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[perry59]

I just bought a Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro external sound card.
Plugged it into my windows tablet (via usb) that is running MC24. I allowed it to download & install extra software & drivers.
When I go to play music, in my devices settings I can only get it to work if the device is the default "direct sound", if I choose any of the soundblaster options it quits playing.
Why is this? Am I incorrect in assuming that the soundblaster set up did not install it's drivers, even though they show up in MC's audio devices list?
Any pointers will be appreciated.
Thanks

[RoderickGI]

What do you have connected to the Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro external sound card? Some speakers?

Then the "Speaker (Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro) [WASAPI]" should work.
Are your speakers powered up?
The driver is installed, since the Sound Blaster X-Fi items show up.
What is under the "More" menu option? More Sound Blaster X-Fi options? If you have a Receiver/Amp/Pre-Amp connected to the Sound Blaster X-Fi, is there a digital output option in there?
Do you have a DAC in the mix?
What sort of cable is any connected device connected via?

If the "Default Audio Device [Direct Sound]" works, I assume it plays via the Windows Tablet speakers. Right?

[perry59]

Well, I have speakers hooked up to the soundblaster, a set of Klipsch pro media 5.1's to be exact.
The speakers are powered, so there is no receiver/amp/DAC connected to the soundblaster.
And yes, they are powered up, wouldn't have heard anything to begin with if they hadn't been.
Under "more options" at the moment I only see "kernel streaming/disk writer/null/realtek (direct). But the soundblaster is not currently hooked up (I'm at work).
The soundblaster is wired to the tablet via USB.
On the direct sound device it DOES play to the soundblaster and the connected speakers (when the soundblaster is attached) otherwise it will play through the tablet speakers.

[perry59]

still not sure what's going on here

[RoderickGI]

Well, when you have the Soundblaster connected, what other options exist under "More" menu, if any?

The Quickstart Guide for the Soundblaster says that it is operational without drivers. The drivers just add more features. So that means that Windows would see the output as digital, I think, although the manual is silent on anything to do with the Windows Audio Devices used.

Basically, Direct Sound works because Windows knows what it is, and will convert the audio format to match the Soundblaster capabilities.
You need to select the correct Soundblaster Digital output on your tablet, using WASAPI in Exclusive mode hopefully, and make sure that the Soundblaster is capable of playing/decoding the audio format that you send to it. Using WASAPI Exclusive mode means Windows will not be able to convert the format, which is good because you get better sound quality, but bad if the Soundblaster isn't capable of playing the format.

So inside JRiver MC, select the correct Soundblaster Digital Output, and it should work. Leave the Windows default audio device set to the local speakers in the tablet, so that audio can play through those when you aren't using MC.