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Ear Force
AK-R8 User's Guide
®
Table of Contents
Introducing the Ear Force AK-R8 ................................................................................................1
Audio Advantage® SRM...........................................................................................................................................................2
Getting Started ............................................................................................................................4
Package Contents .................................................................................................................................................... 4
Installation CD .......................................................................................................................................................... 5
Software Suite .......................................................................................................................................................... 5
Demo Software ..........................................................................................................................................................7
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SRM Connectors and Controls ....................................................................................................8
Minimum System Requirements .............................................................................................................................. 9
Optional Remote Control ...........................................................................................................10
Installing the Audio Advantage SRM .........................................................................................12
Installation Procedure............................................................................................................................................. 12
Checking the Driver Installation.............................................................................................................................. 14
Optimizing Playback Performance in Windows 2000/XP ....................................................................................... 15
Installing AudioSurgeon LE .................................................................................................................................... 15
Uninstalling the SRM Driver and Applications ........................................................................................................ 15
Connecting the AK-R8 Headphones .........................................................................................16
Launch the SRM Control Panel.............................................................................................................................. 17
Try the Play3D Demo ............................................................................................................................................. 18
Using the SRM Room Monitor ................................................................................................................................................18
Some Helpful Tips ....................................................................................................................19
Troubleshooting Tips .................................................................................................................20
Things You Can Do with the SRM .............................................................................................22
Listening to Music CDs in Windows 2000/XP.........................................................................................................................22
Listening to Your Digital Music Library ...................................................................................................................................22
Modifying the Sound ...............................................................................................................................................................23
Equalizing the Frequency Response of your Speakers..........................................................................................................24
Listening to Stereo Music in Surround Sound ........................................................................................................................24
Listening to DVDs in Surround Sound ....................................................................................................................................25
Setting Up the SRM for use with Skype™ or Other Internet Phone Software ........................................................................27
Using the SRM to Play Along with MP3 Songs ......................................................................................................................27
Recording Tips........................................................................................................................................................................29
Selecting the Record Source in Windows Vista......................................................................................................................29
SRM Control Panel....................................................................................................................31
Speakers Tab .........................................................................................................................................................................31
Equalizer Tab..........................................................................................................................................................................31
Effects Tab..............................................................................................................................................................................31
Mixer Tab ................................................................................................................................................................................32
Speaker Equalizer ..................................................................................................................................................................32
Using the Control Panel Presets ............................................................................................................................ 32
Saving and Restoring Presets ................................................................................................................................................32
Importing and Exporting Presets ............................................................................................................................................33
Control Panel Speakers Tab .....................................................................................................34
Speaker Options Button..........................................................................................................................................................34
Speaker Configurations.......................................................................................................................................... 35
Headphones (stereo) ..............................................................................................................................................................35
2-speakers (Stereo) ................................................................................................................................................................35
4 Speakers (Quad) .................................................................................................................................................................36
5.1 Speakers (6 Speaker Surround Sound)............................................................................................................................36
7.1 Speakers (8 Speaker Surround Sound)............................................................................................................................37
Testing the Speaker Configuration .........................................................................................................................................38
Volume Section ...................................................................................................................................................... 38
Individual Speaker Volumes ...................................................................................................................................................38
Speaker Equalizer Button .......................................................................................................................................................38
Control Panel Settings Summary ........................................................................................................................... 39
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Related Manuals for Turtle Beach Ear Force AK-R8
Summary of Contents for Turtle Beach Ear Force AK-R8
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Page 1: Table Of Contents
Ear Force AK-R8 User’s Guide ® Table of Contents Introducing the Ear Force AK-R8 ...1 Audio Advantage® SRM...2 Getting Started ...4 Package Contents ... 4 Installation CD ... 5 Software Suite ... 5 Voyetra Demo Software ...7 ® SRM Connectors and Controls ...8 Minimum System Requirements ... - Page 2 www.Turtle-Beach.com S/PDIF Digital Input and Output Configurations ...40 Using the S/PDIF Input and Output ...40 Graphic Equalizer Tab ...41 User Defined Presets ... 41 Speaker Equalizer... 42 How the Speaker Equalizer Controls are Organized... 44 Assigning Presets to the Equalizers ...44 Environments ...45 Screens for other Speaker Configuration Settings ...45 Effects Tab...46...
