[benbenkr]

  It was the inability to disable it that was my problem. I preferred how it was on PS3. The first time I noticed it was at about 2 in the morning. I took off my headphones and realised the sound was coming out my speakers too, which kind of defeated the point of me wearing headphones. Luckily my speakers weren't turned up very loud or I'd have woken everyone up.

 
Yeah I know. No idea why Sony never decided to have an option to disable it.
 
Well you can always just mute your TV speakers at the same time, it's a minor inconvenience but not end of the world.

 

[Napalmhardcore]

   
Yeah I know. No idea why Sony never decided to have an option to disable it.
 
Well you can always just mute your TV speakers at the same time, it's a minor inconvenience but not end of the world.

Yeah, that's what I've been doing. Like you said, it's not a big deal, just an odd decision on Sony's part.

 

[grumpy1471]

Ah ok. Well, ps4 is lacking many things atm, unfortunately.

Luckily, an optical port on the console isn't one of them! Not to hate on the Xbox One, but it's an inconvenience to either have to get 5.1 through the TV or through an adapter.

Edit: Turns out posting when I'm half awake isn't so smart. I assumed that the XB1 didn't have an optical port because of how the newest 360 doesn't. Whoops!

 

[Stillhart]

Luckily, an optical port on the console isn't one of them! Not to hate on the Xbox One, but it's an inconvenience to either have to get 5.1 through the TV or through an adapter.

XBone has optical port on the console.  The adaptor, which I think is a deplorable cash grab and which I suspect they could be sued for if someone wanted to put together a class action suit, is only for using your own headset for chat.  If you just want 5.1 with no chat, the Xbox works perfectly fine and needs no additional adaptor.  If you want to chat with 5.1 too, you need the adaptor and a bunch of complicated cables. 
 
And to the person who mentioned the Aune T1 as an alternative to the Vali, everything I've read says the T1 is a tube DAC, not a tube amp.  I think I even read that the tube isn't used if you're using the onboard amp; you have to use it as a DAC/preamp to get the tube in the signal path.  It's one of the reasons I crossed it off my list.  I could be mistaken though, I've never personally heard one...

 

[grumpy1471]

XBone has optical port on the console.  The adaptor, which I think is a deplorable cash grab and which I suspect they could be sued for if someone wanted to put together a class action suit, is only for using your own headset for chat.  If you just want 5.1 with no chat, the Xbox works perfectly fine and needs no additional adaptor.  If you want to chat with 5.1 too, you need the adaptor and a bunch of complicated cables. 

And to the person who mentioned the Aune T1 as an alternative to the Vali, everything I've read says the T1 is a tube DAC, not a tube amp.  I think I even read that the tube isn't used if you're using the onboard amp; you have to use it as a DAC/preamp to get the tube in the signal path.  It's one of the reasons I crossed it off my list.  I could be mistaken though, I've never personally heard one...

Thanks for pointing that out. I'm surprised that I didn't bother to look it up before I posted that! My bias towards the PS4 is starting to show

 

[grumpy1471]

Games lol.

Mind you I've got more than enough to play. Steam sales have given me a monumental backlog of stuff to play.

I agree completely with this. My PS4 has been gathering a bit of dust because of the lack of games. This, of course, is to be expected at the launch of a console. I too have a HUGE backlog of games. Probably around 100 untouched or uncompleted games on steam. Right now I'm just playing a ton of Borderlands 2 instead of working through my other games.

 

[eXistencelies]

So i wanted to mention that I recently purchased Q701 and STX sound card. Gamed in Dolby my first time and disliked it. Tried stereo and seemed a bit better. Ended up doing some more tweaks on Dolby and used DH1 setting, 6 channel and 44K. Well lets just say it def took some getting use to and now I love it. Switching back to HI-FI(Stereo) mode I did not like. The game I play right now is CS:GO and it only allows up to 5.1 audio. So that is why I have it set to the 6 channels. So for those that never played on Dolby give it some time. I came from razer 7.1 krakens and I thought those were good at first. Not anymore. Everything seemed so muddy with them. 
 
