CreativeLabs CMSS Upmixing

[asscore]

Hi. I just purchased a Audigy2 zs (I'm sure the audigy cards are well used by people in this forum) I have been messing around with its hardware upmixing capabilities and they are somewhat impressive! If you have an Audigy2 card would like to try an upmix method not based on ambisonics I suggest giving It a try. It does a GREAT job of projecting voices from the center channel.... something ambisonics doesnt really do.


takin from creative's website
CMSS (Creative Multi-Speaker Surround) is Creative's patented methodology of creating a realistic and immersive multi-channel listening environment from just a 2-channel sound source. The aim is to recreate a natural audio experience from a limited source material. The scalable CMSS algorithm allows the expansion or up-mixing of a stereo source to be configured into a defined multi-channel environment. Currently, you can up-mix a normal stereo sound source up to a 7.1 listening environment with CMSS.
Advanced CMSS modes, such as the Music or Movie modes, refine the listening experience to cater for a specific application scenario. The CMSS Music mode creates a convincing multi-channel surround soundfield with typical stereo sources such as CD Audio, MP3 or MIDI program materials. In essence, CMSS Music mode puts you "on the stage" - giving you a virtual audio impression of being on stage with the musicians during a musical performance. In a similar manner, the CMSS Movie mode provides an audio impression of being "front and center" at a movie screening. Dialog and all normally centered sounds from a stereo program are heard through the center speaker.


what I need to know though is this.....

is there a way to create a virtual "loopback" inside of your PC to record the 6 channel output from the CMSS? I know there is a way! Any of you folks have any ideas?

[Sycho]

CMSS is basically dolby surround with phase cancellation, I find the the up mixing done with CMSS is horrible

[asscore]

WORD!

[ursamtl]

Originally posted by asscore
Hi. I just purchased a Audigy2 zs (I'm sure the audigy cards are well used by people in this forum) I have been messing around with its hardware upmixing capabilities and they are somewhat impressive! If you have an Audigy2 card would like to try an upmix method not based on ambisonics I suggest giving It a try. It does a GREAT job of projecting voices from the center channel.... something ambisonics doesnt really do.


takin from creative's website
CMSS (Creative Multi-Speaker Surround) is Creative's patented methodology of creating a realistic and immersive multi-channel listening environment from just a 2-channel sound source. The aim is to recreate a natural audio experience from a limited source material. The scalable CMSS algorithm allows the expansion or up-mixing of a stereo source to be configured into a defined multi-channel environment. Currently, you can up-mix a normal stereo sound source up to a 7.1 listening environment with CMSS.
Advanced CMSS modes, such as the Music or Movie modes, refine the listening experience to cater for a specific application scenario. The CMSS Music mode creates a convincing multi-channel surround soundfield with typical stereo sources such as CD Audio, MP3 or MIDI program materials. In essence, CMSS Music mode puts you "on the stage" - giving you a virtual audio impression of being on stage with the musicians during a musical performance. In a similar manner, the CMSS Movie mode provides an audio impression of being "front and center" at a movie screening. Dialog and all normally centered sounds from a stereo program are heard through the center speaker.


what I need to know though is this.....

is there a way to create a virtual "loopback" inside of your PC to record the 6 channel output from the CMSS? I know there is a way! Any of you folks have any ideas?

I'm not sure about how the Creative drivers appear in bidule because I use the kx drivers, but if bidule gives you the option to add a multichannel ASIO input device, you should be able to connect these to a 6-channel audio file recorder and record the upmix.

You might also want to try the kx drivers with their surrounder plugin. It provides a really nice 5.1 soundfield. with a bit of work you can also tap into the DS3D audio capabilities of the chip. As for whether it's just Dolby Surround with phase cancellation, yes, that may well be true, but if it sounds good to you, that's all that really matters! As you said, it does a great job of projecting voices from the center channel, so if you like it, go for it.

[specise_8472]

To record CMSS or even DTS NEO 6 from the plugin.
Just record the music in Creative Media Player with the enabled Surround system you want.
Setup Record 'What U Hear' from within player.
Will record a Multichannel wave of the "converted" music.
If you set recorder to automatic. All you have to do is press play and recorder starts recording.