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Xonar Essence STX: Sneak Peek! - Page 38

post #556 of 2057
2/4/09 at 10:41am
Do you WANT the 'mutli-speaker emulation' on your headphones though? Because, you don't HAVE to use any of those options. You can just turn on the hi-fi option and you get pure sweet sound out of the headphone jack.
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post #557 of 2057
2/4/09 at 10:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bojamijams View Post
Do you WANT the 'mutli-speaker emulation' on your headphones though? Because, you don't HAVE to use any of those options. You can just turn on the hi-fi option and you get pure sweet sound out of the headphone jack.
And I do use that, for listening to music. It sounds great. For gaming though, I want that extra surround sound feel. Dolby Headphone just stinks for that, it sounds like I am in an oil drum or something. Dolby Virtual Speaker on the other hand gives a surround sound effect but without sacrificing the sound quality much if at all.

Just try it on your Essence and you will see what I am talking about.
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post #558 of 2057
2/4/09 at 11:49am
Thread Starter 
Just different settings meant for different tasks. Peoples opinions will vary. I like Dolby Heapdhone for certain tasks aslong as the room simulation isn't overly large so I stick with the reference room. 7.1 virtual speaker is also great but it has been designed for speakers. I say use whatever works for you.
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post #559 of 2057
2/4/09 at 11:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBSCIX View Post
Just different settings meant for different tasks. Peoples opinions will vary. I like Dolby Heapdhone for certain tasks aslong as the room simulation isn't overly large so I stick with the reference room. 7.1 virtual speaker is also great but it has been designed for speakers. I say use whatever works for you.
It's the difference between the inputs is what I am talking about. Just try this: using the heaphone output, choose the option for Dolby Headphone and then 7.1 Virtual Speaker, so you have both of them checked. Listen to the sound quality.

Now, switch your headphone to the speaker connections on the sound card using the RCA splitter. Change the output to 2 Speaker. Now choose the option for Dolby Virtual Speaker and then 7.1 Virtual Speaker. Listen to the difference, there is a distinct difference in the sound quality there. I don't think it has anything to do with the options, I think the Xonar Software headphone options are messed up, they destroy the sound quality compared to the 2 speaker output options.
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post #560 of 2057
2/4/09 at 12:49pm
I don't think they 'destroy' sound quality, its just tuned for different mechanisms, and you prefer one over the other. You're saying you like Dolby Virtual Speaker or Dolby Headphone. Different technology, different algorithms, one tuned for headphones, other for speakers.

I'm not saying there's no bug possibly being present though, best thing would be to post this concern on the ASUS boards and see what they have to say.

But I doubt they intentionally 'destroy' the sound quality.
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post #561 of 2057
2/4/09 at 1:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bojamijams View Post
I don't think they 'destroy' sound quality, its just tuned for different mechanisms, and you prefer one over the other. You're saying you like Dolby Virtual Speaker or Dolby Headphone. Different technology, different algorithms, one tuned for headphones, other for speakers.

I'm not saying there's no bug possibly being present though, best thing would be to post this concern on the ASUS boards and see what they have to say.

But I doubt they intentionally 'destroy' the sound quality.
I did post on the ASUS forums, so I will see what they say. I don't think they are intentionally trying to mess up the sound quality, it may be a software bug as you say. It may working as intended, who knows. I just think that all of the options should be available no matter what output you choose. That's why I brought it up, in hopes that someone may be able to modify the software to allow this.

I just don't know why the 7.1 Virtual Speaker option on "Headphone" output and on "2-Speaker" output sound so differently, when they are supposedly the same.
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post #562 of 2057
2/4/09 at 6:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by draven5494 View Post
I was playing around with the Essence software last night and there is something I noticed.

When plugged into the 1/4" jack on the Essence, I choose "Headphone" on the Analog Output menu. This gives me the options of Dolby Headphone, Dolby Pro Logic II and 7.1 Virtual Speaker. All of which, when selected, really degrade the sound quality of the source material. Be it music or gaming or whatever. I just do not like the sound that comes from those options.

So, I thought, let me try plugging my headphones into the front audio connectors using the RCA splitter cable. So, I did that and chose "2 Speakers" from the Analog Output menu. When doing that, I get the option of either Dolby Virtual Speaker as well as 7.1 Virtual Speaker. When selecting those options, the sound quality sounds much better than the headphone options I listed in the first paragraph. I mean, the Dolby Virtual Speaker sounds good! It gives you that 'out of head' feeling without destroying the sound quality.

Unfortunately, the front panel connectors through the RCA splitter are not amped. Why would ASUS not include these options in their SW when selecting 'headphone' on the analog output? I would think there would be a way to rig the software to allow these options to show up when using the headphone output. Since I am not all that savvy with changing .dat files and whatnot, I just can't figure out where to change this.

Has anyone here noticed this sound quality difference?
I assume you have your audio channels set to 2 then. Try setting your Channles to 8. You will notice Pro logic IIx goes away and only 7.1 Speaker shifter and dolby headphone remain.

Also when gamming set your channles to 7.1 in your games.

I find Pro Logic IIx is the problem. It Has a dampend sound. Kinda like an oil drum like how you described.

You can also try to set the channels based on the app your using. Music 2 channles just with no Pro Logic eveything else on. 2 channles for music with 7.1 shifter is slightly fuller sound compair to 8 channels.