- Page 3 Ear Force AK-R8 - Users Guide Revision 1.0 Documentation copyright © 2005 - 2007 Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means or in any form, without prior written consent from Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc. (“VTB”).
- Page 4 www.Turtle-Beach.com Chapter 1 Introduction Page iv...
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Page 5: Introducing The Ear Force Ak-R8
Introducing the Ear Force AK-R8 The Ear Force AK-R8 delivers a true, multi-speaker surround sound PC gaming experience with the convenience and privacy of headphones. The headphones incorporate 4 speakers in each ear cup to deliver true surround sound—giving you a competitive edge when playing the latest generation PC games. -
Page 6: Audio Advantage Srm
www.Turtle-Beach.com Audio Advantage ® The Audio Advantage SRM 7.1 Channel USB audio interface packs an amazing array of features into a convenient package that fits in the palm of your hand. The SRM’s unique design provides everything you need for connecting your laptop or desktop to a wide variety of audio devices, including digital and analog inputs and outputs, stereo headphone output, built-in stereo microphones, and support for... - Page 7 Audio Advantage SRM Page 3...
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Page 8: Getting Started
Getting Started Package Contents Ear Force AK-R8 Headphones Microphone Audio Advantage SRM USB Sound Card USB Cable Optical S/PDIF Adapter Installation CD and Quick Start Guide The headphones include 4 speakers in each ear cup (front, surround, center, sub) to deliver true 5.1 surround sound. -
Page 9: Installation Cd
3D D ™ LE UDIO URGEON Clicking on the Turtle Beach Palm Tree icon in the System tray brings up a menu from where you can launch the SRM Control Panel. You can also launch the Control Panel by clicking... - Page 10 Launch this program by clicking Start Programs Demo Files This interactive game lets you hear 3D sound effects by “blasting” asteroids as they fly by. Page 6 Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Helicopter Demo Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Multi-channel Audio Demo...
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Page 11: Voyetra Demo Software
MusicWrite™ Demo Record Producer™ Demo For the latest updates, as well as user tips, Knowledge Base articles and information on other Turtle Beach and Voyetra products, please visit www.TurtleBeach.com All Programs menu. A powerful notation program that's easy to use! This demo version lets you compose music in a way that’s easy to... -
Page 12: Srm Connectors And Controls
NOTE: Stereo, 4, 6 and 8 channel speaker configurations are selected from the Control Panel “Speakers” Tab. Use this DIN socket to connect Turtle Beach Ear Force Surround Sound Headphones, or a set of 5.1 powered analog speakers with the included breakout cable. -
Page 13: Minimum System Requirements
Aim the infra red (IR) remote control at this sensor when using the remote control Control Sensor functions. Whenever the remote control signal is sensed, the status light will flash yellow. Using a MIDI keyboard requires a USB MIDI interface, available at the Turtle Beach Web Site www.TurtleBeach.com. Minimum System Requirements Processor Pentium 800 MHz / compatible or higher with one available USB port. -
Page 14: Optional Remote Control
www.Turtle-Beach.com Optional Remote Control The Audio Advantage SRM supports an optional infra-red (IR) remote that may be programmed to control some of SRM’s functions as well as other Windows programs. The Remote Control includes a configuration program that lets you assign PC-keyboard keys to the remote control buttons and save them as templates for controlling specific programs. - Page 15 Audio Advantage SRM Chapter 2 Installation Page 11...
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Page 16: Installing The Audio Advantage Srm
The SRM Installation Menu lets you install the SRM Applications and Drivers, AudioSurgeon LE, the Voyetra music programs, software utilities and provides additional information about Turtle Beach and Voyetra products. After inserting the SRM into the USB Port, if the Windows “Add New Hardware Wizard”... - Page 17 System Tray located at the bottom right of your screen. Note that the icon in the System Tray will be a Turtle Beach Palm Tree when the SRM is plugged into the USB port and will change to a dual LED when it’s unplugged.
