Blops 2 wasn't good for audio at all for me. It seems every game released in CoD gets worse and worse in terms of audio, and it's importance.

Ok I get what you guys are saying. Different engines for different games, not only in graphics but in sound as well. *smacks myself on the head*
 
I can still tell a significant difference, however, between the mixamp and the recon3d while I was playing BF3. My surroundings were more open and distant. It was slightly compressed and louder when I used the recon (my THX settings were Surround at 100%, Crystalizer off, Bass boost 60%, Smart volume on loud, and Dialogue Plus on for movies). While playing Hitman, with the mixamp, I was able to clearly point out positional cues. This was not so with the recon3d.  I really got to truly feel the 5.1/7.1 experience for the first time (the 2011 mixamp is 7.1 right?). Rear positional cues were easily distinguished whether it be upper right, bottem left, etc.
 
In contrast, for movies, this is where I think I prefer the recon. Smart Volume and Dialogue Plus came in handy at times like this. I like to hear everything clearly... and loud like I'm at the movies. Having Smart Volume on loud, and Dialougue Plus on allowed that to happen for me. The mixamp is ok... but the mids are certainly lacking. Backround music didn't really grasp me, to be honest. This is where the recon's adjustments made it beneficial, Dialogue Plus basically speaks for itself: makes voices sound clear in movies (the mixamp's dialogue is clearer, though, and does not have these additional adjustments). Smart Volume on normal is where I find the sound similar to the mixamp (lacking mids). But like I said before, Smart Volume on loud fixes that issue. Again, this was only when watching movies. For gaming, the mixamp is superior, imo... because the Smart Volume when on tends to affect the soundstage.
 
In the end, I mainly just play games... so the mixamp is the winner for me. Amazon is willing to give me a partial refund for the recon, which will almost equal what I paid for the mixamp. Even trade in my eyes. Also, having the chat mixer on the mixamp was a plus for me to go along with the option of volume control through an additional amp. Now I can hear my friends through all the chaos... and still enjoy the full surround sound.
 
I do plan on upgrading to the 2013 mixamp in the future, though. From what I read, even with the hiss, all those additional features for different occasions combine all of the best qualities of the 2011 mixamp and the recon3d both... possibly for me, atleast.

Hi guys, I am looking for some help on two things.
 
1) My girlfriend really wants a wireless headset. I think its mainly because I keep tripping over her headset cables and pulling it out. We have seen the Logitech H800 http://www.logitech.com/en-roeu/product/wireless-headset-h800.. what are your thoughts on this? Any alternatives around the same price range?
 
2) I am looking for a microphone for youtube recording that won't blow the budget. I have seen the Zalman clip style microphones but I don't want a microphone that is low sensitivity and picks up alot of noise. So basically is it worth looking into a condenser microphone for $100 more? Or any microphones around $50 US with good quality?
 
Thanks for the help in advance =D 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-23gKZYsH-E - For those of you looking at the Cross Platform Audio Mixer from Steelseries, here's a little more info. 9ft long headphone cable and 3ft long usb. Go to the 3min mark to learn about the Mixer. Seems to be pretty awesome!

Also, no one answered my question. I'm guessing I don't need anything besides my receiver with the Annies. 

Change, the first/2nd gen Mixamp and 2013 Mixamp/5.8 sound exactly the same virtual surround wise, despite the formers being (5.1) and latters being 7.1. You have to remember, optical is Dolby Digital /DTS 5.1, not 7.1 Whether the new ones matrix in rear channels or not doesn't make a lick of difference as they are still getting information from 5.1 source. The old ones did rear cues just as well. Compared directly, couldn't tell the difference.

The 2013 Mixamp is good if you want EQ-presets. I personally don't like to use any EQ and keep it on the flat setting, so all I'd need is the 2011 Mixamp, personally. EQ tends to ruin SQ more often than not. The only time I think EQ is fine is if there is a deficiency in a headphone's sound, like adding bass to the AD700, or reducing treble in the DT990. For something like the Annie, I wouldn't want to add or take any anything. That headphone has a perfect balance, IMHO. Adding bass will take away from it's mids...

Anyways, so it seems my M17x has an optical out. That pleases me. Also, what do you guys know about auto-sensing line out on the headphone jacks? Apparently the laptop has it, but I wouldn't know how that'd work, though I assume it will turn off volume control somehow. At least I'll be able to compare between the sound card (Creative Sound Blaster Recon3Di High-Definition 5.1 Audio with THX TruStudio Pro Software) - Audio Powered by Klipsch®) and my Compass 2/Marantz.

(3x) Auto-sensing jacks for Line-out (2 line out; 1x SPDIF/Headphone)

Click to expand...

Quote:

tmaxx123 said:

After alot of gameplay and getting acquainted with the frostbite engine I find battlefield 3 online to be better than blops2 and Crysis 3 when looking for positional cues. I am able to hear enemies from much further away, and can pinpoint fairly accurately their direction. Blops2 requires enemies to be extremely close to you and Crysis 3 is better than blops2 but is not as refined or accurate with the cues as bf3.

