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Super Contributor
daniel_k
Posts: 848
Registered: 04-03-2007

SB Audigy Series Support Pack 2.5 (BUGS FOUND, UPDATING)

[ Edited ]

This software/driver pack is unofficial, not supported by Creative Labs.

Use it at your own risk.

 

 

 

Supports any model of the following Sound Blaster cards (based on Emu10kx DSP):

 

- Audigy

- Audigy 2

- Audigy 2 ZS

- Audigy 4

 

For Audigy SE/LS/Value and Live! 24-bit cards, click here for a compatible version.

 

Operating systems supported: 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows 7 RTM / Vista SP2 / XP SP3

 

Included in the pack: 

 

- Audigy series driver 2.18.0011.6
- ALchemy 1.30.00

- Audio Console 1.31.10
- DDL License Activation 1.00.04 (*)
- Dolby Digital Live Pack 3.00.03 (*)
- EAX Console 3.00.56 (Windows XP only)
- Graphic Equalizer 2.00.65
- MediaSource DVD-Audio Player 2.00.78
- SoundFont Bank Manager 3.21.00
- Speaker Settings 2.00.60
 

(*) Purchase and activation required, more info at http://buy.soundblaster.com.

 

 

 

 

Does this driver improve sound quality or performance? Are there any tweaks?

 

No, this driver does not improve sound quality nor increase performance.

 

No, there are no tweaks.

 

If someone states that its driver improves sound quality and performance, you are being fooled, cheated.

 

It is even worse that the so called tweaks come from a person who is not EVEN technically acknowledged, does NOT know anything about Windows internals, software engineering and sound fidelity that all audiophiles always look for.

 

If you "feel" the sound better, that is the infamous placebo effect and there is no real proof that any tweaks work.

 

In fact, I have yet to see a driver that states in its release notes that it improves sound quality.

 

I've disassembled about every single .SYS driver, .DLL libraries and .EXE executables and found nothing.

 

There are some undocumented registry values, but nothing related to sound quality or performance.

 

Would the so called tweaks even exist, they would be in my Support Packs, you can bet that.

 

 

 

 

Fixes and improvements:

 

- Workarounds a bug that unexpectedly resets the speaker configuration.

- Prevents an issue during installation on Windows 7/Vista that may result in low volume when certain enhancements are enabled.

- Really improves CMSS Headphone experience.

- Dolby Digital Live works on Windows 7.

- Updates all InstallShield setup scripts to support Windows 7.
- Fixes installation INI to properly install applications depending on the detected OS.
- Removes COM workaround for Equalizer, fixed by Creative.
- Adds workaround to a memory corruption issue preventing Equalizer from starting on Windows 7/Vista.
- Updates shared modules, responsiveness on certain applications is improved.
- Enables CMSS2 and Stereo Surround.
- Fixes 32-bit ASIO not working on Windows 7 x64.
- Fixes Encoder not available on Windows 7 x64 (related to fix above).
- Modifies default format on Windows 7 / Vista to 24-bit, 48kHz.
- Properly adds support for 64-bit OpenAL and 64-bit ASIO.

- Sets default speaker setting to 5.1 to properly reset configs to their defaults during install (fixes Bass and Treble leves not set to 50% on Windows 7 / Vista). 

 

 

 

Undocumented fixes by Creative (not listed in the release notes):

 

- Fixes Equalizer Out of Memory error.
- Fixes Equalizer settings being lost on Windows 7 / Vista when speaker configuration is changed.
- Fixes low volume on Windows 7 / Vista when default format is set to anything higher than 16-bit, 48kHz.
- Fixes MIDI instruments in Melodic Pool not playing when speaker setting is higher than 2.1 speakers.
- Restores missing Microphone option in Surround Mixer (documented).
- Fixes Microphone mute, volume and +20db boost controls.

