CSL 7.1 USB External Sound Card - 8-Channel Audio Adapter with Dynamic 3D Surround Sound - Supports Analog & Digital Devices - Ideal for Gaming, Home Theater, and Studio Recording

Arrived with installation disc which inc windows 10 setup. All goes well soundcard loads ok but only in stereo! After many hours of tweaking settings to no avail found this tip that worked a treat. Will now play in stereo or 5.1 if signal outputs in 5.1.How to Configure 5.1 Sound on Windows 10Unless you properly configure the 5.1 channels in Windows 10 after connecting the hardware, you’ll most likely get a stereo output from your PC or laptop. Keep in mind that in order to output 5.1 audio from your PC, the sound card must have 5.1 support. As of now, not all onboard soundcards are configured to output 5.1 surround signal. Desktops with newer motherboards usually have it even on low-end, but laptops aren’t that lucky.Note: Even if you have an onboard soundcard with 5.1 support, chances are the quality will be sub-standard. The reality is, most onboard sound solutions will not output true 5.1 surround. If you’re looking for quality, always go for a dedicated sound board.Before you attempt the steps below, make sure your system is actually able to output 5.1. Furthermore, check if all the cords and wires are properly attached and update the driver for your sound card to the latest version.Press Windows key + R to open a Run window and type “mmsys.cpl“. Hit Enter to open the Sound Properties.Go to the Playback and select your playback device that is capable of outputting 5.1 sound. Keep in mind that the name might vary according to your soundcard. With the speakers selected, click on Set Default and then hit the Configure button.In the Speaker Setup window, select 5.1 Surround and hit Next. If you see multiple 5.1 Surround entries, select the one that resembles more closely how have placed your speakers.Note: Ignore the Test button for now. We’ll use it later after we’ve successfully configured the audio output.Then, make sure all the boxes under Optional speakers are set and hit Next. If your 5.1 setup is incomplete or you’re using it without the subwoofer, it’s best to disable the missing equipment now. Doing this will redirect the audio meant for the missing channel to an active one. This way, you will ensure that you’re not missing any important audio.This next dialog box is about selecting the full-range speakers. Most 5.1 systems do not have full-range speakers since the audio task is split across multiple channels. Check the boxes under Full-range speakers if applicable and hit Next.Note: If you’re not sure if your audio setup contains full-range speakers, you do an online search and look at your speakers’ configuration. If you can’t find any relevant information, check both Front left and right and Surround speakers. This way you won’t limit the audio quality if some of your speakers are capable of outputting full-range or if you’re not using a subwoofer.If the configuration completes successfully, hit the Finish button and move to the testing section below.Note: If you have 5.1 speakers but you are unable to select 5.1 Surround after clicking the Configure button (option greyed out or not available), the issue is part bug part Microsoft trying to push Sonic Surround and Dolby Atmos by forcing users off old technology. The issue has been around ever since Windows 10 launched and Microsoft doesn’t seem keen on fixing it. Instead, the company seems to opt for a planned obsolescence when it comes to 5.1 Surround sound. Despite a lot of users complaining that their 5.1 setups have stopped working once they’ve upgraded to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or 8, there’s still no official fix on the horizon.Great card but really does need time taken to get the best out of it. Hope this helps someone with the same problem I had