[bola83]

Hi, where can I get a presets for call of duty vanguard? to hear strong footsteps
Audeze penrose X

 

[willxlove]

Coming into this thread real late, and I’ve went through a few pages.
I’ve been a big fan of Audeze but Penrose for some reason has usually large amount of returns/open boxes whenever I go to purchase them and when I looked up reasons why came across this huge thread. Are these headphones still having problems this late out of the gate?
Does anyone really recommend them with the 423 pages of issues I just skimmed through?

Thanks

 

[sloggi]

Coming into this thread real late, and I’ve went through a few pages.
I’ve been a big fan of Audeze but Penrose for some reason has usually large amount of returns/open boxes whenever I go to purchase them and when I looked up reasons why came across this huge thread. Are these headphones still having problems this late out of the gate?
Does anyone really recommend them with the 423 pages of issues I just skimmed through?

Thanks

It’s definitely not a finished product. I personally love the sound, but that’s about it. Everything else is worse than pretty much every other alternative. In my case I have to deal with 6-8 hours battery life (and 5 hours charging), occasional cracking, popping and the infamous whooshing. And the range is the worst I’ve seen. And I’m using a USB extender. Frankly, none of these issues should be present in a 300$ headset.

 

[crypticc]

Fyi the whooshing I thought I heard I think turned out to be windows remote connection to my office machine. I've not heard it since.

With the sidetone setting to hear my own voice enabled there is a white noise... Even if the mic volume is set to zero, or even no microphone plugged in. Is this what people are hearing?

Other than that there's the toner amount of electrical noise when listening over Bluetooth and with no other sounds playing. I've not heard it over wireless dongle signal provided Bluetooth not also enabled.

 

[hawkjacq]

It’s definitely not a finished product. I personally love the sound, but that’s about it. Everything else is worse than pretty much every other alternative. In my case I have to deal with 6-8 hours battery life (and 5 hours charging), occasional cracking, popping and the infamous whooshing. And the range is the worst I’ve seen. And I’m using a USB extender. Frankly, none of these issues should be present in a 300$ headset.

Good Day,

I agree with sloggi and I am going to give my humble opinion... First of all, so as to sustain my opinion, let me give you some references about my "gamer needs":

1.- I work all day...and from my Office I return home nearly at 2 A.M. everyday. So, even if I want to play a lot , I havent got more than three hours everyday. And it also depends on how much tired I am (lot of days I even cannot play).
2.- I have both next gen systems: PS5 and XBOX X Series. With PS5 I play all Sony "solo" exclusive Titles (not so many nowdays) and FIFA 22 (online games) which I play without chat. I use the XBOX X Series to play all "multiplatform titles" and four days a week I use it to play coop games with a friend.
3.- I only use Headphones when I play coop games with my friend, due to fact that I need to chat with him. The rest of the games, even FIFA 22, I use a Home Theather Receiver System.

4.- I have both version of Audeze Penrose...the Green and the Blue one. Before them I used an Astro last Gen A50 for the X Box and Sony PS Platinum for PS5.

Saying the above, I must admit,

1.- I havent got a single "Pop" or "Strange Noise" using both Penroses. Maybe this is due to the fact that I am sitting no more than 70 cm from my Consoles. But I must admit that the range of the Wireless signal IS AWFUL. If a get up and walk no more than 3 meters, the Penrose loose connection. With my Astro A50 I could walk my entire Flat without loosing signal.

2.- The sound quality is amazing. I thought my Astro A50 were marvelous...But when I used the Penrose, I met a new "world of sound quality".

3.- No problem with Microphone. My online friend never have trouble understanding what I am saying. But I must admit, like I said before, that I play during hours that there isnt any ambience sound.

4.- I prefer Wireless Headphones. I am too "dumb" with Cables...I always end up getting mess with them damaging the Headphones

And now my great...greatest two complains,

4.- I cannot find a word to describe HOW HORRIBLE the controls of the Penrose are. I dont know who was the one who designed the control management and layout of the headphone...really, no offense, he has a very strange mind or way to think. There isnt any way to know hoy far to raise or low a level of sound...no feedback at all. And the Wheels paces are so long...For example, you want to raise volume...you rotate the volume dial...it seems nothing happens...and you rotate it more an more...suddenly the volume is very high. Even worse, the Chat Volume, something really important in online games, suffers the same problem...but a lot more worse because to raise or low Chat volume, you have to press mic dial knob and move it...but again no feedback is told by the Penrose, so you sometimes lower chat volume, and then your friends began telling "I dont listen to you"...So you began to raise it, and then realize its too loud... Sometimes, you lower chat volumen pressing the dial, and you end mutting your voice... I can go more and more. It is so awfully bad, that I prefer not to touch any button of the Headphone, and change to Bluetooth mode so as to use my phone Audeze app. It is a lot easier, but the latency is very high so setting a the desire volumen level can be hard. My Astro A50 was sooo easy to use...

