I don't understand what you're asking. Are you asking whether your receiver has a function like the Astro Mixamp or is there a digital (HDMI/Optica/Coaxial) pass through on your receiver?
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5.1/7.1 gaming headphones [more help required]
- Thread starter EatChildren
- Start date
I don't understand what you're asking. Are you asking whether your receiver has a function like the Astro Mixamp or is there a digital (HDMI/Optica/Coaxial) pass through on your receiver?
NervousXtian
Thought Emoji Movie was good. Take that as you will.
There doesn't seem to be, but I'm not sure.. it seems the headphone out only does the following:
When you connect a pair of headphones, the listening mode
is set to Stereo, unless its already set to Stereo, Mono,
Direct, or Pure Audio (European, Australian and Asian
models)
Which would all be analog, correct?
So no way to use the receiver as a 5.1/7.1 headphone amp?
Nope. Receivers don't usually do these things. You can always buy a mixamp and just input your optical/HDMI into the mixamp.
I have a receiver too and I just normally plug my AD700 into it. The sound is great and because of the soundstage of the headphones, I don't need virtual surround.
If you have a soundcard that is capable of outputting Dolby Headphone, then plug your headphones straight into that. Can't do much with consoles though, unless you buy a Turtle beach or a Astro mixamp.
I have a receiver too and I just normally plug my AD700 into it. The sound is great and because of the soundstage of the headphones, I don't need virtual surround.
If you have a soundcard that is capable of outputting Dolby Headphone, then plug your headphones straight into that. Can't do much with consoles though, unless you buy a Turtle beach or a Astro mixamp.
I bought the Official PS3 ones for $74.99 on Newegg. Let's just say Call of Duty islike a new game. I've heard things that I didn't even know were there. Oh and footsteps I hear them coming much more pronounced now. Just equip Silent perk and all's good.
Link
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16879261316
What I love:
>Charge while play
>Slider for voice and less music and vice versa
*You can also drown out all in game voice chatter or lobby chatter with the voice slider
>7.1 virtual surround button
>Master volume slider
>Push button function on earpiece to mute voice- tap again to enable
>PS3 display functions on TV when activated
>PC compatible
Better than the TB X21's that are twice the price
Link
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16879261316
What I love:
>Charge while play
>Slider for voice and less music and vice versa
*You can also drown out all in game voice chatter or lobby chatter with the voice slider
>7.1 virtual surround button
>Master volume slider
>Push button function on earpiece to mute voice- tap again to enable
>PS3 display functions on TV when activated
>PC compatible
Better than the TB X21's that are twice the price
NervousXtian
Thought Emoji Movie was good. Take that as you will.
That's what I was afraid of.
I got out of the home audio game for almost a decade after selling the stuff for 4 years. I'm really disappointed that nobody is making a perfect solution receiver with all the stuff out today.
Like how no receiver at pretty much any price can do what my $50 monoprice HDMI switch can do, how great would it be if I didn't have to use that to output to 2 different TV's. I know it's an audio source first and foremost, but I know I can't be the only guy who wants to use a receiver as both and audio and video all in one solution to switching.
There just seems to be real basic things that are relatively inexpensive that are left out on receivers these days that just make life easier.
Maybe going with an all in one Turtle Beach or Tritton solution is best..
well I got these Sony MDR-DS6500 headphones as a christmas present
http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/st...&storeId=10151&langId=-1&partNumber=MDRDS6500
so far I'm very pleased with them
Nice! I bought these Sennheisers for my Pops for Christmas the RS-170
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002TLT10I/?tag=neogaf0e-20
CoachKevin
Member
Anyone use the TMA-1's for gaming? Might swap out my AD-700s for those.
brain_stew
Member
You can buy receivers that support Dolby Headphone, they're just uncommon.
SomeOneInaHat
Member
What is the best headset for Xbox 360 and PC? (One single set of headphones).
I've been using x11 + DSS for quite a while and have been wondering if there was a single headset capable of greater quality/ ease of use.
I've been using x11 + DSS for quite a while and have been wondering if there was a single headset capable of greater quality/ ease of use.
I have these as well, and they're pretty good. However, there are two things that one should be aware of before buying one:
1) Other wireless transmitters can interfere with the PX5's signal, so be aware if your router is in the same room as your gaming setup. I used to have to deal with some annoying interference at first, but I think I've managed to separate the router and the PX5's transmitter far enough so that they don't conflict with each other now.
2) It eats up batteries fairly quickly, and if the battery gets low, your game audio will be interrupted every ten seconds by a computer voice saying "BATTERY. LOW." until you replace them. It's super obnoxious, and I wish it had some other kind of battery warning.
