Creative Audigy 2 User Manual

							Installing Hardware 1-7
Step 2: Install the 
Sound Blaster 
Audigy 2 card
1. Align the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 card with the PCI slot and press the card gently but firmly into the 
slot as shown in Figure 1-4.
2. Secure the card with a screw if necessary.
Do not force the audio card into 
the slot. Make sure that the gold 
finger PCI connector on the 
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 card is 
aligned with the PCI bus 
connector on the motherboard 
before you insert the card into 
the PCI expansion slot.
If it does not fit properly, gently 
remove it and try again
.
Figure 1-4: Securing the audio card to the expansion slot.
2
1 
						

							Installing Hardware 1-8
Step 3: Install the 
Joystick/MIDI 
bracket
1. If you are installing a joystick or MIDI device (optional), secure the Joystick/MIDI bracket* to the slot 
next to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 card with a screw if necessary.
2. Connect the Joystick/MIDI cable* to the Joystick/MIDI connector on the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 card 
as shown in Figure 1-5.
You may also connect all the 
cables to the Sound Blaster 
Audigy 2 card first before 
securing the card and Joystick/
MIDI bracket in place.*Available with some models of 
the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 
card.Do not force any cable into a 
connector. This can cause 
permanent damage to your 
hardware.
Figure 1-5: Securing the audio card to the expansion slot.
Joystick/MIDI bracket
Joystick/MIDI cable 
						

							Installing Hardware 1-9
Step 4: Connect 
cables to Sound 
Blaster Audigy 2 
card
For analog CD audio output:
connect an Analog CD audio cable (available separatly) from the Analog Audio connector on your 
CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive to the CD_IN connector on the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 card as shown in 
Figure 1-6.
For digital CD audio output:connect the Digital CD audio cable (included with some models) from the Digital Audio connector on 
your CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive to the CD_SPDIF connector on the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 card as 
shown in Figure 1-6.
 If the Sound Blaster Audigy 
2 card is connected to both 
the CD_SPDIF and CD 
Audio connectors on a CD-
ROM or DVD-ROM drive, 
do not enable the CD Audio 
and CD Digital options at 
the same time in Creative 
Surround Mixer.
 Analog and Digital CD 
audio cables are not needed 
when CDDA is used.
 The CD_SPDIF connector is 
not used with software DVD 
players.
Figure 1-6: Connecting analog/digital audio cables to CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drives.
OR
A: CD-ROM/DVD-ROM 
drive
B: Analog CD Audio 
cable (not included)
C: Digital CD Audio cable 
(included with some 
models)
A 
B 
C  
						

							Installing Hardware 1-10
Step 5: Connect to 
power outlet
1. Replace the computer cover.
2. Plug the power cord back into the wall outlet, and turn on the computer.
To connect your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 card to other devices, see “Connecting Related Peripherals” on 
page 1-11.
To install drivers and software, refer to “Installing Drivers and Applications” on page 2-1. 
						

							Installing Hardware 1-11
Connecting 
Related 
Peripherals
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 will give you endless hours of listening pleasure. Figure 1-7 shows you how to 
connect related peripherals to your Sound Blaster Audigy 2 to optimize your enjoyment.
Use the AD_EXT cable with 
the Audigy 2 Drive ONLY. Do 
not attempt to use a 
conventional IDE cable or any 
other cable with the Audigy 2 
Drive as that may cause 
electrical shorts and permanent 
damage to the Audigy 2 card 
and Audigy 2 Drive, which will 
void the warranty for this 
product. Your computer may 
potentially be damaged too.Click any circled number in the 
diagram for a description of the 
item.
Line-outSound Blaster 
Audigy 2 card
Figure 1-7: Connecting other devices
1
2
3
45
6
7
8
9 
						

							Installing Hardware 1-12
Table 2: Description of Connectors and Devices.
Number Description1Digital Out jack
Connects to digital speakers, for example, Creative Inspire
™ 5.1 Digital Speakers 
and MiniDisc or DAT via minijack-to-DIN cable.
2Line in
Connects to a cassette or CD player, synthesizer, etc.
3Mic in
Connects to a microphone.
4Line Out 1 (top), Line out 2 (middle) and Line Out 3 (bottom)
Connects to analog front, rear and rear center inputs of 6-channel speakers, for 
example, 6.1 Creative or Cambridge SoundWorks analog speaker systems.
5SB1394/FireWire port*
Connects to all IEEE 1394 compatible devices such as NOMAD digital audio 
players, DV camcorders, digital cameras, and WebCams.
6Joystick/MIDI bracket*
Connects to a game pad or MIDI device like BlasterKey.
7AD_EXT
Connects to Audigy 2 Drive (upgrade option).
8Analog CD audio cable** (left) and Digital CD audio cable* (right)
9CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive
*Available on some models of 
the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 
card.Click here or on any description 
in the table to return to the main 
diagram.**Available separately. 
						

