Whats the best sound option?

[Possibility]

In the sound options for Civ4, what are the differences between the choices. Mainly, what is the difference beteen the 5.1 discreet, the DirectSound3D, and the EAX options, like EAX 2.0, 3.0 etc... The choices listed in the poll are the different options that show up on my system.

I have an Creative Audigy with a 5.1 sound system. So is it best to chose the the 5.1 Discrete, or does the EAX otions which my sound card also supports already take into account that I have a 5.1 but will it also provide better sound, and what about the DirectSound3D, what does it do?

[snoopy369]

For civ I doubt it matters a whole lot which you choose... so choose whichever sounds good to you. 5.1 is fine, I'd think.

[Diadem]

Well since the game is mostly classical music I guess a good quality sound system helps. But I don't think it's all that important. I meean the tracks are in mp3 format, so you're not going to reach the kind of quality to satisfy a real audiophile anyway.

[Nugog]

For Civ I find "OFF" is the best sound option.

[Willem]

You don't want to use EAX for Civ. I tried it once and a number of my sounds went missing. It just doesn't work very well with the game for some reason. Not that there's any reason to have environmental sounds in the game anyway. I just use basic stereo in mine, since I don't have a surround system. If you have 5.1, you're probably best off to use that, though I suspect it's not going to make that much difference from straight stereo.

[Baldyr]

Originally posted by Nugog
For Civ I find "OFF" is the best sound option.

Man, that just made my day.

[Blaupanzer]

Go with the best your sound card will support. If you get tired of Nimoy and the birds, you can always turn it off later. I like to keep it on for the fighting sounds and the wrecked improvement sounds. If I haven't been paying attention, these sounds increase my state of alert instantly.

[Possibility]

I guess one of my intentions of this question was to know what EAX is and how to tell if I have it. I have a Sound Blaster Audigy 5.1 speaker system, so if I choose EAX 2.0 or EAX HD 3.0/4.0, will that still utilize my 5.1 speaker system to its fullest? What about DirectSound3D, will that use my 5.1 to its fullest? Or will do some kind of simulating surround sound with only using 2 speakers. Will it give some more advanced sounds then the plain old 5.1 discrete option?

[snoopy369]

EAX:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_audio_extensions

You have a 5.1 speaker system, not a SBA anything; that's your sound card (SB Audigy). EAX is different ways of utilizing the sound blaster's mixing to provide environmental sound; Civ4 does use EAX, so you should certainly use that. It doesn't have anything to do with 5.1 (speaker configuration).

My suggestion: use the default. It rarely pays to mess with sound card settings in a game unless you are having sound card related crashes.

[MoonWolf]

Originally posted by Nugog
For Civ I find "OFF" is the best sound option.

That was my answer too

I really should have at least tried the sounds, but I hardly do as I play on my laptop in the living room while my wife or both of us look at the TV.

hint to OP:

[TriMiro]

I keep some basic sound, such as the war declaration and religion founding. Other than that - OFF (music is OK initially, but really gets on my nerves eventually, especially the Renaissance music)