Phoebus - terrible support for S/PDIF.

[GunSlingerAUS]

As well as all the constant BF3 crashes, I have another major issue with the Phoebus. I connect it to my home theater's amp via S/PDIF optical, but the Phoebus software has absolutely no ability to change speaker configuration, or test the speakers. Sometimes I get 5.1 sound in games, sometimes I get stereo, and sometimes channels are missing.

Speaker configuration when using S/PDIF is a basic feature that has been around forever. Why did ASUS remove this, and will these features ever return? In the meantime I'm back to using my ASUS Xonar D2X, an older, cheaper ASUS sound product that has all the features I'm talking about.

[Myk SilentShadow]

Although I don't use S/PDIF, I just had a look in the Phoebus Environment and saw S/PDIF sitting there waiting to be used...so I wouldn't say it's missing at all. Oh and also, sometimes though it's a pain in the rear, you have to use the Windows Speaker config settings to get the basic stuff to work.

[doctorsplendid]

I totally agree about the lack of SPDIF options. I have just received my card and already I'm a little disappointed. The trouble is there is no speaker configuration options available in the Windows sound control options either. With my last card I had control over which speaker set up I had be it 2.1 3.1 or 5.1 etc, front speakers full range options etc and all that has gone with this card. I have an old DX which I have put back in and I hate to say it sounds better than this new £180 card (only talking about SPDIF here, I am sure the card performs incredibly with analogue and headphones).

[Chickenz]

It should detect it automatically. Although I don't understand why so many people are buying the Phoebus for Optical and Coax setups (it dosen't even support coax). It's aimed at analog...

[GunSlingerAUS]

I reckon guys like me who game with $3000 sound systems are exactly the target audience this premium sound card is aimed at. And most high-end amps don't use analogue, as they don't support HDMI (video) + analogue (sound) at the same time.

Regardless, it's baffling they'd remove such standard features, especially when the audio processor is fully capable of supporting these basic features. After all the driver and software issues with the Phoebus, I think ASUS needs to have a good hard look at the software team behind this product. The hardware seems great, but it's let down by some of the worst software I've seen in years.

[PALADiN]

Is that you Bennett Ring?

[Raja@ASUS]

I reckon guys like me who game with $3000 sound systems are exactly the target audience this premium sound card is aimed at. And most high-end amps don't use analogue, as they don't support HDMI (video) + analogue (sound) at the same time.

Regardless, it's baffling they'd remove such standard features, especially when the audio processor is fully capable of supporting these basic features. After all the driver and software issues with the Phoebus, I think ASUS needs to have a good hard look at the software team behind this product. The hardware seems great, but it's let down by some of the worst software I've seen in years.

I think there is obvious room for software improvement but I do agree with the poster above - digital out was not high on the list of priorities with this card. The target market is headphones or multi channel phones for gaming use. I don't think one needs to spend a lot to get similar or acceptable levels of digital output from PCs. In fact, I would not spend a lot if that was my intended usage at all. In such cases it makes more sense to buy a decent downstream decoder with HDMI support and let that do the work post any jitter reduction (if one is inclined toward that level of audiphilia). Most GPUs will do what one needs I think. Other Xonar cards that are more geared towards HT use are a better bet if you need manipulation of the digital stream via optical out or S/PDIF to suit a downstream processor/receiver.

[Raja@ASUS]

Is that you Bennett Ring?

The tech writer from AU? I think he echoed a similar view so I am not surprised you ask. We do get media joining here and quite often they won't reveal who they are unless asked by an astute member.

[Gopher]

A thing about the software that annoys me besides the lack of Spdif features as mentioned in this thread:

It forces the default audio devices to the Phoebus. Even you change it manually in Windows to another audio device it automatically changes it back upon reboot and I have even experienced it could change back suddenly when in use. I have to use a USB mic, because the soundcard picks up a lot of capacitor noise from my graphics cards (most soundcards do this). It's really annoying as if they haven't considered people could use better external mic's and such.

[Raja@ASUS]

Disable the mic for the Phoebus by right clicking on it and selecting disable in sound options. That will stop it being any kind of priority device.