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Page 18: Checking The Driver Installation
Product Registration… At this point, please take a minute to register on-line by clicking Start Turtle Beach connection must be active during installation). When the registration screen appears, enter the product ID from the back of your Quick Start Guide. -
Page 19: Optimizing Playback Performance In Windows 2000/Xp
The SRM Driver and Applications may be uninstalled from your hard drive and removed from the Programs menu as follows: 1. Click on Start Uninstall Turtle Beach Audio Advantage SRM. 2. Follow the on-screen instructions. 3. After you’ve uninstalled the programs, shut down your PC, unplug the SRM from the USB port, and reboot your PC. -
Page 20: Connecting The Ak-R8 Headphones
www.Turtle-Beach.com Connecting the AK-R8 Headphones Plug the headphone connector into the SRM. Be careful to align the pins properly and don’t force it The headphone mic is removable, so it won’t get in your way if you don’t need it. To adjust the mic level, open the SRM control panel and click on the Mixer Tab. -
Page 21: Launch The Srm Control Panel
Launch the SRM Control Panel 1. Click on the Turtle Beach Palm Tree icon in the System Tray to bring up a menu from where you can launch the SRM Control Panel. Or, you can launch the SRM Control Panel by clicking Start Run Audio Advantage SRM Control Panel. -
Page 22: Try The Play3D Demo
Start Turtle Beach Advantage SRM 3D Player Demo or by clicking on the Turtle Beach icon in the System Tray on the bottom right of your PC Screen and selecting Demo from the menu. 2. Click on the Play button to hear the Sound Source selected in the top group. -
Page 23: Some Helpful Tips
Some Helpful Tips … Here are some things you should know in order to get the best performance from your Ear Force AK-R8: • SRM Control Panel: This is the heart of the system, so be sure to learn what it can do. From here you can set individual speaker volumes, equalize the tone, set environment depths, microphone levels, and more. -
Page 24: Troubleshooting Tips
www.Turtle-Beach.com Troubleshooting Tips No sound on speakers or headphones Check that the speakers are connected to SRM’s line output or 5.1 speaker output. See the Control Panel Speakers Tab section for details. Check that the speakers are powered on. Be sure you’re not using passive speakers that require an amplifier. The SRM outputs can only drive powered speakers, not passive speakers. - Page 25 Sound playing from the wrong speakers If you hear sound from the wrong speakers, for example, if you click the Left Front speaker icon and hear “Left Front” emanating from a different speaker, check the following: Check the Speaker Position in the Effects Tab. When enabled, this lets you change the position of each speaker by moving the speaker icons.
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Page 26: Things You Can Do With The Srm
www.Turtle-Beach.com Things You Can Do with the SRM Listening to Music CDs in Windows 2000/XP To listen to an audio CD from your PC’s CD ROM drive: 1. Insert the CD into the CD ROM Tray. Windows will prompt you whether or not you want to Rip the CD to your hard drive or play the CD with Media Player. -
Page 27: Modifying The Sound
Modifying the Sound Changing Tone with the Master Graphic Equalizer The Master Equalizer, accessed by clicking the Equalizer Tab, lets you control the overall tone of your SRM sound system. Try moving the sliders to see how they change the tone. Then, click the Equalizer Presets to hear the effect of each one. -
Page 28: Equalizing The Frequency Response Of Your Speakers
www.Turtle-Beach.com Using the Center Canceller The Center Canceller in the Effects Tab removes the center channel in a song. Since the vocals are typically panned to the center, this effect may be used to reduce vocals in a song. Use Windows Media Player to play a song with voice in the center, click the Enable button in the Center Canceller section, then move the slider to the right side (+) and notice how the center channel is cancelled. -
Page 29: Listening To Dvds In Surround Sound
Use the Equalizer to alter the tone to suit the genre of music you’re listening to. Use the Speaker EQ to alter the tone of individual speakers. For instance, when using Turtle Beach Ear Force Surround Sound Headphones, try boosting the midrange frequencies on the surround and center speakers for a more dramatic effect. - Page 30 www.Turtle-Beach.com Using the Digital Audio Output To use the digital audio output for playing DVD audio, connect a TOSLINK optical cable to SRM S/PDIF output by inserting the included Optical Adapter into the Line Output jack. Then connect the other end of the TOSLINK cable to your digital speakers or an A/V receiver.
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Page 31: Setting Up The Srm For Use With Skype Or Other Internet Phone Software
Setting Up the SRM for use with Skype When the SRM is connected to the USB port, it usually will set itself as the "default sound device", which means that it should work automatically with Skype's internet phone software or other similar software. If Skype does not automatically use the SRM after it has been installed, then this can be set manually within the Skype software as follows: 1. - Page 32 www.Turtle-Beach.com the SRM’s line input as shown in the illustration below. This setup lets you hear both the guitar and the song with headphones, so you can play along without disturbing others. Set the levels with the SRM Control Panel Mixer Tab as follows: Line: Sets the guitar level.
