Question Sound problems with PCIE Audio Card (Sound coming from the opposite side of the speakers or center or surround sometimes when it shouldnt)

[zgzdgz]

Hello there, recently I've installed the PCIE 1x audio card called "Creative Sound Blaster FX 5.1" in my "MSI B550M PRO-VDH" motherboard and it started to give me problems during movies, music or games ,for example, if I play a game, or watch a movie, the sound switches to front right and center and right surround speakers, and sometimes completely differently, so I've reseated the card, I've rechecked the cables go in and out, I've tried on my current motherboard, the speakers act as they should on 5.1 system, but it acts really weird on that audio card and I have no idea is that a hardware or software mess, there is that creative control panel, but that seems to be worsen everything, so I don't know why out of nowhere the sound just disappearing and playing through speaker, for instance, if I test the front left speaker, the sound comes from either center, surround speakers, or the front right speaker, and I have no idea what's going on, I should also note that these speakers worked without a problem in my older motherboard "MSI Z270 Gaming Pro Carbon" as I just hooked it up and the sound acted as it should, any ideas how to fix this ?

 

[Wolfshadw]

First, can you verify that this is your audio card?
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy FX 5.1

If not, could you provide a link to your card?

-Wolf sends

 

[zgzdgz]

Sure bud
https://us.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-audigy-fx
and yes that's my audio card.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Did you download install the Driver Package from this page? Yes, I realize that these drivers are over six years old.

-Wolf sends

 

[zgzdgz]

Yeah, I tried from cd, then I updated to newer drivers i think to 2020

 

[Wolfshadw]

For that card, there are no Windows 10/11 (assumed this is your OS) drivers beyond what's linked above (2016). These are the drivers and software package you should be using. Anything newer than that is unofficial and likely the cause of your issues.

Let's face it, there's just no getting around dropped support for hardware. That said, is there really a reason why you want to use this card? The audio chipset on the card is ALC898, while your motherboard's audio chipset is ALC892/ALC897.

I kind of doubt there is that much difference between the two chipsets (but I could be wrong).

B550M Pro-VHD WiFi Motherboard Manual
Referencing Pg 25, is it safe to say you have your Front Audio ports connected to the JAUD1 port on the motherboard?
What PC Case are you using?

-Wolf sends

 

[zgzdgz]

Oh thats the thing bud, my mobo dont have rs out, cen/sub ports, so there is only green ( front), blue (line out), and the line in (mic in) so I would be occupuying 3 of those incase I want use 5.1 system. My case is Deep Cool Mattrexx 55 Mesh RGB .I bought this card instead of occupying those 3 ports, thats all, but since it started to give issues I wondered if it was faulty.

 

[Wolfshadw]

I get that. This is typical of motherboards, but the specifications for your board do state:

Realtek® ALC892/ALC897 Codec

• 7.1-Channel High Definition Audio

Given only the three audio ports in the rear, that tells me it must use the front audio ports to get past just stereo sound. Problem is, I didn't see in the user's manual where or how to make those connections.

Do you have your case's front audio ports connected to the JAUD1 port on your motherboard?

-Wolf sends

 

[zgzdgz]

Yes, Everything is connected, since I bought prebuilt pc, the usb, audio jacks are connected.

 

[Wolfshadw]

since I bought prebuilt pc,

Disregard everything I said in regards to the motherboard.

As for the audio card, the only thing I can think of is a driver issue (as I said, the newest are not from 2020). Anything newer than what is listed on Creative's site is unofficial and probably problematic. Stick with the official drivers and software package.

If you have JUST the 2016 drivers install and the latest audio software package from Creative installed, then I would suspect a failing audio card and if it's that important to you, start looking into a new card.

-Wolf sends

 

[zgzdgz]

Well, I uninstalled newer drivers, installed older ones from 2013 ( from cd), and it seemed fine on my older rig, but I did the same thing thing with current rig, at first seem to be fine, but then speakers start to act weird and its like out of nowhere vocals start to come from left or sub, while rest of the speakers gets muted, and then again the vocals come back again in the center and it all happens vice versa, besides the settings in the control panel are confusing and I dont know which settings to use in order to fix it.

 

[Wolfshadw]

If it works fine in the old system and not in the new system, it's not a hardware issue. Download and install the latest drivers (2016) from the site linked above and see if that clears anything up. If not, then It's likely a control panel issue that you need to figure out to resolve.

-Wolf sends

 

[zgzdgz]

Okay, well, I've uninstalled that control panel and watched a movie for like an hour or two, and the sound was where it suppose to be, I mean really no issues at all, but once I try play a video with poorer quality, yeah then the speakers producing voice either surround, left, right, center, front right front left, so when I closed the video, and when I played video with surround in it, returned to normal , but, again still happened.... and as for the drivers, I can only see 2017, I don't see 2016.

 

[Wolfshadw]

What operating system version are you using?

-Wolf sends

 

[zgzdgz]

Windows 10 Pro 64
And also that's drivers from creative website, and the second picture is what windows updates are offering to me.
https://prnt.sc/263jx3g

https://prnt.sc/263k842

 

[Wolfshadw]

Ok. Not too keen on what Windows has to offer, but if that Windows update was published by Creative, then ok.

-Wolf sends

 

[zgzdgz]

Actually when I installed drivers from cd, I've then headed to windows update and found an update for that sound card, and installed it, so still, I should do this again ?

 

[Wolfshadw]

I wouldn't even bother with the CD anymore. Just download and install the drivers direct from the Creative web site.

-Wolf sends

 

[zgzdgz]

Okay, So I just did that right now, and then restarted the pc, and when I try to Listen to the song, there is no bass, but like in the middle of the song, it just magically appears, and then again magically disappears. FR and FL including the center playing sound during the song.

https://prnt.sc/263rj1z

https://prnt.sc/263rkca

That's the drivers that I've installed from the website.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Are you using the same set of speakers between the old system and the new system?
If you copied the song you're listening to, to a USB drive, installed the card back into the old system and tried playing the song from the USB on the old system, do you experience the same audio dropouts?

-Wolf sends