Has anyone ever managed to make the "EAX Advanced HD" option in sound options active in Win7? The only active options are "3d audio" and sound virtualization.

I have SB Audigy 2 ZS and I used Creative ALchemy software which supposedly supports Splinter Cell, but EAX Advanced HD still cannot be enabled.

http://connect.creativelabs.com/alchemy/Lists/Games/DispForm.aspx?ID=78

I googled and noticed that many people had the same problem with EAX Advanced HD being disabled, but I found no solution. 5.1 sound works without it, so maybe it is not worth the trouble? For the record, this option can be enabled in Pandora Tomorrow.

I have a republished version (pre-updated on the disc apparently) that included Pandora Tomorrow and had the same issue. It is annoying, but there is a solution.

Set whatever settings you will want in Audio Options, but do consider the Readme's note: "Low & High HRTF (Audio Virtualization options) won't give good results in a 4-Speakers/more configuration. Use it only with a 2 channel monitoring setup." The Game refers to it as Low, Medium, High I believe.

Exit the game, and open SplinterCellUser.ini inside the "system" folder where you installed the Game.

Scroll to the section [Engine.EPCGameOptions], then set the following options: Sound3DAcc=True; EAX=True; EAX_Capable=True

Start the game and do not open the Audio Options while playing, if you do the configuration will be reset and you will have to repeat the steps.

EDIT: Just to note, Pandora Tomorrow does not have this issue, it just seems Splinter Cell just has trouble detecting EAX support.

I don't think it's that straight forward...

For this to work you need three things:

- Windows XP
- Creative Xi-Fi card with CMSS-3D and headphones enabled
- Good Stereo headphones

There are lots of workarounds to enable EAX, even on Vista and even on 3d party sound cards (ie non-Creative)
On windows XP every sound card released in the last 10 years should support at least EAX 2, which is not SC1 EAX3 but it's already a nice step forward.

On windows Vista however, you'll be required to run an additional software to restore the lost hardware abstraction layer
These are for example: C-Media Xear3D EX, Realtek soundback3D, Asus GSDX, Creative ALchemy.

While ASUS and creative solutions support all EAX versions up to 5, if you have other boards you may want to try ALchemy universal to possibly add even EAX 3 and 4.

Forcing the game ini files usually doesn't work then. Setting could even be probably ticked in the in-game options, but actual sound is still unchanged anyway.
The OP may want to try these fixed drivers for it's old Audigy 2 ZS
And last but not least, CMSS-3D nor headphones are required.

I forgot to update this thread, but pretty sure I posted this somewhere else :)

I tried the GOG.com version on an XP retro gaming PC with a Pentium 4 and Geforce4 for proper shadows.

EAX does not work in the GOG.com version. They must have modified it. You cannot tick the box.

The steam version and of course the CD and DVD retail versions however work fine :)

So no EAX for this game, regardless of OS / Alchemy...

EAX working perfectly at GOG version. only 1 difference is button EAX in menu is unavaliable. check sound effects for example at start of levels Georgian Ministry or Kalinatek. you even no need EAX=True in SplinterCellUser.ini.
tested on Audigy SE + Creative Alchemy.
Realtek + Alchemy Universal, not working, game crashes at start.
Realtek + DSOAL 1.3 (not 1.31a - crashes at start) working.

at game version 1.2 for get SAME sound effects need turn button EAX on, or EAX=True in SplinterCellUser.ini.