Just my experience playing on ps3. Modern warfare 2 still holds.the crown imo

Click to expand...

 
Personally I have a lot of fun in Crysis 3 with the maxed out Hunter perk... it's 100% made for audiowhoring and gives you clear audio blips in the direction of nearby enemies, no matter what you think of the rest of the multiplayer.

mad lust envy said:

Change, the first/2nd gen Mixamp and 2013 Mixamp/5.8 sound exactly the same virtual surround wise, despite the formers being (5.1) and latters being 7.1. You have to remember, optical is Dolby Digital /DTS 5.1, not 7.1 Whether the new ones matrix in rear channels or not doesn't make a lick of difference as they are still getting information from 5.1 source. The old ones did rear cues just as well. Compared directly, couldn't tell the difference.

The 2013 Mixamp is good if you want EQ-presets. I personally don't like to use any EQ and keep it on the flat setting, so all I'd need is the 2011 Mixamp, personally. EQ tends to ruin SQ more often than not. The only time I think EQ is fine is if there is a deficiency in a headphone's sound, like adding bass to the AD700, or reducing treble in the DT990. For something like the Annie, I wouldn't want to add or take any anything. That headphone has a perfect balance, IMHO. Adding bass will take away from it's mids...

Anyways, so it seems my M17x has an optical out. That pleases me. Also, what do you guys know about auto-sensing line out on the headphone jacks? Apparently the laptop has it, but I wouldn't know how that'd work, though I assume it will turn off volume control somehow. At least I'll be able to compare between the sound card (Creative Sound Blaster Recon3Di High-Definition 5.1 Audio with THX TruStudio Pro Software) - Audio Powered by Klipsch®) and my Compass 2/Marantz.

Click to expand...

My m14x has a similar audio setup as your laptop. Has the same sound card and software and also has the klipsch speakers. As far as I know, the auto-sensing line out just means that when you plug anything into the jack, it automatically switches to outputting audio through there. I am still in the process of figuring out how to make use of that s-pdif output with my mixamp though. Mad, keep us updated on what adapters/cables you need to run that optical signal to get a Dolby signal out of your laptop.

My Dell XPS has three jacks, it gives me the option for optical out as soon as I plug a mini-TOSLINK in but only the middle port.

Hi everyone, i have a few doubts, first i'm trying to buy a new headset mainly to play battlefield on PC, 'cause i have a turtlebeach px21 and on ps3 were ok, but on pc they suck. So i know that the best choice are the ADH-A700 but since they are 3.5mm i assume that a 7.1 dedicated soundcard is needed, and i only have around the 100 U$ for the headset so... Then i thought about getting a virtual 7.1 headset like the logitech g35 or g930, but i'm not sure. The reviews i've seen say that the virtual surround is bad. And that's the main reason why i'm here, which headset do you recommend me to buy, since my board only has 5.1 realtek sound , thx!

I have the JVC HA-RX700 and was looking for a mic to go with them (to talk to my team during online gaming).  I wanted the DX mini clip-on mic recommended in the OP, but it's been out of stock for the past 2 weeks.  Is there anything else that compares to the quality near that price?  

anyone have any input on which usb soundcard might be best to hook up a laptop to a astro mixamp?
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Creative-Labs-Sound-Blaster-X-Fi-Surround-5-1-Pro-24-bit-USB-External-Sound-/160727974036?pt=US_Sound_Cards_Internal_&hash=item256c224094
 
http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blaster-Recon3D-External-Enhancer/dp/B005FKT70O
 
my two options as of now...

change is good said:

Damn... bummer 2x

 Any other games you recommend that would be best to demo? I have a pic that I think shows most of the ones I have.

Click to expand...

The Resident Evil 6 demo was pretty cool. Both of the Batman: Arkham games are good, I liked Elder Scrolls: Oblivion (I own Skyrim, in my backlog), CoD4 MW is great, Halo Reach in SWAT is great, Halo 4 is about as good but the warthogs are unusually loud and both halo games oddly lack volume control (which will be no problem balancing with chat since you have a Mixamp anyway), I haven't tried Hitman or Splinter Cell games yet but I expect them to be awesome, the first two Dead Space games I've played were pretty awesome and scarier, Assassin's Creed is alright (playing the 1st one now, the second game was awesome, played it before I had surround tho), surround made the trapped souls in DMC blatantly clear where to find them (tho no height cues), aaaaaand... I dunno, that's a pretty fair list. OOH! And also Bioshock, go back and play the first one, ah-MAZING! Can't wait to try Infinity

These were all played on my Recon3D or the accurate but echo-y Silent Cinema that came on my receiver. BTW I would use very little Smart Volume if you value good distance cues and a good surround mix... I think even Dialogue Plus has a trade-off on distorting the surround processing, but I use a bit of it anyway just cuz I need help understanding speech, even in real life. My hearing is articulate for noises and sounds, but sometimes my brain just doesn't translate one word in a sentence...

mad lust envy said:

Hopefully. Remember, not all games are created equal in terms of positional cues. Sound engines are like graphic engines. You have your Unreal 3, and you have your Frostbite 2 of sound.