 

 

 

Release Notes:

 

 

Windows Security warning during driver installation

 

When prompted with: "Windows can't verify the publisher of this driver software", choose "Install this driver software anyway".

 

 

OpenAL 2D benchmark in RightMark 3DSound crashes your system

 

Due to a driver bug, your system will crash if you run the OpenAL 2D benchmark using 63 buffers. No problem With 62 or fewer buffers. OpenAL 3D and OpenAL 3D + EAX benchmarks are not affected.

 

Details: DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (0x000000D1) - ctoss2k.sys

 

 

MediaSource DVD-Audio Player system requirements

 

- 32-bit edition of Windows 7 / Vista / XP

- any Audigy 2, Audigy 2 ZS or Audigy 4 card

 

 

Built-in Decoder on Windows 7 / Vista (requires Service Pack 1)

 

To use the built-in decoder, make sure it is enabled in Audio Console.

 

Select "SPDIF Out (Creative SB Audigy (WDM))" as the output device of your player and then configure the AC3/DTS filter to send the stream through SPDIF.

 

When you restart your computer, the Tone settings (Bass and Treble) are not applied.

 

Just readjust one of the controls one time per boot.

 

 

Advanced EQ and Special FX not available on Windows 7 / Vista

 

These presets don't work on Windows 7 / Vista.

 

 

There is no sound in games with OpenAL support on Windows XP

 

Disable Advanced EQ and Special FX selecting "No effect" before running the game or program.

 

 

Equalizer settings are lost

 

When you run a game with OpenAL support or using Creative ALchemy, the Equalizer settings are lost.

 

Just run Equalizer and the saved setting is loaded automatically.

 

 

Windows MIDI Device Configuration Utility

 

Use this utility to change the MIDI playback device for 32-bit and 64-bit applications.

 

 

 

 

Download:

 

Filename: Audigy_SupportPack_2_5.exe

File size: 47.6 MB 

CRC32 hash: 91FA17F3

SHA-1 hash: 5C91F2160B099D1433EF1BE67862A9D3375857FC

 

To verify the file hashes, I recommend HashTab.

 

Mirrors: REMOVED FOR NOW, BUGS FOUND

 

 

All files are property of Creative Technology Ltd, unless otherwise noted.

Super Contributor
daniel_k
Posts: 848
Registered: 04-03-2007

Re: SB Audigy Series Support Pack 2.5 (08/09/2009)

Important Installation Notes

 

If any drivers are already installed, you must follow these steps to ensure a proper installation of the new Support Pack.

 

 

1) Open a Command Prompt window with Admin privileges (right click and select Run as Administrator).

 

Type the following commands:

 

takeown /f C:\Windows\*.cdf

 

cacls C:\Windows\*.cdf /G Administrators:F

 

Where Administrators may be different if you are running a localized version of Windows or you can simply use your login name.

 

 

2) Unpack the previous Support Pack or Creative official release.

 

 

3) Run \Drivers\Setup.exe and choose Driver Uninstallation, select Delete all shared Creative audio driver files. and click OK. Reboot when asked to do so.

 

 

4) Make sure the following files were deleted, otherwise delete them manually:

 

- For Windows 7 / Vista 32-bit open C:\Windows\System32 and delete UDAAPO32.DLL and UDAPLD32.DLL.

 

- For Windows 7 / Vista 64-bit open C:\Windows\System32 and delete UDAAPO64.DLL and UDAPLD64.DLL then  open C:\Windows\SysWOW64 and delete UDAAPO32.DLL.

Regular Visitor
insano
Posts: 5
Registered: 03-13-2006
0

Re: SB Audigy Series Support Pack 2.5 (08/09/2009)

awesome!! Just got Window 7 off MSDNAA, new drivers to go with it =D

Newbie
Jelloh
Posts: 1
Registered: 08-22-2009
0

Re: SB Audigy Series Support Pack 2.5 (08/09/2009)

[ Edited ]

Been using W7 for a few weeks now and the low volume is really a bad thing. Just installed these 2.5 drivers and all  works great in W7 using Audigy2 (i know i need to upgrade the sound card eventually but it works for now :smileyhappy:  )

 

Thanks for the effort and link put into this.