5.- When I was young I had a Turtle Beach P5...A wonderful piece of headphone that made possible to play and also make phone calls (it had a Bluetooth signal for the Phone and a Wireless one to play). It was so good, that when I was playing and I need to answer or make a call, the Headphne automatically muted the party chat and let me talk privately without a problem. When the Call ended, Party Chat was unmuted. The Penrose has the same specs...You can make Calls while playing, something very important to me because if I have time to play during the weekends not in the night, I receive a lot of calls (from work), so another reason tu purchase it was that function. But sadly, you have to change from Wireless to Bluetooth Mode so as to make calls. So, you have to press a button...no problem at all... But...when you answer a call ALL PARTY MEMBERS listen your conversation... You have to manually mute the console Party Chat, so as get privacy and sometimes thats the difference between live and death in an Online Game. And after finishing talking, there is a high probability that you forget to unmute Party Chat in the Console, I keep on playing believing that all are listening to you.

So, my humble advice is the following,

1.- If your are going to play SOLO games with no more need than using the Volume Dial, the Penrose, due to its sound quality, is for you.

2.- Again, if you want to play and make a phone a call or listen to your phone music, and you play SOLO games, the Penrose is for you due its sound quality.

3.- If you mostly play Online Games, with Party friends and lot of interactions, I must say the Penrose is not for you, due to its awful controls and lack of phone calls privacy.

4.- If your are seeking quality, but Wireless is no so important, there are a lot of cabled options with a superb quality. That is not to blame Penrose. Its due to Wireless Tech limitations.

5.- If your are far form your Headphone Receiver (or the same, far from your PC or Console), as I have read in this Forum, there is a high probability to have some strange noise in your Headphones.

Long time ago, in this Forum, when I made the same question, someone answered that only "variable " important for him was the best sound quality in headphones. The rest can always be put in a "second level". I agree with the concept that for me sound quality is so much important. But after using my Penrose nearly a year, I must say that for a gamer there are more variables than only sound quality, taking into account that nowdays there are very good wireless alternatives with fantastic sound quality, and also adding that when you play games, sometimes is not possible to have the conditions to appreciate sound quality like the wind aroud the leaves so as to make an example (party members talking, people around you, etc.). I cannot say to my online friend... "Please get quiet because I want to listen the sound quality of my Penrose"... I am so convinced about it, that now I want to buy an Arctis 9X to use with my XBOX, so as to play more confortable online games (talking about controls), and be able to make phones call with the minimun privacy. Fo my PS5, used only for SOLO Games, in which I only need to adjust Volume, I will continue using my Penrose.

Hope this will be useful...

 

[willxlove]

Good Day,

I agree with sloggi and I am going to give my humble opinion... First of all, so as to sustain my opinion, let me give you some references about my "gamer needs":

1.- I work all day...and from my Office I return home nearly at 2 A.M. everyday. So, even if I want to play a lot , I havent got more than three hours everyday. And it also depends on how much tired I am (lot of days I even cannot play).
2.- I have both next gen systems: PS5 and XBOX X Series. With PS5 I play all Sony "solo" exclusive Titles (not so many nowdays) and FIFA 22 (online games) which I play without chat. I use the XBOX X Series to play all "multiplatform titles" and four days a week I use it to play coop games with a friend.
3.- I only use Headphones when I play coop games with my friend, due to fact that I need to chat with him. The rest of the games, even FIFA 22, I use a Home Theather Receiver System.

4.- I have both version of Audeze Penrose...the Green and the Blue one. Before them I used an Astro last Gen A50 for the X Box and Sony PS Platinum for PS5.

Saying the above, I must admit,

1.- I havent got a single "Pop" or "Strange Noise" using both Penroses. Maybe this is due to the fact that I am sitting no more than 70 cm from my Consoles. But I must admit that the range of the Wireless signal IS AWFUL. If a get up and walk no more than 3 meters, the Penrose loose connection. With my Astro A50 I could walk my entire Flat without loosing signal.