Having said that, I still think they're good headphones, and as ckohler said the directional audio is top-notch despite being simulated surround. I've never gotten any complaints about the mic quality.
Seems like a rare combo but I'll be sure to chime in when I get both kits in. I'll be ordering the tma-1s this Friday, and the mixamp a week or two later.
Mighty
Member
I picked up a pair of Astro A30s with the wireless mix amp for 360/PS3 gaming a few months back and everything sounds great. The bass could be a little deeper, but I imagine that's what Astro's A40 line is for. I opted for the lighter, more portable set since these are my primary pair of headphones. Definitely not on the cheap side, but it's fun to splurge every once in a while!
i3allistic
Member
No Love for the Logitech F540? I'm rockin a set + Turtle Beach DSS
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Guh. Went to order the mixamp, and Chrome is now giving me this warning when I try to log in on the website.
It wasn't doing this yesterday.
It wasn't doing this yesterday.
CoachKevin
Member
Most likely just not renewed for 2012, looks like it was just an oversight from their webhost.
Using google checkout worked for me this morning no problem. No sign in to their site needed.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Yeah, I thought "fuck it" and ordered anyway .
So, there it is. Soon I will have;
- AD700
- Asus Xonar DG
- Astro Mixamp Pro
All are ordered and on the way. Thanks to those who offered advice and helped me make this purchase. You will be in my heart always.
.So, there it is. Soon I will have;
- AD700
- Asus Xonar DG
- Astro Mixamp Pro
All are ordered and on the way. Thanks to those who offered advice and helped me make this purchase. You will be in my heart always.
CoachKevin
Member
Yeah, I thought "fuck it" and ordered anyway
So, there it is. Soon I will have;
- AD700
- Asus Xonar DG
- Astro Mixamp Pro
All are ordered and on the way. Thanks to those who offered advice and helped me make this purchase. You will be in my heart always.
Right with you, thanks to this thread. AD700's come tomorrow. Sadly the Mixamp 5.8 won't ship until the 9th.
CoachKevin
Member
NICE! Astro shipped my Mixamp 5.8 today! Guess they are shipping stuff this week!
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Preface: I'm a moderate audiophile and many people might not share my views or be as picky as I am. I have never really liked any gaming headphones all that much. I own the following headphones and equipment:
Sennheiser PC350
Sennheiser PC360 (my main PC headphones...I EQ these to tone down the upper bass...and I use these over my other headphones because I need a good mic)
AKG K702 (my music headphones)
Ultrasone HFI-580 (my 'fun' headphones)
Source:
Realtek 889
Astro Mixamp
Maverick Audio D1 (only use it when listening to music...don't really prefer it to my Realtek 889, so I wouldn't waste your money)
I've also tried the Xonar STX, but it wasn't that big of an upgrade over the Realtek 889. As the Realtek 889 is the highest onboard sound they offer, it's actually not half bad, so I see no reason to replace it.
---
I don't know if there are better alternatives if you really need Dolby Headphone, but the Astro Mixamp is not that good if you're not bothering to use it for its mixing capabilities. It has serious shielding issues, and is a pretty poor amp. My PC onboard (Realtek 889) sound is a fair bit better.
I still use the mixamp when I want to use headphones when gaming on consoles, though.
edit: woops, I see you ordered it. No big deal...it has its uses for consoles especially, as it will make using your headphones with it a breeze. On the PC side of things, just use the Xonar DG. If you need a bit of extra bass, don't be afraid to EQ your Xonar a little bit. Give a bit of a boost in the 20-100Hz range, or even up to 200-300Hz if you want a bit of mid bass. You won't need to touch it much, just a few dBs at most to get that oomph back.
Then again, your perception of bass might be different than most. I have the AKG K702, which many people say lack bass, but I find they have great bass, so that's that.
If you ever do go to get another set and want closed headphones that sound incredible for gaming, be sure to check out the Ultrasone HFI-580.
Sennheiser PC350
Sennheiser PC360 (my main PC headphones...I EQ these to tone down the upper bass...and I use these over my other headphones because I need a good mic)
AKG K702 (my music headphones)
Ultrasone HFI-580 (my 'fun' headphones)
Source:
Realtek 889
Astro Mixamp
Maverick Audio D1 (only use it when listening to music...don't really prefer it to my Realtek 889, so I wouldn't waste your money)
I've also tried the Xonar STX, but it wasn't that big of an upgrade over the Realtek 889. As the Realtek 889 is the highest onboard sound they offer, it's actually not half bad, so I see no reason to replace it.
---
I don't know if there are better alternatives if you really need Dolby Headphone, but the Astro Mixamp is not that good if you're not bothering to use it for its mixing capabilities. It has serious shielding issues, and is a pretty poor amp. My PC onboard (Realtek 889) sound is a fair bit better.
