[wwwpuntoit]

ok will try it out, thanks

 

[Linkale]

Hi, i'm new in this forum but I've been reading it without being registered for a while now. Thanks to the reviews I've read here I decided to buy a Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO (80 ohm) and the sound blaster we are talking about here, but now I have a handful of question regarding surround virtualization because I'm new in all of this:

1-First of all: I've installed the Acoustic Engine Pro, set my headphones to 7.1 virtual surround, and configured the SBX profile to use a surround of 67 and nothing more. Then, on the sound tab of the control panel on windows I've set the quality to "24 bit, 96khz (studio quality)" because it previously was on DVD quality. Is there anything more I should configure or is it all ok regarding this initial step?

2-Music sounds weird through this 7.1 setup or, at least, different to how I'm used it to sound. This happens whether I use SBX surround or not, but it sounds normal if I set the headphones to stereo. Do I have to switch between 7.1 and stereo everytime I want to listen to music? Luckily I'm not such a music guy, but I've found that when I'm using the speakers set to 7.1 some programs sound distorted (like that "ear rape" effect in some videos) without a bit of tweaking (e.g lowering the program's own audio slider). That doesn't happen in stereo, so it would be useful if I could switch back and forth between stereo and 7.1 automatically. (EDIT: I've discovered that by using a diferent API in AIMP (WASAPI Event in particular) I can get rid of all this problems: stereo audio and no distortion. )

3-Why is virtual 7.1 surround way louder than stereo?

4-Is there any point in setting the headphones to 5.1 virtual surround? Is there any benefit in it, maybe more compatibility? What happens when the source is 5.1 but the output is 7.1 surround?

5-For movies I use MPC-HC. Do I have to configure anything to enjoy virtual surround there?

That would be all for now, thanks a lot.

 

[StormFalcon]

Hi, i'm new in this forum but I've been reading it without being registered for a while now. Thanks to the reviews I've read here I decided to buy a Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO (80 ohm) and the sound blaster we are talking about here, but now I have a handful of question regarding surround virtualization because I'm new in all of this:

1-First of all: I've installed the Acoustic Engine Pro, set my headphones to 7.1 virtual surround, and configured the SBX profile to use a surround of 67 and nothing more. Then, on the sound tab of the control panel on windows I've set the quality to "24 bit, 96khz (studio quality)" because it previously was on DVD quality. Is there anything more I should configure or is it all ok regarding this initial step?

2-Music sounds weird through this 7.1 setup or, at least, different to how I'm used it to sound. This happens whether I use SBX surround or not, but it sounds normal if I set the headphones to stereo. Do I have to switch between 7.1 and stereo everytime I want to listen to music? Luckily I'm not such a music guy, but I've found that when I'm using the speakers set to 7.1 some programs sound distorted (like that "ear rape" effect in some videos) without a bit of tweaking (e.g lowering the program's own audio slider). That doesn't happen in stereo, so it would be useful if I could switch back and forth between stereo and 7.1 automatically. (EDIT: I've discovered that by using a diferent API in AIMP (WASAPI Event in particular) I can get rid of all this problems: stereo audio and no distortion. )

3-Why is virtual 7.1 surround way louder than stereo?

4-Is there any point in setting the headphones to 5.1 virtual surround? Is there any benefit in it, maybe more compatibility? What happens when the source is 5.1 but the output is 7.1 surround?

5-For movies I use MPC-HC. Do I have to configure anything to enjoy virtual surround there?

That would be all for now, thanks a lot.

Seems like everything is Ok. In regards to bad audio while in surround, you could maybe try messing around with the EQ, or just always using stereo. I'm not sure about the 5.1 thing but I don't think that there should be a difference, but I never had issues with 7.1 mode either.

 

[beyersim52]

Linkale,
1. Nothing more. So you can listen.
2. It sounds strange because of '5.1', because of '7.1' and because of SBX. 7.1 and 5.1 virtual sound is good for multi-channel gaming and movies. And for the music is not very. It is necessary to listen to music in stereo. 7.1 and 5.1 slightly distort the sound picture. Something is lost. In the window where you put 24 bit 96 kHz, you can put 24 bit 48 kHz. Compare these options. Automatically switch between stereo and 5.1. and 7.1. no opportunity.

 

[Hunrain82]

Hi!
How can i enable the Dobly decoding on Blasterx G6 in windows 10???
Im using G6 wth PC via USB, but i cant enable dolby....I tried force VLC to use dolby...Tried DTS movies, DD5.1 movies, dolby movies..Nothing. Thanks!

 

[Yethal]

Hi!
How can i enable the Dobly decoding on Blasterx G6 in windows 10???
Im using G6 wth PC via USB, but i cant enable dolby....I tried force VLC to use dolby...Tried DTS movies, DD5.1 movies, dolby movies..Nothing. Thanks!