2.- The sound quality is amazing. I thought my Astro A50 were marvelous...But when I used the Penrose, I met a new "world of sound quality".

3.- No problem with Microphone. My online friend never have trouble understanding what I am saying. But I must admit, like I said before, that I play during hours that there isnt any ambience sound.

4.- I prefer Wireless Headphones. I am too "dumb" with Cables...I always end up getting mess with them damaging the Headphones

And now my great...greatest two complains,

4.- I cannot find a word to describe HOW HORRIBLE the controls of the Penrose are. I dont know who was the one who designed the control management and layout of the headphone...really, no offense, he has a very strange mind or way to think. There isnt any way to know hoy far to raise or low a level of sound...no feedback at all. And the Wheels paces are so long...For example, you want to raise volume...you rotate the volume dial...it seems nothing happens...and you rotate it more an more...suddenly the volume is very high. Even worse, the Chat Volume, something really important in online games, suffers the same problem...but a lot more worse because to raise or low Chat volume, you have to press mic dial knob and move it...but again no feedback is told by the Penrose, so you sometimes lower chat volume, and then your friends began telling "I dont listen to you"...So you began to raise it, and then realize its too loud... Sometimes, you lower chat volumen pressing the dial, and you end mutting your voice... I can go more and more. It is so awfully bad, that I prefer not to touch any button of the Headphone, and change to Bluetooth mode so as to use my phone Audeze app. It is a lot easier, but the latency is very high so setting a the desire volumen level can be hard. My Astro A50 was sooo easy to use...

5.- When I was young I had a Turtle Beach P5...A wonderful piece of headphone that made possible to play and also make phone calls (it had a Bluetooth signal for the Phone and a Wireless one to play). It was so good, that when I was playing and I need to answer or make a call, the Headphne automatically muted the party chat and let me talk privately without a problem. When the Call ended, Party Chat was unmuted. The Penrose has the same specs...You can make Calls while playing, something very important to me because if I have time to play during the weekends not in the night, I receive a lot of calls (from work), so another reason tu purchase it was that function. But sadly, you have to change from Wireless to Bluetooth Mode so as to make calls. So, you have to press a button...no problem at all... But...when you answer a call ALL PARTY MEMBERS listen your conversation... You have to manually mute the console Party Chat, so as get privacy and sometimes thats the difference between live and death in an Online Game. And after finishing talking, there is a high probability that you forget to unmute Party Chat in the Console, I keep on playing believing that all are listening to you.

So, my humble advice is the following,

1.- If your are going to play SOLO games with no more need than using the Volume Dial, the Penrose, due to its sound quality, is for you.

2.- Again, if you want to play and make a phone a call or listen to your phone music, and you play SOLO games, the Penrose is for you due its sound quality.

3.- If you mostly play Online Games, with Party friends and lot of interactions, I must say the Penrose is not for you, due to its awful controls and lack of phone calls privacy.

4.- If your are seeking quality, but Wireless is no so important, there are a lot of cabled options with a superb quality. That is not to blame Penrose. Its due to Wireless Tech limitations.

5.- If your are far form your Headphone Receiver (or the same, far from your PC or Console), as I have read in this Forum, there is a high probability to have some strange noise in your Headphones.

Long time ago, in this Forum, when I made the same question, someone answered that only "variable " important for him was the best sound quality in headphones. The rest can always be put in a "second level". I agree with the concept that for me sound quality is so much important. But after using my Penrose nearly a year, I must say that for a gamer there are more variables than only sound quality, taking into account that nowdays there are very good wireless alternatives with fantastic sound quality, and also adding that when you play games, sometimes is not possible to have the conditions to appreciate sound quality like the wind aroud the leaves so as to make an example (party members talking, people around you, etc.). I cannot say to my online friend... "Please get quiet because I want to listen the sound quality of my Penrose"... I am so convinced about it, that now I want to buy an Arctis 9X to use with my XBOX, so as to play more confortable online games (talking about controls), and be able to make phones call with the minimun privacy. Fo my PS5, used only for SOLO Games, in which I only need to adjust Volume, I will continue using my Penrose.

Hope this will be useful...

Thanks all. I appreciate the feedback. I've been teetering on buying them since they were released.

