ASUS ROG Xonar Phoebus - Dolby Headphone replaced with Dolby Home Theater V4

[WiR3D]

i agree with PurpleAngle if you dont like creative get an ST or stx (ST is supposedly a little better.)
 
BUT because the HD598 is relatively low impedance you will experience colouration due to the output impedance mismatch. There are ways around this like building a faux impedance decreasing adapter, but I doubt you will notice a difference. If you want to change the way it sounds you can always change the opamps.
 
And on a side note there are third party drivers available for the ASUS stuff. They are called the uni drivers.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Fegefeuer
The Third party Asus software is at the website Brainbit and the drivers are called "Unified Xonar drivers".
I use my Senn HD558 (50-Ohm) headphones with my STX and they sound fine.
The new Phoebus I believe is more geared to work better (lower gain setting) with lower Ohm headphones, over the STX & ST.

 

[WiR3D]

Quote:

Fegefeuer
The Third party Asus software is at the website Brainbit and the drivers are called "Unified Xonar drivers".
I use my Senn HD558 (50-Ohm) headphones with my STX and they sound fine.
The new Phoebus I believe is more geared to work better (lower gain setting) with lower Ohm headphones, over the STX & ST.

On a side note my franked-circuit, 6 resistor circuit faux impedance decreasing adapter works.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Anyone see any detailed reviews on the Phoebus, in english.

 

[Migi06]

Better to use google translator.. NDA isn't lifted yet and stores are selling them already 

 
http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundnews.ro%2F2012%2F04%2F28%2Fasus-xonar-phoebus-review%2F
http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?rurl=translate.google.com&tl=en&twu=1&u=http://www.pcaxe.com/hardver/audio-video-karte/asus-rog-phoebus-zvucna-karta&usg=ALkJrhhkC2S1j8naI7rktZoNk00_VlKAHQ

 

[WiR3D]

I don't know ifs been said before, but I have a feeling that saying Dolby home theater V4 is a marketing move, istead of listing 6 different dolby badges on an amp you just list one.
 
http://www.dolby.com/us/en/consumer/technology/pc/dolby-home-theater-v4.html
 
under the compare tab it lists that dolby headphone is included. 
 
I actually prefer this way of doing thing TBH.

 

[Migi06]

German review: http://www.hardwareluxx.de/index.php/artikel/hardware/soundkarten/22165.html
Translated
 
Its seems that Dolby headphone got improved

Instead of the current surround sound simulation Dolby Headphone surround sound ASUS now offers two simulations. Firstly, Xear Surround Headphone and secondly, through the new Dolby Home Theater v4. Both the Xear and the Dolby surround sound simulation turn out in our gaming test with Counter-Strike: Source as much space. The enemy can be won in the 360 ​​degree angle to the direction map, from which he comes. We also get to choose the correct size in the space surround-Xear drivers a much better feel for the size of the card, on which we move, so you can better estimate the distance to the far enemy. A small hook remains, however: In the largest room setting gives the sound a distinct character of Hall, who is particularly disturbing in TeamSpeak. Nevertheless, the Xonar Phoebus shows in the field of surround sound, which is very important for players, very strong.
 
The key for a Gamer features, so the surround simulations are another strength dar. Xear 3D and simulation of the Home Theater v4 the best ever space allow in shooters and are therefore CMSS-3D and Dolby Headphone, as well as Creative's latest Scout Mode to shadow.
 
Now I need next DG rev.2 with Dolby v4 software. Optical out for dac/amp & xear 3d surround system 

 

[anetode]

So there's a new C-Media chip out, the 8888! I wonder, from the video it appears that the new Dolby settings are running from some sort of plugin rather than the Xonar-skinned C-Media app. It could be all software, which begs the question, what does the 8888DHT add to the 8788?

 

[kn19h7]

hmm at least native pcie support? Thats the only thing I know...

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

So there's a new C-Media chip out, the 8888! I wonder, from the video it appears that the new Dolby settings are running from some sort of plugin rather than the Xonar-skinned C-Media app. It could be all software, which begs the question, what does the 8888DHT add to the 8788?

Native PCI-Express.

 

[stv014]

I wonder if this card fixes the DAC noise "bug" that Xonar cards with a PCM179x DAC have at 44.1 kHz sample rate ?

 

[Fegefeuer]

nvm, new HRTF > CMSS-3D/DHP statement by german mag hardwareluxx already posted above

 

[NamelessPFG]

We'll have to see about that.
 
What I really want to know is if it can even beat CMSS-3D Headphone in its strong suits - DirectSound3D and OpenAL titles that provide full 3D positional sound information instead of just 7.1 pre-mixed channels. That means it needs to provide height cues, and sounds panning around the listener should sound more seamless instead of jumping from speaker to speaker. If it's not Dolby Headphone and tied to Xear3D's DirectSound3D wrapping, this may be a possibility.
 
Too bad I don't have extra money to spend on sound cards solely to review and sell off immediately afterward.

 

[Migi06]

Quote:

I wonder if this card fixes the DAC noise "bug" that Xonar cards with a PCM179x DAC have at 44.1 kHz sample rate ?

Maybe not: http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?15308-Xonar-Phoebus-Hissing&country=&status=
 
I usually use a pair of Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling headphones. The problem is that whenever I plug them in to the headphone jack on the back of the card, I get a hissing noise (constant static, independent of volume).

Here's the interesting part... If I plug them into the speaker jack instead they sound fine, no hissing. I was playing around with the settings on the card and the only one that makes a difference is the Sample Rate. @ 44.1 it's crazy loud, as I increase the sample rate it gets quieter (but never goes away). 
 
I should try this for my DG..

 

[motorwayne]

I just grabbed one of these cards and lovet it.
 
Q: I have a pair of AKG K240 MKII's on the way and am wondering if the card will have enough juice to run the headphones without having to turn up the gain on the card?
And if not, then what is the best bet to help?
 
Cheers
 
motorwayne