Yes you can. There is this option to enable surround via analog or optical

I seldom use stereo surround to listen song i only use that mode for movies.
Music i use Stereo X2 . If you are using a z-5500D i suggest you use ASIO + foobar i bet after u tried that you will never use windows media player again.

nope 6 ch direct usually for gaming.

Music i use - Stereo X2 for the surround 4 speaker

Movie i use - optical so it decode digital signal i use dolby digital live.

Gaming - I use 6 channel direct and DS3D GX 2.0 = to Creative EAX

With foobar you can with plugin u force the speaker to play on all 5 channel but thru the asus xonar control panel i cant.

What foobar+asio does is it enchance your listening pleasure by making the sound more accurate and clarity. If u want make your hse like disco just jack up the volume to max and put bass to max.

I teach you a trick.

This one audiophiles teach me 1

Your computer volume especially WAVE u reduce to 40%

Then your player volume u can put what also wont be too loud.

my sub 80% centre 80% surround 80% i been making my house like disco for few years speaker in excellent condition.

Do u have any cool trance or music to let me test my speakers? haha

here the trick it depends how you set up your subwoofer. You put it against the wall then the bass echo will sound softer when you put it against wood it echo louder and nice sound bass.
Dont put 100% trust me if you accidentally turn on too loud it will burst the speaker. Wave you can put 80% or 70% but not 100% this just my advice but its all up to u.

I set 80% because it sound accurate and nice @ 80%. 100% just things shaking dont want le.

Volume can set 70% 80% but i am saying wave u limit it @ 70-80% in case anything happen your sub or speaker wont burst.

If you wan loud just put volume to 100% it still can go further its call volume booster there is a hidden trick to enable it.

The louder your volume the stronger the bass is for my speaker. In my asus xonar dx there something call flexbass. I can increase the BASS by changing the setting there.

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Added on January 31, 2009, 10:11 pmAnyway have you tried foobar? Please try it then u ask more question. Listen to believe it boss

use logic sir let says u watch some movie that volume very soft then u turn up the volume then u accidentally turn on music then the suddenly burst of loudness song will burst the speaker.

Its up to u. Any speaker also have its limit .

get bigger or more powerful speakers

If you ask me to put sub 100% then you are not listening to music but listening to bass, i would say you doesnt know how to enjoy music, all you want is to make sure the floor or the room shake

One more thing... I've got a weird problem.
I think I've connected it properly since my soundblaster got color-coded miniplug output. Just find n match.

The funny thing is everything is working except my center speaker.
I tried to test speakers utility in creative software (those left,right,center thingy) and it does work.
But when I played my mp3.... I dont get 5.1. I think its 4.1 onli. How come?

My current setting now is : Input Direct : 6channel surround. (Onli this one works fully when I run the test speakers location thingy).

What am I doing wrong here?

mp3 is just stereo, only left & right channel
if u wanna test the centre speaker with mp3 then u got to switch to prologic movie/music [this upmix 2channel source to 5.1 sound]
else u need a 5.1 source, a DVD movie to have all the speakers works in 6-channels direct mode..

have u try optical? have you try plug other speaker to your sound card?

Then get one and try. Ppl give u solution but u dont try. I am using optical no weird noise except at extreme high volume