							Installing Hardware 1-13
Connecting 
Speaker Systems
If you have a 5.1 channel speaker system, you can upmix your stereo sources (such as CD Audio, MP3, 
WMA, MIDI, and Wave) to 6.1 channels by using Creative Multi-Speaker Surround (CMSS) technology. 
To upmix, you need to enable the CMSS feature in Creative EAX console.Refer to the Creative EAX 
Console online Help.
*For example, Creative Inspire 
6.1 Analog Speakers.
4.1 or 5.1 Digital Speaker 
System by Creative or 
Cambridge SoundWorks 
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 card
Figure 1-8: Connecting Sound Blaster Audigy 2 card to speaker systems.
Analog 6.1 channel speaker 
system* A: Analog Line and Rear Inputs
B: Digital DIN
C: Minijack-to-DIN cable
D: 6.1 speaker audio cable
E: Digital Out jack
F: Line Out (top)
Rear Out (middle)
Rear Center Out (bottom)
G: AD_EXT
Connects to Audigy 2 Drive
(upgrade option)
C 
B 
D 
E 
G 
A 
F  
						

							Installing Hardware 1-14
Connecting 
External 
Consumer 
DevicesClick any circled number in the 
diagram for a description of the 
item.You can use a 4-pole Digital 
Video A/V cable (not included) to 
connect Line Out 3 to available 
center, subwoofer and rear center 
channels.
Additional information for advanced users: 
For connection to Center and Subwoofer channels using a 3.5mm (stereo)-to-RCA cable or 3.5mm (4 pole/stereo)-to-RCA cable, 
connect the white RCA jack to the Center input and the (yellow/orange) RCA jack to the Subwoofer input of the amplifier.Figure 1-9: Connecting external consumer devices to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 card.Dolby Digital Decoder/Amplifier 
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 card
Discrete 6-channel Amplifier/
Speaker System 
2
3
15
6
7
8
9
4
10
OR 
						

							Installing Hardware 1-15
Table 3: Description of Connectors and Consumer Devices.
Number Description1Dolby Digital (AC-3) SPDIF In
23.5 mm (mono)-to-RCA cable
33.5 mm (stereo)-to-RCA cable
43.5 mm (4-pole/stereo)-to-RCA cable
5Analog Front, Rear and Center/Subwoofer Inputs
6Digital Out jack
7Line Out 1(top)
Line Out 2 (middle)
Line Out 3 (bottom)
8AD_EXT
Connects to Audigy 2 Drive (upgrade option)
93.5 mm (stereo)-to-RCA plug: for 2-channel output, such as, Front Left and Right 
channels
103.5 mm (stereo) Audio/Video-to-RCA plug: for Center (white), Subwoofer (yellow/
orange) and Rear Center (red) channels.
Click here or on any description in 
the table to return to the main 
diagram. 
						

							Installing Hardware 1-16
Positioning Your 
Speakers
If you are using six speakers, place them 
to form a circle around you (as in 
Figure 1-10) and angled toward you. 
Make sure that the computer monitor is 
not blocking the path of your front 
speakers. You may want to adjust the 
relative positions of the speakers until you 
get the audio experience you like best. If 
you have a subwoofer, place the unit in a 
corner of the room for the best bass 
experience.
Good loudspeaker placement 
can enhance your movie 
enjoyment, while careless 
placement can make good audio 
systems sound bad. For detailed 
loudspeaker placement tips, visit 
the Dolby Laboratories web site 
at 
http://www.dolby.com/ht/
co_br_0110_ListenersGuideEX.
html 
Figure 1-10: Recommended speaker 
positions.
Listener SW
CS
FL
RL
RCRR FRFL: Front-left
speaker
CS: Center speaker
FR: Front-right 
speaker
RR: Rear-right 
speaker
RC: Rear-center 
speaker
RL: Rear-left 
speaker
SW: Subwoofer