Click to expand...

Tho ironically, unreal 3 games have better positional audio than Frostbite 2, lol. I hope the Unreal 4 Engine does a good job with sound.

bradhp said:

I have the JVC HA-RX700 and was looking for a mic to go with them (to talk to my team during online gaming).  I wanted the DX mini clip-on mic recommended in the OP, but it's been out of stock for the past 2 weeks.  Is there anything else that compares to the quality near that price?  

Click to expand...

Yeah, I took a chance on some random lapel mic on Amazon, got a three pack because I half expected one to be bad, but they were all great.

Jorgevelez,
Look in my journal thread (linked in my signature) to read about virtual surround, and decide for yourself if it works. I think the evidence is compelling, but I also linked two different samples. The AD700 (Audio Technica ATH-AD700 Air) are very lean in bass, but will have better soundstage and detail than the Logitech headsets you mentioned, plus they don't make your ears as hot I liked using my Recon3D USB for both PC and consoles, it's a good cross-platform option, but if you just need something cheaper for PC you could get a Creative "X-Fi Go! Pro" or Asus "Xonar U3" USB dongle for surround processing.
I've found Realtek onboard sound adequate for casual gaming, but there are pretty evident distortions and interference problems that happen sometimes. It may have 3 separate output plugs for 5.1 surround, but it probably doesn't process game 5.1 virtual surround on it's own.

tmaxx123 said:

anyone have any input on which usb soundcard might be best to hook up a laptop to a astro mixamp?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Creative-Labs-Sound-Blaster-X-Fi-Surround-5-1-Pro-24-bit-USB-External-Sound-/160727974036?pt=US_Sound_Cards_Internal_&hash=item256c224094

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blaster-Recon3D-External-Enhancer/dp/B005FKT70O

my two options as of now...

Click to expand...

I had the Recon3D USB, it's the better gaming option and does everything the X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro does for movies and music. You wouldn't connect the Recon3D USB to the Mixamp because it's essentially the same type of device (DAC and surround processor with volume controls) and the Recon3D USB only has a headphone jack for output with the virtual surround already baked in, same as the Mixamp. Both could benefit from a nice headphone amp when using nicer headphones.
The Surround 5.1 Pro apparently has an optical-out (SPDIF/TOSLINK), but it also wouldn't need to connect to a Mixamp for virtual surround to a headphone. I don't know if the Surround 5.1 Pro could output Dolby Digital Live through it's optical-out anyway, which the Mixamp needs for it's surround processing.

Thing is... The Recon3D USB is a compromise that does an admirable job providing surround + chat for a laptop, desktop PC, or gaming console. IMO, the X-Fi Go Pro is the best portable option with a laptop, a flagship soundcard provides the best sound quality for a desktop, and a HT receiver with virtual surround (as an option when you can't use speakers) is the most convenient option for a game console. If your budget or living space prevents you from having all three options, the Recon3D USB covers all that for you. In your case, if you just have a laptop & already have a Mixamp, I'd say just get the X-Fi Go Pro.

jorgevelez666 said:

Hi everyone, i have a few doubts, first i'm trying to buy a new headset mainly to play battlefield on PC, 'cause i have a turtlebeach px21 and on ps3 were ok, but on pc they suck. So i know that the best choice are the ADH-A700 but since they are 3.5mm i assume that a 7.1 dedicated soundcard is needed, and i only have around the 100 U$ for the headset so... Then i thought about getting a virtual 7.1 headset like the logitech g35 or g930, but i'm not sure. The reviews i've seen say that the virtual surround is bad. And that's the main reason why i'm here, which headset do you recommend me to buy, since my board only has 5.1 realtek sound , thx!

Click to expand...

Just get a Xonar DGX, or if you're running a laptop then one of the USB options Evshrug mentioned... The DGX is a better long term solution IMO tho, I thought they were still up near $60 but I just noticed it's $40 at Amazon, check camelcamelcamel for pricing history, might've even gone cheaper

If you can't afford it now I'd still get a regular pair of solid stereo headphones and then worry about you source/card later... Most headsets aren't worth even half of what they charge for them, with very very few exceptions (Plyr, Senn PC360, etc.).

Too many companies with little to no audio experience trying to market overpriced headsets to gamers...

Or get a nice soundcard and a pair of KSC75s for now. You can never go wrong with a KSC75. Or even better if you have like $35, get a KSC75, and Sportapro. Remove the clips off the KSC75, snap off the drivers off the Sportapros, and attach the clips to them. Voila. KSC35 with comfier clips.