Check out todays woot!
I just couldn't help myself, not for that price! I didn't even wait, I ordered it right here from school.
So whaddya guys think? I'll be giving you all a review as soon as it comes!
-Indybird
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Check out todays woot!
I just couldn't help myself, not for that price! I didn't even wait, I ordered it right here from school.
So whaddya guys think? I'll be giving you all a review as soon as it comes!
-Indybird
www.woot.com
Woot has the Razer Barracuda AC-1 Gaming Sound Card on sale today. New not refurbished as most of there deals are. I haven't use this myself but it has good reviews on newegg and normally retails for 160+.
Enjoy.
(merged and moved)
Why does it have a DVI port?
it's for the audio cables or headset.
Here is a review of it that shows the dvi port.
i have that soundcard :D but i got mine for 200 bucks :P and it works great with my Razer Barracuda HP-1 headset.... HD-DAI FTW
but i am having some issues with my headset atm... or it could be the SC still trying to figure out
chewy, did you look at the review i posted above? it mentions the dvi connector is a big close to the back part of the case, is yours? he/she said it was hard to plug in the cables.
this picture,
There is plenty of room on my case to plug in the dvi connector. I know how to fix the problem in that pic. Its acctually really really simple. Loosen the screw that holds the card in, plug in the adapter or headset then tighten the screw.
With the HP-1 headphones it is absolutly killer!! When i tried to run the sound from my RF modulator to my reciever, i got weird distortions like a lisp on all S sounds. It might just be from the modulator. Just a caution.
I'll probably buy the HP-1 sometime in the near future.
By the way, what kind of speakers are you using when your not using the headphones?
-Indybird
Well, the headphones are most ideal for me right now. When i do get around to connecting my reciever the way it was with my onboard audio, i'll be using my sony 500watt 4ch amp in bypass with my kenwood 15" front speakers and a 10" powered sub on the tape out.
Im looking to upgrade my amp but i have strict requirements on what i want to its not going to be cheap and thus, not speedy.
Ok, i've directly connected the AC-1 to my reciever. Wow! Way better clarity than running it though my rf modulator. No distortion and the bass it crystal clear and thunderous! Definite improvment over my onboard in every aspect.
Very cool, I can't wait until this card comes on wednesday!Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Roc
-Indybird
Bah... why is the majority of these type of things USA only?!
I just got it today in the mail! Expect a review very soon.
All I'll tell you right now (you prolly know this already), is that the difference between this and the integrated sound are mind-blowing!
-Indybird
I found the best results with ignoring the AC sound app. Forget the equalizer and junk. With it there are too many options and its almost impossible to get the desired effect's through various types of media, mp3, movies, and games. Use the sound options in the program's you use.
Well heres the thing; the Razer Control Panel doesn't work. Whenever I change the settings in the Razer Control Panel it does do anything, nor do the little bars move to audio when it is played.Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Roc
I can control it from the windows sound card control, but it is very limited and I can't access most of the features I bought this card for. Does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks,
Indybird
Did you disable your onboard in the bios? Did you remove the drivers for it aswell?
Do you have the right analog output selected and the SPDIF turned off?
I disabled it in the BIOS and removed the drivers.Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Roc
I want to use Digital, not analog. I haven't even tried analog yet.
Thanks,
Indybird
Well I did a simple driver re-installation and I have full control-panel functionality back. Now heres a new problem that I didn't think I had the chance to run into last time:
When I have the Digital Audio set to any 5.1+ output it does not come out of the center speaker. I get the normal sound out of all of the rest, just no center. When I "test" the speakers sound comes out of the center, so its definitely hooked up and working.
Does anyone have a fix for this?
Thanks,
Indybird
It could be that the dolby decoder doesnt reproduce the center channel from mp3's. The center channel works with dvd's?
Have you also used your Nodes modes to select diffrent types of dolby decoding?
I've tried every single setting on the card, dolby or not, and I can't seem to get any sound from the center speaker. I've also noticed that, without any effects turned on, that sound comes out of the rear speakers while playing 2ch audio.Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Roc
By the way, what are nodes?
Thanks,
Indybird
EDIT: By the way, I don't want to submit a review here until I have the software working 100%.
When you open the ac-1 program, there is a hidden menu to the right and another on the bottom. The right menu will reveal a "Modes" section that lets you adjust dts settings and environmental controls.
Sry for the type-o, its modes not nodes, the writing is so small and i only glanced at it. If you allready found it, my bad.
I can only change environmentals, it doesnt let me change the dts settings but it might be because i dont have fiber hooked up. My amp is analog so its of no concern to me right now.
well i just placed my order for the combo deal for the headset and card for 149.99 should be here in a couple of days! so happy, also got a q6600. man i love having a job and money!
Yeah I saw that deal on ncix canada (for some reason I'm signed up for the canadian newsletter). At first I was like: "Ouch, I should've waited" but then I realized that deal was only in Canada, so then I didn't feel as bad.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spawn-Inc
...and helz yeah!Quote:
Originally Posted by Spawn-Inc
Sadly I still cannot seem to fix this problem. I e-mailed Razer's support, but they are retardedly slow (no mean pun intended), and/or they don't know much about the AC-1.
