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[Mishamag]

I have a new Xonar STX card. Initially, I connected my computer to a Bifrost DAC via the STX's spdif out port. This feeds into my stereo system. As I use this computer for work stuff as well, I left my desktop speakers connected via the motherboard's built in sound card. This worked fine. When I played something in MC the signal was routed to the DAC and any other audio on the computer went to the desktop speakers.

But then, after reading some posts elsewhere, it seemed best to disable the onboard soundcard and reinstall the ASIO drivers for the STX. I did this and then plugged the desktop speakers into the STX's left/right ports. Well, now everything plays through both my stereo system's speakers and the desktop speakers. I can't find a way to route MC playback to the spdif/DAC connection and everything else to left/right outs on the STX. Is this possible? Thanks.

[globetrotters1]

create two different zones, one plays over SPDIF and the other one over the speakers connections

[Mishamag]

Thanks, I tried that, but the same problem still. Playback is through desktop speakers and stereo system speakers.

Under ASIO settings, I notice under Device[ that there's only one choice and that's "Xonar Essence STX ASIO." Should there be other choices there? Below that under Volume device I can choose several including "S/PDIF Pass-through Device (Asus Xonar Essence STX Audio Device." As well, under Windows 7 Playback Devices I see both S/PDIF Pass-through Device and Speakers which are set to "Asus Xonar Essence STX Audio Device." I've set this as the Default Device. When MC is open and I right click Speakers and then click Test nothing plays. If I do the same to S/PDIF Pass-through Device the test plays fine and only on the stereo's speakers. When I close MC both tests play properly on their respective device. I'm frustrated trying to figure this one out. Any more ideas would be appreciated.

[Frobozz]

Set it to ASIO mode
Then go to Output mode settings
Adjust the Chanel offset till you get playback over the SPDIF output
It will be trial and error to find the correct channel offset number

That may work.  I don't have a Xonar to try.

[Mishamag]

Argggh....when I try that using channel offsets of 0 and even numbers I get either both sets of speakers or none. When I use odd numbers I get nothing or sound from one speaker/set. I don't even understand what channel offset is. I'm feeling stupider by the post!

[JimH]

Please try the wiki on zones.

[Frobozz]

The channel offset lets you select which channels MC sends the output to.  The sound card has multiple output channels.  I don't know many channels the Xonar has.  It could be 2, 4, 6 or more.  Some professional level audio interfaces can have more than 10 output channels.

The offsets start counting at zero.
For stereo, an offset of 0 will have sound card output channels 0 and 1 mapped to left and right speakers
For stereo, an offset of 2 will have sound card output channels 2 and 3 mapped to left and right speakers
For stereo, an offset of 4 will have sound card output channels 4 and 5 mapped to left and right speakers
Somewhere along the line the channel offset will start mapping to the digital SPDIF output (I think).  So keep counting up and see if you can eventually get output over the SPDIF output.  It's trial and error.  Every brand of sound card can be different.  And Xonar seems to like to do things different.

[Mishamag]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. After much trial & error I just couldn't get anything to work properly. What I've done as a workaround is re-enabled the motherboard's audio and I've connected the desktop speakers to this. There doesn't seem to be any issue with the Xonar, so far, even though I've seen it suggested many times that one should disable motherboard audio when installing this card.