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Sound Blaster X-Fi 2 Utility for Maximus IV GENE ( Windows 8 )

Wnivre
Level 7
The Maximus IV Gene motherboard has support for the Sound Blaster X-Fi 2 Utility on the Windows 7 driver downloads. The utility is absent from the Windows 8 driver download.

Maximus IV GENE-Z driver downloads
The utility version present for the IV downloads is version V1.0 (R11)

I searched for the drivers of the Maximus V GENE -a relatively similar motherboard- and found that it is showing an updated V1.04.01 of the utility on the Windows 8 section.
Maximus V Gene downloads

I tried using the Windows 7 version on an 8 install and the utility did not function properly. I required an extra .net 3.5 install and when I tried its audio features, there were no enhancements audible.

Please provide more Windows 8 support for the IV GENE-Z. The X-Fi 2 Utility greatly aids the on-board audio which is labeled to already support it.



Ironically, if you look under the utilities tab for Win7 on both boards, you'll see "Sound Blaster X-Fi MB 2 Utility V1.0(R11), indicating that both boards use the same audio software.
Download for the IV:

Download for the V:

Different upload dates, different boards, same program

Where it changes is when switching to the Win8 tabs. For the IV board the download is absent, for the V board it is "Sound Blaster X-Fi MB 2 Utility V1.04.01 for Windows 7/8 32bit & 64bit":



This makes me suspect that both boards use the same software, only that at the time of adding the initial drivers to the V board page, they conveniently placed the updated R11, but did not update the download for the previous IV board. Would the V1.04.01 be compatible with Maximus IV?


ADD:
The V1.04.01 download which is marked as a download for the Maximus V Win8 and not for IV, is working successfully on Win7 for the Maximus IV.
The V1.04.01 download should be added to the Maximus IV utilities page for Windows 7 and Win8.
67,314 Views
29 REPLIES 29

g0dsirluis
Level 7
I agree.

I have an issue that when I did a fresh install to windows 8 (no problems with windows 7), i am not hable to use my 5.1 speakers with integrated sound (Maximus IV gene Z), just 2.1 (Front and bass ).



-Already instaled Realtek drivers for windows 8, and is configured for 5.1

-Already checked windows device manager, every looks good.

-Cheked the settings of the windows mixer and adjusted the levels of all the speakers.

When I use the sound check/testing i can hear the center speaker and both back speakers, but dont hear sounds of games, music, programs, anything from those speakers.

Is it because I need sound blaster utility? I need help.

Thx in advance.
Srry for my bad english.

g0dsirluis wrote:
I agree.

I have an issue that when I did a fresh install to windows 8 (no problems with windows 7), i am not hable to use my 5.1 speakers with integrated sound (Maximus IV gene Z), just 2.1 (Front and bass ).



-Already instaled Realtek drivers for windows 8, and is configured for 5.1

-Already checked windows device manager, every looks good.

-Cheked the settings of the windows mixer and adjusted the levels of all the speakers.

When I use the sound check/testing i can hear the center speaker and both back speakers, but dont hear sounds of games, music, programs, anything from those speakers.

Is it because I need sound blaster utility? I need help.

Thx in advance.
Srry for my bad english.



Were you able to ever get 5.1 audio from optical running Windows8?
I have a new V Gene board but can't get 5.1 from the optical.

Is this a driver issue, as I think Sound Blaster doesn't yet support Win8???

So I had a long chat session with ASUS support & fully explained my issue (which is):

No 5.1 audio from a PCM source (Only 2.0 stereo) through optical out using:
1) Realtek Audio drivers from motherboard CD _ which are identical to those on the ASUS support page
2) Realtek HD Audio driver R2.70
3) SoundBlaster XFi_1040_Win7_8 from motherboard CD - which are identical to those on the ASUS support page

The guy from ASUS chat just referred me to the ASUS downloads page. My MB is brand new and the ASUS page has Audio Drivers and the SoundBlaster Utility as a 09-26-2012 date (which is the same version as those on my MB CD). So, I'm running the latest available drivers (that I know of...)