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Page 33: Recording Tips
Recording with Microphones You can record external sounds using either the internal stereo microphones, an external microphone (mono or stereo) or the headset microphone included with the Ear Force surround sound headphones. Set the microphone sensitivity by clicking the Microphone Options button (“…”) under the microphone slider in the Mixer Tab. - Page 34 www.Turtle-Beach.com Chapter 3 Control Panel Page 30...
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Page 35: Srm Control Panel
SRM Control Panel The SRM Control Panel lets you access all of SRM’s features from one convenient place. You can launch the control panel either by clicking on the Turtle Beach icon located in the Windows system tray or by clicking Start... -
Page 36: Mixer Tab
www.Turtle-Beach.com Mixer Tab Speaker Equalizer Using the Control Panel Presets Saving and Restoring Presets The Control Panel settings can be saved as presets for easy recall: 1. Click on the Preset button, then click Save to call up the Save Preset dialog. 2. -
Page 37: Importing And Exporting Presets
Importing and Exporting Presets You can also share presets with other users:. 1. To Export a preset, click Preset in the Save As dialog box. 2. To Import a preset, click Preset preset from the Open dialog box that appears. Note that importing presets will load the new settings will not automatically save the preset. -
Page 38: Control Panel Speakers Tab
www.Turtle-Beach.com Control Panel Speakers Tab The Speakers Tab is divided into the following sections: The Speaker Configuration section lets you test speaker operation and select speaker configuration modes. The Volume section lets you set the master volume and individual speaker volumes. The Settings Summary section shows the status of important control panel settings. -
Page 39: Speaker Configurations
Speaker Configurations Headphones (stereo) Select this configuration when using stereo headphones. When using headphones that include a microphone, plug the microphone jack into the Mic input and set the microphone level in the Mixer Tab. The front channels are routed to the headphone jack, except in 7.1 speaker mode when the headphone jack is used to output channels 7/8. -
Page 40: Speakers (Quad)
5.1 speaker cable. 5.1 Speakers (6 Speaker Surround Sound) Select this configuration when using a powered 5.1 speaker system or when using the Ear Force AK-R8 Surround Sound headphones. Connect the Front (green), Surround (black), center and sub channels (orange) to the 5.1 speaker inputs as shown. -
Page 41: Speakers (8 Speaker Surround Sound)
Audio Advantage SRM 7.1 Speakers (8 Speaker Surround Sound) Select this configuration when using a powered 7.1 speaker system, which includes rear channel speakers (7 & 8). Connect the Front (green), Surround (black), center and sub channels (orange) to the 5.1 surround output using the multi-speaker adapter cable. -
Page 42: Testing The Speaker Configuration
www.Turtle-Beach.com Testing the Speaker Configuration After selecting the speaker configuration to match your speaker system, you can check if the speakers are properly connected by clicking on the speaker icon to play a test signal on that speaker. The buttons at the bottom of the speaker icon section, labeled Test and Loop, operate as follows: Test: When this button is clicked, the test signal automatically advances to the next speaker so that all... -
Page 43: Control Panel Settings Summary
Audio Advantage SRM Control Panel Settings Summary This section summarizes the state of major control panel settings: Stereo to Multi-Speaker: Indicates that a stereo source will be routed to all of the speakers because the Speaker Configuration is set to either 4, 5.1 or 7.1 speaker mode. This allows the stereo source to play in surround sound. -
Page 44: S/Pdif Digital Input And Output Configurations
A/V receivers, DVD players and other home theater and professional audio devices. The digital input and output signals are connected to external devices using fiber optic TOSLINK cables, available at the Turtle Beach web site (www.TurtleBeach.com) or at most consumer electronics retailers. -
Page 45: Graphic Equalizer Tab
Audio Advantage SRM Graphic Equalizer Tab The Graphic Equalizer provides 10 frequency bands that can be used to adjust the overall tone of the audio system. The buttons at the top of the slider bank provide eight equalizer presets. The Flat setting returns the sliders to their zero, or unmodified, positions. The Enable EQ button may be used to turn off the equalization settings, to quickly hear the difference between the equalized and unmodified sound. -
Page 46: Speaker Equalizer
www.Turtle-Beach.com Speaker Equalizer Clicking the Speaker EQ button under the Master Volume control in the Speakers Tab activates the Speaker Equalizer, which provides individual equalizer settings for each speaker. Note that the Speaker EQ button will be active only when the Speaker Configuration is set to Quad, 5.1 or 7.1 Speakers—not in stereo or headphone configurations. - Page 47 Audio Advantage SRM Page 43...
