my x-fi elite pro didnt come with dolby digital live or dts connect.
i had to pay for it seperately.. cost about $5
when using it watching television with the audio going from the cable box to the soundcard via spdif.. and then the soundcard to the receiver via spdif connection... there was an increase in audio delay.
the video was going faster than the audio.
maybe it was because i wasnt using the component video outputs..
i was using the old-school coax to an old 19 inch crt television.
maybe it was because the coax is faster.
but
maybe the titanium HD doesnt do it ?
your headphones are 40 ohms.. and that should be low enough for a soundcard to power them.
but as always, if they seem to be mumbling.. changing the amplifier could help.
there was a discussion about the difference between changing an amplifier for one with the same amount of power by simply adjusting the voltage to amperes ratio.
and then there is the choice of adding more power.
your questions might be amplifier power (or the perfect voltage to amperes ratio for those specific headphones)
cmss-3d versus dolby headphone
and timing issues that might be the same because the astro mixamp is wireless.
cmss-3d is capable of putting sounds in front or behind you.. and even to the side.
i think the video games are to blame anyways.. because i've played some of these games with analog out to my receiver and out of my big speakers.
many times there was audio in front of me when it should of been behind me.
and there wasnt any virtual surround sound processing getting in the way.
i played bf3 with cmss-3d and i could tell there was help from the video game's audio.
actually..
the difference between modern warfare 2 and block ops is huge when it comes to positional audio.
the virtual surround sound API needs to be updated for both platforms.. that is the answer i am giving.
if you are looking for a 20% improvement between one or the other.. buy the hardware with a return policy.
some stores will give you a refund 30 days after purchase.. even though they say 90 days for a return.
after 30 days.. you get store credit ?
if the titanium HD is really an improvement over the elite pro.. the DAC should be plenty worth it.
consider some serious stereo listening too.
the astro mixamp doesnt say anything about specifications.. nothing for distortion or output voltage.
hiding that information is a sign of honesty ?
that is a gamble you are asking everyone to answer.
how bout this..
i use cmss-3d and i got a 16 kills 0 deaths in modern warfare 2 the other night.
i also went 39 kills and 10 deaths the other night too.
left/right and front/back is a start.
keeping those accurate has proven to be false.. not because of the cmss-3d but because of the video game sending the audio information.
i've done one of those 'dolby digital surround sound test' videos that plays dolby digital audio from each of the 5.1 speakers.
it works clear with cmss-3d on.
in fact, it makes me say 'duh'
but that doesnt mean it always works for all of the inbetween sounds needed.
however..
that was 5.1
cmss-3d goes up to 7.1
and when in 7.1 .. it gets better with the side speakers and sounds more like virtual surround should be.
i've thought about getting one of those 7.1 dolby headphone boxes myself.
wasnt an astro mixamp.. but something from turtle beach.
either way..
you need an honest review of the titanium HD headphone amp versus a home theater receiver.
and then
the dolby digital headphone surround sound versus the cmss-3d
the preamp output of those soundcards might be perfect.. and the headphone 'amplifier' might be what kills it.
i mean, afterall..
the soundcard is only $150
the x-fi elite pro was like $400 when it first came out.