-Indybird
did u get the headset with your card indy?
it says 8 speaker drivers or something and on there site is says it has front, center, rear, sub speakers so does that mean there are 4 speakers in each side?
No, I got card by itself off of woot.com for $70 + Shipping. Still an insane deal, of course, but I really wish I could've gotten the headset to go along w/ it. I'm probably going to get the headset sometime after I get my new graphics card...Quote:
Originally Posted by Spawn-Inc
Yeah there are two for Front L/R, two for Rear L/R, two for Bass L/R (Split) and two for center L/R (Split). I think they might have a diagram somewhere on their site.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spawn-Inc
-Indybird
another question, at least for those who ordered from ncix, how do they ship it (in a box or the package itself?) i selected the 1-2 business day and it says it got my order and processed payment just needs to ship. will i get it 1-2 days?
I don't want to be pushy but does any one here know of any fixes for my digital audio problems?
I've been e-mailing Razer and I have quickly found out that they are pretty much useless.
Thanks,
Indybird
They allways put the item(s) in an NCIX marked box with packing pillows or peanuts. It could take up to 5 days for the order to be processed and shipped then the quoted ship time (just stating for thoes who dont know). For 1-2 day they should have given you a tracking number.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spawn-Inc
Indy... If the sound comes out of the center during "test", im inclined to belive the problem might be with your amp and not the card. Maybe you've got some funky setting enabled on your amp like matrix mode or somthing like simulated dolby.
I would recheck the analog, use the adapter and hook up some speakers or headphones to the center channel and play a video game because they offer a more true 3d environment. If you get nothing then its obviously the card. If you can hear sounds then try the same thing with the toslink.
If you get sound from the analog and not the optical, then its probly a setting that your missing. Also, have you turned up the center channel's volume in the ac-1 program?
ya i just got the email saying its shipped. i didn't realized they consider it being shipped part of the processing. should be here tomorrow or Thursday.
I've tried all of the different digital settings: DTS Interactive, Dolby Digital, Digital Audio (48 and 96Hz). Under every digital setting (even the 2-channel output ones) I get sound out of the 4 surround and no center. I don't even purposely have the rear speakers turned on. for DTS and Dolby Digital I can't even change the settings on my amp (Logitech Z-5500's); the Z-5500's disable all of the options under those.Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Roc
I've tried it out w/ my xbox 360 and I get perfectly normal 5.1. I am 100% sure it is not the speakers because I had no problem when I used my integrated sound.Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Roc
Yep, its set even with all the rest of the speakers. And even when I raise it above the rest it doesn't do anything.Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Roc
Thanks again,
Indybird
Almost forgot, +rep for all of the help.
Dude, i dont know what to say... Maybe the channel is blown? Try contacting razer again. Dont they have a ticket process you must go through?
I'll see if there's anyway i can borrow an amp or somthing and test mine. Maybe its just a problem with the razer software. There hasnt been an update to the drivers, same as on the disk.
Send multiple tickets and emails telling them to update there crap. For a $200 product, i want some damn support!
Thats what I've been doing: I've sent them tickets several times and every time they tell me to check stuff I've already checked. If I try and reply again then they don't e-mail back.Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Roc
Also, I don't think the channel is blown because I get sound when I do the windows 5.1 tests.
Thanks for all of the help still,
Indybird
ok so now that i got my sound card and headset (w00t) how do i hook up the front connects from my case to the sound card? it has a port for it but says dick all in the manual. any idea's?
I don't know what the one labeled "Front Panel" is for but the front panel audio connector is near the back of card near the DVI port.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spawn-Inc
-Indybird
ya i later was going to do that ticket thing and on mine there is 3 jumpers on it, do i remove them and plug in the various pins?
yep, exactly. The jumpers are because the front panel has a the connector sensing that turns off the rear output when you plug it into the front. The jumpers keep this switched in the "not-plugged-in" mode.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spawn-Inc
-Indybird
wow, your right there support is absolute CRAP! i did a ticket thing and said this
ResponseQuote:
I am unable to connect my front panel audio connector to my newly bought Razer Barracuda AC-1 sound card.
How do I know the pin layout?
i have looked at the faq regarding this but there is a connection at the "back" of the card (next to the cd and aux in connections) and i want to know the pin layout for that.
THanks
Rob.W
i just told them i know about that and they send it again. it's obviously computer generated crap... i'd send off a emial but then again it would be pointless.Quote:
Hi there,
Thank you for your support for Razer.
Please refer to this link for the instructions on how to connect your PC's front panel to the Razer Barracuda AC-1 soundcard -
http://www.razersupport.com/index.ph...cleid=95&nav=0
Thank you.
Best Regards,
Razer Customer Support
www.razersupport.com
Indybird if/when you do a review mention the crappy customer support and take off .5 or 1 point from the over all score.
Don't worry I was already going to do that. I can't get this card working right so I'm not going to review it until I do. Razer claimed that the Vista ready software (non-beta) was going to be ready April of last year. Sounds like their driver support isn't any better than Creative's...Quote:
Originally Posted by Spawn-Inc
-Indybird
This is very strange. Razer's other products are top notch all the way. I've never had any problems or heard of any problems with there mice and keyboards.
Maybe they think that they cant make "a bad product" and dont put any work into items that have allready hit the shelfs.
