Very specific soundcard question

[hewhoisiam]

Hokay, 4th post. I hope this is a good spot for my doom question of doom.

The disclaimer: In re reading this I realize I sound like the guy looking at a corvette and going 'yes, it's nice, but does it FLY!?' The difference is, this really might fly. Or it might not, either way, I'm not sure till I ask. Bear with me, thanks in advance.

So I got an emu 0404, because my onboard sound is not that great for anything having to do with midi. Now, pay attention, because this is where the story gets fun:

1) My motherboard is an ASUS Rampage, it comes with on board audio that isn't really onboard. (http://www.pcgameshardware.com/screenshots/medium/2008/07/ASUS_Rampage_Extreme_9226.jpg) a nice picture of a board. As you can see, the audio fits like a sound card, but still uses the CPU for the work, unlike a soundcard. I was sold on this board at first because the suppreme fx ii has a good sound. Since I wasn't really going to be playing with anything midi at the time, I didn't look into it's midi capability.

2) Now, I installed the 0404 yesterday, without disabling my onboard. After a few driver and software updates, here's where I'm at: 5.1 surround onboard outputting to my headphones. EMU outputing to desktop stereo speakers.

***Both cards work (Vista 64 bit) I get both of them in the playback devices menu, all fine and detected. If I disable one or the other in the playback menu, the other plays back. (winamp plays through the onboard in 5.1 surround. If that's disabled, EMU plays it back)

***I can get FL to output to speakers through the EMU. Which lets me use all goodies I couldn't use before.

Now, I told you that story to tell you this one. This is the me story. I want these things:

1) I would like to have everything play through these 5.1 headphones, which are hooked up to the onboard sound, but use the emu for my midi needs. (hey, lets be fair. I don't think there's a way to do this. But it IS what I want. If I can't I'll go from the output of my speakers into a mixer and out into real speakers in 5.1 It's just big and loud for the actual writing)

2) I don't mind the onboard fx ii for my everyday sound. I'd rather not disable it, plus I use it for my standard ventrilo stuff.

AND IN CONCLUSION! THE BIG WALL OF TEXT LEADS UP TO THE FINAL QUESTION: Is there an easy way to have my standard onboard card do everything except the 1 or 2 programs I'm using for mixing, and hear the EMU card through my 5.1 outs on the fx II?

Thank you for your time.

-HeWhoIsIAm

[zircon]

If both cards are enabled, it's no problem. In the Windows sound options, you can set the default sound output to your onboard card. Then, in FL, when you're picking audio drivers, you can select the drivers for your EMU 0404 ASIO.

[hewhoisiam]

When I do that, it outputs through the emu to the headphones, I'm wondering if there's a way to get it to output through the 5.1 jacks on my onboard card.

Thanks for the quick reply

-he

NINJA EDIT: You'll be happy to know, I have fixed my L output problem. It would appear that if you read the wires, and plug them in correctly, you can get both ears out

L out was correct. R out was R in Now I get what I want, cept wondering if I can output into 5.1.

Thanks again.

LAST NINJA EDIT: For clarification: Onboard is set to default, emu is enabled and working. Digital and SPDIF (or whatever the acronym is) are there and not doing much. input is set to EMU, but I have no input at the moment (may see if I can pick up a cheap keyboard somewheres, this all mouse thing is a bit tedious)

[Moseph]

I'm not terribly familiar with 5.1 headphones. They have a plug for front, a plug for rear, and a plug for subwoofer, right?

You might be able to take a couple these or something similar and splice the stereo out from the EMU into the headphone signal along with the FX II. Anything you get will be stereo, though, and not surround, because the 0404 can't produce surround sound.

[hewhoisiam]

Erhm. In calling it done before it was done, FL doesn't like it anymore. I get no midi sounds.

under midi settings F10

E-DSP MIDI port [EC00] sync

Microsoft whatevermadodad

GS waveable

input: (not using this at the moment)

E-DSP MIDI port [EC00] (generic controller) active

AUDIO TAB SETTINGS

Output E-MU ASIO

Internal 44100 6-point

Did I miss something here? I can hear the wonderful what's new thing in FL. I just can't hear my midi playback.

NINJA EDIT: Port settings defaulted to the wrong port. So, problem solved >.>

In other news. The output to this is L and R 1/4 jacks. I'd like to hook up to standard headphones. So 10$ at radio shack to get a splitter and a 1/4 to 1/8 extension. Well as it turns out, this cable that I got to combine my outputs 1/4 Female Female into 1/4 Female, is actually for use like a mic splitter. And is mono. So I still just get 1 ear. This is designed to go Female in, to 2 female out. So, since I'm lazy and I really want to use headphones instead of moving my speakers and board up here. Is there a good 4.99 radio shack solution to combine these into 1 output?

NOW, I told you that to tell you this:

EM-U offers one, there's a 1-800 number to call. Call that number, it will tell you that it's disconnected, and give you 3 other numbers to call. 2 of the 3 numbers are directory assistance, and the other 1-800 number is disconnected. The directory assistance numbers don't go where you want to go, and have you speak your instructions. "who are you trying to call?" EMU SYSTEMS "Hillshire Farms? Is this correct?" NO "please restate" EMU SYSTEMS INC "Igloo coolers incorporated?, is this correct" NO After a bit on white pages dot com and emus site. I got a number for repair of their legacy systems, and learned that there are no people to actually talk to. I called Tampa Bay Florida, which is the HQ for repair their legacy stuff, and left a message. Biggest waste.of.time...ever.