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5.1 surround audio only playing some channels

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 4:33 pm
by EdisonCarter
Hi,

I installed the free version of VB-Cable to test, but I found that when VB-Cable is the audio output device, even if it is set to 5.1, only three of the five speaker channels output any sound. I was testing with Foobar2000 and 5.1 SACD dsf files as well as a 5.1 channel identification flac file that output surround correctly when VB-Cable is not active. I also tried channel tests with Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect enabled, but those do not work either.

Is there a different version of the VB-Cable software or another VB-Audio program that I need to be able to have it active without disrupting 5.1 output?

Thanks!

Re: 5.1 surround audio only playing some channels

Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2022 7:13 am
by Vincent Burel
to understand precisely what your problem is, could you post a screenshot of the VBCABLE_ControlPanel, while using the cable with Foobar2000
and check you have configured the VB-CABLE output device in 5.1 (in Windows Sound Dialog box).

Re: 5.1 surround audio only playing some channels

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2022 1:04 am
by EdisonCarter
I had to shrink my screenshot since the jpg filesize of 400k was too large for the forum to accept.

Re: 5.1 surround audio only playing some channels

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2022 1:10 am
by EdisonCarter
Thanks!

Re: 5.1 surround audio only playing some channels

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2022 4:53 am
by EdisonCarter
I also tried reconfiguring and using Nvidia High Definition Audio via HDMI to the AV receiver. When I set VBCable to 5.1 and test it, it only plays the front left and right speakers. If I set the Nvidia audio as default and test it, it plays the test sound on all channels. I see that in all cases, VBCable shows 2 channel output. Do I need a different product to get 5.1 output, or am I missing a setting?

Thanks

Re: 5.1 surround audio only playing some channels

Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2022 6:37 pm
by EdisonCarter
Bump :D

Re: 5.1 surround audio only playing some channels

Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2022 9:07 am
by EdisonCarter
Is there a way to have VB Cable or one of the associated products installed without giving up 5.1?

Thanks

Re: 5.1 surround audio only playing some channels

Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2022 4:47 pm
by Vincent Burel
no, sorry, i don't understand your problem. what is you player ?
As i can see you have some signal on channel 5 and 6 ... why not on 4 first channel.
right click on meters to change the scale to dB

possibly change the internal latency of the cable to 48kH (instead of 96kHz).
(run it in administrator mode to change this parameter and reboot after).

Re: 5.1 surround audio only playing some channels

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2022 6:31 pm
by EdisonCarter
Hi,
I was using Foobar2000 to play surround SACD files. The reason there is little signal on the first 4 channels is that the screenshot was during a quiet intro of the song where the sound is moving around the listener, which is why the signal is very small on the front, as it has already moved all the way around to back right and will circle around front again soon. Other parts of the music have more signal on the other channels.

When I have VBCable active, sound is only output in stereo. Is there any way to route just FL and FR to an application through the recording device panel, but still listen in 5.1? Or maybe I need a way to send audio to multiple destinations? Currently, I'm getting stereo output regardless of source material.

I don't know if I need A+B, C+D, VoiceMeeter or something else in order to prevent the stereo mixdown.

I tried this on a different computer with 6 channel 48khz Input, and Output is set to 2 channel 44khz 24bit.

I can't see a way to change Output to 6 channel, so I thought maybe I needed a different product.

Thanks!

Re: 5.1 surround audio only playing some channels

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2022 10:06 am
by EdisonCarter
Hi,

I was able to solve the problem by using VoiceMeeter, so I will have to send a donation. VoiceMeeter resolved my 5.1 problem since I don't have to "listen" to recording device that is a stereo downmix. VoiceMeeter also added the capability of playing 5.1 or stereo music in two rooms.

I set it up so the two hardware audio outputs are for HDMI cables going to the AV receivers I have in each room, and the software recording device is used for the music visualizer to listen to. I can play music on either or both of the AV receivers, since one is next to the computer and the other is connected to the computer using a 25 foot active fiber optic HDMI cable, and am able to display the music visualizers on one or both displays.

VoiceMeeter is a great help.

Thanks