Only one thing is I sometimes get popping in my speakers. Not sure what causes this.

 

[grumpy1471]

So i wanted to mention that I recently purchased Q701 and STX sound card. Gamed in Dolby my first time and disliked it. Tried stereo and seemed a bit better. Ended up doing some more tweaks on Dolby and used DH1 setting, 6 channel and 44K. Well lets just say it def took some getting use to and now I love it. Switching back to HI-FI(Stereo) mode I did not like. The game I play right now is CS:GO and it only allows up to 5.1 audio. So that is why I have it set to the 6 channels. So for those that never played on Dolby give it some time. I came from razer 7.1 krakens and I thought those were good at first. Not anymore. Everything seemed so muddy with them. 

Only one thing is I sometimes get popping in my speakers. Not sure what causes this.

The virtual surround does take a while to get used to. I went through the same thing when I first got my A40 system. Now, I hate playing games in stereo because of how you can only really tell if sounds are coming from the right or the left. Stereo makes competitive gaming really difficult and makes other games a ton less immersive.

 

[eXistencelies]

The virtual surround does take a while to get used to. I went through the same thing when I first got my A40 system. Now, I hate playing games in stereo because of how you can only really tell if sounds are coming from the right or the left. Stereo makes competitive gaming really difficult and makes other games a ton less immersive.

I don't enable the virtual surround unless that is what Dolby is? I just check the Dolby Headphone box and that is it and put it on the DH1 setting. Less of that sound stage echo. There is an option to enable the 7.1 virtual surround. 

 

[grumpy1471]

I don't enable the virtual surround unless that is what Dolby is? I just check the Dolby Headphone box and that is it and put it on the DH1 setting. Less of that sound stage echo. There is an option to enable the 7.1 virtual surround. 

DH is indeed virtual surround. 6 channel would be 5.1 if I'm not mistaken. Try toggling on and off DH1 and seeing how accurately you can hear the location of a sound in a game. To test virtual surround, I go on CoD: Ghosts on the map Prison Break in a private match and go to one edge of the map where there is a waterfall off in the distance. When DH is on on my Mixamp, I can accurately hear the waterfall behind and in front of me as well as to the left and right of me. In stereo mode, I can only really hear when it's to the left or right of me.

 

[Napalmhardcore]

I agree completely with this. My PS4 has been gathering a bit of dust because of the lack of games. This, of course, is to be expected at the launch of a console. I too have a HUGE backlog of games. Probably around 100 untouched or uncompleted games on steam. Right now I'm just playing a ton of Borderlands 2 instead of working through my other games.

I have a ridiculous amount of untouched games too. Not trying to one-up you here, but I think I have over 200 waiting to be played lol. I have the gaming equivalent of my eyes being bigger than my stomach.
 

   
Only one thing is I sometimes get popping in my speakers. Not sure what causes this.

I'm having problems with popping, though it's happening through my headphones and (as far as I can tell) not through my speakers. However I'm using an Omni.
 
I've already had to go through pretty much every trouble shooting step already for a problem I thought I had a while back (was confused about Dolby Digital Live and when it should be enabled), so I don't know what more I can do. The only things I can think of is either my USB controller is faulty, the Omni is defective or the Omni just doesn't get along with my system (for whatever temperamental, I'm a PC and do what I feel like, switch me off and back on again reason).

 

[Stillhart]

I agree completely with this. My PS4 has been gathering a bit of dust because of the lack of games. This, of course, is to be expected at the launch of a console. I too have a HUGE backlog of games. Probably around 100 untouched or uncompleted games on steam. Right now I'm just playing a ton of Borderlands 2 instead of working through my other games.

 
(Speaking of bias) my Xbox One has absolutely not been gathering dust.  From day 1, I was playing Forza 5, then Peggle, PvZ, Titanfall, etc.  I still can't figure out why so many people bought PS4's so fast...

 

[grumpy1471]

  I have a ridiculous amount of untouched games too. Not trying to one-up you here, but I think I have over 200 waiting to be played lol. I have the gaming equivalent of my eyes being bigger than my stomach.

