I have an SB Live Value on my 'puter...I noticed the messed up sounds and did some tweaking to fix it. First, if you have LiveWare 3 installed (if you're running an SB Live card, you need to install this ;), make sure EAX sound effects are off. To do so, goto the Surround Mixer, then choose "Speaker". Select the speaker type you're trying to use (for some reason 4 speakers isn't working right in EQ, I'm using "Live! Surround" mode, or use 2 speaker if you don't have a surround set of speakers [and if you change between speakers and headphones regularly, get used to using this mixer...it's great for that]), then up at the "Task" box, select "(Custom)", then immediately select "(No Effects)" on the next box.

That's the first step...next step is open up your Sounds and Multimedia properties box (instructions are for Win2k, it's almost exactly alike for Win9x though)...click on "Start", then "Settings", then "Control Panel", then "Sounds and Multimedia". Next click on the "Audio" tab then click on the "Advanced" button. Click on the "Performance" tab, then set the "Hardward Acceleration" slider, one notch left of "Full" (to 3/4). This will also fix the screens locking up for a split second while in game. Click "apply", the "ok" then "ok". (NOTE: Everyone should do this, whether or not you're using SBLive!)

In-game (heh, finally :), set your Sound Realism down a notch or two, then you might move your music down to about half-way (it is sometimes too loud).

All of the above fixes I did and tested last night...it'll return your sound to a semblence of normal (your sounds are a little loud, but you can hear monsters, etc). I have also noticed that while casting (or singing), the sounds seem to be a bit muted...which means all the time for us. I've also noticed that the EQ sound engine is having trouble appropriately adjusting the volumes of the sounds for distance.

Ok, for untested fixes...I found this fix this morning while surfing for more fixes...haven't tested it (will be able to on Sat, and fix it if it doesn't work), but I think it'll partially help. This fix is also just for SBLive! folks (it fixes too much "reverb" in the game):

1) Open up your Creative Launcher (top of the screen if you have it running...the annoying little grey line). Goto the "Audio HQ" tab. Select the "Environmental Audio" button. In the "Environment" box, select "(No Effects)".

2) On the "Master" page (default screen), click on the "All Effects Off" button.

3) On the "Source" tab, select "Wave/DirectSound", then click on "Chorus" and move the "Chorus Amount" slider to 0% (all the way left). Do the same to the "Reverb" option. Leave the "Original Sound" at 100%.

4) Goto the "Options" tab, make sure the Device is the SB Live value, then make sure the "Always save changes automatically" checkbox is checked.

5) Click "close"...if it asks you for a name to save it as, just type in "EQ"...this way it'll save your settings so you can move back to it from a different game.

Just remember...I haven't tested the above settings...if they don't work, just reset your effects in the Surround Mixer to "(Custom)" and "(None)".

Good luck!

--Khelan, Bard of 42 tweaks, lost at Work