@hawkjacq We have similar set ups. I use my PS5 basically for exclusives and games that really use the features of the controller and use my XSX with Astro A50s for just about everything else. I purchased the SteelSeries 7P for the PS5 awhile back and they have no connection issues, mic is good and the headset is comfy enough for me. I'd just prefer a more premium wireless sound with my set up. #FirstWorldProblems

Cheers,

will

 

[sloggi]

Good Day,

I agree with sloggi and I am going to give my humble opinion... First of all, so as to sustain my opinion, let me give you some references about my "gamer needs":

1.- I work all day...and from my Office I return home nearly at 2 A.M. everyday. So, even if I want to play a lot , I havent got more than three hours everyday. And it also depends on how much tired I am (lot of days I even cannot play).
2.- I have both next gen systems: PS5 and XBOX X Series. With PS5 I play all Sony "solo" exclusive Titles (not so many nowdays) and FIFA 22 (online games) which I play without chat. I use the XBOX X Series to play all "multiplatform titles" and four days a week I use it to play coop games with a friend.
3.- I only use Headphones when I play coop games with my friend, due to fact that I need to chat with him. The rest of the games, even FIFA 22, I use a Home Theather Receiver System.

4.- I have both version of Audeze Penrose...the Green and the Blue one. Before them I used an Astro last Gen A50 for the X Box and Sony PS Platinum for PS5.

Saying the above, I must admit,

1.- I havent got a single "Pop" or "Strange Noise" using both Penroses. Maybe this is due to the fact that I am sitting no more than 70 cm from my Consoles. But I must admit that the range of the Wireless signal IS AWFUL. If a get up and walk no more than 3 meters, the Penrose loose connection. With my Astro A50 I could walk my entire Flat without loosing signal.

2.- The sound quality is amazing. I thought my Astro A50 were marvelous...But when I used the Penrose, I met a new "world of sound quality".

3.- No problem with Microphone. My online friend never have trouble understanding what I am saying. But I must admit, like I said before, that I play during hours that there isnt any ambience sound.

4.- I prefer Wireless Headphones. I am too "dumb" with Cables...I always end up getting mess with them damaging the Headphones

And now my great...greatest two complains,

4.- I cannot find a word to describe HOW HORRIBLE the controls of the Penrose are. I dont know who was the one who designed the control management and layout of the headphone...really, no offense, he has a very strange mind or way to think. There isnt any way to know hoy far to raise or low a level of sound...no feedback at all. And the Wheels paces are so long...For example, you want to raise volume...you rotate the volume dial...it seems nothing happens...and you rotate it more an more...suddenly the volume is very high. Even worse, the Chat Volume, something really important in online games, suffers the same problem...but a lot more worse because to raise or low Chat volume, you have to press mic dial knob and move it...but again no feedback is told by the Penrose, so you sometimes lower chat volume, and then your friends began telling "I dont listen to you"...So you began to raise it, and then realize its too loud... Sometimes, you lower chat volumen pressing the dial, and you end mutting your voice... I can go more and more. It is so awfully bad, that I prefer not to touch any button of the Headphone, and change to Bluetooth mode so as to use my phone Audeze app. It is a lot easier, but the latency is very high so setting a the desire volumen level can be hard. My Astro A50 was sooo easy to use...

5.- When I was young I had a Turtle Beach P5...A wonderful piece of headphone that made possible to play and also make phone calls (it had a Bluetooth signal for the Phone and a Wireless one to play). It was so good, that when I was playing and I need to answer or make a call, the Headphne automatically muted the party chat and let me talk privately without a problem. When the Call ended, Party Chat was unmuted. The Penrose has the same specs...You can make Calls while playing, something very important to me because if I have time to play during the weekends not in the night, I receive a lot of calls (from work), so another reason tu purchase it was that function. But sadly, you have to change from Wireless to Bluetooth Mode so as to make calls. So, you have to press a button...no problem at all... But...when you answer a call ALL PARTY MEMBERS listen your conversation... You have to manually mute the console Party Chat, so as get privacy and sometimes thats the difference between live and death in an Online Game. And after finishing talking, there is a high probability that you forget to unmute Party Chat in the Console, I keep on playing believing that all are listening to you.

So, my humble advice is the following,

1.- If your are going to play SOLO games with no more need than using the Volume Dial, the Penrose, due to its sound quality, is for you.

2.- Again, if you want to play and make a phone a call or listen to your phone music, and you play SOLO games, the Penrose is for you due its sound quality.

3.- If you mostly play Online Games, with Party friends and lot of interactions, I must say the Penrose is not for you, due to its awful controls and lack of phone calls privacy.

