RE: Microphone won't work with Windows 7 and Sound Blaster (SB) Audigy 2 (FIX)
- Windows 7 SP1,
- Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 24-bit,
- Creative drivers found at:
http://support.creative.com/Products/ProductDetails.aspx?catID=1&subCatID=205&prodID=149&prodName=
Audigy 2&subCatName=Audigy&CatName=Sound+Blaster&VARSET=prodfaq
RODFAQ_149,VARSET=CategoryID:1#
(Although the web address above is wrapped here, it should all be on one line, starting at http://www.support.creative... and ending with ...=CategoryID:1# )
Just select it all and paste into your browser's address box and hit Enter))
Download the driver at the top, namely "Creative Sound Blaster Audigy series driver 2.18.0017" and save it to your Desktop or some other place that you'll be able to find it once it finishes downloading.
Double-click it to start the driver installation and follow all the prompts.
# Start below for instructions to follow when microphone doesn't seem to want to work #
1) Plug mic into black hole on back of sound card.
2) Right-click speaker icon in System Tray.
3) Select "Recording Devices"
4) "Microphone, SB Audigy, Default Device" should be default and on top and should have "level meter" graphic on the right.
5) Click the device named above to select it, then click the "Properties" button.
6) From left to right, the tabs should be:
a) General,
b) Listen,
c) Custom,
d) Levels,
e) Sound Blaster and,
f) Advanced
7) The "Listen" tab is the important one we want for now, but here are the settings for the others, just in case you want to check:
a) General tab - Should have on icon of a microphone at the top left, say "Microphone" in the box to it's right, "Change icon" button under that area, "Controller Information" area,and say "SB Audigy Creative Technology Ltd." .
Below that is the "Jack information" area.
They should all say "Rear Panel 3.5 mm jack" and starting from the top should be blue, green, black, then orange. "Device usage" area should say "Use this device (Enable)"
b) Listen tab - This is the important one and you don't have to read other steps below unless you want to see if yours matches, if you still have problems.
It says at the top "You can listen to..." and should have the "Listen to this device" box checked.
"Playback through this device" should say "Default Playback Device" on the button.
Under Power Management area, select whatever you want (this is for laptop users).
c) Custom tab - Use what you want. I have "Microphone +20dB Boost" checked and "Do Not Monitor" unchecked.
d) Levels tab - Use what you want. I have mine set at "100%".
e) Sound Blaster tab - "Disable Sound Blaster Enhancements" box is unchecked.
"Enhancements Description" area is blank.
You can click the "Settings" button for "EAX Effects", etc. Some of these are interesting to play with, such as the "Amphitheater" or "Opera Hall" sound effects. I don't have any of these features currently in use.
f) Advanced tab - Use what you want here, remembering that the higher the quality setting, the larger the file will be when you save your microphone recording, although sometimes not significantly larger.
Just experiment.
I currently use "2 channel, 16-bit, 48000Hz (DVD Quality)"
In the "Exclusive Mode" area, whether you check or uncheck one or both of the boxes is up to you.
After you experiment with some different multimedia apps, such as Nero11 Platinum (which includes Nero SoundTrax, available from Nero.com for about $110.00 USD) you can decide how this feature works for you.
An alternative is to use the totally free Audacity program (at Audacity: Free Audio Editor and Recorder)
which is a very popular and feature-rich audio recording and editing program.
.
- Windows 7 SP1,
- Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 24-bit,
- Creative drivers found at:
http://support.creative.com/Products/ProductDetails.aspx?catID=1&subCatID=205&prodID=149&prodName=
Audigy 2&subCatName=Audigy&CatName=Sound+Blaster&VARSET=prodfaq
RODFAQ_149,VARSET=CategoryID:1#(Although the web address above is wrapped here, it should all be on one line, starting at http://www.support.creative... and ending with ...=CategoryID:1# )
Just select it all and paste into your browser's address box and hit Enter))
Download the driver at the top, namely "Creative Sound Blaster Audigy series driver 2.18.0017" and save it to your Desktop or some other place that you'll be able to find it once it finishes downloading.
Double-click it to start the driver installation and follow all the prompts.
# Start below for instructions to follow when microphone doesn't seem to want to work #
1) Plug mic into black hole on back of sound card.
2) Right-click speaker icon in System Tray.
3) Select "Recording Devices"
4) "Microphone, SB Audigy, Default Device" should be default and on top and should have "level meter" graphic on the right.
5) Click the device named above to select it, then click the "Properties" button.
6) From left to right, the tabs should be:
a) General,
b) Listen,
c) Custom,
d) Levels,
e) Sound Blaster and,
f) Advanced
7) The "Listen" tab is the important one we want for now, but here are the settings for the others, just in case you want to check:
a) General tab - Should have on icon of a microphone at the top left, say "Microphone" in the box to it's right, "Change icon" button under that area, "Controller Information" area,and say "SB Audigy Creative Technology Ltd." .
Below that is the "Jack information" area.
They should all say "Rear Panel 3.5 mm jack" and starting from the top should be blue, green, black, then orange. "Device usage" area should say "Use this device (Enable)"
b) Listen tab - This is the important one and you don't have to read other steps below unless you want to see if yours matches, if you still have problems.
It says at the top "You can listen to..." and should have the "Listen to this device" box checked.
"Playback through this device" should say "Default Playback Device" on the button.
Under Power Management area, select whatever you want (this is for laptop users).
c) Custom tab - Use what you want. I have "Microphone +20dB Boost" checked and "Do Not Monitor" unchecked.
d) Levels tab - Use what you want. I have mine set at "100%".
e) Sound Blaster tab - "Disable Sound Blaster Enhancements" box is unchecked.
"Enhancements Description" area is blank.
You can click the "Settings" button for "EAX Effects", etc. Some of these are interesting to play with, such as the "Amphitheater" or "Opera Hall" sound effects. I don't have any of these features currently in use.
f) Advanced tab - Use what you want here, remembering that the higher the quality setting, the larger the file will be when you save your microphone recording, although sometimes not significantly larger.
Just experiment.
I currently use "2 channel, 16-bit, 48000Hz (DVD Quality)"
In the "Exclusive Mode" area, whether you check or uncheck one or both of the boxes is up to you.
After you experiment with some different multimedia apps, such as Nero11 Platinum (which includes Nero SoundTrax, available from Nero.com for about $110.00 USD) you can decide how this feature works for you.
An alternative is to use the totally free Audacity program (at Audacity: Free Audio Editor and Recorder)
which is a very popular and feature-rich audio recording and editing program.
.
