[PurpleAngel]

  Thanks, much appreciated!
Your post reminded me that I actually had another question, about W10. Are the older cards (such as the Fatality) still getting driver support for new operating systems (either official or unofficial)?
Also, are there any go-to or frequently recommended solutions for modern pc gaming audio, or would we be just splitting hairs?

 
Looks like the last driver update for the Titanium series is January 2016, so 14 months ago.
While the Z series just had a driver update Jan 2017, so only three months ago.

 

[Darch]

Thanks PurpleAngel. I'll go with a SBZ if I do go the sound card route (I'm also looking into the Sennheiser GSX unit). No motherboard in mind, as this will be for a future build (May, most likely).

 

[BrightCandle]

I have started to find issues with the Sennheiser GSX 1000 which likely make it bad for gaming. Its better than the SBZ except for when its not. In Arma 3 (a 5.1 game) there are small gaps in the sound directly to the right and left. Intially I thought this was an Arma 3 mod bug but I have found it is affecting the games base sounds as well. I am not playing many 5.1 games these days but Arma 3 doesn't seem to output 7.1 and the device isn't handling that properly. I am following up with support but its already into second line and beyond so I imagine this is going to be a long term problem and something they didn't anticipate.

 

[audi03nthusiast]

   
Looks like the last driver update for the Titanium series is January 2016, so 14 months ago.
While the Z series just had a driver update Jan 2017, so only three months ago.

http://danielkawakami.blogspot.fi/

 

[tighttighttight]

I have so many burning questions about the new 3D sound options in Windows 10 now that I've downloaded the new update, but seem to have no one who can answer them until next week when the Creators Update gets pushed to everybody.

1) What are the advantages of selecting "Dolby Atmos for Headphones" over "Windows Sonic for Headphones" in the audio control panel? Does Windows Sonic also process Atmos with a HRTF so I can avoid switching back and forth?

2) Do I configure my Creative X7 in the audio control panel for Stereo or the highest possible Surround output? With Atmos or Sonic enabled, is it irrelevant? Will Windows pull multi channel data from movies and games no matter what?

3) Would using Atmos for Headphones within the menu in Overwatch or Valve's HRTF option in CS:GO conflict or overlap with Microsoft's 3D implementations, or will it appear to be a Stereo signal and not add crossfade or other effects? I just want to set my audio and forget it, and even before these new options, right now I have to switch between Stereo/HRTF when I play Counter Strike and 5.1/SBX surround for everything else.

Hopefully I can just enable Stereo and Windows Sonic and call it a day.

 

[rudyae86]

I have so many burning questions about the new 3D sound options in Windows 10 now that I've downloaded the new update, but seem to have no one who can answer them until next week when the Creators Update gets pushed to everybody.

1) What are the advantages of selecting "Dolby Atmos for Headphones" over "Windows Sonic for Headphones" in the audio control panel? Does Windows Sonic also process Atmos with a HRTF so I can avoid switching back and forth?

2) Do I configure my Creative X7 in the audio control panel for Stereo or the highest possible Surround output? With Atmos or Sonic enabled, is it irrelevant? Will Windows pull multi channel data from movies and games no matter what?

3) Would using Atmos for Headphones within the menu in Overwatch or Valve's HRTF option in CS:GO conflict or overlap with Microsoft's 3D implementations, or will it appear to be a Stereo signal and not add crossfade or other effects? I just want to set my audio and forget it, and even before these new options, right now I have to switch between Stereo/HRTF when I play Counter Strike and 5.1/SBX surround for everything else.

Hopefully I can just enable Stereo and Windows Sonic and call it a day.

General rule is to not overlap HRTFs or additional virtual processing. For example, Overwatch already has Dolby Atmos for headphones built into it, so all you really need to to do is have all your other sources (like your X7) set to stereo and you should be able to hear Dolby Atmos as it is.
 
I don't know about Windows Sonic for Headphones, didn't know that was going to be part of it as well but I would still not use 2 HRTFs at the same time. Try one or the other and see how they both work in terms of audio positioning and quality.
 
