what is eax?

[salami1212]

i have a sound blaster card and it supports eax but i dont know what it is. i have heard it makes the sound better. like how does it do that and what sounds does it make better

 

[GameGURU]

It is something creative made for gaming:

http://www.soundblaster.com/eax/

 

[Jorsoft]

It can make sounds sound very precise depending on their environment and the direction that they are coming from. Sounds great in new games but weird on old ones (like half life).

 

[FutureTechLucas]

earwax?

 

[DoomUK]

earwax?

lol

EAX is basically one of a few SPU instruction sets that's used to create a more realistic, ambient sound environment in games; e.g the sounds of two NPC's talking in a room next to you will (ideally, depending on the game) sound muffled, etc.

 

[hu_xu]

It can make sounds sound very precise depending on their environment and the direction that they are coming from. Sounds great in new games but weird on old ones (like half life).

It basically only adds "echo" to old games.

I agree with what everyone else said. Sensura use to compete with EAX, that is until Creative bought Sensura. Now all soundcards made don't have a choice but to license EAX which means more $$$ for Creative.

 

[Mr. Switch]

EAX also does enviromental audio, so if you were listening to music, you could set the enviromental audio to 'theatre hall'. i never use it though.

jorsoft is right too about EAX sounding weird in old games. UT2004 is a great example, since it uses EAX to 'emulate' 3D positional sound, and it doesn't work very well, eg. your rocket launcher fireing is too loud, and when the rocket explodes, you can barely hear it. and sounds comming from the rear, sound like their out of a telephone and come mostly from the front speakers.

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory supports surround sound natively and uses dolby digital encoding, so the sound comming from 4,5,6, or 7.1 channels is crisp, clear, and unmuffled like in UT2004. Chaos Theory also uses EAX to create an effect which voices comming from a room nearby can be heard through an echo through the hallways leading there. and IMO, chaos theory is THE best example of outstanding surround sound I have ever heard.

 

[joshd]

sourround sound is the best thing in the world in games. i find them easier with it.

eg, if you have 2 speakers, and you hear a guy running up to you, you dont know where they are coming from. if you have 5.1, you know if they are coming from the left, right, or behind.