For Games set to 8 channels, which will disable the pro logic anyway.
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post #563 of 2057
2/4/09 at 6:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkRegion View Post
I assume you have your audio channels set to 2 then. Try setting your Channles to 8. You will notice Pro logic IIx goes away and only 7.1 Speaker shifter and dolby headphone remain.

Also when gamming set your channles to 7.1 in your games.

I find Pro Logic IIx is the problem. It Has a dampend sound. Kinda like an oil drum like how you described.

You can also try to set the channels based on the app your using. Music 2 channles just with no Pro Logic eveything else on. 2 channles for music with 7.1 shifter is slightly fuller sound compair to 8 channels.

Games use 8 channels, which will disable the pro logic anyway.

I have tried that, and those options are only available in Vista. I use both Vista 64 and XP 64, mainly XP 64. It's not the # of channels that are causing the issue, it's the options available for the different outputs you select them in the Xonar software, mainly Dolby Headphone.

I have another question, is the 1/4" headphone jack on the soundcard the only port that is amped?
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post #564 of 2057
2/4/09 at 6:52pm
Yeah the 1/4" is the only amped one.
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post #565 of 2057
2/4/09 at 6:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by draven5494 View Post
I have tried that, and those options are only available in Vista. I use both Vista 64 and XP 64, mainly XP 64. It's not the # of channels that are causing the issue, it's the options available for the different outputs you select them in the Xonar software, mainly Dolby Headphone.

I have another question, is the 1/4" headphone jack on the soundcard the only port that is amped?
So you have tried to use the 7.1 Speaker shifter in combo with Dolby headphones, and have the Pro Logic IIx unchecked?

Can you disable the Pro Logic IIx in XP?

Dose it sound better with the settings Listed aboved with Vista?

Yes Headphone jack is the only one that is amped.
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post #566 of 2057
2/4/09 at 9:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkRegion View Post
So you have tried to use the 7.1 Speaker shifter in combo with Dolby headphones, and have the Pro Logic IIx unchecked?

Can you disable the Pro Logic IIx in XP?

Dose it sound better with the settings Listed aboved with Vista?

Yes Headphone jack is the only one that is amped.
Honestly, all of those options sound bad to me when using the headphone output. When using the RCA splitter on the card and choosing that option in the software, I choose either Dolby Virtual Speaker or 7.1 Virtual Sound. Either one of those sound great.

It is hard for me to describe, that is why I invite you guys to try it on your cards to hear the difference.
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post #567 of 2057
2/4/09 at 10:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by draven5494 View Post
Honestly, all of those options sound bad to me when using the headphone output. When using the RCA splitter on the card and choosing that option in the software, I choose either Dolby Virtual Speaker or 7.1 Virtual Sound. Either one of those sound great.

It is hard for me to describe, that is why I invite you guys to try it on your cards to hear the difference.
Will do. I'm sure I got a spare RCA to RCA somewhere....
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post #568 of 2057
2/4/09 at 11:33pm
Having A/B'ed the headphone out and the 2 speaker option, well, I have to say the most noticeable thing off the bat is the output in terms of power. It sounds louder with the knob at the same position of the headphone amp than with the headphone out.

The treble sounds crisper, more detail and more extension. Bass is about the same quality imo. It brings out the mids more as well although the most noticeable improvement is in the treble.
The swap doesn't make my DT880's mids sound recessed that much at all.

I'm using a TV composite cable lols. I couldn't find my RCA to RCA so it'll do and does the job fine. (Using the sound parts of the cable and not using the visual cable).

The reason for the difference is the opamps used IMO.

LM4562 in the speaker output vs. OPA2114 for the headphone out.

Big ups for the tip.
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post #569 of 2057
2/5/09 at 12:38am
the 'opamp' for the headphone out is the TI one.. I forget which, but its TI.. the opa2114 is for i/v
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post #570 of 2057
2/5/09 at 2:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by draven5494 View Post
Honestly, all of those options sound bad to me when using the headphone output. When using the RCA splitter on the card and choosing that option in the software, I choose either Dolby Virtual Speaker or 7.1 Virtual Sound. Either one of those sound great.

It is hard for me to describe, that is why I invite you guys to try it on your cards to hear the difference.
Just got done testing this. Yes it dose sound different.

After testing with some music nightwish, Epica. It's a but more punch. And a somewhat different sound image. Music sounds fine using the RCA out.

After Testing Gamming with Crysis, I find that its sounds more different. Its worse with Dolby virtual speaker. Using just Virtual speaker shifter however SQ is fine. Also by using Dolby virtual speakers your are limited to 5.1 even with the 7.1 shifter enabled. If you use you speaker shifter and move the 2 rear speakers around they have no sound.

Why is it worse? Mostly postioning is off, creates a bit of confusion. The distance of people's foot steps and when they speak, gun sounds and even when you are driving is less accurate when compaired to dolby headphone/7.1 shifter. The quality of the sound is better overall using headphone jack for gamming.

I use 7.1 shifter in combo with dolby headphone while using headphone jack. I don't like just using dolby headphone by itself.
When using Dolby headphone with the 7.1 shifter you get sound out of all the virtual speakers.

Why I think it sounds different:
Well the approach to create a virtual surround image is different for speakers vs headphones.

When you use your headphones they are pointing directly at your ears.

When you use speakers they are mostly in front of you.

Because of this they have to project the sound differently to obtain a surround effect.
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