[NamelessPFG]

 
Quote:

Set windows sound to stereo and set the Rapture 3D speaker layout (a separate executable from DiRT 2) to headphone stereo compatibility mode.  

I tried that already. It doesn't work, because it's stuck on stereo speakers instead and won't let me switch to headphones...
 
...wait, now it DOES work. What gives? Could be that I thought to update Rapture3D itself, could be that I'm on an X-Fi Titanium HD now instead of the Prelude or Forte.
 
Now it's time to experiment with it...at least in DiRT 2. Would be nice if I could get the bundled version to work in other games, but 30 GBP is just too much with the exchange rate as it is. It would be an easier sell if they also included a DirectSound3D-to-OpenAL wrapper and the ability to process up to EAX 5 in software.

 

[AxelDaemon]

 
Quote:

Axel, I see from the profile that you have the Mixamp already, do you own the X-Fi HD or is that going to be a future purchase? If you haven't picked it up yet and want to see how the mixamp can handle gaming on the PC cheaply, I use the Turtle Beach Micro II with my laptop and the Mixamp on the go. I know there are better USB to optical connections out there, but I'm impressed with how nice it sounds for the price. I got mine around $25 shipped. Just something to consider. Most of the time a built in PCI or PCI-E card will give you better quality over the same connection.

I should think up a nickname for you and you should to me as well.  How does Axelo sound (cause you got an o in your name)?  Has a nice ring to it =P,
 
*AHEM* Anyway.  I forgot to update my profile about that.  For now though I'm just focused on console gaming for now, so yeah it'll be a future purchase later on.  (Besides my wallet would cry, taking into consideration with what I already am lining up for purchasing heh)
 
I have an idea of of what it's like to use the mixamp on the PC, it's cause I bought this years ago (understand years ago means I didn't know any better lol)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829118109
 
At the time I just wanted a sound card thinking it could improve something that and because I wanted to use the toslink of the Mixamp, the reviews stated that the drivers provided by TB weren't good.  But the ones from HT Omega for the Striker 7.1 Drivers gave great results for this sound card.
http://www.htomega.com/downloads.html
 
My own tweaking here and there produced pleasant results to my ears.  I'm not sure if my settings were the correct or right way, but the sound I heard coupled with the Astro A40 set via Toslink still made it sound alot better than some random $5 headphone I used to have.  in any case I appreciate the suggestions Axelo.
 
@PFG : Well all the best with your test results and findings on that then.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Is the sound on mw3 nerfed so bad that even an expensive headphone won't help? I played cod4 with the x1's in stereo and mw2 with the x41's and they were absolutely brilliant. Nobody ever crept on on me unless they had dead silence. But mw3 is a different story. I'm finding it extremely hard to position sounds and footsteps don't really become audible unless they are very close, whereas in the previous cods, I could hear people from quite a distance. I'm using HTF600's and x41 atm and they both don't help/. Had some Senn 558's for a while (unmodded) and they didn't help either.

You can't soundwhore in MW3 like in the previous games. I'm sure they did that to balance the gameplay out, so others who don't have headphones feel gimped. They seriously ruined the audio in the game.

 

[AxelDaemon]

Never played a CoD game online so... how does making rooms/lobby whatever work?  Can they have specific titles?  I imagine a workaround to making it *balanced* is people can specify the room to not have soundwhore-ers.  (Course this is only effective if the player in question is honest about it)  Rather than having them gimp the audio as you're saying.
 
And ugh no matter what button/info I click on I can't hyperlink any web address I put.
 
Doing it manually usually is like this -insert text-

 

[SniperCzar]

Quote:

The DT770 Pro 80 sounded murky to me with games that had anything resembling some ambient bass. I haven't used them in ages, but I'd guess that in Mass Effect 3, being on the Normandy would be quite muddy sounding on the 770/80s.

Not true for me (bear in mind I'm using them well amped off an E17 with CMSS rather than a Mixamp/DH)

 

[hamzatm]

Quote:

You can't soundwhore in MW3 like in the previous games. I'm sure they did that to balance the gameplay out, so others who don't have headphones feel gimped. They seriously ruined the audio in the game.

Agree totally, and IMO the difference between amazing headphones with cmss-3d, and not-so-amazing headphones was for me clearly noticeable. The DT770s positioning allowed me to soundwhore but only at pretty close range .
 
Actually this subject really gets on my nerves, because Infinity Ward have made MW3 designed for the noobs to do well. There's little feedback for very high skilled players (you will do well, but not well enough in comparison to noobs, if we base it off skill alone). They removed soundwhoring, they put in all these deathstreaks and killstreaks (harrier-nuke camping mw2...) and other jazz like FMG9 akimbos etc. In comparison to COD1 or 2, now they were totally skill based.
 
IW actually admitted to doing this.
 
