How to Best Adjust Sound Card Effects
Sound Card, also known as an Audio Card (called Sound Effect Card in Hong Kong/Taiwan): The sound card is the most fundamental component in multimedia, hardware that realizes the mutual conversion between sound waves and digital signals. Its basic function is to convert original sound signals from microphones, tapes, CDs, and output them to audio devices like headphones, speakers, amplifiers, and recorders, or make instruments produce beautiful sounds via the MIDI interface.
Sound Card Effect Configuration
First, install the sound card hardware. Enter CMOS to disable the original onboard sound card (the original discrete card can be removed). Find 'Integrated Peripherals' in CMOS, change 'AC97 Audio' from 'Auto' to 'Disable,' then save settings (CMOS names vary; these are common).
Install the Creative 5.1 sound card drivers. After default installation, configuration can begin.
(1) Open the volume control (small speaker icon) in the lower right corner of the computer. Select only the necessary controls below; others are unused unless using line input. After selecting Playback and Recording controls, you might not need this control later.
If volume feels low, click 'Advanced' under Microphone. Enable '+20dB Boost'.
Note: Bass/Treble adjustments under Playback 'Advanced' affect local listening only; others hear the unadjusted sound. Generally avoid adjusting.
(2) Start — Programs (All Programs) — Creative — Sound Blaster Live! — Creative Surround Mixer. Right-click and 'Send to Desktop (create shortcut)'. Since Creative Surround Mixer is frequently used, drag it to the taskbar. The interface appears as shown below:
(3) Run Creative Surround Mixer. The interface appears as follows:
First, enable Advanced Mode. Do NOT mute the three unmuted boxes! Sometimes switching between 'What You Hear' and 'Microphone' auto-mutes the mic; this is normal - just un-mute it.
Key Point: The leftmost volume is the master control; generally set to maximum. Adjacent Bass/Treble controls affect local listening only, not what others hear; leave at defaults.
Wave/MP3 controls music volume and the volume of others' voices heard, adjusted based on accompaniment volume. Microphone controls local monitoring volume of singing/speaking; increase as long as it doesn't cause feedback squeal.
Crucially, select 'What U Hear'. Otherwise, you hear effects locally, but others hear the unprocessed sound! 'What U Hear' controls how loud others hear your singing, unrelated to music volume (unless using an external VCD).
Ignore MIDI, CD Audio, Line-In, Auxiliary, CD Digital, Phone Answer, PC Speaker settings.
(4) Open 'Settings' for effect configuration.
First, select 'Custom.' Rename the preset on the right to 'Speech' (in Chinese). Leave 'Original Sound' in the middle box at default 0.0dB (maximum).
Reverb: Based on testing, 'Auditorium' effect is suitable. Select it. Adjust 'Main Reverb Level' to around -14. You can choose other preferred reverb effects, but the -14 parameter might differ.
Sound Card Effect Configuration
First, install the sound card hardware. Enter CMOS to disable the original onboard sound card (the original discrete card can be removed). Find 'Integrated Peripherals' in CMOS, change 'AC97 Audio' from 'Auto' to 'Disable,' then save settings (CMOS names vary; these are common).
Install the Creative 5.1 sound card drivers. After default installation, configuration can begin.
(1) Open the volume control (small speaker icon) in the lower right corner of the computer. Select only the necessary controls below; others are unused unless using line input. After selecting Playback and Recording controls, you might not need this control later.
If volume feels low, click 'Advanced' under Microphone. Enable '+20dB Boost'.
Note: Bass/Treble adjustments under Playback 'Advanced' affect local listening only; others hear the unadjusted sound. Generally avoid adjusting.
(2) Start — Programs (All Programs) — Creative — Sound Blaster Live! — Creative Surround Mixer. Right-click and 'Send to Desktop (create shortcut)'. Since Creative Surround Mixer is frequently used, drag it to the taskbar. The interface appears as shown below:
(3) Run Creative Surround Mixer. The interface appears as follows:
First, enable Advanced Mode. Do NOT mute the three unmuted boxes! Sometimes switching between 'What You Hear' and 'Microphone' auto-mutes the mic; this is normal - just un-mute it.
Key Point: The leftmost volume is the master control; generally set to maximum. Adjacent Bass/Treble controls affect local listening only, not what others hear; leave at defaults.
Wave/MP3 controls music volume and the volume of others' voices heard, adjusted based on accompaniment volume. Microphone controls local monitoring volume of singing/speaking; increase as long as it doesn't cause feedback squeal.
Crucially, select 'What U Hear'. Otherwise, you hear effects locally, but others hear the unprocessed sound! 'What U Hear' controls how loud others hear your singing, unrelated to music volume (unless using an external VCD).
Ignore MIDI, CD Audio, Line-In, Auxiliary, CD Digital, Phone Answer, PC Speaker settings.
(4) Open 'Settings' for effect configuration.
First, select 'Custom.' Rename the preset on the right to 'Speech' (in Chinese). Leave 'Original Sound' in the middle box at default 0.0dB (maximum).
Reverb: Based on testing, 'Auditorium' effect is suitable. Select it. Adjust 'Main Reverb Level' to around -14. You can choose other preferred reverb effects, but the -14 parameter might differ.