[gmreplay]

I'm a noob when it comes to decent audio, and while I've learned a lot from surfing the boards for an hour or two I still need some pretty basic advice.
 
I intend to use my phones primarily for gaming and listening to podcasts on my ipod touch. I've been convinced to go with the AD700 over the HD555 for these purposes. I only have onboard sound on my gaming system, but I'd like to be able to get the best sound and replicate 5.1 or 7.1 surround with the headphones. I take it I'll need a soundcard, so I was considering the Asus Xonar. Will that be sufficient for these purposes? I've also seen a lot of talk about the Mixamp, but I can't for the life of me figure out what it does or why I'd need one. 
 
Any advice is greatly appreciated! 

 

[maverickronin]

The mixamp downmixes a 5.1 signal into a stereo signal that sounds like surround sound using a HRTF.  Many sound cards have similar features as well.

 

[gmreplay]

So do I need a mixamp to make the 5.1 usable in my headphones? Can you recommend a good cheap soundcard that will do the job instead?

 

[dreadful]

Heres the Mixamp http://www.astrogaming.com/products/detail/69/MixAmp/ if you intend use a mic you also need http://www.astrogaming.com/products/detail/71/Y-Adapter/

 

[maverickronin]

You don't need the mixamp to do that.  Some sound cards can do the same thing.  I haven't been following the gaming scene recently so I don't really have any recommendations for a particular sound card.  I'd probably go with an asus, since the drivers seem more likely to work.  The feature you're looking for is called dolby headphone virtualization.  Its the same algorithm that the mixamp uses.  Creative uses their own algorithm to do the same thing.  I think its called CMSS3D.  I've heard its better than the dolby algorithm but I don't know first hand.

 

[gmreplay]

Well I got the AD700s and I'm sorry to say I'm not as dumbfounded with them as I hoped I'd be. I mostly listen to podcasts, but even music doesn't seem that much better than my Sennheiser in-ear phones. It might just be that they are open cans so the sound isn't quite as bold. 
 
I've only used them on my onboard-sound-pc and ipod touch so far. Are those adequate testing tools or am I trying to run a porsche on watery gas? 

 

[deci]

The AD700s are definitely open. They were my first good pair of headphones, but now that I have some closed HFI780s, I do realize they don't pack a huge punch. They are still great headphones though. The open, airy feeling helps with positioning in gaming, though I don't do that much of that, so I'm no expert.
 
Quote:

Well I got the AD700s and I'm sorry to say I'm not as dumbfounded with them as I hoped I'd be. I mostly listen to podcasts, but even music doesn't seem that much better than my Sennheiser in-ear phones. It might just be that they are open cans so the sound isn't quite as bold. 
 
I've only used them on my onboard-sound-pc and ipod touch so far. Are those adequate testing tools or am I trying to run a porsche on watery gas? 

 

[gmreplay]

I'd much appreciate a soundcard recommendation to get the most out of these. I'd spring for anything below $120ish. 

 

[classakg]

A good soundcard for general purposes (music/gaming) is the Asus xonar Dx. 

 

[gmreplay]

That's exactly the one I went with. Thanks!