I am sure Audigy users will be pleased.

 

Cheers!

Regular Visitor
Worlon
Posts: 3
Registered: 05-07-2009
0

Re: SB Audigy Series Support Pack 2.5 (08/09/2009)

THX, You are the BEST Daniel!!!

Regular Visitor
cocegas
Posts: 5
Registered: 08-22-2009
0

Re: SB Audigy Series Support Pack 2.5 (08/09/2009)

[ Edited ]

Hi Daniel, first of all thank yiou very much for tgis package!

 

But, as the same of the older driver, I cant make my mic work in steam!

 

I will show what is happening:

 

Windows dont enable the mic in the recording tab:

http://img245.imageshack.us/i/creativefdp1.jpg/

 

But in the payback tab I can see the mic and hear it!!

http://img149.imageshack.us/i/creativefdp2.jpg/

 

So whats the problem? how can I configure steam to use THIS mic instead the one from recording tab?

With the craponly driver from creative the mic became avaiable....

 

 

Thx!

Valeu!

Regular Visitor
silkeno
Posts: 7
Registered: 08-19-2009
0

Re: SB Audigy Series Support Pack 2.5 (08/09/2009)

Does this work for titanium fatality pro 7.1 cards?

 I tried to install the support pack 2.0 but it said it couldn't recognise my card and quit.

Contributor
BruceLeet
Posts: 21
Registered: 05-27-2009
0

Re: SB Audigy Series Support Pack 2.5 (08/09/2009)

[ Edited ]

First I want to thank daniel_k for his commitment on these support packs.

 

I just installed this driver pack step by step as described in post #2 and everything went flawless. I chose 5.1 as speaker mode and have no problems while playing surround media such as a DVD or AC3 files. However none of the available CMSS 3D modes are working at all. If I play any stereo audio files, only the front speakers are playing sound although I did enable stereo surround in the audio console application. CMSS and CMSS2 neither are working.

 

Can anyone confirm this bug? I had no problems regarding the CMSS modes with Support Pack 2.0.

 

My system:

--------------------

Vista Ultimate x64

SB Audigy 2 ZS

8GB memory

Top Contributor
stormy13
Posts: 968
Registered: 10-28-2005
0

Re: SB Audigy Series Support Pack 2.5 (08/09/2009)

[ Edited ]

cocegas wrote:

 

So whats the problem? how can I configure steam to use THIS mic instead the one from recording tab?

With the craponly driver from creative the mic became avaiable....

 

 

Thx!

Valeu!


 

You need to set the mic as the default recording device. In that first screen shot you have it set to "What U Hear". And while you're at it mute the mic under Playback, that is unless you like to hear yourself and everything else the mic might pick up.

Super Contributor
Meocene
Posts: 306
Registered: 11-09-2008
0

Re: SB Audigy Series Support Pack 2.5 (08/09/2009)

[ Edited ]

 


However none of the available CMSS 3D modes are working at all. If I play any stereo audio files, only the front speakers are playing sound although I did enable stereo surround in the audio console application. CMSS and CMSS2 neither are working.

 

Can anyone confirm this bug? I had no problems regarding the CMSS modes with Support Pack 2.0.


Yeah I can confirm this.  CMSS is working though.  It's just that the rear speakers are very quiet and yes, the focus slider has no afect.

Interestingly the same is true of CMSS under headphones mode.  It's working, but the rear virtualized speakers are quieter.  No where near as quiet as the rears are in speaker mode though so it's not quite so noticeable.

Tested this out using HL2 using grenades.  Is there a simply way to fix this issue ourselves?

 

Still.  Awesome Dan.  Thanks again!  Working CMSS under headphones is what I've been hoping for.