I still use the mixamp when I want to use headphones when gaming on consoles, though.
edit: woops, I see you ordered it. No big deal...it has its uses for consoles especially, as it will make using your headphones with it a breeze. On the PC side of things, just use the Xonar DG. If you need a bit of extra bass, don't be afraid to EQ your Xonar a little bit. Give a bit of a boost in the 20-100Hz range, or even up to 200-300Hz if you want a bit of mid bass. You won't need to touch it much, just a few dBs at most to get that oomph back.
Then again, your perception of bass might be different than most. I have the AKG K702, which many people say lack bass, but I find they have great bass, so that's that.
If you ever do go to get another set and want closed headphones that sound incredible for gaming, be sure to check out the Ultrasone HFI-580.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
That's literally the only reason I bought it; using my headphones as a surround sound solution for console gaming. Meanwhile the Xonar will fill the PC gaps. Pretty happy with the purchase as a whole. Now just to wait for it all to arrive.
Just keep the mixamp away from wireless sources. Maybe the wireless mixamp is better, but my regular mixamp, if it gets anywhere near a cordless phone or my wireless router, starts producing a lot of static. It's not well shielded at all.
Besides that, I have no real complaints, other than the fact that it really doesn't improve sound. Don't care for Dolby Headphone, personally, though I realize many people enjoy it. It does what it claims to do and without a fuss, so that's a plus. I love being able to mix in game and mic chatter, and I especially love being able to use Ventrilo on my PC through it while mixing in console games as well. No other device in this price range will allow me to do that.
I wouldn't throw out such absolutes. Plenty of headphones have better bass detail than the DT 770. They do have heavy bass, though. That's not to say that they're bad headphones, but there's no such thing as 'best' at anything, at least not in that price range.
And yeah, garbage in garbage out is especially true with good headphones. I owned a pair of DT 770 at one point, and they sounded horrendous. Super boomy uncontrolled bass, no midrange, and they sounded super hollow. At the time I assumed it was the headphones, but looking back at it, I can only summarize that it must have been the source, as these are very well liked.
Besides that, I have no real complaints, other than the fact that it really doesn't improve sound. Don't care for Dolby Headphone, personally, though I realize many people enjoy it. It does what it claims to do and without a fuss, so that's a plus. I love being able to mix in game and mic chatter, and I especially love being able to use Ventrilo on my PC through it while mixing in console games as well. No other device in this price range will allow me to do that.
My "bassy" headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (80ohm version.)
Nothing can beat these when it comes to bass response, they are simply unparalleled. They are comofartable for a while, but they do press on my ears so they get sore after a couple of hours. Bass is awesome, highs are crisp, and are simply a joy to listen to. Gives that great thumping sensation from grenade blasts and the sort. The Mass Effect biotics, for example, sound very cool. The amazing thing about the bass is, and this is the reason they're so expensive, is that they're not "boomy" like the TurtleBeaches amplified sets or the Dr.Dre's. You can indeed hear different levels of bass and in more detail than in any other set. Like any headphone, the source is what matters. Gargage in, garbage out. Listen to some dubstep or hip hop with these in lossless format and you'll be glad you forked over the cash. The only drawbacks are that the mids get drown out and of course the sore ears after some hours of use. They're also not as light as my Senns, but otherwise great all around multimedia headphones. (They were primarily designed for studio tracking, though.)
I wouldn't throw out such absolutes. Plenty of headphones have better bass detail than the DT 770. They do have heavy bass, though. That's not to say that they're bad headphones, but there's no such thing as 'best' at anything, at least not in that price range.
And yeah, garbage in garbage out is especially true with good headphones. I owned a pair of DT 770 at one point, and they sounded horrendous. Super boomy uncontrolled bass, no midrange, and they sounded super hollow. At the time I assumed it was the headphones, but looking back at it, I can only summarize that it must have been the source, as these are very well liked.
ROBOKITTYZILLA
Member
Another nice feature of the MixAmp is that you can mix in an external audio source like an iPod/iPhone or other MP3 player. Instant custom soundtrack for every game.
CoachKevin
Member
So did mine. A pleasant surprise
It must have just been for their custom design warehouse or something.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Xonar arrived. Not sure about the Dolby Surround effect. Seems pretty weak and not what I expected or have experienced elsewhere. I might need to do some tinkers. Just doesn't seem to do a very good job of emulating surround sound. Sounds great hooked up to my speakers though.
The Xtortionist
Member
Dolby Headphone let me follow my friend around in Modern Warfare 2 with my eyes closed based on footsteps alone, though that was with the Mixamp on console. But the effect definitely works.