 
Quote:

Not true for me (bear in mind I'm using them well amped off an E17 with CMSS rather than a Mixamp/DH)

So the CMSS is from a cheap x-fi sound card and the e17 is via USB right? I may go this route but I feel a bit gimped sacrificing the expensive DAC circuitry on my Forte
Also regarding the amping power of the e17, any ideas how it would go if i used a lesser fiio amp with no DAC, like the lowly e6 or e11?
 
Quote:

If the DT770 Pro 80-Ohm are not getting enough "juice", they can sound "murky-ish" or crude bass.
Is there a headphone gain setting for the X-Fi Forte, something that you can set to one setting higher?
Upgrade the op-amp on the forte?
Sennheiser PC360s for 80GBPs ($127 US) is a great price, in the USA the PC360s are going for 125GBP ($200 US).
And the PC360 comes with an integrated mic.
AKG K601s (120-Ohm), they might(?) be harder for the Forte to drive then the DT770 Pro (80-Ohm).
I think most would agree that AKGs like a little more juice to sound their best.
 
 
 

Thanks, that explains it then. At least it isn't just me
Yeah PC360s are looking good but i'm worried about sound quality, is it something I should really care about?
actually I may be able to trade the DT770 with a HD598 from some guy, fingers crossed
About the  K601 im leaning away now, I was contemplating that they would have the clarity of the K701s but after researching I'm not so sure.
 
What I need to know now, is the PC360 seriously fine for gaming (cmss-3d through a Forte), that I shouldnt care about the HD598, if we only look at gaming and ignore music etc? Should I just get a cheap amp to assist the Forte in juicing my DT770s?
 
 
 
Is it all in my head that I NEED THE SOUND QUALITEHHH or will I only attain true pleasure the best ******* headphones out there?
 
Second thoughts maybe only I can answer that...

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Sennheisers tend to be boring. PC360 and HD598 included. However, the fact that they are boring, makes them well suited for general purposes, especially FPS gaming, where you want a very even sound, which the Senns tend to have.

 

[AxelDaemon]

That must be a unique way of describing balance.  "Boring" lol.  But then... would the Q701 be boring too? After all I'm after general purpose too or another way of wording it a balanced/even field, "playing it safe", all rounder headphone, though I'm willing to spend premium to get those conditions fulfilled.
 
In any case here's hoping I can find a seller over here without resorting to crazy shipping rates.
 
Edit: Man that's the 2nd time I've jacked first post of new page accidentley.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Well no, balanced doesn't have to be boring, the Q701, DT880, HE-4 do this well for me.

However, if you've heard various Sennheisers, you might agree with me, that they aren't exactly 'alive' in comparison. They tend to just be... well balanced with no real personality. At least thats how I see them. Sennheisers don't do anything wrong. But they don't excite in any way either. They're a safe choice, because you get all the positional awareness you'd ever want, and no emphasis anywhere that may detract from that balance.

Of course, I'd recommend saving up a little more for headphones that do balance and still bring out some excitement. If I heard a well balanced headphone in the typical $170-200 range for the Sennheiser PC360/HD598 , and it had more excitement, I'd recommend it over the Senns. As it stands, for those that want really good virtual surround cues, a sound signature that picks up all details evenly, the Sennheisers are it. With EQ/Bass Boost, you can add your own excitement, which is what I did with the PC360 on the Mixamp 5.8.

I will be honest with you, I wouldn't EVER use any of the Senns for anything outside of competitive gaming. I hated them for music/movies. The K701 is also well balanced that I hated for music/movies, but are godly for gaming. If you have $250 to spend and want balance done well, I'd recommend the Q701 everytime, though I'd have to say that they definitely need an amp for non-gaming purposes, and you may get away with using them on something like the Mixamp alone for gaming. Can't stress this enough.

 

[Drastion]

I was wondering about the power output of the mixamp pro. Does turning it towards voice take away more than just volume? My ears must be sensative due to babying them to much. I have to set I almost to completely voice just to be able to turn the volume to 12 o'clock.


Not such a problem with my q40. I am just wondering if I am loosing some of the amps power when I do something similar with my q701.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The game/voice knob to me definitely adds/takes away from it's amping power, and isn't just 'volume'. I noticed this because for example on a DT990/600, you may have enough power at full game, but once you move that knob away from game, volume takes a pretty steep dive, very quickly. This is why I recommend an extra amp for those hard to drive headphones. Volume is just one thing, but when you take away from fully powering your cans (you are redistributing some power to amplify voice volume), you're making the amp portion weaker.

edit: To add to this, After what seems to be a month and a half, I FINALLY got my Dealextreme clip-on mic. Never had to wait so long for a $3 product, lol. At least thing one didn't come with the clip snapped off the body. So now I can talk smack again!

 

[hamzatm]

About the boring = fpsMonstah vs exciting = other stuff: How would the DT880 premiums fare?
 
If i forego the PC360s in favour of DT880s, what am i losing/gaining exactly?
 
 

 

[Jodiuh]

 
I am...quote man! No, really, my SSD died last week and I'm just getting around to the forums, lol!
 
