[valleynomad]

I don't see what good the head tracking will be if you're using a vr headset, since when you turn your head your character turns, thereby changing the position of the audio in the game, removing the need for this. One cool thing the head tracking could be good for is listening to music, turning your head and have the instruments change position in the phones.

Head Tracking in OSSIC X is just another feature that has not been clearly defined. As you have realized, this feature doesn't make sense for the VR application as it will be mainly done by the goggle hardware and the rendering engine that is responsible for both visual and aural rendering. For the game application in which the video is displayed on the monitor instead of goggle, turning the head is out of the question as the monitor is fixed in position.
 
It seems that the only useful scenario for head tracking in headphones is audio application such as listening music. However, this will entirely depend on the content format i.e. how the immersive audio content was made. The formats of most existing contents don't contain necessary information for listening in multiple head positions. For example, when listening the stereo content with a pair speakers, the soundstage will just simply collapse if the listener turns his/her head in an even small angle off the normal front-facing position. The head tracking function will not be very helpful in such cases. No matter what kind of HRTF is used, the soundstage will be severely distorted by the manipulation with head tracking algorithm  One of a few formats with which the headphones head tracking may make sense is Ambisonics. But the audio contents made in Ambisonics is almost non-existent.

 

[RRod]

It seems that the only useful scenario for head tracking in headphones is audio application such as listening music. However, this will entirely depend on the content format i.e. how the immersive audio content was made. The formats of most existing contents don't contain necessary information for listening in multiple head positions. For example, when listening the stereo content with a pair speakers, the soundstage will just simply collapse if the listener turns his/her head in an even small angle off the normal front-facing position. The head tracking function will not be very helpful in such cases. No matter what kind of HRTF is used, the soundstage will be severely distorted by the manipulation with head tracking algorithm  One of a few formats with which the headphones head tracking may make sense is Ambisonics. But the audio contents made in Ambisonics is almost non-existent.

 
Head-tracking would help give a truer frontal presentation for stereo material, as front/back disambiguation is greatly aided by head tracking and to a lesser extent by spectral cues (which should hopefully be better personalized with the OSSIC). This is less about gross gestures and more about fine head movements, the kind you naturally make sitting in front of two speakers.

 

[buke9]

I can't remember the music and or source they were using but it was really neat to hear the instruments change position as you turned your head. Like you were surrounded by players and when you turned your head towards them they were front and center. The prototype was a little hard to use because of the big cable on one side but it did work and sound pretty good. 

 

[valleynomad]

   
Head-tracking would help give a truer frontal presentation for stereo material, as front/back disambiguation is greatly aided by head tracking and to a lesser extent by spectral cues (which should hopefully be better personalized with the OSSIC). This is less about gross gestures and more about fine head movements, the kind you naturally make sitting in front of two speakers.

Actually the recent research has found that the spectral cue is vital for front-back disambiguation although the dynamic cue introduced by slight head movement is also helpful for reducing font-back ambiguity at lower frequencies. In other words in most situations people should not have front-back ambiguity for high frequency sound such as vocal sound (I don't remember that, without moving my head, I ever had the confusion in which the stereo sound image appeared in the back of my head  
 
We have seen several headphones products, such as Beyerdynamic Headzone and 3D Sound One that use the head tracking to compensate for the ambiguity caused by mismatched HRTF. But the overall result has been less satisfactory due to the lack of personalized HRTF.
 

  I can't remember the music and or source they were using but it was really neat to hear the instruments change position as you turned your head. Like you were surrounded by players and when you turned your head towards them they were front and center. The prototype was a little hard to use because of the big cable on one side but it did work and sound pretty good. 

 
The way in which the sound was captured is important. It is unlikely to have such experience when listening the existing contents in stereo or even surround sound formats such as Dolby 5.1. 

 

[buke9]

  Actually the recent research has found that the spectral cue is vital for front-back disambiguation although the dynamic cue introduced by slight head movement is also helpful for reducing font-back ambiguity at lower frequencies. In other words in most situations people should not have front-back ambiguity for high frequency sound such as vocal sound (I don't remember that, without moving my head, I ever had the confusion in which the stereo sound image appeared in the back of my head  
 
We have seen several headphones products, such as Beyerdynamic Headzone and 3D Sound One that use the head tracking to compensate for the ambiguity caused by mismatched HRTF. But the overall result has been less satisfactory due to the lack of personalized HRTF.
 
