows operating systems consult the following sections e Uninstalling Drivers and Applications e Installing Drivers and Applications Uninstalling Drivers and Applications Before you begin close all running audio applications Applications that are still running during uninstallation will not be removed For Windows 7 1 Click Start gt Control Panel gt Uninstall a Program 2 Select the Sound Blaster Z Series entry 3 Click the Uninstall button or option If the User Account Control dialog box appears click the Continue button 4 Click the Yes button 5 When prompted restart your computer For Windows 8 At the right toolbar click Settings gt Control Panel gt Uninstall a Program Select the Sound Blaster Z Series entry Click the Uninstall button or option Click the Yes button When prompted restart your computer a WO Noe To complete the uninstallation you will also need to remove the following components e Dolby Digital Live Pack e DTS Connect Pack To remove Dolby Digital Live Note Carry out the following steps ONLY IF there are no other Creative applications on your system that requires the Dolby Digital Live encoder For Windows 7 1 Click Start gt Control Panel gt Uninstall a Program 2 Select the Dolby Digital Live Pack entry 3 Click the Uninstall button or option When the Confirm Uninstall dialog box appears click the OK button For Windows 8 1 At
33. onnected and installed on the same computer running Creative Software AutoUpdate Introduction 2 About Your Hardware For instructions on installing your Sound Blaster ZxR consult the Quick Start leaflet To learn more about your product consult the following sections e Your Sound Blaster ZxR Audio cards e Audio Control Module Notes Actual products may differ slightly from those shown in this chapter Your Sound Blaster ZxR Audio cards Your Sound Blaster ZxR audio cards have the jacks and connectors below to enable the attachment of a wide variety of devices SB1510 Main Board BLASTER 6 3mm Microphone In jack 6 3mm Headphone jack RCA Line Out 1 jack Front L RCA Line Out 2 jack Front R 3 5mm Line Out 1 jack Rear L R 3 5mm Line Out 2 jack Center Subwoofer DBpro daughter board connector J Connects to microphones with a 6 3mm 1 4 inch plug Connects to stereo headphones with a 6 3mm 1 4 inch plug Connects to the Front Left inputs on powered analog speakers or an A V receiver Connects to the Front Right inputs on powered analog speakers or an A V receiver Connects to the Rear Left and Rear Right inputs on powered analog speakers or an A V receiver Connects to the Centre and Subwoofer inputs on powered analog speakers or an A V receiver Connects to the DBpro daughter board About Your Hardware 3 DBpro
34. pt volume level changes during playback and between songs by automatically and continously measuring volume and intelligently applying gain and attenuation to compensate for those changes e SBX Pro Studio Dialog Plus enhances the voices in movies for clearer dialog allowing the listener to hear the dialog over the rest of the soundtrack and over ambient noise in the listening environment Using the Creative Software Suite 31 CrystalVoice Settings 1 2 Sound BLASTER PRD STUDIO Select a recording device C oo E RYSTALVDICE aai Mic Volume Mic Boost CrystalVoice FX Smart Volume Noise Reduction a Acoustic Echo Cancellation Narrow lt Custom gt LD m Note Only the selected microphone will have the CrystalVoice effect First select the recording device Next turn on CrystalVoice and select to turn on or turn off each of the available enhancements Having Fun with CrystalVoice After configuration click and speak into your microphone to hear how your voice sounds with CrystalVoice applied Readjust as desired CrystalVoice FX enables the speaker s voice to be altered with a variety of effects which can be used to enhance the tone of the speaker s voice create interesting accents or to sound like a completely different person CrystalVoice Smart Volume automatically adjusts the loudness of the speaker s voice to maintain a consistent volume level This makes it convenient for the speake
35. r to converse normally regardless of whether the speaker is close to or far away from the microphone CrystalVoice Noise Reduction enables the speaker to be heard clearly over background noise by constantly monitoring the environment and eliminate the unwanted noise that interferes with the conversation CrystalVoice Acoustic Echo Cancellation eliminates echoes and enables the speaker to listen to the other party clearly Echoes are a common problem present in voice communication systems that disrupts conversations by making it difficult to hear the other party CrystalVoice Focus creates a zone and suppresses noise outside it to enable the speaker within to be heard with amazing clarity Multiple microphones are used to focus enhance the speaker s voice and eliminate sounds outside the zone Using the Creative Software Suite 32 Scout Mode Scout mode transforms your hearing and enables you to hear your opponents from further away giving you a distinct tactical advantage in combat ea MOJO PRO STUDIO THIS PROPRIETARY TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS YOU TO HEAR YOUR ENEMIES FROM FURTHER AWAY GIVING YOU A DISTINCT TACTICAL ADVANTAGE IN COMBAT Scout Mode Hot Key Configuration Configure Hot Keys lt CUSTOM gt 1 1 Scout mode Select to turn on or off Scout mode Click to configure hotkeys for turning on and turning off Scout mode Using the Creative Software Suite 33 Speakers Headphones Settings
