"A3DT 2.0 uses the geometry of a virtual space to render a life-like
representation of real-world audio, using revolutionary Aureal WavetracingT
technology with reflections and occlusions. Aureal's A3DT positional audio
standard, originally developed for NASA, has set the bar for 3D audio on the
PC. More than seven million users have joined the A3DT revolution -
experiencing realistic, breath-taking 3D audio. A3DT puts the listener in
the 3D world, making sounds appear to come from any direction: left and
right, front and back, above and below. "
FYI, I am only making somewhat educated guesses on whether Papyrus
definitively for sure uses A3D to do their soundmaps.
What a bummer. Thanks to both of you for your help though. :)
SBLive doesn't currently support reflections. It does initial
reflections, obstructions & occlusions, but not reflections in a way
that would be really useful in N3, for example.
More complete support for reflections will be included in the next
version of EAX (3.0). It will bring enhancements like
- localized reflection clusters
- individual reflections for distant echoes
- improved distance cues
- morphing between environments
Once it's released, you don't have to buy a new soundcard as EAX 3.0 will
essentially be a software upgrade and your SBLive's EMU10K1 processor
easily handles the upcoming features.
But remember, once 3.0 arrives, the game still has to support these
features. I wouldn't expect EAX 3.0 to be around until next spring, so
you can forget reflections in N3 with SBLive.
In the mean time you could go for some Vortex2 based card like I just did
as I'm building a new computer for my ma & pa. I ended up keeping the
SBLive myself because it's so much more than just a gamecard for me.
It's the center of my home audio system and I like the controls SBLive's
AudioHQ provides.
For example, every once in a while I throw mp3 playback to one or two
corners of the room, tune it down a bit and apply some of my own chilly
audio environments to it to create a cool atmosphere while keeping the TV
news coming out from the front speakers free of any spooky fx. I've
learnt to rely on AHQ as I rely on my remote controllers in a daily life.
It does what I want it to do.
---
Antti Markus Peteri
15 miles. your dim light shines from so far away
- Soul Asylum, Promises Broken
What we all want....really.....is 3D sound.....i.e. Can I tell a sound that's
physically on my left, right or rear.....actually is sounding like it's in the
correct location! Right?
Well both the SB Live and MX300 do almost exactly the same EXCELLENT job of
doing that! From that standpoint....you can select either sound card and be
totally pleased with the results!
I don't like the "reflections" sound elements....for the same reasons I discuss
in my "article" in this edition of "Crew Chief's Notebook" on High Gear
(www.simracingnews.com). It adds a "reverb" type of an effect...and if you read
my article you'll see the "problems" that it will introduce to any sound source!
If you have an SB Live card....or an MX300 card......try the "soundpak" for N3
at the High Gear site!! You will be amazed. And....MX300 users.....if you use
the soundpak from HG ......and setup your sound system as described in the
instructions accompanying the soundpak.........try turning off the "reflections"
and try running say at Indy without them.....I think you will also be
amazed.....the total overall sound quality.....is even better with the
"reflections" turned off! At least on my sound system it is.
I give the SB Live card the slight advantage over the MX300 based not on "sound
quality"...but on "usefulness" of all its "bells and whistles".......see some of
the other posts under this string for examples. I love the complete
adaptability of this sound card....to use and apply FX on sounds in hundreds of
unique ways. The MX300 is not even "close" to the SB Live in this department!
Tom Pabst
