Problems with Creative Soundblaster Live! 5.1

brainscan · 05-06-2004, 03:14 PM

I'm using SuSE Linux 9.1 and have a Creative Soundblaster Live! 5.1 Player Soundcard. The Soundcard itself works (Yast detected it correctly and you hear sound), but the output is mixed with strange hissing and humming and is completely indistinct (especially the lower frequencies). It just sounds as if my speakers were damaged, but they aren't (I tested them). Now I wonder what's going on ...

Jonny_Michaels · 05-06-2004, 06:39 PM

What driver are you using?

I had initial problems, however they disappeared when I loaded the emu10k1 driver.

Maybe that'll help

Phorem · 05-06-2004, 08:47 PM

Use alsa mixer and turn down everything and start your way up from master volume. That happened to me on both the cmpci 8738 and sb live 5.1. For me, one of those channels far to the right was causing the problem. I don't recall what it was called though. If you want to start alsamixer, just type
root#> alsamixer
and scroll to the right turning levels down.

brainscan · 05-07-2004, 05:31 AM

In the Driver information it says:
"Driver Info #0:
Driver Status: emu10k1 is not active
Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe emu10k1"
Driver Info #1:
Driver Info: snd-emu10k1"

how can I activate the emu10k1 driver?

brainscan · 05-07-2004, 05:56 AM

Oh thanks, your hint with the alsa mixer worked, now my speakers sound quite nice :-)
There's only one problem left: When I turn up the volume the noise rises, but with low volume it works correctly.

Phorem · 05-07-2004, 10:36 AM

Check and see if any line-in's or your microphone is turned up. That also happened to me.

brainscan · 05-08-2004, 05:42 AM

Ok, that helped. But when I restart my computer these new settings aren't loaded as default, only when I enter the Sound Dialog in Yast. How can I change this?

Phorem · 05-09-2004, 05:12 PM

If you have alsa utilities installed, type:

root#> alsactl store

Do that command after you have utilities installed and you have the volume set how you want it.

orbitphreak · 05-12-2004, 10:13 PM

I got the same strange noise, and actually was able to play with its pitch by playing with the Bass and PCM using alsamixer. By bringing those two settings down, I was able to make it stop. Hope this helps.

MegaGeek · 05-17-2004, 10:18 PM

Turning down my CD volume to 0 fixed the annoying hissing noise. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!