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The Nameless Guide To PC Gaming Audio (with binaural headphone surround sound) - Page 79

post #1171 of 1541
1/2/13 at 1:16am
Fa110u7,
Thanks for the video. Interestingly, there was also a link to a newegg video showing Borderlands 2 running on a GTX 660 vs a 9800GT... I have a GTS250 now, which basically is a 9800GT, and the GTX 660 was the card I was thinking of buying. Graphics, sound, game cost: these all favor PC. BL2 would be a great showcase for current-gen graphics.

However, the bigger sell point is playing with friends. Adding the "other human" element makes borderlands more fun than those other plus points. Lets face it: singleplayer gaming gets lonely. I can't make my friend get gaming PCs. Hopefully, it becomes an option.
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post #1172 of 1541
1/2/13 at 6:49am

Hey, guys! I'm thinking of buying a Xonar DG so I can get the Dolby Headphones option. I currently own a FiiO E7 DAC. Is there a way to connect the two devices so I get the best sound quality? Also, my main intent with the sound card is to get surround sound while watching movies and gaming, I know that gaming improves a lot with positional audio, but what about movies? Is the difference noticeable? Thanks!

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post #1173 of 1541
1/2/13 at 7:29am

I am almost certainly purchasing both the Polk Audio RTi A1 speakers and the Audio Technica W1000X for my computer audio setup. I will be using my computer for gaming and music. Other than the better amp in the Xonar STX, does it have any benefits over the Titanium HD? If not, I am wanting to pull the trigger on the Creative card. If I go with the Titanium HD, I will be using an old RCA receiver I found at my parent's house as my headphone amplifier. Is this a good idea?

 

Titanium HD analog out -> RCA Receiver analog in -> Built in 1/4 inch headphone amp -> Audio Technica W1000X (possibly Sennheiser HD700)       and obviously RTiA1 from the speaker amplifiers in the receiver

 

If I went with the STX I would still need a speaker amplifier, anyway. So this makes sense, right? 

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post #1174 of 1541
1/2/13 at 7:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by preisner View Post

Hey, guys! I'm thinking of buying a Xonar DG so I can get the Dolby Headphones option. I currently own a FiiO E7 DAC. Is there a way to connect the two devices so I get the best sound quality? Also, my main intent with the sound card is to get surround sound while watching movies and gaming, I know that gaming improves a lot with positional audio, but what about movies? Is the difference noticeable? Thanks!

You may not need to use the E7 with the Xonar DG, as the Xonar DG should be fine by itself.

But yes, you could daisy chain the Xonar DG's line-out/headphone jack with the line-in on the E7.

 

At this site is a few free programs for playing video files.

http://codecguide.com/

 

For playing Blu-ray movies, get Cyberlink PowerDVD 11 ($31?), off eBay.

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post #1175 of 1541
1/2/13 at 7:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by crzycuyler View Post

I am almost certainly purchasing both the Polk Audio RTi A1 speakers and the Audio Technica W1000X for my computer audio setup. I will be using my computer for gaming and music. Other than the better amp in the Xonar STX, does it have any benefits over the Titanium HD? If not, I am wanting to pull the trigger on the Creative card. If I go with the Titanium HD, I will be using an old RCA receiver I found at my parent's house as my headphone amplifier. Is this a good idea?

Titanium HD analog out -> RCA Receiver analog in -> Built in 1/4 inch headphone amp -> Audio Technica W1000X (possibly Sennheiser HD700) and obviously RTiA1 from the speaker amplifiers in the receiver

If I went with the STX I would still need a speaker amplifier, anyway. So this makes sense, right? 

As the Audio Technica W1000X is only 42-Ohms, using a receiver to drive the W1000X is not really a good choice, as receivers usually have come with a headphone output with a high impedance :(

The Titanium HD, combied with an external headphone amplifier, like the O2 (Objective 2, which comes with a very low impedance) would be a good setup for gaming (& music) and audio quality.

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post #1176 of 1541
1/2/13 at 8:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by PurpleAngel View Post

You may not need to use the E7 with the Xonar DG, as the Xonar DG should be fine by itself.

But yes, you could daisy chain the Xonar DG's line-out/headphone jack with the line-in on the E7.

 

At this site is a few free programs for playing video files.

http://codecguide.com/

 

For playing Blu-ray movies, get Cyberlink PowerDVD 11 ($31?), off eBay.

 

Do you mean I don't need the sound board to watch movies with surround sound? Can it be done just by the video software?

Thanks for the answers!

 

EDIT: Nevermind, I found some guides on how to use surround sound with PowerDVD. But I think I will buy the Xonar DG, since it's the same price as PowerDVD and I will have surround sound in gaming. Thanks again!


Edited by preisner - 1/2/13 at 8:19am
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post #1177 of 1541
1/2/13 at 8:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by preisner View Post

Do you mean I don't need the sound board to watch movies with surround sound? Can it be done just by the video software?

Thanks for the answers!

The PowerDVD is needed to play Blu-ray movies and will work fine with speakers, but I'm not sure if PowerDVD can process headphone surround sound?

So the $25 Xonar DG is still need.

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post #1178 of 1541
1/2/13 at 8:39am

Should I use daniel_k's unofficial drivers for my Titanium HD?