CoachKevin
Member
Got my AD700's yesterday, posted some thoughts in the $500 headphone thread, thought I would share them here:
Thinking of ordering the HD558's instead, but so far, in the last 4 hours of use I am starting to like the AD700s. Probably makes more sense to save the money and stick with the AD700s.
Thinking of ordering the HD558's instead, but so far, in the last 4 hours of use I am starting to like the AD700s. Probably makes more sense to save the money and stick with the AD700s.
Like I said, I really don't care for it at all. It makes everything sound hollow and hurts the sound, to my ears.
CoachKevin
Member
My Fiio E7 just showed up.
Having the bass boost makes a huge difference with the AD700's! Will try it out with the 360 in a bit.
Having the bass boost makes a huge difference with the AD700's! Will try it out with the 360 in a bit.
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
A lot of it is just getting use to the difference in sound stage as well as maybe burn in time (though I'm not as big of a believer in burn in drastically changing things like some).
WTF do I know though. LOL
SapientWolf
Trucker Sexologist
Depends on the game, really. Some games just don't have good surround sound to begin with. With BF3 the difference should be noticeable right off the bat.
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
There is this fact as well. In general sound design other than oh it has some cool gun effects or I like the OST isn't discussed much. In terms of getting really good sound stage from the source material and such it varies greatly from game to game, and sadly gets overlooked a lot in game discussions.
DenogginizerOS
BenjaminBirdie's Thomas Jefferson
Yamaha receivers use Silent Cinema. It creates an amazing surround sound field with my 555's. Most Yamaha now come with this feature as standard.
ROBOKITTYZILLA
Member
Just purchased 2 Xonar DGs, 2 pair of ATH AD1000 headphones, and 2 Zalman clip-on mics. I went with the ATH AD1000 because of the nicer aesthetic and improved sound quality over the AD900. I'm importing from Japan, so hopefully they are worth the money. I plan to upgrade both of the soundcards to the Xonar Essence in the future.
Anyone have any other microphone recommendations? The Zalman seems to be the most recommended but has a lot of mixed reviews and I'm worried about the omnidirectional mic and sensitivity. I decided it was worth the risk at $10 each but would like to know if there are some better solutions (that don't include goofy boom mic mods).
Anyone have any other microphone recommendations? The Zalman seems to be the most recommended but has a lot of mixed reviews and I'm worried about the omnidirectional mic and sensitivity. I decided it was worth the risk at $10 each but would like to know if there are some better solutions (that don't include goofy boom mic mods).
PflargBlarg
Member
What are your particular worries about the zalman mic in terms of the direction and sensitivity? I always use push to talk so I don't have to worry about it picking up ambient noise. It is extremely sensitive though. I've done it before where I haven't even bothered to clip it on, I just lay it on the desk in front of me and it still picks me up.
MikeE21286
Member
Yep, I've always used Yamaha receivers. It's supposed to be their equivalent/competitor to Dolby Headphone.
Have you tried both? I've always wondered which is better, but have never tried the Dolby Headphones.
The Xtortionist
Member
Zalmans are good as long as you're not using them with a Mixamp.
DenogginizerOS
BenjaminBirdie's Thomas Jefferson
I haven't, but a friend of mine says they are close to each other but the edge goes to Yamaha. I think it boils down to quality of headphones as well as personal taste.
By comparison, the wireless Sony PS3 headset is a closed set and is much brighter, less bassy than my 555's. The wireless aspect plus having a built-in mic is great, but if I can run the cords, I go with my 555's and a USB mic.
I've actually used both of those a lot, and I much prefer the AD700s. The only thing the 555s do better is bass, everything else seems much better to me on the 700s -- the 555 sounds a bit muffled (I hope that's the right word) in comparison. Also, them being "HUGE" is actually one of the best things about them IMHO, since as I said earlier in the thread they're the most comfortable headphones I've ever used.
Even with a game like BF3, I feel that stereo sound is far superior to Dolby Headphone.
Conversely, I really love Dolby Headphone. I've never had any problems pinpointing sounds in space when using it.
In fact, I go so far as to upmix my stereo music using neural upmix and then running it through dolby headphone when listening to it using headphones. This would probably get me killed in some circles, but I really feel like it moves the music out of my head and into the surrounding space (I can't think of another way to describe it).
In fact, I go so far as to upmix my stereo music using neural upmix and then running it through dolby headphone when listening to it using headphones. This would probably get me killed in some circles, but I really feel like it moves the music out of my head and into the surrounding space (I can't think of another way to describe it).
SapientWolf
Trucker Sexologist
You're trading some sound quality for a larger sound stage with Dobly Headphone. For a competitive shooter I think it's worth it. It's far easier to determine where a sound is coming from.
What you're saying is true, I won't deny that.