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Page 48: How The Speaker Equalizer Controls Are Organized
www.Turtle-Beach.com How the Speaker Equalizer Controls are Organized The number of controls in the Speaker Equalizer depends on the speaker configuration setting. The illustration below shows the controls for the 5.1 speaker configuration. The first row of controls corresponds to the Front L/R speakers, the second row to the Surround L/R speakers and the left half of the third row corresponds to the Center/Sub speakers. -
Page 49: Environments
For example, to assign a preset to the front left and right speakers, select the preset from the pull-down menu, then press the Front L and Front R buttons located under the presets pull- down menu. The equalizer settings for the Front L/R channels will then be set to the preset configuration. -
Page 50: Effects Tab
www.Turtle-Beach.com Effects Tab Speaker Position The Speaker Position section lets you change the position of speakers by clicking and moving the blue “virtual speaker” icons in the illustration. The number of blue speaker icons will match the number of speakers in the Speaker Configuration setting on the Speakers Tab (e.g. -
Page 51: Sound Fx
Environment Size: These three buttons, labeled S (Small), M (Medium) and L (Large) each set a different depth of the environment effect selected from the pull-down menu. Environment Depth Sliders (Front and Surround): These sliders allow you to set the depth of the environment effect on the front and surround channels. -
Page 52: Mixer Tab
www.Turtle-Beach.com Mixer Tab Playback Settings The Playback mixer provides an array of volume, mute and pan controls for balancing the sound sources when listening with headphones or speakers. The above illustration shows the mixer tab for Windows 2000/XP. Note that in Windows Vista, the Wave and SW Synth sliders are not available and the Stereo Mix is not available as a recording source. -
Page 53: Playback Mixer Signal Flow In Windows 2000/Xp
Audio Advantage SRM Playback Mixer Signal Flow in Windows 2000/XP The following signal flow diagram illustrates how these inputs are connected in the playback mixer when using the SRM with Windows 2000/XP. Note that the mixer output is routed to both the Front output for monitoring the input signals and the Record input for recording a mix of the input signals (as described in the next section.) Page 49... -
Page 54: Record Settings
www.Turtle-Beach.com Record Settings Audio recording can be accomplished with a program such as Audio Surgeon LE (included on the SRM installation CD), Windows Recorder (in the Accessories section of the Start All Programs list), or other digital audio recording software. The record source is selected by clicking the Record Source pull-down menu in the Record Settings section of the Mixer tab. - Page 55 Audio Advantage SRM Page 51...
- Page 56 www.Turtle-Beach.com Chapter 5 AudioSurgeon ™ Digital Audio Editing Software Page 52...
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Page 57: Audiosurgeon Le
AudioSurgeon LE AudioSurgeon is a digital audio recording and editing program that lets you manipulate sound in graphical format, much like a word processor lets you manipulate words on the screen to create a document. You can either load a digital audio file from your PC into AudioSurgeon or record a new file and save it to disc. -
Page 58: Making A Recording With The Record Wizard
www.Turtle-Beach.com Making a Recording with the Record Wizard Recording is easy with the Record Wizard. Simply press the Record button, then select “Use the Record Wizard” from the dialog box to launch the Record Wizard dialog. From here you can select the recording source and recording resolution, then lets the Wizard automatically adjust the optimum volume level and start recording. - Page 59 To cut a Section of a File and Place it in the Clipboard 1. Select the range of the file that you wish to remove. 2. Select Edit menu Cut. The selected range is deleted from the file and copied to AudioSurgeon's Clipboard.
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Page 60: Audiosurgeon Controls
www.Turtle-Beach.com AudioSurgeon Controls ⇒ The edit controls are greyed out until a range is selected in the graphic display. ⇒ Some of the control functions are disabled in AudioSurgeon LE. These features are only available in the full version of AudioSurgeon. For more information, please visit www.Voyetra.com. -
Page 61: Status Display And Zoom Controls
Audio Advantage SRM Delete: Deletes the selected range, but does not retain the deleted data in the Clipboard. Clear: Replaces the selected range with an equal interval of silence and places the deleted data in the Clipboard. Insert Silence: Inserts silence in the selected range and moves the rest of the waveform without deleting data.