Welp... I finally got fed up with the SB X-Fi sputtering and cutting out while playing Skyrim, so I swapped it out for a Xonar DX I had laying about.

One problem though... I can't see any way to completely shut off all environmental reverb effects. I don't like it, it's forcing such effects on scenes that shouldn't have it when teh game itself handles such effects. How do you turn it completely off?

Secondly... is there a way to achieve the CMSS Headphone effects with a Xonar DX? Basically, with the CMSS mode on the X-Fi, headphones didn't play sounds only in one ear, it kinda made the sound travel over so the second ear could hear it too. It sounded so much more realistic than just having it play in one ear.

I take it your interface looks something like http://www.avforums.com/forums/attachments/pc-gaming/284632d1325889959-all-round-headphone-discussion-xonar-dx-settings.jpg? If not, get updated drivers and the audio center.

Here's how I think you want to set it up for games:

• Set audio channels to the highest you can set in the game's menu
  
• Set sample rate to the game's sample rate, usually 48 or 44.1 kHz
  
• anolog out on Headphone
  
• Dolby Headphone on, or alternatively hit the game controller button under the volume knob. This is the CMSS-3D equivalent for Xonar cards. I don't know if the DX has different settings for it, the Essence STX has three settings from largest and most diffuse to smaller, and I use the second for gaming (which is also the game controller button's default)
  
• You can also turn on the Pro Logic and virtual speaker stuff, but I don't
  
• I believe the GX button under the volume knob is the EAX function. See if turning that on or off removes the reverb effects. I know I had some problems with it in old games