Has anyone had success getting 5.1 audio for PCM sources (not Dolby Digital - which does work) via your optical out working?

Since PC games output multi channel PCM and not Dolby Digital or dts - I need this to work for my head phone setup. I have a GTX680 hooked to my reciever via HDMI & that works great (5.1 mutli channel as it should) - but my optical out will only output 2 channel stereo. I have changed every setting in the windows control panel, disabled the Nvidea audio, changed sample rates via the windows audio console - BUT still have never been able to get the Audio Icon for Surround Sound to show up in SoundBlaster's Console:

17190

My Versions of SoundBlaster's software that I believe needs to be installed for 5.1 audio through optical to work?


17191

I also have the THX TruStudio Pro set to Surround Sound.

I can't believe there's not a working combination of drivers and SB application for Windows 8 64 bit on a Maximus V Gene.

Thanks

Purelife
Level 7
I'm passing on win 8 until sound drivers are out .
the net is filled with creative sound card issues on win 8
my forte [creative] sound card driver for Win 8 eta Jan. xx 2013
-other creative cards nov.30 2012
MVF WC ||3770k-KL370||HAF932||AX1200||580 sli -EK||
3XMCR320\w655 EK[basement]||w655 EK[HAF932] ||
8gb Trident 2400||Samsung S27A850D||Win7HP-64||SAMSUNG 840PRO 256|||| G15,G13||G9x
PC sound>forte analog>Yamaha 765>4xPSB alpha B1>alpha C1>10" sub

Try any (all) of the Maximus V (Win8) driver utilities on your IV board, regardless of if you're running Win 7 or 8.

My issue was fixed by using various of the drivers listed on the Maximus V downloads (My board is Maximus IV)
The LAN driver, Realtek Audio, Ai Charger+, and X-Fi MB 2 Utility V1.04.01 are working flawlessly on my IV GENE.


The LAN and audio drivers, and SB utility downloads on the IV page simply need to be updated with those listed on the V downloads.

HiVizMan
Level 40
Will pass this on to the driver teams. Please understand that Chinese New Year is upon us so do not expect anything in the next few weeks or so.
To help us help you - please provide as much information about your system and the problem as possible.

HiVizMan wrote:
Will pass this on to the driver teams. Please understand that Chinese New Year is upon us so do not expect anything in the next few weeks or so.


Is this a known issue then?

Does 5.1 multi-channel PCM (as found in PC games) work/not work on a Maximus V Gene running Windows 8 64 bit?

I'm going to install Creative Labs Dolby Digital Pack found http://software.store.creative.com/software/dolby-digital-live-and-dts-connect-pack/106-18034.aspx

I shouldn't need to add this - but I want 5.1 multi-channel via my optical - So I need it to work.

Ok, the Dolby Digital Live Codec from Creative failed to find a supported sound device on my system and would not install.
$5 down the drain...

ventoux wrote:
Is this a known issue then?

Does 5.1 multi-channel PCM (as found in PC games) work/not work on a Maximus V Gene running Windows 8 64 bit?

I'm going to install Creative Labs Dolby Digital Pack found http://software.store.creative.com/software/dolby-digital-live-and-dts-connect-pack/106-18034.aspx

I shouldn't need to add this - but I want 5.1 multi-channel via my optical - So I need it to work.


The sound system on the Maximus V GENE only outputs PCM Stereo period via digital, regardless of what drivers or operating system is being used.

If you want 5.1 with this sound system, use analog. Then you get full compatibility with everything including EAX support.

If you feel you must have digital 5.1, To send 5.1 over optical you need a sound card that supports Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect like an ASUS Xonor DX or upgrade to a ASUS Maximus V Formula motherboard. You will lose some EAX ability in the process.

You will be hard pressed to hear the difference though in my opinion.

Maximus V GENE - Output Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-Weighted): 110 dB
Maximus V Formula - - Output Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-Weighted): 110 dB
ASUS Xonor DX - Output Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-Weighted) (Front-out) : 116 dB

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