4.- If your are seeking quality, but Wireless is no so important, there are a lot of cabled options with a superb quality. That is not to blame Penrose. Its due to Wireless Tech limitations.

5.- If your are far form your Headphone Receiver (or the same, far from your PC or Console), as I have read in this Forum, there is a high probability to have some strange noise in your Headphones.

Long time ago, in this Forum, when I made the same question, someone answered that only "variable " important for him was the best sound quality in headphones. The rest can always be put in a "second level". I agree with the concept that for me sound quality is so much important. But after using my Penrose nearly a year, I must say that for a gamer there are more variables than only sound quality, taking into account that nowdays there are very good wireless alternatives with fantastic sound quality, and also adding that when you play games, sometimes is not possible to have the conditions to appreciate sound quality like the wind aroud the leaves so as to make an example (party members talking, people around you, etc.). I cannot say to my online friend... "Please get quiet because I want to listen the sound quality of my Penrose"... I am so convinced about it, that now I want to buy an Arctis 9X to use with my XBOX, so as to play more confortable online games (talking about controls), and be able to make phones call with the minimun privacy. Fo my PS5, used only for SOLO Games, in which I only need to adjust Volume, I will continue using my Penrose.

Hope this will be useful...

I can second every single line (maybe except the one about coming home so late, wish you strength there, mate!)
By the way, did you notice any differences in the sound and signal quality over Penrose X and Penrose? I’m using my X for both Xbox SX and PS5, and whenever I play on PS5 the cracks are more frequent and overall xbox games (and spotify) seem to sound better. I always assumed it was the Penrose X dongle, which works with PS5 but without any guarantees from Audeze (then again, a guarantee from Audeze is a bit sketchy after all the Penrose issues)

 

[hawkjacq]

I can second every single line (maybe except the one about coming home so late, wish you strength there, mate!)
By the way, did you notice any differences in the sound and signal quality over Penrose X and Penrose? I’m using my X for both Xbox SX and PS5, and whenever I play on PS5 the cracks are more frequent and overall xbox games (and spotify) seem to sound better. I always assumed it was the Penrose X dongle, which works with PS5 but without any guarantees from Audeze (then again, a guarantee from Audeze is a bit sketchy after all the Penrose issues)

When I bought both Penroses (Green and Blue), I got that decision because I called Audeze and asked about the "known fact" that Penrose X Dongle worked with both Consoles. Audeze confirmed that but obviously remarked..."we cant assure that compatibility will go on forever" (I think its part of the business leaving the doubt, which with my case worked). So I bought both Penroses...I have used them in the correct Console, and as I have said, I havent got a single "rare noise". But again, I will remark that my room is very small...It contain a single sized bed, gamer chair, and the "desk" with both consoles, receiver, notebook, and my Oled 55" (there is no room for more that 55"). And I forgot my 11 speakers (4 of them Atmos). So, the headphones work very near their Dongles, so near that when I strech my legs while I am sitting, I reach the desk and both consoles. So, that maybe the reason I dont have any signal problems. I will check using Penrose X with my PS5 and any strange result I will tell you.

"I can second every single line (maybe except the one about coming home so late, wish you strength there, mate!)".... Its not so bad man... but thanks anyway... My fiance works in charge of a Restaurant, and she always end her turn around 2AM...So I always pay a visit to her at that hour and she gives me some meal... not so bad...

Beat Regards...

 

[Zojokkeli]

I haven't had any issues with the range. I can play games from 2-3m away from the console with no problem. The only time the signal crackles and cuts out is when I leave my home office and go to the kitchen, where there are several walls and large kitchen appliances blocking the signal.

I only use Penrose for multiplayer games on PS5 and Skype/Teams calls at work, and I don't have any major gripes. So-so comfort and too big steps between volume settings are the biggest issues for me.

 

[GoDodgerz]