36. the right toolbar click Settings gt Control Panel gt Uninstall a Program 2 Select the Dolby Digital Live Pack entry 3 Click the Uninstall button or option Installing and Uninstalling Software 20 To remove DTS Connect Note Carry out the following steps ONLY IF there are no other Creative applications on your system that requires the DTS Connect encoder For Windows 7 1 Return to the Start gt Control Panel gt Uninstall a Program window 2 Select the DTS Connect Pack entry 3 Click the Uninstall button or option When the Confirm Uninstall dialog box appears click the OK button For Windows 8 1 Atthe right toolbar click Settings gt Control Panel gt Uninstall a Program 2 Select the DTS Connect Pack entry 3 Click the Uninstall button or option After you have completed the steps above you can install the original or updated device drivers and applications for Sound Blaster Z Series For instructions on installing the software consult Installing Drivers and Applications Installing and Uninstalling Software 21 Installing Drivers and Applications Ensure that your audio cards are installed before proceeding For instructions on installing your audio cards consult your Quick Start leaflet After you have installed your audio cards turn on your computer Windows automatically detects your audio cards and searches for device drivers For Windows 7 1 Insert the Installation CD into your CD or
37. the volume level You can mute unmute the volume by clicking the speaker icon Configuring Your Software Settings Click each feature to access its settings page More information on each PRENERiDIG feature can be found in their respective sections in this manual Configuring Your General Settings You can change the language settings or restore settings to their default values You CWO can also check for software updates Click and configure various options from the list that displays including e Options Enable the system to automatically check for software updates when your computer is online e Select whether the Sound Blaster Z Series Control Panel is activated when Windows starts e Restore default settings e Select the audio playback device e Select the supported software languages available for your system e Manually check for and update the software e General information regarding your Sound Blaster Z Series Control Panel software amu HIRE Options V Start Sound Blaster Z Series Control Panel when Windows starts Restore Default Audio Device Selection Software Language Selection Software Update About Sound Blaster Z Series Control Panel Using the Creative Software Suite 30 SBX Pro Studio Settings E CIOS PROD STUDIO SBX PRO STUDIO AparaEprataAith Baii ah SBX Pro Studio SY Surround QUA ER MEEURtIeeRS enn SY Crystalizer Sa aeaee re
38. udio in your games SBX Pro Studio will elevate your gaming experience to the next level allowing you to hear sound details in games you have never heard before For details on the various SBX Pro Studio enhancements and its configuration please refer to SBX Pro Studio Settings Creative ALchemy When configuring Directsound 3D games on Windows 7 and Windows 8 the game loses its immersiveness and environmental effects due to changes in audio architecture To restore these effects and experience the full audio immersion follow the steps below Enable Windows XP Compatibility Mode 1 Navigate to the folder where you have installed the game 2 Right click on the game s launcher and select Properties 3 Select the Compatibility tab and select the Compatibility Mode checkbox 4 Click the Compatibility Mode drop down arrow and select Windows XP Service Pack 2 then click OK Enable the Game in Creative ALchemy For Windows 7 Click Start gt Programs or All Programs gt Creative gt ALchemy gt Creative ALchemy The game should be detected automatically and appear in the left column Select the game and click to move it to the right column Close the application Pe For Windows 8 1 At Windows Start screen click Creative ALchemy 2 The game should be detected automatically and appear in the left column 3 Select the game and click to move it to the right column 4 Close the application When you launch the game
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