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post #1179 of 1541
1/2/13 at 8:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by PurpleAngel View Post

The PowerDVD is needed to play Blu-ray movies and will work fine with speakers, but I'm not sure if PowerDVD can process headphone surround sound?

So the $25 Xonar DG is still need.

 

I see. So, last question! biggrin.gif Here where I live the Xonar DG and the Xonar U3 are in the same price range. Which one is better?

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post #1180 of 1541
1/2/13 at 9:19am

The Xonar DG would be better then the Xonar U3, the Xonar U3 is really portable for laptops.

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post #1181 of 1541
1/2/13 at 10:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by genclaymore View Post

The Xonar DG would be better then the Xonar U3, the Xonar U3 is really portable for laptops.

They're not that different are they? My friend asked me that same question last night. I told him go for the U3 because its portable. 

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post #1182 of 1541
1/2/13 at 3:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by crzycuyler View Post

I am almost certainly purchasing both the Polk Audio RTi A1 speakers and the Audio Technica W1000X for my computer audio setup. I will be using my computer for gaming and music. Other than the better amp in the Xonar STX, does it have any benefits over the Titanium HD? If not, I am wanting to pull the trigger on the Creative card. If I go with the Titanium HD, I will be using an old RCA receiver I found at my parent's house as my headphone amplifier. Is this a good idea?

Titanium HD analog out -> RCA Receiver analog in -> Built in 1/4 inch headphone amp -> Audio Technica W1000X (possibly Sennheiser HD700) and obviously RTiA1 from the speaker amplifiers in the receiver

If I went with the STX I would still need a speaker amplifier, anyway. So this makes sense, right? 

So, you finally decided on the W1000x, eh?

Quote:
Originally Posted by element72 View Post

They're not that different are they? My friend asked me that same question last night. I told him go for the U3 because its portable. 

The difference is in the amping. Power, output impedance, signal-to-noise-ratio (IMO it should be written S:N, that's the scientific and mathematical way to write a ratio, but OOOH NO, we gotta listen to the marketing people, yes...), and maybe some software features. Some souncards include PowerDVD, do either of those include it? I just use the DVD player bundled with my Mac OS wink.gif
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post #1183 of 1541
1/2/13 at 4:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Th3Beh0ldeR View Post

Let me thank everyone for your help.

So i can keep my prelude if i use pc360 or q701. If i choose the Q-701's(most likely) that need an external Amp, wont be a problem connecting it on my Front output? Generally is there a problem having an amp(prelude) leading to an amp(external)?

Sry for bumping but since i didnt get an answer i believe that it wont be any problem regarding amp on prelude.

I have finally decided to buy K-701 since Q-701 dont seem to worth the extra 100e just for gaming and some movies.

I am also going to use O2 Headphone Amp to drive the headphones all that connected to my prelude. I was thinking about the Fiio E9K but i cant find it in any logical price in europe. I am also going to give a try to this mic, its very cheap and has some good ratings.

Any hints are welcomewink_face.gif

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post #1184 of 1541
1/2/13 at 8:10pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by crzycuyler View Post

I am almost certainly purchasing both the Polk Audio RTi A1 speakers and the Audio Technica W1000X for my computer audio setup. I will be using my computer for gaming and music. Other than the better amp in the Xonar STX, does it have any benefits over the Titanium HD? If not, I am wanting to pull the trigger on the Creative card. If I go with the Titanium HD, I will be using an old RCA receiver I found at my parent's house as my headphone amplifier. Is this a good idea?

 

Titanium HD analog out -> RCA Receiver analog in -> Built in 1/4 inch headphone amp -> Audio Technica W1000X (possibly Sennheiser HD700)       and obviously RTiA1 from the speaker amplifiers in the receiver

 

If I went with the STX I would still need a speaker amplifier, anyway. So this makes sense, right? 

 

The X-Fi Titanium HD does have this quirk where if anything's plugged into the front or rear headphone outputs, the RCA outputs are forcibly muted, with no option to change this in software. The Xonar Essence STX allegedly does not have this behavior, and that's won over some people as a result.

 

Other than that and the amp, though, the X-Fi Titanium HD has the edge in gaming overall.

 

Your proposed setup only needs the RCA outputs anyway and uses a receiver as an amp for both (quite similar to my setup, actually), so you could really just switch between headphone and speaker modes through the X-Fi control panel without having to unplug or replug anything, depending on how your receiver works.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by PurpleAngel View Post

The PowerDVD is needed to play Blu-ray movies and will work fine with speakers, but I'm not sure if PowerDVD can process headphone surround sound?

So the $25 Xonar DG is still need.

 

PowerDVD does Dolby Headphone in software, but only with the editions that they charge money for.

 

That's why I don't make headphone surround support in the sound card a priority for movies, only for gaming.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by element72 View Post

Should I use daniel_k's unofficial drivers for my Titanium HD?

 

Daniel_K's X-Fi Support Pack does NOT support the Titanium HD. It wouldn't work.

 

Fortunately, Creative's really stepped up the driver stability on the Titanium HD, so I don't find it to be a necessity.

 

There's a driver pack I put together that I linked near the bottom of the original post. Download that and install everything according to the included instructions.

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post #1185 of 1541
1/2/13 at 8:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by NamelessPFG View Post

PowerDVD does Dolby Headphone in software, but only with the editions that they charge money for.

That's why I don't make headphone surround support in the sound card a priority for movies, only for gaming.

I guess I learned something today.

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