Hey everyone I am looking for some general information. I have the Audeze Penrose X and use it on the PC. What Windows settings does everyone use for the best experience for FPS gaming? I don't want to sacrifice quality to hear foot steps, I just want the most immersive experience. I'm using 'Fury' at the moment with Dolby Atmos enabled in Windows settings. The confusion comes within the individual game presets settings. For example Battlefield 2042 has various in game sound settings like Stereo, Surround and Auto. In addition to this it has a bunch of EQ settings i.e. War Tapes, 3D Audio, Astro etc. I obviously don't want to process the sound a bunch of times loosing something every step of the way. I am just confused on what settings override the other. Should I leave everything stereo in Windows and the let the game process the audio? Do I keep Atmos enabled and turn everything on the game side to stereo in hopes that Windows and Atmos process it first and its not effected? Please help me understand the best practice. Battlefield 2042 seems to be incredibly flat without any life to the sound or environment (This may be because of what I am doing wrong). Does anyone have any suggestions on what Windows and game settings to use with it?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Hey everyone I am looking for some general information. I have the Audeze Penrose X and use it on the PC. What Windows settings does everyone use for the best experience for FPS gaming? I don't want to sacrifice quality to hear foot steps, I just want the most immersive experience. I'm using 'Fury' at the moment with Dolby Atmos enabled in Windows settings. The confusion comes within the individual game presets settings. For example Battlefield 2042 has various in game sound settings like Stereo, Surround and Auto. In addition to this it has a bunch of EQ settings i.e. War Tapes, 3D Audio, Astro etc. I obviously don't want to process the sound a bunch of times loosing something every step of the way. I am just confused on what settings override the other. Should I leave everything stereo in Windows and the let the game process the audio? Do I keep Atmos enabled and turn everything on the game side to stereo in hopes that Windows and Atmos process it first and its not effected? Please help me understand the best practice. Battlefield 2042 seems to be incredibly flat without any life to the sound or environment (This may be because of what I am doing wrong). Does anyone have any suggestions on what Windows and game settings to use with it?

Do not use in game settings with external processing like Dolby Atmos. You'll want to keep the game at urround/home theater, and NOT use the headphone related settings or STEREO in game. Atmos is converting from a home theater/surround setup down to headphone. Putting games to headphone/stereo presets conflicts with this.

Never use Headphone/stereo related settings whenever you're using ANY other headphone related processing externally. Atmos, DTS Headphone, Waves NX, etc, etc, need to pick up a 5.1/7.1 source in order to convert into their optimal virtual surround processing. Obviously, headphone settings in game would only be 2 channel, which is BAD.

 

[GoDodgerz]

Do not use in game settings with external processing like Dolby Atmos. You'll want to keep the game at urround/home theater, and NOT use the headphone related settings or STEREO in game. Atmos is converting from a home theater/surround setup down to headphone. Putting games to headphone/stereo presets conflicts with this.

Never use Headphone/stereo related settings whenever you're using ANY other headphone related processing externally. Atmos, DTS Headphone, Waves NX, etc, etc, need to pick up a 5.1/7.1 source in order to convert into their optimal virtual surround processing. Obviously, headphone settings in game would only be 2 channel, which is BAD.

I appreciate your quick and informative response. In your opinion which spatial sound option has proven to be the best? DTS: X headphone seems to distant and has a lot of reverb. Atmos does an ok job but nothing overly impressive. Windows Sonic is... poor. I even tried THX on a trial but didn't play around with it too much. Additionally, if you use the Penrose do you have a EQ that works well for you? I currently use Planet Potara's Fury (you can find that community on discord).

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I really like Redscape Audio. It's my go to.

You can set the surround size, and it's effective even in low amounts (though I'm fine maxing it out).

If you want the least processed sound, try external devices like the Creative G6 with SBX. SBX sounds the least processed sounding, and works pretty well.

Atmos like you mentioned is a bit underwhelming, I don't like DTS HPX, and Sonic is....Sonic.

 

[sloggi]

Do not use in game settings with external processing like Dolby Atmos. You'll want to keep the game at urround/home theater, and NOT use the headphone related settings or STEREO in game. Atmos is converting from a home theater/surround setup down to headphone. Putting games to headphone/stereo presets conflicts with this.

Never use Headphone/stereo related settings whenever you're using ANY other headphone related processing externally. Atmos, DTS Headphone, Waves NX, etc, etc, need to pick up a 5.1/7.1 source in order to convert into their optimal virtual surround processing. Obviously, headphone settings in game would only be 2 channel, which is BAD.

is it the same for xbox?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

is it the same for xbox?

If you're using Dolby Atmos, DTS Headphone X, or Windows Sonic for Xbox, then yes, you'll want to NOT use headphone/stereo settings on video games. Make sure they're in surround/home theater modes. The point is, these technologies are taking information that was made for surround speakers (5.1/7.1) and converting them into something for your headphones. If you're sending them headphone or stereo based sound, they're not being properly utilized.

I have a feeling a lot of people bash these virtual surround technologies, because they make these kinds of mistakes. Not using them properly, and then calling them bad.