[gaming]Unable to get directional audio on my ad700. Creative X-fi as sound card.

What OS are you using, and is there a specified driver for your OS?

I had an X-fi USB that wouldnt work right in Vista or Win7. It had Creative beta drivers, that's it.

If you're talking about the virtual haircut, you need to have virtualized 3d audio turned off.

yeah with CMSS3D turned on binaural recordings might not work

CMSS 3D on 2 channel setup is meant for processing multichannel audio into a virtual surround sound on either stereo speakers or headphones

I've actually found that headphones that don't improve sound stage are better for binaural recordings. Grados sound better and more real to me, but for music designed for speakers, other headphones generate a more realistic presentation.

Basically, binaural does the CMSS-3d for you in the original recording. So if you use binaural AND CMSS-3D, you're doing it twice, which is wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junliang 

So why do people say cmss-3d improve directional audio when they jumble them up and play it in 3d effect.. ?

CMSS3D stuff botches up Binaural records because binaural audio already contains directional cues! What CMSS3D, Dobly Headphone and alikes try to do is SIMULATE BINAURAL AUDIO on content that do not have one!

So, when listening music, binaural stuff and whatever, use Audio Creation mode and all effects off.

When gaming, use gaming mode with speaker settings in audio console set to headphone and CMSS3D enabled. Also set speaker settings in Windows to 5.1, just check again it doesnt change speaker settings the Audio Console to 5.1. (In XP you can disable Windows and Audio Console linking, in Vista you cannot but between 5.1 speakers and headphone there SHOULD be no linking)

Also in videogames, if it has hardware 3D through Directsound3D and EAX (with help of Alchemy software if you have Vista) or OpenAL + EAX, USE THEM. It renders above speaker trickstery unnecessary too as CMSS3D gets its directional cues straight from the game and attempts to turn it binaural. Most games nowadays however (and dissapointingly) use software acceleration, so within the game set speakers to 5.1 and you are good to go. Combined with above speaker setting fiddling you get surround sound through CMSS3D, but not very good above and below you effects, just general speaker direction simulation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junliang 

man, i am really not sure if the realtek HD onboard motherboard is clashing with my creative soundcard or not man..

still cant listen to the barbershop in its intended way, still sounded without specific directions.

 

even my mic when set to high volume picks up noise when i am not pressing the push to talk button on my keyboard.

 

so confusing and irritating..

That's because the ATH-AD700 has such a wide sound-stage. I myself can't hear the cues using my setup with ATH-AD700. If i use Grado SR325i on the other hand, or a closed headphone like the SRH840 the results are much more convincing. The ATH-AD700 is good for stereo stuff that's not bin-aural, and most games aren't bin-aural enough to really make a difference. This is why the ATH-AD700 shines for gaming.

I'd almost say that ATH-AD700 is like adding bin aural to your music in hardware. The effect is so strong it can cancel out binaural. It doesn't do anything like that in truth, but the sound stage is just so huge that things that should sound like they're right next to you don't when you use binaural. If you got some cheap earbuds or other headphones try those. I think you'll hear something similar to what I've heard.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junliang 

no luck, switched from ath ad700 to pc160, still cant get the directional audio that i heard with my laptop > dac > amp > headphone..

how the heck do you uninstall the audio portion of the mother board anyway..

 

just fyi, this comp(i mainly use for gaming) was set up by my brother, in which i went to upgrade and have a soundcard, but i guess things didn't go as expect like what people said

"Get a x-fi soundcard with ath ad700, you will get the best directional audio in the market"

Sigh, I can't solve this problem !!!

You are misunderstanding, then, Junliang. You know the comments we already made, the ATH-AD700's huge sound stage is 1 fix to a common problem. If you play music that already has a really good soundstage fix built in, it will be even wider and won't be accurate. the point of the ATH-AD700's is to FIX what is commonly a problem: poor sound stage in games. The ATH-AD700 spaces it out and makes it more convincing.

So what you're saying is all these people are wrong, though? I suggest you buy a pair of Grados and try it for yourself. You'll find exactly what we found: The ATH-AD700 is best for gaming, but it isn't anything like a pair of grados are for binaural recordings. Binaural prefers headphones with a smaller stage. The stuff that isn't already binaural benefits from a big headstage. that's the thing. And that's why many of us have multiple headphones.

Seriously, though, I have:

ATH-AD700 for gaming.

Shure SRH840 for music and gaming (it's almost good enough, but not quite to best ad700).

Grado SR325i for music.

Westone UM1 for music, portable.

Sony MDR-V6 for some gaming (like WoW), and music that likes deep bass or a forgiving can.

And I want to add more to that list. Pardon the obvious statement but there's a lot of truth in it: Different headphones are different.

Buy some SR80i's and try it for yourself, you'll see exactly what I've described. Binaural is best on small stage cans. Non binaural is best on big stage cans.

Also, your onboard sound, if you're not plugged into it doesn't factor into the equation at all. Turn of all features. Remove cmss, remove crystalizer, bass boost, eq, etc. Past that I have no idea what it could be.