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Mad Lust Envy's Headphone Gaming Guide: (8/18/2022: iFi GO Blu Review Added)
Oct 23, 2013 at 11:40 PM Post #17,581 of 48,563
designbykai said:
Astro mixamp question...
Am I better off getting a previous year's Mixamp pro due to lower noise?
Something like http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Free-shipping-NEW-Astro-A40-Gaming-MixAmp-Pro-Only-without-cables-and-headset-/111067806226?pt=AU_Video_Game_Accessories&hash=item19dc283a12&_uhb=1 "new" but without cables $100 inc post

Or just get the 2013 version? For an extra $35 or more with post http://www.gamestate.co/au/astro-mixamp-usb

I don't particularly care about the new EQ mode features etc ( read MLE's rundown on page1). Better SQ is more important. And I like that older models have proper TOSlink input so no need for adapter. And RCA etc.

Also is it possible to input a 3.5mm cable from an mp3 player (thinking my Fiio X3) or laptop and mix music in with game/headphone audio too? Or is that only possible with Ear Force DSS? (but then no mic possible unless using TB headset...)

Sorry if this has been covered earlier like 100pages ago but its a long thread :p
Click to expand...


That's a first gen mixamp linked. That one has the lowest noise of all, but it doesn't do USB chat support for PS3/PC.

And yes, all the Mixamps have mp3 cable support, so you can use your own music.
 
Oct 23, 2013 at 11:56 PM Post #17,582 of 48,563
mad lust envy said:
That's a first gen mixamp linked. That one has the lowest noise of all, but it doesn't do USB chat support for PS3/PC.

And yes, all the Mixamps have mp3 cable support, so you can use your own music.
Click to expand...

 
I don't hear any noise until around 12 o'clock on the E9K. Since my maximum is around 10 o'clock (gets too loud after that point) I don't hear any noise for my usage but I suppose YMMV. I have the Mixamp volume maxed out.
 
Oct 24, 2013 at 2:03 AM Post #17,583 of 48,563
mad lust envy said:
That's a first gen mixamp linked. That one has the lowest noise of all, but it doesn't do USB chat support for PS3/PC.

And yes, all the Mixamps have mp3 cable support, so you can use your own music.
Click to expand...

Cool.
But it has a 3.5mm PC Mic input jack, so it can mix that in and send to PS3 right? Or are you saying it can't because it can't send the signal over usb? If so that's gimped, the mic input/voicechat mixing is a key reason for getting one..
 
Oct 24, 2013 at 2:14 AM Post #17,584 of 48,563
designbykai said:
  Cool.
But it has a 3.5mm PC Mic input jack, so it can mix that in and send to PS3 right? Or are you saying it can't because it can't send the signal over usb? If so that's gimped, the mic input/voicechat mixing is a key reason for getting one..
Click to expand...

 
The first gen Mixamps' USB port is JUST for power.  No data being sent, so no USB to PS3 chat capability.  If you want that you'll need the 2011 version or later.
 
The MP3 and PC mic jacks are two different things.  The MP3 is basically an analog input and it just goes straight out the other side to the headphones.  The PC mic is an analog output just for the voice signal, so you can route your voice to PC via a 3.5mm cable. 
 
Oct 24, 2013 at 2:17 AM Post #17,585 of 48,563
chicolom said:
   
The first gen Mixamps' USB port is JUST for power.  No data being sent, so no USB to PS3 chat capability.  If you want that you'll need the 2011 version or later.
 
The MP3 and PC mic jacks are two different things.  The MP3 is basically an analog input and it just goes straight out the other side to the headphones.  The PC mic is an analog output just for the voice signal, so you can route your voice to PC via a 3.5mm cable. 
Click to expand...

Ah K, gotcha. Yeah thought that was the case with mp3 input but didn't think that PC mic would only work with PC.
Thanks. Guess I need to look for 2011, or just go with latest one and hope the noise isn't much of an issue for me (if using an amp as well maybe it'll help)
 
Oct 24, 2013 at 3:17 AM Post #17,586 of 48,563
An amp won't help with noise. The noise is embedded in the Mixamp's output. For example, once you reach 85db of volume (just an example), you'll get the same amount of noise regardless if you attach an amp or not. The only things that will truly help is if you're using low sensitivity or high impedance headphone that keeps signal noise under control. The noise will vary by headphone.
 
Oct 24, 2013 at 4:37 AM Post #17,587 of 48,563
evshrug said:
Basically, the closer you get to a 2011 Mixamp, the better from that line FWIR.

I'm curious how the surround processor bundled with turtle beach's newer five seven headset (or whatever it's called) performs. The DSS has less hiss, which is actually independent of volume so if you turn it up really loud and plug into another amp with low THD (like FiiO's E12) and set THAT volume to listening levels, you don't hear hiss at all. And, Creative's Recon3D USB processor has even less hiss (though it uses THX processing instead of the Dolby of the other two, which is better processing is down to personal preference). I think there was also something available by Monoprice, but I know next to nothing about it (is BurritoBoy here?)
Click to expand...

 
I use the PX5 DSS [which is definitely newer than the original DSS] and I don't perceive any noise when using but I haven't really used any over-sensitive headphones [Pro 900 and HE-6]
I will try the 900X with it and report back if there is anything.
It was of much higher value for me than the PX5 that came with it...
 
Here -
 


 
Oct 24, 2013 at 5:03 AM Post #17,588 of 48,563
It's going for around$75 used on Amazon. If I didn't already have a Mixamp, I'd be tempted on testing the PX5 transmitter out.
 
Oct 24, 2013 at 5:22 AM Post #17,589 of 48,563
Asus needs to make a new "Xonar" device aimed at consoles, or at least one that takes Dobly Digital 5.1 over optical, converts to DH, then sends to the line out.  They're last couple devices like the Xonar STU were close, but they only accepted 2 channel PCM over the optical input!  LAME 
mad.gif
 
 
Oct 24, 2013 at 5:54 AM Post #17,590 of 48,563
Yeah, not nearly as bad as I was led to believe.
I found it surprisingly quite decent  and the DH effect quite convincing. It claims it emulates 5.1 to 7.1 virtual surround sound but I dunno how perceivable it is.
All I know is that it provides good spatial cues for all directions and separates them nicely.
While there is less air than with my reference desktop DAC and perhaps a smidge less clarity, I still find it very decent.
It also has a bypass feature to pass through unprocessed 2.0 stereo but it sounds worse than the processed DH to me anyway.
 
Oct 24, 2013 at 12:38 PM Post #17,592 of 48,563
How about messaging FiiO? I did a few months ago and they only said it was sent to the R&D team. They built a special E12 advertising in this forum so why not use that power? Anything FiiO will be better than all the toys we have right now. 
 
Oct 24, 2013 at 12:43 PM Post #17,593 of 48,563
chicolom said:
   
 
Closed and under $100 your options are fairly limited.  The only ones I've tried off that list are the CALs, which are solid.
 
If it were me I would still go for a ~$150 open headphone like the HD558 or a used MA900.
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-MDR-MA900-Stereo-Headphones-Full-Open-Type-/231079740402?pt=US_Headphones&hash=item35cd6d03f2
Click to expand...

hmm why would you still recommend me to go for open ? and both are pretty close in price, what do you recommend out of the two, besides music I game and watch movies a lot.
 
Oct 24, 2013 at 2:47 PM Post #17,594 of 48,563
Wouldn't something like CAL be better for him? Also, I've read great things about the Focal One Spirit...I don't know how it'd perform with DH though.
 
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