Astro A40 Surround Sound Problem

Solid_Snake3

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Oct 22, 2012
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So I recently got the Astro A40, and I was really excited. Sound quality is great, the mixamp has great build quality. I'm talking about the 2013 edition, where the mixamp does NOT have a battery pack. The power button's on top instead of the bottom like the old one. I have it connected to my PC with USB and Optical output, but for the life of me I can't get the mixamp to stream the Optical audio. The reason I want Optical is because I want surround sound, even if it's simulated. I have the Creative Soundblaster XiFi MB 3 audio software, with a Gigabyte GA Z97X Gaming 7 motherboard. Also, the equalizer presets seem to do nothing at all. Please help me out here. What am I doing wrong? I even set my output to Optical on my Playback devices, but that played nothing through my Astro A40. The Optical input just WON'T work. If I disconnect the Optical cable, the sound keeps playing, which means the audio is coming from USB. How do I make it so that it comes from the Optical so I can actually use the surround sound feature on my mixamp? Thanks.
 
The Astro mix amp is the sound card and simulated surround processor so my guess is that the Sound Blaster software is conflicting with the mix amp. You didn't need the software in the first place. The software was made for lower end/mid end motherboards that didn't include any good surround software. I would uninstall the Creative software and start from the beginning.

Plug in the Astro's and make sure your windows audio config is correct. If the optical in isn't still working it could be the cable is bad, the connections are bad or just the mix amp is bad.

Please PC gods, get rid of S/PDIF!
 

Solid_Snake3

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Oct 22, 2012
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Never mind, I fixed it. It wasn't my mixamp or cable since they worked on my PS3. After I plugged them back in to my PC, the audio became really faint. I thought I messed it up, but then in my playback devices, I switched my default playback device to one of the two optical devices listed, and my headset started blasting music.
It was coming from the SPDIF output. The mix amp's EQ presets started working, even surround sound did. I have no idea what changed, but works now. My theory is that the optical wasn't connected to my PC'S output fully. I also had soundblaster open at that time. Thanks anyway for trying to help.
 

Wolfbayne

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Sep 19, 2014
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Hey, i am having the same problem where everything seems to work great on my xbox one. Presets and voice/game chat knob works but then when i plug the mix amp into my pc. It doesnt work. Just the volume knob. Its connected through usb and optical. Can you please help me out with whats going on and how you fixed it?
 


I'm assuming you're using the Astro's. What model of Astro's and what make and model of motherboard do you have?

Just guessing but it could be your Windows or the Astro's configuration.

Happy listening, the Prisoner.


 

Wolfbayne

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Sep 19, 2014
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Hey Prisoner,
I found out the problem shortly after i posted my comment. But i wouldn't have solved it without your thread. My default was selected to the mix amp instead of my optical out.