Earforce DDS vs. Astro Mixamp vs. Tritton AX720 Decoder

IT will depend on what you have and what you need.

In terms of Dolby decoder and power output the DSS and Mixamp has the same thing.

 

The ax720 has the same decoder chip but I don't know its power output rate.
 

I've never had the dss, I have the mixamp as it is more versatile. It lets you use any microphone and balance the audio between chat and game sound.

x2 for Mixamp. Also allows mp3 player connection for your own background music; supports daisy chaining for LANs, and there's even a new wireless model if that appeals to you. All the DSS has is a gimmicky bass boost.

in that regard they are the same, lol!

 

Well the dss has the bass boost function which may help bass weak headphones, lol!

 

Sound wise I could go as far as to say they are the same.... so... it is up to you to check the specs, if not the dss is cheaper, lol

I can't vouch for Mixamp, it may well be better. But HOT DAM is the DSS SICK. I played Guitar Hero: Smash Hits on the xbox 360 with dolby digital enabled....and it was more than night/day difference than my stereo system. I almost cried because it sounded like was at a concert. Just wow....I honestly wasn't expecting that much from such a tiny box. (Ofc, you need good headphones too, like JVC HARX700 or 900, i mean nothing super awsome, but still good quality headphones.)

 

You plug the usb from one side, into xbox. You plug the optical cable from ones to xbox. Then you plug your headphones into the other side. (Select DD in audio options in xbox) and your done. Thats it.

 

If you still need a mic, jsut wrap the xbox headset around your neck.

Edited by kennyparker1337 - 11/13/10 at 8:14pm

lol same thing different name, lol!
 

They all sound exactly the same when it comes to Dolby Headphone. They all use the Dolby Headphone 2 standard.

If you want versatility, the Mixamp is the most effective. The AX720 amp is slightly more powerful and can drive headphones better than the Mixamp, but the clarity on the Mixamp is very slightly better during really loud volumes. I mean that it has a slight noise during loud volume ONLY if whatever you're listening to is dead silent. During normal use, you can't notice.

The DSS is the least versatile, and only allows voice chat mixed in with Turtle Beach headsets. The bass boost isn't a huge difference. More like a bass enhancer. The new Mixamp 5.8 has a bass expander which functions the same way. It won't make a dramatic difference.

Consider that the DSS is only 20 dollars less than the new Mixamp 5.8 (at least when it's released).

If I had none, I'd go with the AX720 as it pretty much brings a gaming headset for free (and it works very well).

AD700's are very efficient and will sound great no matter what you plug them into. I'd say just go with the Mixamp and be done with it. It is the most popular and has the best reputation here out of the three. The other two you may have difficulties finding feedback/reviews on but the Mixamp is a guaranteed great buy.

As an owner of both the MixAmp and DSS, I can tell you that if you just want to add surround sound to your headphones, then the DSS would be your best bet.  Literally the DSS and MixAmp are the exact thing, except that the MixAmp has chat mixing, whereas the DSS has bass boost.  When you take price into account, this too would support the use of a DSS into your gaming rig.  A DSS shouldn't cost you more than $75, so that's a full $50 less than a MixAmp.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Force-Channel-Dolby-Surround-Processor-Mac/dp/B003O0KICS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AN8LN2YPKS7DF&s=merchant-items&qid=1289842686&sr=1-1

 

http://www.provantage.com/voyetra-turtle-beach-systems-tbs-2100~7VOYE03L.htm

look here for differences between these dolby processors: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/522902/console-gaming-surround-headphones-solutions#post_7057023

Awesome, just what I needed to hear. I am going to snatch an ax pro decoder and was hoping it'd work similar to a mixamp quality wise. Do you think it's powerful enough to power Beyer 880's?