That's pretty crazy. I'm avoiding buying any games until I see one that I really need or want because of my backlog. Infamous: Second Son looks pretty good but I'm going to wait until I get my money's worth out of my Steam library to get it.
 
 

   
(Speaking of bias) my Xbox One has absolutely not been gathering dust.  From day 1, I was playing Forza 5, then Peggle, PvZ, Titanfall, etc.  I still can't figure out why so many people bought PS4's so fast...

I bought a PS4 because of the better hardware specs and because of how my friends were biased towards the PS4. I had been planning out my gaming PC when I bought the PS4 so maybe my new knowledge of PC parts and such made me choose the PS4 due to its higher performance. Microsoft has the advantage when it comes to the selection of games because of its exclusives, however, I have been noticing that devs are preferring the PS4 when it comes to making games. Not quite sure how that will effect the volume of games within the next year or so.
 
For Titanfall, I can play on my gaming PC so I'm not really missing out. As for Forza, I find it slightly boring for my tastes. Believe me, I think Forza games are great, however, I prefer arcade racing games such as NFS and I have been really enjoying Grid 2 lately. When the best exclusive for the Xbox, Halo, comes out for the Xbox One, I will definitely have to break down and buy one.
 
I want to stay as neutral as possible when it comes to consoles. I look at what my friends are getting, see if any exclusives will make me want to buy one console or another, I will factor that into my decision. I also care about specs quite a bit. I am not the type of person who sticks with one brand of console just because of the brand. I chose the PS4 because it seemed to be the winner of this generation of consoles (of course, in my opinion). I chose the Xbox 360 last gen because I thought the same for it as I do now with the PS4. 
 
I will for sure be buying an Xbox One eventually. Maybe when they make a smaller version of the console, I will buy that (who the heck decided to make the XB1 as big as it is?). I see benefits in both consoles and, for now, the PS4 seems to be the winner in my mind.

 

[conquerator2]

(Speaking of bias) my Xbox One has absolutely not been gathering dust.  From day 1, I was playing Forza 5, then Peggle, PvZ, Titanfall, etc.  I still can't figure out why so many people bought PS4's so fast...

All that in glorious full HD!
Oh, wait... Oops

 

[martin vegas]

  That's pretty crazy. I'm avoiding buying any games until I see one that I really need or want because of my backlog. Infamous: Second Son looks pretty good but I'm going to wait until I get my money's worth out of my Steam library to get it.
 
 
I bought a PS4 because of the better hardware specs and because of how my friends were biased towards the PS4. I had been planning out my gaming PC when I bought the PS4 so maybe my new knowledge of PC parts and such made me choose the PS4 due to its higher performance. Microsoft has the advantage when it comes to the selection of games because of its exclusives, however, I have been noticing that devs are preferring the PS4 when it comes to making games. Not quite sure how that will effect the volume of games within the next year or so.
 
For Titanfall, I can play on my gaming PC so I'm not really missing out. As for Forza, I find it slightly boring for my tastes. Believe me, I think Forza games are great, however, I prefer arcade racing games such as NFS and I have been really enjoying Grid 2 lately. When the best exclusive for the Xbox, Halo, comes out for the Xbox One, I will definitely have to break down and buy one.
 
I want to stay as neutral as possible when it comes to consoles. I look at what my friends are getting, see if any exclusives will make me want to buy one console or another, I will factor that into my decision. I also care about specs quite a bit. I am not the type of person who sticks with one brand of console just because of the brand. I chose the PS4 because it seemed to be the winner of this generation of consoles (of course, in my opinion). I chose the Xbox 360 last gen because I thought the same for it as I do now with the PS4. 
 
I will for sure be buying an Xbox One eventually. Maybe when they make a smaller version of the console, I will buy that (who the heck decided to make the XB1 as big as it is?). I see benefits in both consoles and, for now, the PS4 seems to be the winner in my mind.

I think halo's had it's day..the last halo was garbage.. I wouldn't buy a console for that anymore..bf4 is a lot better than halo and battlefields starting to get old now..watchdogs couldn't be coming out sooner!