Quote:

Prior to the DT770s footsteps were all but unhearable, but with the DT770s I can hear them like a wallhack even with other stuff going on - thats one thing i dont want to change!

 
 
Just wait to you try some Q701's w/ a tube amp.

 
Quote:

I still don't believe in dolby headphone, in all of those I could hear where the shots were coming from (in fact it was clearer without it) using q701s and an iBasso D7.

 
I like DH for movies. But for games, setting to 8, then headphone, w/ no other bells & whistles seems to give me the best positioning.
 
 

From Battlefield 3​

 
 
 
Quote:

The DT770 Pro 80 sounded murky to me with games that had anything resembling some ambient bass. I haven't used them in ages, but I'd guess that in Mass Effect 3, being on the Normandy would be quite muddy sounding on the 770/80s.

 
 
I have the 250 Ohms from pre 2006, but I feel the same. They're too colored. I do prefer these for LAN's however as they're EXTREMELY broken in, super comfy, and closed. Too hard to hear w/ open phones w/ mates screaming in your face, lol!
 
 
Quote:

Not true for me (bear in mind I'm using them well amped off an E17 with CMSS rather than a Mixamp/DH)

 
 
How does E17 compare w/ Little Dot MKIII? Admittedly, I didn't do a whole lot of research, but I did get to hear the LD before buying. That probably factored in the most. Coming from a MisterX built PIMETA that's almost 6 yrs old, I'm very happy.
 
I used CMSS w/ my X-Fi's, then the Forte for the longest time. Then I heard a friend's Asus card wo/ CMSS and after much prodding, I conceded, and shut it off. Positioning suffered, but WOW, did sound quality go through the roof! Since then I've sold the Forte and use a DX. I briefly tried an STX, but didn't notice much difference. And despised it for turning off my line out's when selecting headphones (for Dolby Headphone).

 
Quote:

Originally Posted by hamzatm /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
About the  K601 im leaning away now, I was contemplating that they would have the clarity of the K701s but after researching I'm not so sure.
 
What I need to know now, is the PC360 seriously fine for gaming (cmss-3d through a Forte), that I shouldnt care about the HD598, if we only look at gaming and ignore music etc? Should I just get a cheap amp to assist the Forte in juicing my DT770s?
 
Is it all in my head that I NEED THE SOUND QUALITEHHH or will I only attain true pleasure the best ******* headphones out there?

 
 
IMO, pass on both of those. A buddy of mine has the K701's and they did not impress me as much as his DT880's. He did however tell me that they improved dramatically w/ burn in. I did some research and found the Q701's @ Fry's. They were just a bit sloppier than I'd like, but MUCH better than the K701's, my HD580's, and DT770-250's. After about 20~25 hours of burn in, they have tightened up to the point, I'll probably never listen to the others. The Q's are more accurate and detailed w/ a larger soundstage. The Sennheiser's by comparison are...boring. The 770's...colored and muddy. This is through a Little Dot MKIII tube amp BTW.
 
 
Quote:

Sennheisers tend to be boring.

 
 
Yes they are, lol. More comfortable for gaming than the Q701's, but probably because mine are 8 yrs old.

 
Quote:

That must be a unique way of describing balance.  "Boring" lol.  But then... would the Q701 be boring too?

 
 
Not at all...however, a lot of folks prefer the crazy bass bloat of some Ultrasones (I do not) or the V equalizer of the DT990's (I do not). I much prefer to hear everything equally. My first taste of this was w/ the Triple.Fi 10's. Then some KRK Rokit RP6G2's. The detail the Q's pull out's amazing and they work very well for gaming due to this. Of course their super wide soundstage helps too.

 
Quote:

Well no, balanced doesn't have to be boring, the Q701...do this well for me.
However, if you've heard various Sennheisers, you might agree with me, that they aren't exactly 'alive' in comparison. They tend to just be... well balanced with no real personality. At least thats how I see them. Sennheisers don't do anything wrong. But they don't excite in any way either. They're a safe choice, because you get all the positional awareness you'd ever want, and no emphasis anywhere that may detract from that balance.

If you have $250 to spend and want balance done well, I'd recommend the Q701 everytime, though I'd have to say that they definitely need an amp for non-gaming purposes, and you may get away with using them on something like the Mixamp alone for gaming. Can't stress this enough.

 
 
Agree 110%. I would go one step further and just keep what you have (770's), save up for the Q's and whatever amp seems to be the best for your purposes. Don't suffer for years like I did being bored to death, lol!

 
 
 

 

[hamzatm]

Wow thanks a lot Jodiuh!
 
So in your opinion should I also skip the DT880s and save up solely for Q701s with an amp?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I might prefer the DT880s over the Q701 just a little bit for everything but FPS games. The DT880s just don't do rear positioning as well as I'd like. They are comparable though. The bass is similar. The difference FWIRemember is the mids are more emphasized on the Qs, and the DT880s have more treble emphasis.

They are both popular for a reason.