Soundblaster Live External Sounds Like SH%^

**Dougw133** · 12-29-2007, 04:51 PM

Just what it is.

I have USB SB Live 24 Bit External and it just sounds horrible. I have it fornt and rear split and going to the 4 channel amp. Even with the gain lower and EQ flat the sound quality is terrible. I have setup the control pannel for the SB to the Stereo Mode and still bad. It tends to skip and lag, I have never had this problem with a Sound Card before. Could, "not disabling the onboard audio do this"?\

Thanks...

**Dougw133** · 12-29-2007, 05:15 PM

Disabled OB Sound in bios, still sounds the same - Crappy

**v8 scimitar** · 12-29-2007, 05:45 PM

sounds like bad drivers to me.

**Nola111** · 12-30-2007, 04:00 PM

You're saying the "sound quality" is terrible, but then saying it skips and lags. Is it one of those, or both? If it's just skipping and lagging, that's not "sound quality," and like v8 said, you probably need updated drivers, OR your computer is too slow. It helps people help you if you post your pc specs either in your signature or in the designated space for it in your user profile. If you're saying that the actual sound quality of the Live is bad, you might have to expand on that.

**kevinbr100** · 12-31-2007, 02:51 AM

could be running usb 1.1 when it needs to run at 2.0, if u have 1.1 and 2.0 devices plugged into a hub, everything runs at 1.1

**Dougw133** · 01-01-2008, 06:39 PM

I had feared..I only have USB 1.1 on the MOBO. So basically it cannot operate properly at 1.1?

**Sonicxtacy02** · 01-02-2008, 08:01 AM

i've used it on a 1.1 pc and it works but it is a bandwidth hog so i definitely wouldnt recommend using it on a pc with alot of usb devices.

**HiJackZX1** · 01-02-2008, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by Dougw133

I had feared..I only have USB 1.1 on the MOBO. So basically it cannot operate properly at 1.1?

No, you cant use it on 1.1.... try setting the sound card from 24 bit to 16 bit, that may help..... the best thing to do is go to officemax, bestbuy, etc and buy a USB 2.0 PCI card.

I love my sound blaster Live.... Its almost better to watch movies in my car then in my house, lol

**skeurton** · 01-23-2008, 09:42 AM

i have this card running on an older usb 1.1 laptop with no problems. i'm only using the front speaker output, which goes to my stereo's aux-in. no complaints here. i used to have an external soundblaster mp3+ sound card, and the live card sounds 100 times better. i have it set for 16-bit, as well. the only time i ever do anything using 24-bit audio is in my home studio. even then, tracks gets downsampled to 16-bit in order to burn them to cd.

it's worth mentioning that the only times i experiences skips or anything of the like is when my wireless network card is enabled. so i set up buttons in roadrunner to enable and disable the network card as needed. i experience this same problem from time to time on my studio pc. so i just have to disable the wireless card on that whenever i'm recording or mixing.

lastly, if you go to creative's website, the live card is NOT usb 2.0. the requirements specifically call for at least a 1.1 port.

**Dougw133** · 02-29-2008, 08:45 AM

Update- Now running it on a New System with USB 2.0 Still not the sound quality I had hoped for. Every so often you get little skip, maybe a crack, very faint, but enough to not recommend this card. I am not newb to PC's and sound, it is hooked up correctly.