Also, when is this new update going to be released? I want to try it already lol.

 

[tighttighttight]

General rule is to not overlap HRTFs or additional virtual processing. For example, Overwatch already has Dolby Atmos for headphones built into it, so all you really need to to do is have all your other sources (like your X7) set to stereo and you should be able to hear Dolby Atmos as it is.

I don't know about Windows Sonic for Headphones, didn't know that was going to be part of it as well but I would still not use 2 HRTFs at the same time. Try one or the other and see how they both work in terms of audio positioning and quality.

Also, when is this new update going to be released? I want to try it already lol.

It starts rolling out to all Windows 10 users next week, but you can get it early by forcing an update with the Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant.

 

[tighttighttight]

General rule is to not overlap HRTFs or additional virtual processing. For example, Overwatch already has Dolby Atmos for headphones built into it, so all you really need to to do is have all your other sources (like your X7) set to stereo and you should be able to hear Dolby Atmos as it is.

I don't know about Windows Sonic for Headphones, didn't know that was going to be part of it as well but I would still not use 2 HRTFs at the same time. Try one or the other and see how they both work in terms of audio positioning and quality.

Also, when is this new update going to be released? I want to try it already lol.

I can't yet post offsite links, but if you do a google search for Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant you can force your system to update before it starts getting rolled out to everyone next week.

 

[rudyae86]

I can't yet post offsite links, but if you do a google search for Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant you can force your system to update before it starts getting rolled out to everyone next week.

Yup just looked it up and i am downloading now thanks lol
 
Will get back to you after testing it out
 
Edit: So I downloaded the update and its there! But Dolby Atmos for headphones isn't available just yet and says coming soon. Only Sonic is available to be used. However Dolby Atmos for Home Cinema is available but I don't have an AVR.
 
This is very interesting though....

 

[BlueNinja0]

  Yup just looked it up and i am downloading now thanks lol
 
Will get back to you after testing it out
 
Edit: So I downloaded the update and its there! But Dolby Atmos for headphones isn't available just yet and says coming soon. Only Sonic is available to be used. However Dolby Atmos for Home Cinema is available but I don't have an AVR.
 
This is very interesting though....

 
Wasn't Dolby Atmos going to be available to buy on the Microsoft Store?
 
Also, what's the point of Dolby Atmos for an AVR if Windows can theoretically decode Dolby Atmos in the appropriate channel number and send it to the AVR in uncompressed LPCM to through HDMI?

 

[youareme7]

   
Wasn't Dolby Atmos going to be available to buy on the Microsoft Store?
 

When you try to enable atmos for headphones in the spatial surround tab it actually makes you download an app called Dolby Access, on that app it just says headphone coming soon so not sure if it'll be pay later but I don't think so based on what I've read at The Next Web
https://thenextweb.com/opinion/2017/01/05/dolby-atmos-windows-10-going-finally-bring-surround-sound-masses/

 

[youareme7]

I updated my windows today to the creators update and have the spatial sound tab but there are no choices for my dragonfly dac, even though windows sonic for headphone does show up for my motherboard audio and the audio for my monitor. 

 

[BlueNinja0]

  there are no choices for my dragonfly dac

 
Those are some really bad news... I hope this is not the case for other DACs.

 

[rudyae86]

So I am still trying to figure out how to use Windows Sonic for headphones....I keep ticking on it and it switches to stereo and at the bottom it says 7.1 virtual surround sound. Then I go into battlefield 1 and the audio is just as is without adding HRTF, settings Surround and Large speakers.
 
So I dont know what am I doing wrong. I am using an asus xonar DG and have a Schiit Modi 2 Uber connected to it via optical and my Cayin C5 amp connected to the DAC...I turned off Dolby headphone.....and still nothing.

 

[bigbeard]

I also don't understand how windows sonic works. I am assuming windows defaults to stereo, and then reproduces virtual 7.1? Does that mean in game we should use surround, or stereo?
 
Another note, since I use HD800 when I'm gaming, should I set windows to full range speakers on 5.1?