[cardan]

Anyone else happen to have this combo? If so, what are the settings for the sound card you prefer? People rave about the Xonar DG because of its dolby headphone features yet I find that turning off DH provides a more accurate, balanced, spread-out sound than with it on. I tested most of the settings in the ASUS menu and felt that the virtual surround sound just made everything literally surround your head by stretching it out, resulting in muddy sound. Pinpointing instruments in music and enemies in video games seems to be easier without Dolby headphones as well. What's your guys' experience with this combination?
 
 

 

[Head Injury]

Quote:

Anyone else happen to have this combo? If so, what are the settings for the sound card you prefer? People rave about the Xonar DG because of its dolby headphone features yet I find that turning off DH provides a more accurate, balanced, spread-out sound than with it on. I tested most of the settings in the ASUS menu and felt that the virtual surround sound just made everything literally surround your head by stretching it out, resulting in muddy sound. Pinpointing instruments in music and enemies in video games seems to be easier without Dolby headphones as well. What's your guys' experience with this combination?

You shouldn't use Dolby Headphone for music. It colors the sound too much.
 
It should help in gaming by providing solid imaging directly in front of and behind your character, which you don't normally get with games and headphones in stereo. If you don't think it works, maybe you don't have your game set up properly, or maybe Dolby Headphone just doesn't work for your ears. There's always X-Fi cards if that's the case.

 

[ourfpshero]

dolby headphone works by taking a 5.1 speaker input from a game or movie and making it into a headphone surround sound-scape. for games it works great if the game has a 5.1 speaker option (many do)

 

[cardan]

Quote:

dolby headphone works by taking a 5.1 speaker input from a game or movie and making it into a headphone surround sound-scape. for games it works great if the game has a 5.1 speaker option (many do)

 
I just tried enabling Dolby Headphones and set Team Fortress 2 to 5.1 in its audio settings. While it does sound more immersive it's not as clear for me to pinpoint enemy locations because the sounds are basically stretched out. Sure, it sounds like I'm there in the game, but enemies that are to my left can barely be told apart from enemies who are behind me or in front of me. Maybe my ears are messed up, I don't know. 

 

[NamelessPFG]

Dolby Headphone (like CMSS-3D Headphone) uses a generic HRTF. If your own HRTF deviates too much from the average, the effect can totally fall apart. (I guess I'm just one of the luckier ones in that generic HRTF binaural filters work reasonably well for me.)
 
There are a few possible solutions for personalized HRTFs, though. Someone mentioned MyEars a while back, and while I haven't tried it, they do offer a trial. Then there's the Smyth SVS Realiser, but I don't think you can afford that. (Even if you could, I hope you have access to a good speaker room to measure your HRTF in.)

 

[bvelleko]

I've got an Auzentech X-Fi Bravura that has pretty much the same chip.
 
If I open the Creative control panel 'Audio Control Panel' I can tune the 3D-effects. Maybe you can start there to see if the effect changes by adjusting the bar there.

Also by default the Crystalizer is turn on, just turn it off. It really messes everything up!