Solved Creative SB Audigy 5/RX recording problem

[johnyb98]

Good evening.

First of all I would like to thank you for accepting me to the forum!

I have a Creative Soundblaster Audigy 5/rx and did a fresh install of Windows 7 Ultimate x64.

Each time I boot my machine it seems that at random the Line-In and Microphone recording sources in the Windows Mixer disappear. It happens about 1/3-1/2 the times I reboot my machine. The What-U-Hear playback and recording devices are still present, but I have no way of controlling any of the input devices of the card.

I would like to have it so the Line-In, Microphone and What-U-Hear recording devices are always present . I have my vinyl player plugged into the Line-In and it sucks to have to keep rebooting my machine until the audio devices are present in the Windows Mixer so I can have the audio play through to my stereo receiver.

Has anybody experienced this problem? The audio card is bought two months now, and I've had this problem for about a month now.

Thank you in advance!

 

[fireberd]

First step, make sure the on-board audio in the PC (most have this) is disabled in the BIOS so there are no conflicts.

Second, reseat the SoundBlaster card. With the PC powered off, open the case, remove the SoundBlaster card and then reinstall.

This has nothing to do with your problem but a comment on having your turntable (vinyl player) plugged directly into the SoundBlaster. Unless your turntable has an "RIAA preamp" in it, you are missing some audio going direct. Vinyl recordings are produced with (RIAA) compression and the RIAA preamp is needed to recover the full fidelity.

 

[johnyb98]

First of all, thank you for the reply.

I have already disabled Realtek onboard sound card in BIOS, and removed its driver.
Also, I already had tried the reseat solution, but unfortunarely it didn't help. Also, I tried change PCIx slot, with no luck.
And another thing:I downloaded latest driver from Creative site, and installed it, but this was not the solution, too.

 

[fireberd]

Considering what has been done, I would suspect the sound card is the problem.

How does Realtek work? I have a recording studio and use high end equipment with the recording studio but I find Realtek perfectly acceptable for PC sound.

 

[johnyb98]

I totally agree with you that it seems like the sound card is the problem. That's why, at this time we are talking via this post, I have sent the card to the seller for h/w checking. In about 2-3 days I will have the answer, which, of course I will upload here.

As for Realtek, I haven't tried it at all. Because of my stereo equipment, Creative SB has a fiber optic output, which is an output I definitely need. And this output, is something onboard Realtek does not have.

But for now, I think sound card has a problem, and we are waiting for the seller answer.

 

[fireberd]

That's well and good (if the seller really checks it). However, trying the Realtek to see how it works will confirm that there is nothing else in the PC causing the problem, even though you don't have the TOS link.

 

[johnyb98]

I do agree in both of sides to your opinion.
From the one side, I have too some doughts if the seller will really check the card.
And from the other side, I should check the onboard sound card to see its behaviour. If the onboard card behaves strangely too, there might be h/w problem or it also might be Windows problem.

Another element I will give, and I think that might help, is that 6 months after pc buy, motherboard was replaced.

 

[fireberd]

I don't think the motherboard replacement is the issue, unless the SoundBlaster stopped working correctly after the motherboard was replaced.

 

[johnyb98]

I agree with you that the replacement is not the issue. The card was bought after replacement. I didn't have the card with the defective motherboard. I bought it after the second motherboard.

 

[johnyb98]

I have great news. The seller checked the card, and found hardware problem. So, he replaced the card.

I have installed the new card 4 days now, and it works without a problem. For me, this replacement is good. But, it should work on the system for some more days (maybe a couple of weeks), until it proves itself that it is a good one, and everything is working perfect on the system. It's like I am on a testing period.

For now, the recordings staff (microphone, line in, what u hear) are kept. Having made a lot of reboots (cold/warm) on the system, microphone+line in have never been lost. All three are always there.

I would like to thank you for all the answers, your time and help!

 

[fireberd]

Great to hear the seller acknowledged the problem.

If its been working 4 days you can assume it is OK.