• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.
  • The forums have been upgraded with support for dark mode. By default it will follow the setting on your system/browser. You may override it by scrolling to the end of the page and clicking the gears icon.

X-Fi functionality on any Realtek HDA Codec

I created and account just to post some feedback.

I came from Realtek 2.29 drivers and after installing your modded drivers, first thing I noticed was the volume went kinda low. After playing some tracks in winamp, I also noticed the bass is a bit more punchy. Not that sure though. After playing some movies too, I checked the Realtek control panel and saw that my input was set as 2CH speaker (I was using headphones). So after setting everything right at the control panel, volume went up but not by much. I reverted back to 2.29 to see if volume did went up. It did. Forgot to check the punchi-ness of the bass though and now I'm too lazy to revert back again just to check. Hehe.
 
It would be great if you can gave detail instructions what you modded and so on, so people can try itself and update a package itself. You wrote it is just text file editing, so show us what you changed, thank you!
 
Thanks Ket for another job well done ;) If I knew that I could swap in the v2.39 drivers, released Dec 15th, I would! Though for not I'll just run the ones included in your pack. They're not THAT old anyways. These are 6.0.1.5821, I have 2.36 installed and they are 6.0.1.5995. I think 2.34 was .5962 or so, but not sure :)

I'll be running these on a Laptop with the ALC268, so a drop in sound volume won't matter much to me, since with my headphones I have the volume set way down anyways :P
 
Awesome! The bass has way more kick in it with these drivers! :rockout: Could you make this with the newest HD-Drivers because those has the nice HD audio panel built in EQ. :toast:
 
I can't say I compared it back to back as I should have, but it sounds very nice and I do admit there IS more bass. I don't remember the pre-defined EQ (in the audio properties of Vista) sounding much different from each other, but it does now, and I have it set on "powerful" where it sounds best. Then again I'm running a laptop and an ALC268, and not a desktop with big speakers, just my high-dollar SHURE earbuds :P And I know this shouldn't be possible, but I swear to god that the signal noise with headphones in is almost nonexistent now. If I crank the volume up more it's not gone by any means, but at lower volumes it is, where as before it was present.

I might try and monkey around with the newer DLL files a bit later...
 
The MSI P6N Diamond has the X-Fi also, and it lists working for XP/Vista 32 & 64bit, released just last month too... I figure it MUST include the program that Ket provided since it weighs in @ 268mb! So it's currently DLing and I'll let ya guys know what is all included. If anyone else feels like grabbing it as well, be my guest :)
http://www.msi.com/index.php?func=driverfile&dno=5408&i=0


EDIT: Alright so here's what I've figured out so far... The P6N software, on my rig, had some installer errors and so I didn't even get to try the majority of the software. Not sure if it was just somethign with my rig or what, but the "fix" from InstallShield doesn't really pertain to my computer so it doesn't fix anything.

As for the newer drivers, I've tried replacing all the DLLs and .sys, that installed but rendered thigns like the EQ non functional. So I tried a select few files, and it either wouldn't install drivers PERIOD or it again rendered the EQ broken. HOWEVER If someone CAN figure out how to get the EQ from the newer releases (at least 2.39 which I was trying), the EQ presets are editable. So I'm back to Ket's release and sticking with "Powerful" preset :)

Another thing to mention was before, I ran an OpenAL detection app, and it couldn't find anything, but now I have OAL support :D
 
Last edited:
Question, Does EAX 4.0 or whatever version this modded driver supports work without the Creative software package? and what does "Driver customizations mean"? on the changelogs? Are those simply added support for newer chipsets on recent boards?
 
DaemonCross said:
Question, Does EAX 4.0 or whatever version this modded driver supports work without the Creative software package? and what does "Driver customizations mean"? on the changelogs? Are those simply added support for newer chipsets on recent boards?
Click to expand...

you need the creative software for EAX. you could also use alchemy universal, which works on any soundcard.
 
Ah, I see thanks.

I noticed that this thread hasn't been active for quite a while now, I'm wondering if this project is still active, there has been a ton of updates since this release. This mod is one of the best I've so far and the results are impressive. Is the OP still developing new versions?

Anywho, about the Alchemy universal, I forgot to mention that I'm running on Windows 7 so, Is it still neccesary? And does both Creative or that Alchemy Universal enable EAX for a realtek card? I'm leaning more towards Alchemy Universal. If given a choice can you give me the simple pro/con of either package?

What about the newer games? Do they still need alchemy or creative suite to enable EAX? or has it been resolved in Windows 7? Sorry for the crapton of questions, I'm not that informed with the audio scene.
 
Last edited:
DaemonCross said:
Ah, I see thanks.

I noticed that this thread hasn't been active for quite a while now, I'm wondering if this project is still active, there has been a ton of updates since this release. This mod is one of the best I've so far and the results are impressive. Is the OP still developing new versions?

Anywho, about the Alchemy universal, I forgot to mention that I'm running on Windows 7 so, Is it still neccesary? And does both Creative or that Alchemy Universal enable EAX for a realtek card? I'm leaning more towards Alchemy Universal. If given a choice can you give me the simple pro/con of either package?

What about the newer games? Do they still need alchemy or creative suite to enable EAX? or has it been resolved in Windows 7? Sorry for the crapton of questions, I'm not that informed with the audio scene.
Click to expand...

For it to be resolved in Win7, Microsoft would have had to put HAL back into the OS, which is I'm pretty sure a very involved task. I feel safe in saying you can expect HAL not to return ever. ALchemy (the L is not a typo as it pertains to OpenAL) is needed if you want any sort of EAX, but it is basically emulation, exporting any calls into OpenAL. Think of it like a Wrapper. Just like the old Glide Wrappers, which exported 3Dfx calls into OpenGL (and probably some exported to DX). It's not going to be the same as it would be running native, as in using WinXP, just the same as running a Glide wrapper won't give your the superior image quality that running a real 3Dfx card would.

