1) Did you check sbemixer.exe in DOS to see if the CD volume is where it should be?

2) How about in Windows? Does redbook audio work?

Does it say RGGL where you plug in the cable on the rear of the CD drive?

OK, I switched to a 3rd different CD-ROM unit (Sony) which has a Headphone jack in front of it, and when I plug in a headphone, voila! I can hear the test Readbook Audio in Descent 2 Setup!

If I choose MIDI, the music can be heard from the sound card (connected to a simple stereo set of speakers), same with Sound Effects. Its just that when it comes to Redbook audio, I can't hear any Redbook Adio tracks on the games that I have tested.

The CD audio slider in sbemixer is all they way to 100%.

Both Descent 2 and Quake 1 Red-audio tracks play fine in Windows, as well as any real music CD that I tested. It is VERY curious indeed!

C0deHunter wrote on 2025-11-10, 11:57:

Both Descent 2 and Quake 1 Red-audio tracks play fine in Windows, as well as any real music CD that I tested. It is VERY curious indeed!

Oh, sorry, forgot to mention one thing: Please make sure digital CD audio is not enabled in Windows (Windows 98?). You can see a screenshot of where the option is in Multimedia Properties here: Enabling CDROM digital playback - Where to find WDM drivers for a SB16?

Digital CD audio will not use the analog audio cable which we're trying to test. So, make sure that's disabled and then test the CD audio in Windows again. If it works, then we know it's not a hardware or cable problem. As Sleak_J mentioned, there's a possibility of a different pin layout on the CD drive (R-G-G-L vs. R-G-L-G). More recent drives will be R-G-G-L. https://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/CD_audio_connectors

Are you using the AUDIGY12.EXE DOS driver? I think it's required, so I assume you're using it if you're getting any sound at all.

If CD audio works in Windows, that suggests a software or settings issue in DOS.

Try using a CD player for DOS and testing a music CD. I like this one: http://cbmsteve.ca/sjgplay/sjgplay_dos.html

If that works, then we know it's an issue with the particular games you're trying. And just to confirm: When you play the games, the drive is actively reading the disc as if it were playing the music, right? I assume so since you said you could hear the CD audio through the jack on the front of the drive (this has no relationship to the sound card, though, so doesn't really help us).

Great, I will check them out, but to let you know:

I am using a pure DOS 7.1, not DOS through Windows 98, but pure DOS.

UPDATE:
"Digital CD audio will not use the analog audio cable which we're trying to test. So, make sure that's disabled and then test the CD audio in Windows again."

Mine is grayed out (disabled, using VXD drivers for Audigy 2 ZS obviously): Yes, in Windows (98SE, and Windows 2K) I can hear the Redbook Audio tracks from my games (Descent 2, Quake 1, etc.)

I tried SJGPlay in DOS, and no I am NOT hearing the Redbook Audio tracks from my games (Descent 2, Quake 1, etc.): just like the Descent 2's SETUP.EXE file, which when is testing Redbook Audio tracks on its CD, nothing can be heard.

After reading around it seems that the Audigy 2 ZS doesn't enable the CD_DIGITAL header in MS-DOS and there is no way to force it open (Only SB Live and Aufigy1 have access to PARUS' mixer tool). So my suggestion while not optimal is to connect both the analog and digital audio cables between the card and the CD-ROM drive. Use digital in windows and analog in MS-DOS.

On Audigy 2 ZS cards (SB0350) only, digital CD audio (via CD_SPDIF header) doesn't work under Win9x when using VxD drivers. It looks like Creative deliberately disabled that, possibly due to DRM concerns.

Additionally, analog CD audio doesn't work in pure DOS on both Audigy 2 (SB0240) and Audigy 2 ZS (SB0350) cards. This is likely because there are no official DOS drivers for those cards, and Creative changed how analog audio routing works while developing the Audigy 2. More info here.

In summary, if you want analog CD audio in pure DOS on an Audigy card, stick with the Audigy 1 (SB0090). Similarly, if you want working digital CD audio under Win9x with VxD drivers, don't use an Audigy 2 ZS.

Oh dang, kind of glad I gave my Audigy2 ZS to a friend and used a SB Live for myself , otherwise that would have sent me on a wild goose chase