Hello all,
 
I have noticed that I cannot have more than 2-channel audio with my mbd.

I cannot figure out how to fix this. Apparently this mbd supports 7.1 so maybe I am doing something wrong?
 
I have tried uninstalling/reinstalling new/old Realtek Audio drivers & swapping Optical Audio cables with no success.
 
Open to any suggestions.

EVGATech_LeeM
How many speakers do you have connected, and in which ports do you have them connected?

I am using the Optical port, that is going to my Yamaha 5.1 receiver

arestavo

grkcobra93
 
I am using the Optical port, that is going to my Yamaha 5.1 receiver

 
I don't know if it'll help, but I gave up on optical years ago (I used optical out to a Soundblaster X-Fi surround) and started using my Nvidia GPU as a sound output to my 5.2.2 system over a passive DP to HDMI adapter. I make sure to turn on my TV first so the GPU doesn't try to output video to the dummy head receiver, and when restarting I turn off the receiver so I get a BIOS splash screen. I have to set the resolution for the dummy output at 1024x768 minimum in windows or I cannot set it to 5.1 surround.

Your setup sounds more complicated.


My Yamaha receiver is much older & does not support HDMI, so audio out of my GPU is not an option.
 
I used to get full 5.1 Surround Sound with my Yamaha with my old Asus mbd, so I should be able to achieve the same with this X299 FTW mbd.

grkcobra93
EVGA Tech,
 
Any updates? Suggestions?
 
This used to work before.

If you'd like to speak with EVGA Tech Support, this primarily user to user help forum isn't the best route. May I suggest - https://www.evga.com/about/contactus/ 
 
EDIT - and for what it's worth, optical output is only 2 channel. DTS can interpolate it to 5.1 if it's a DTS source IIRC.

grkcobra93
 
Well ****... theres my answer.
So the only way to get full 7.1 is with analog speakers is what you're saying.

To the best of my knowledge, yes you'd need to use something other than optical. That's why I mentioned the setup that I'm currently on (passive DP to HDMI out of my Nvidia GPU, over to my receiver - works fine for my 5.2.2 atmos setup).

grkcobra93
Yeah that is not gonna happen.
 
I used to be able to get full 5.1 via optical from my old Asus Z77 board and this one i cant? Thats pretty crappy....
 
Now i need to find an audio card that can get me full bitstream audio to my reciever.
 
Anyone have suggestions?

Pretty sure you have to use a DTS or Dolby source so that your receiver can interpolate it to surround. You can download it from the Windows store - ms-windows-store://pdp/?ProductId=9pj0nkl8mcsj for DTS or ms-windows-store://pdp/?ProductId=9n0866fs04w8 for Dolby
 
EDIT: here's what I mean by changing the source after getting one of those windows add-ons (I didn't pay for DTS and my 7 day trial ran out, so I just have the Dolby): 


 
EDIT 2: It looks like the X299 FTW K's Realtek optical output is NOT compatible with Dolby's home theater (just the Dolby Atmos for headphones). The X299 optical output may not work with DTS or Dolby surround windows add-ons and would be a limitation of the Realtek onboard sound card. You could use a USB sound card like the Creative x4 which has optical out. I used to use an old USB Soundblaster x-fi surround 5.1 pro, but game sources that weren't DTS or Dolby Digital compatible came out as stereo due to the optical limitation (and why I got a receiver with HDMI and use my Nvidia GPU as my 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos surround sound source now)
 
If you're interested, here's what I see with the Nvidia GPU as my audio source:
 

Well I ordered the Sound BlasterX AE-5 Plus audio card and will report back if this provides what i am looking for.