And I've bugged Ket a couple times now to update it, but he told me what all to do, and it was what I already had tried, so no luck. You could probably get it working with newer drivers, up untill they started changing some major things. I've noticed they added quite a few more DLLs in the newer ones.
 
alchemy tries to emulate EAX, its kinda buggy. for example, it doesnt work for me in stalker.

EAX does not work natively in any modern OS, only in XP. They have to emulate it now.
 
Mussels said:
alchemy tries to emulate EAX, its kinda buggy. for example, it doesnt work for me in stalker.

EAX does not work natively in any modern OS, only in XP. They have to emulate it now.
Click to expand...

And for me, it doesn't work in Dungeon Siege. Still says EAX is not supported on the menu page, and that's odd since I'm pretty sure it's a EAX2.0 game, which the Realtek ALC268 supports :\ Neither 3DSoundBack (Realtek's ALchemy) or ALchemy with these drivers, do the trick. But I don't exactly have any way to check any other games as I don't have any installed on this laptop lol
 
thank you ketxx for your fantastic work!! :toast:
 
holy smokes..my headphones have bass now. thanks a ton ketxx! win7 laptop, not sure which realtek I have though...
 
Last edited:
Figured I'd offer up this tidbit since Ket doesn't work on these anymore. I've talked to him a couple times and he's said that for Vista/7, the actual Realtek drivers are better (well the newer ones, like newer than 2.35 I suspect). It's what he uses and said it's better sounding than the modded version, since the software for them doesn't work in Vista :\ So it is more of a novelty item than anything else.
 
Still, to me, with my ALC1200, even over the newer Realtek Drivers, with my Cambridge Audio Azur 740A and Krix Neuphonix Main Speakers in a Stereo Setup, it sounds a hell of a lot better with these modded drivers, I like them a lot more, cheers Ket :-)
 
SabreWulf69 said:
Still, to me, with my ALC1200, even over the newer Realtek Drivers, with my Cambridge Audio Azur 740A and Krix Neuphonix Main Speakers in a Stereo Setup, it sounds a hell of a lot better with these modded drivers, I like them a lot more, cheers Ket :-)
Click to expand...

Don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure the ALC1200 is almost the bottom of the barrel in terms of quality etc. It's a misleading model number from all I've read. Not saying the driver's can't wake it up though :) I'm just bummed Realtek got the driver's straightened out so we can't mod the new ones :\
 
hah ok thanks form.. I found out that I have an ALC 660.. just wondering if you might have a site that ranks the ALC quality ? ;P curious if this card is worth a damn lol. though I guess it doesnt matter.. I cant really upgrade it and it sounds fine to me
 
Ninkobwi said:
hah ok thanks form.. I found out that I have an ALC 660.. just wondering if you might have a site that ranks the ALC quality ? ;P curious if this card is worth a damn lol. though I guess it doesnt matter.. I cant really upgrade it and it sounds fine to me
Click to expand...

I don't actually know of a site that has a comparison of the chips :\ I mean, in terms of what you're looking for. Realtek's own site does it decently though.

HD Audio Comparison - 2+2, 6 (I assume) & 8 channels


OK I stumbled across this before I posted and the 1200 isn't exactly a rebadged lower end model chip, but it is lacking some of the main things one might want heh Namely the digital surround ability >_> ASUS Mainly just had Realtek tweak/customize one of the other chips to gain some improvements. I can't find the one site review/article that talked about the ALC1200 though, so you're stuck with this haha And yes I read that you don't actually have that ;)
http://www.gamingheaven.net/motherb...tek-alc1200-confusion-questions-answered.html

Similar to the ALC1200 is what my 890GX has, the 892A. I haven't bothered finding specs on it as I'm really not expecting to lol
 
Formula350 said:
I don't actually know of a site that has a comparison of the chips :\ I mean, in terms of what you're looking for. Realtek's own site does it decently though.

HD Audio Comparison - 2+2, 6 (I assume) & 8 channels


OK I stumbled across this before I posted and the 1200 isn't exactly a rebadged lower end model chip, but it is lacking some of the main things one might want heh Namely the digital surround ability >_> ASUS Mainly just had Realtek tweak/customize one of the other chips to gain some improvements. I can't find the one site review/article that talked about the ALC1200 though, so you're stuck with this haha And yes I read that you don't actually have that ;)
http://www.gamingheaven.net/motherb...tek-alc1200-confusion-questions-answered.html

Similar to the ALC1200 is what my 890GX has, the 892A. I haven't bothered finding specs on it as I'm really not expecting to lol
Click to expand...

I went from ALC882 to ALC889A to ALC892A and so far 892A sounds the best. I don't think it's that similar to 1200...

I'm pretty sure it (892A) supports Dolby TRUE HD and DTS HD, Dolby Home Theatre etc.
 
BeepBeep2 said:
I went from ALC882 to ALC889A to ALC892A and so far 892A sounds the best. I don't think it's that similar to 1200...

I'm pretty sure it (892A) supports Dolby TRUE HD and DTS HD, Dolby Home Theatre etc.
Click to expand...

My audio setup is rather old (early 2000s), but should still be good since it is pretty packed with specs, only thing it is lacking is 5.1 and any decoding options lol It is 500W (RMS) or some such and THX Certified :) Good ol' Z-560s! I'd love a Z-640 setup though, even if there are probably better heh With that said, at least the 892 sounds good as I like to listen to music :rockout:
 
Didnt make BC2 sound any better for me :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top