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

The real benefit to the ambisonic formats is how flexible it is, it can be played back over a 5.1 system, or any set up of speakers, and it could be mixed via an HRTF profile into binaural audio with elevation. There are already games that use this technology, that's how rapture3D works, and supposedly the console versions of Dirt 2 also use ambisonic audio internally. 

Yes but with movies, what you're describing can already be done, and is done by modern processors. And has been this way since the mid 1990s.
 
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phos said:

The real benefit to the ambisonic formats is how flexible it is, it can be played back over a 5.1 system, or any set up of speakers, and it could be mixed via an HRTF profile into binaural audio with elivation. There are already games that use this technology, that's how rapture3D works, and supposedly the console versions of Dirt 2 also use ambisonic audio internally. 

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Nice guide!
I recorded some in-game videos half-year ago here.
It's a Comparison between DH & CMSS3D-headphone.

Great videos, Ilya-s!
 
I've actually amended the guide to feature them under some of the prominent binaural surround filters, so people can get an idea of how well they work in a few popular games. Fortunately, there's enough English in the main post that I don't think language barriers will be an issue in terms of getting the videos and letting people decide for themselves.

Thanks, NamelessPFG!
I think EFX10Show (from OpenAL SDK) is also a good tool to check positional accuracy and efx/eax effects. Interface isn't so user-friendly though.

NamelessPFG, have you thought about putting download links for useful resources, such as OpenAL libraries and Creative caps viewer?

 
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ilya--s said:

Thanks, NamelessPFG!
I think EFX10Show (from OpenAL SDK) is also a good tool to check positional accuracy and efx/eax effects. Interface isn't so user-friendly though.

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You're welcome!
 
I can't say I've heard of EFX10Show before, but that's because I never fiddled with the OpenAL SDK. It wouldn't hurt to have more options than RightMark 3DSound's positioning accuracy test for our purposes.
 
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roller said:

NamelessPFG, have you thought about putting download links for useful resources, such as OpenAL libraries and Creative caps viewer?

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If I can find/remember the links to those things, I'll update the guide.
 

Hello NamelessFPG,
 
I have been discussing my potential setup with MLE and others on the thread linked at the bottom of this post but also very interested in your opinion (MLE pointed me in your direction as I listen via a PC).
 
MLE has suggested Denon D2000 for my headphone purposes (combination of electro music and gaming) but also made suggestions relating to amp/soundcard and DAC.
 
I am a complete noob and have no idea what these things do or how they relate to each other and the headphones. Normally I'd just expect to plug the phones into the back of my PC and away I'd go. I now understand you get more out of a great pair of headphones if you use a good amp as well, but there seem to be all these other things to add as well: DAC, Mixamp, PC soundcard upgrade etc.
 
MLE and others recommend an O2 amp, but I don't know if this will work with my PC, if it's superfluous, or even how to connect something like that to my PC to get the most out of it. MLE also seems to be a big fan of the Mixamp but commented that I can get a soundcard for my PC which does the same thing  (Asus Xonar Essence STX) so frankly I have no idea what to do next.     
 
Please help me understand what I need to do to just enjoy some great sound out of my PC without going crazy with wires and matt black boxes connected to each other all over my desk.
 
Please help! Thanks in advance.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-w-dolby-headphone-updated-2-19-2012-petition-added/4515#post_8203819

Honestly I think you should take out the Mixamp out of the equation, as it is a rather low quality device and go with a quality soundcard and an external amp. And if you do plan on doing serious gaming, you should get a Creative X-Fi Titanium HD instead of the Asus Xonar Essence STX. You will both pay less and have the absolutely complete gaming audio features set, which the Essence STX lacks, and that includes full hardware OpenAL, EAX 1-5, audio algorithms that help positional audio without depending on artificial surround virtualization solutions, etc.
 
So basically you should just get a X-Fi Titanium HD and an external amp of your choice. The amp choice will depend on the gear used. What headphones do you have?

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namelesspfg said:

If I can find/remember the links to those things, I'll update the guide.
 

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Let me know when you do because there are a few resources versions newer than the latest versions found on the sites.

Hi Roller,
No final decision yet on headphones but likely one of: Denon D2/5/7000, AKG K550/Q702  or Beyerdynamic DT-770 or 990.
Leaning to either Denon D2000 or D7000 most heavily right now.  
If I got one of the above headphones and also a soundcard like XFi Titanium HD as you suggest, would I still need a separate amp? How would I connect the amp to the soundcard? 
Is the point of the Mixamp not to provide 5.1 surround? In the setup you suggest does the XFi Titanium card do that instead?
Many thanks for the help.
 
 

Well mindstarr, the D7000 is on a league of its own compared to the other headphones you mentioned. But all those headphones benefit from additional amping, something that the X-Fi Titanium HD doesn't do by itself (additional amping, as it already amps to some extent, something that's offset for having unparallel gaming support), so adding a headphone amp is recommended. There are many amps available, and when matching something like a D2000/D5000/D7000, a more neutral amp would be a better option, so something like a Schiit Asgard could be a good choice.
To connect the amp to the soundcard, just connect it to the line-out RCA jacks of the soundcard.
 
I personally find the Mixamp to be awful, a device whose only purpose is to be used with gaming consoles that can't have proper audio hardware installed.

I'm thorougly enjoying using my X-Fi with an E17. Has a lot of other uses outside gaming as well (takes digital in from my laptop, line out from my iPod, and soon I'll have USB out via Android tablet working)

Might be weaker than desktop amps and too much feature for your needs though, depending on what you buy/your sources.

That's great - thank you

I'm looking at the asus xonar dg right now for dolby headphone. Is there another sound card with dolby headphone that you guys can recommend me?
 
 
Edit: How do the beyers 990 premium/pro sounds with CMSS-3D? I would switch to CMSS-3D if it can contain the high treble the beyers 990 seem to have. DH smoothed out the knife piercing highs for me.