The way in which the sound was captured is important. It is unlikely to have such experience when listening the existing contents in stereo or even surround sound formats such as Dolby 5.1. 

I wish I had more time but I had other things to listen to. I'm sure it was some kind of 5.1 or something of the kind. I want to say it was Pink Floyd but I know it was something I knew. It was like Out of you Head Software but it rotated.

 

[RRod]

  Actually the recent research has found that the spectral cue is vital for front-back disambiguation although the dynamic cue introduced by slight head movement is also helpful for reducing font-back ambiguity at lower frequencies. In other words in most situations people should not have front-back ambiguity for high frequency sound such as vocal sound (I don't remember that, without moving my head, I ever had the confusion in which the stereo sound image appeared in the back of my head  
 
We have seen several headphones products, such as Beyerdynamic Headzone and 3D Sound One that use the head tracking to compensate for the ambiguity caused by mismatched HRTF. But the overall result has been less satisfactory due to the lack of personalized HRTF.

 
Well yes, head movement helps resolve ambiguity in the frequency range where ITD and ILD are active cues, but the standard 1.5kHz quote for the transition between cue dominance is pretty high frequency as far as vocals are concerned. And unless you're really into kinky audio, I doubt you've ever restricted small head movements when listening to speakers But I think we both agree that Ossic will need to get all these things right to jump to the next level beyond averaged HRTF systems.
 

  I wish I had more time but I had other things to listen to. I'm sure it was some kind of 5.1 or something of the kind. I want to say it was Pink Floyd but I know it was something I knew. It was like Out of you Head Software but it rotated.

 
Did anything strike you immediate as worrisome with the overall sound quality (that is, even not moving your head, did they sound like a decent set of stereo cans)?

 

[buke9]

They sounded rather nice I wouldn't sell my Ether-C's for them but rather nice sounding.

 

[valleynomad]

  I wish I had more time but I had other things to listen to. I'm sure it was some kind of 5.1 or something of the kind. I want to say it was Pink Floyd but I know it was something I knew. It was like Out of you Head Software but it rotated.

One of the extreme tests is to turn 180 degrees and hear if the singer and the band will perform behind you
 
Out of Your Head software gives me some murky frontal sound image near and on the median plane. While most instruments seem to be several feet away with clearly defined positions, the singer's voice usually sounds just a couple of inches away from my nose  - just barely out of my head. This is a common issue when the HRTF is mismatched. Making it rotate won't help much in this case. 
 
Not sure why their prototype used a big cable. I thought OSSIC X has USB and/or 3.5mm connection. Is it a self-contained prototype that has all the components of the final product? Hope it was not some kind of simulation.or emulation using a PC.

 

[buke9]

No where near final. I did not spend a lot of time with them. I did not check how they were connected or anything else. They were straight up prototypes with the motion sensor on top of the headband on just a circuit board and sensors no cover.

 

[oqvist]

Watched the broadcast I think it´s a hoax.

 

[buke9]

Watched the broadcast I think it´s a hoax.

I'm not sure what broadcast you are talking about.

 

[oqvist]

http://www.head-fi.org/t/799484/buy-ossic-x-or-not#post_12392427

 

[luigisaMa]

Has anyone actually reviewed this?  I can't find actually find any reviews of audiophiles or anyone that isn't a marketing piece.  It makes me a bit skeptical, whereas the Taction Kannon's are another kickstarter with solid user reviews that I can actually get behind..

 

[buke9]

  Has anyone actually reviewed this?  I can't find actually find any reviews of audiophiles or anyone that isn't a marketing piece.  It makes me a bit skeptical, whereas the Taction Kannon's are another kickstarter with solid user reviews that I can actually get behind..

It is still a prototype . That is not finished at all. It sounded good but not as good to sell off my Ether-C's.

 

[joe]

  Has anyone actually reviewed this?  I can't find actually find any reviews of audiophiles or anyone that isn't a marketing piece.  It makes me a bit skeptical, whereas the Taction Kannon's are another kickstarter with solid user reviews that I can actually get behind..

 
Actually, you might want to ask in the CanJam SoCal Impressions thread. OSSIC was in attendance, and while I'm not seeing any posts initially mentioning them, I think if you inquire there, someone should be able to give some thoughts.