Weird Sound Problem

[scottw]

I have a weird sound problem that has been bugging me so I figured I would post here to see if anyone else has seen the same. I am running thru Winamp and the KX Drivers using a modified version of Naylia's XLobbyMC Skin. When I come to the end of a playlist the music will stop which is normal but if I click on a song from within that playlist to listen to again the volume is about 30% louder. When I click volume down which is set to decrease by 5% the volume goes back to normal and works fine. If I click volume up while the problem is happening it goes back down to the normal level + the 5%. This only seems to happen when I let the music stop at the end of a playlist and try to start a song up again.

Anyone seen this??? I don't know if it's something with the KX drivers, winamp or my skin. Any Ideas?????

[Marbles_00]

I haven't heard anything like that, but usually I make my playlists larger than I have a chance to listen to the whole thing.

Since we pretty much have a very similar set, I'll try a short playlist tonight when I get home from work.

So any song will behave in such a manner. Just wondering if I play the last song in the list over again, I may hear the same problem your facing with.

In the meantime, what version of the KX drivers are you using?

[scottw]

Thanks for the reply. I am at work as well so I am not sure which version I am using but will check tonight. I tried as a test to add, I believe, one song to a playlist by itself, play that song to the end and then click on the song after it was done and DID have the sound problem. The hardest part was trying to find when it was doing it, we would be listening all day then all of the sudden my wife is yelling TURN IT DOWN I think I also tried to listen to a playlist to the end and then click on another playlist and this DID NOT have the problem.
Let me know if you come up with anything.

Thanks,

[cmhardwick]

to see if it's winamp, you could try loading the playlist directly into winamp, bypassing xLobby. can you bypass the KX drivers this way as well? I don't use them and don't know exactly how they interact.

Anyway, this would help isolate the issue.

[scottw]

Yeah that does make sense...don't know why I did not think of that.

Thanks!!!!

[Marbles_00]

You can't really bypass the KX drivers as they are a replacement to the Creative drivers. You'd have to uninstall the KX drivers and install the creative ones in their place. Perform the test, then uninstall the creative ones...install the KX drivers again.

Make sure you backup your DSP to a different location incase that is deleted.

One thing comes to mind...you did uninstall the creative drivers (or not even installed them) when you loaded the KX drivers, correct?

I agree though, since xlobby has nothing to do with the manipulation of the sound, it most likely is either winamp or the KX drivers.

[scottw]

Thanks,
I do have another sound card in the machine that I could switch to just to see if it is specific to the card or not.

Also I never installed the creative drivers.

Thanks,

[Marbles_00]

Well, I tried a two song playlist, and it didn't get any louder. The volume stayed the same...too bad though, AC/DC a little loud is well worth it.

Scott, if your thinking that it is the KX drivers...or a component of the drivers, what you could do is to place "Peak" meters (Basic plugin/Peak) around the KX DSP in different locations and verify the levels with a specific song. Then use that same song after playing the playlist, and if it is louder and verify with the peak meters at which component is effecting the music. That could help pin-point your problem...if indeed it is because of the KX drivers.

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

Scottw, are u running kXd/xPerT? Just checking if i should hide before culprit hunt turns into bear hunt

[scottw]

Bear,
I am not running Xpert, yet, so you are off the hook for now

Thanks Marbles,
I did not have a chance to check last night but will try tonight.

[Marbles_00]

Yeah, that's one nice thing about the Pervware devices, they will give you updates on the slider locations of some of the KX components right within Xlobby. You would be able to view right in Xlobby if the KX devices are drifting over time (though I don't know why they would as besides watching porn on the computer, gernerally software doesn't get hot).

[scottw]

OK marbles I need some help. I added the peak meter (correctly, I think). Here is what I did:


At first play of the song the meters read about -42 and after about -18 on both meters. So KX does see the problem, now what

Sorry I am still very lost on the KX thing, I just followed your instructions for a "Basic DSP setup"

[Marbles_00]

The FXBus is your input source for all your audio stream generated by software on your computer(direct sound, midi etc.). If that is indeed the location of your Peak meter, and you are measuring the difference there, then the problem would appear to be:

A) the FXBus plugin itself
B) your source (winamp, foobar, or whatever sound generating software your using).
C) some left over audio .dll driver file left stagnent from some previous install that could be messing with your master volume

For Problem A
Now what you could do, is follow my example in the KX DSP doc, and replace the FXBus with with Src plugins, one for each FXBux pair (0/1, 4/5, 6/7, 8/9). With your GPR's at 256, I take it your using a Live type of board. In that case use the Src1 plugin (Don't think you will even be allowed to load the Src2 plugin as that is for the Audigy).

This way you will take out a possible KX plugin problem, in the very least.

For Problem B
Use another source software, if your using winamp, try foobar.

For Problem C
You will have to go through your computer with a fine tooth comb, and find where and how this driver could be effecting you.

One other thing, is this problem confined to one zone, or does it effect all the zones (disregard FXBus output 0/1 as it is going to all outputs).

Also, aren't you using VAC? If that is the case, do you really need to drive the FXBus 0/1 output to all the stereo mixers? I thought that's what VAC audio repeaters were for, in helping route the different FX outputs.

[scottw]

The FXBus is your input source for all your audio stream generated by software on your computer(direct sound, midi etc.). If that is indeed the location of your Peak meter, and you are measuring the difference there, then the problem would appear to be:

A) the FXBus plugin itself
B) your source (winamp, foobar, or whatever sound generating software your using).
C) some left over audio .dll driver file left stagnent from some previous install that could be messing with your master volume

For Problem A
Now what you could do, is follow my example in the KX DSP doc, and replace the FXBus with with Src plugins, one for each FXBux pair (0/1, 4/5, 6/7, 8/9). With your GPR's at 256, I take it your using a Live type of board. In that case use the Src1 plugin (Don't think you will even be allowed to load the Src2 plugin as that is for the Audigy).

This way you will take out a possible KX plugin problem, in the very least.

Thanks I will give this a try first. Thanks for explaining it out so detailed, I think I have a better understanding now.

One other thing, is this problem confined to one zone, or does it effect all the zones (disregard FXBus output 0/1 as it is going to all outputs).

I am pretty sure it is all zones.

Also, aren't you using VAC? If that is the case, do you really need to drive the FXBus 0/1 output to all the stereo mixers? I thought that's what VAC audio repeaters were for, in helping route the different FX outputs.

Yeah I am using VAC, I did not even think about not needing 0/1 hooked up ( I usually do not play thru all zones at one time, yet)

Thanks for the help I will let you know what I find out.

[scottw]

Ok so I switch to using src, which I must say I like alot better and seems cleaner, but still have the problem.
I did all of that last night. I was just messing with it again and decided to take the Virtual Audio Cables out of the picture and point winamp directly to a sound card output and guess what, it was fine.

Ok so I finally narrowed the problem down to VAC, now to fix it.

I will let you know what I find out.