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Dolby headphone with music... magical!

post #1 of 22
1/2/12 at 7:23pm
Thread Starter 

I recently got a new soundcard, the Asus Xonar DG, and have been using the Dolby headphone mode while playing Skyrim. Just a week ago I've set up my headphone rig again (DT880 and Corda HA-1 mkII) and been using it with the Xonar DG. So after a session of Skyrim I still had the dolby headphone effect on, and recalled it's been a long time since I've listened to Chris Rea. So I began listening to one of his albums and forgot to remove the Dolby headphone setting. So when I first heard that Dolby was still on I was about to turn it off, but then I really started to listen.... and it sounds really good! It's like having Chris Rea and his band on a smaller stage you'd find in a local jazzclub. No longer did it occur to me that different instruments and the vocals were this or that much to the left or right, it was just there all around you like when you're in front of the stage and enjoying the performance. It just doesn't come across as artifical as sound effects always do, it just sounds right. I'm truly amazed by the effect of Dolby headphones with music. Has anyone had a similar experience using Dolby headphone mode?  

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post #2 of 22
1/2/12 at 7:27pm

Sounds utterly terrible to me.

 

Too much mid-bass and lower mid-range to make the sound "bigger".

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post #3 of 22
1/2/12 at 7:34pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Head Injury View Post

Sounds utterly terrible to me.

 

Too much mid-bass and lower mid-range to make the sound "bigger".



Did you try the different room settings? The DH-3 setting is the one that I find sound best. And also it would vary a lot with your amp/dac and headphones, my setup is a bit lean sounding.

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post #4 of 22
1/2/12 at 7:39pm

The DH-3 sounds the worst to me. Far too much reverb. The only one that would be passable is the DH-1 setting, but that still has the warmth problem.

 

The headphones are probably the problem. You might like something with a warm sound more, like the HD600/650.

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post #5 of 22
1/2/12 at 7:47pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Head Injury View Post

The DH-3 sounds the worst to me. Far too much reverb. The only one that would be passable is the DH-1 setting, but that still has the warmth problem.

 

The headphones are probably the problem. You might like something with a warm sound more, like the HD600/650.



I've tried the HD600 but I prefer the DT880. Thanks for testing, I'm enjoying how it sounds on my setup though smily_headphones1.gif

Edit: It's true the reverb is a bit overdone, but overall it sounds really intimate, good when coupled with mellower material like Norah Jones - Come away with me.


Edited by TMC - 1/2/12 at 7:51pm
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post #6 of 22
1/2/12 at 7:50pm

You might want to try some of the surround sound stuff for Foobar, or just a simple crossfeed plugin. It might get you the "live" effect you want with less coloration.

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post #7 of 22
1/2/12 at 7:55pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Head Injury View Post

You might want to try some of the surround sound stuff for Foobar, or just a simple crossfeed plugin. It might get you the "live" effect you want with less coloration.



Yeah just read a bit about the surround effect plugins for foobar, will certainly look them up. Crossfeed doesn't do much for me though, it generally makes it sound more mono with less bass and that's about it.

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post #8 of 22
2/21/12 at 2:59pm

I use dolby headphone 3 most of the time on my Asus Xonar Essence ST. I also tried many headphones and opamps to make it sound as spacious as possible, best opamps are the original and LM4562NA, I don't see a difference between them so opamps should be neutral for best effect, with dark Burr Brown and AD opamps there was almost no spacious effect.

As to headphones the strongest effect and by far is with Beyerdynamic DT990 600 ohm, all others reacted similar wether open or closed.

 

I also bought Marantz receiver with dolby headphone 2 built in, but it can't compare to sound cards, destorts the sound, gives effect of tightly walled space.

 

Andy

  


Edited by sssboa - 2/21/12 at 4:13pm
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post #9 of 22
2/22/12 at 9:35am

If liking the dolby headphone for music listening take a look at this thread, you'll thank me later http://www.head-fi.org/t/555263/foobar2000-dolby-headphone-config-comment-discuss Here's some demo recordings with the two different configs used. If you have dolby headphone enabled you need to disable it when listening to these demos though or else it'll sound weird.

 

The "forward" sounding config:

 

The "laid-back" sounding config:

 

 

I've spent a lot of time tweaking both the channel settings for the most natural sounding soundstage as well as EQing out the change dolby headphone adds to the frequency response so all you're left with it is the improved soundstage and positioning.


Edited by RPGWiZaRD - 2/22/12 at 9:57am
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post #10 of 22
2/22/12 at 1:00pm

One of those preference things, some like it and some do not.

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post #11 of 22
2/22/12 at 1:36pm

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBSCIX View Post

One of those preference things, some like it and some do not.

 

I thought it sounded **** until I started tweaking the settings in foobar2000. Using my config I just think it boosts soundstage/positioning while keeping rest the same.

 

Here's how the "anti-DH" EQ setting meant to restore stock foobar balance looks like after like a year worth of very finetuning by ear. xD

 

dhf-electriq.png


Edited by RPGWiZaRD - 2/22/12 at 1:45pm
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post #12 of 22
2/23/12 at 6:03pm

Does anyone use Asus Xonar Essence ST/STX with foobar instead of or with Xonar Audio Center?

 

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post #13 of 22
2/23/12 at 6:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sssboa View Post

Does anyone use Asus Xonar Essence ST/STX with foobar instead of or with Xonar Audio Center?

 


You can use either, essentially it is the same routine unless it is different versions.

If you are wondering which is better, try them out and and use the one that sounds the best to you.

 

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post #14 of 22
2/23/12 at 9:53pm

Congrats on your card =)
I tried out dolby headphones I felt it ruined the natural "flavor" of the headphones and changed it completely. Although I understand why some people might like it, I really can't stand it.
Try listening to music with dolby for a while and then the hi-fi or no EQ mode and try to appreciate the headphones' natural characteristics you might have a change of opinion later on. wink.gif

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post #15 of 22
2/24/12 at 1:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGomdoRi View Post

Congrats on your card =)
I tried out dolby headphones I felt it ruined the natural "flavor" of the headphones and changed it completely. Although I understand why some people might like it, I really can't stand it.
Try listening to music with dolby for a while and then the hi-fi or no EQ mode and try to appreciate the headphones' natural characteristics you might have a change of opinion later on. wink.gif


Thx. I never use EQ. I had thought that DH was just a distorting sound gimmick before I heard it. Since then when people talk about soundstage of headphones it sounds like joking to me. To me there's no better sound than DT990 600ohm with DH3 from Xonar Essence. I put it on and instinctively look at my speakers, it cheats my senses that much.

 

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