You don't need it on PC.

 

[Mendel]

About to buy Sennheiser hd800s and I have the sound blaster x g5. It has served me well for 3 or so years. Originally I bought it just to get rid of the humm from internal sound card that seemed to get interference from my graphics card and it worked for that very well.
Is this sound blaster actually capable of driving high end headphones or do I need something better? Would Klipsch Heritage dac/amp be an audible upgrade from the g5?

 

[Dobrescu George]

About to buy Sennheiser hd800s and I have the sound blaster x g5. It has served me well for 3 or so years. Originally I bought it just to get rid of the humm from internal sound card that seemed to get interference from my graphics card and it worked for that very well.
Is this sound blaster actually capable of driving high end headphones or do I need something better? Would Klipsch Heritage dac/amp be an audible upgrade from the g5?

Why not a Burson Playmate, has tons of power, it is affordable, and it has been tested quite a lot

 

[Mendel]

Burson Playmate doesn't seem to have that balanced xlr port. That said, I have no idea how much that matters. Playmate is more expensive though so I'd need to know what the advantages are.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Burson Playmate doesn't seem to have that balanced xlr port. That said, I have no idea how much that matters. Playmate is more expensive though so I'd need to know what the advantages are.

Go with Burson Play if you need to save more

https://www.audiophile-heaven.com/2018/07/burson-play-desktop-power.html

 

[Mendel]

I don't mind paying a little more if there is some advantage there. But the way I see it now is that Klipsch Heritage thing has the balanced port and is cheaper, so the balanced XLR cable of the hd800s would just go there without any adapters. I've heard people say the sound stage is better with balanced cable.
Oh, and that Klipsch amp looks real nice too and has nice switchety switches and knobbety knobs. It really looks like it should have a tube on top though.

Meanwhile the Burson thing does not have that balanced port, yet it is more expensive. And it looks dull too though that does not matter at all if it actually produces sound that is clearly better than the Klipsch.
So if I was to buy the Burson one, there would have to be some pro, not just cons

This guy seems to like the Klipsch one:


Also, if I get the cheaper Burson amp, I start to enter the area where I'm not getting much or any audible advantage vs the sound blaster that I already have. So I might as well get no amp and just run with the gaming amp/dac.


But most of all, I would love to see some comparison data between the Sound Blaster x g5 and various other amps/dacs. Where is the sound blaster worse, what components inside it are good and what are bad. What is the equivalent same spec dac/amp that is from the entry level hifi category of the devices and not from the gaming category. As in, I would like to know what are the dac/amps I should NOT be upgrading to since they would be only a side grade. What is the highest end headphone one could reasonably use with the sound blaster and where is the line that you should upgrade away from it. What is the price point at and what are the next level devices I can get that I can be sure that what I'm getting is a real audible upgrade from the sound blaster.

There is so much conflicting information. I've heard people say the sound blaster is fine for hd800s and others say Valhalla 2 (and no mention of dac) is minimum to run it and even that is not close to giving you the full potential of hd800s.

Then some say the dac of the sb is fine and I can run from the line out to another amplifier... but it might not even be necessary since the amp is ok too. So I'm confused. I might get nothing and just try the sb out first, I guess.

 

[Dobrescu George]

I don't mind paying a little more if there is some advantage there. But the way I see it now is that Klipsch Heritage thing has the balanced port and is cheaper, so the balanced XLR cable of the hd800s would just go there without any adapters. I've heard people say the sound stage is better with balanced cable.
Oh, and that Klipsch amp looks real nice too and has nice switchety switches and knobbety knobs. It really looks like it should have a tube on top though.

Meanwhile the Burson thing does not have that balanced port, yet it is more expensive. And it looks dull too though that does not matter at all if it actually produces sound that is clearly better than the Klipsch.
So if I was to buy the Burson one, there would have to be some pro, not just cons

This guy seems to like the Klipsch one:


Also, if I get the cheaper Burson amp, I start to enter the area where I'm not getting much or any audible advantage vs the sound blaster that I already have. So I might as well get no amp and just run with the gaming amp/dac.

I dobut in this price range you can beat Burson Play. Like Honestly, especially with HD800.

Burson Play is 200 USD new from Burson.

Thing is, I have not heard the klipsch one, nor aonyone I know did, I can't recommend it blindly. I did hear Burson Play, and for an affordable DAC/AMP with tons of power, it was really amazing.

A friend who owns the Meze Empyrean favored Burson Play above everything else in the entry and mid price range, it really was perfect for his tastes

Burson play has hiss with IEMs though, this is wh I said that especially with HD800 you may like it

The balanced circuit will be better sometimes, but make no mistake, some SE circuits are better than some Balanced ones, it isn't a rule that if it has balanced, it is better, more like, the balanced version of that specific circuit is better than the single ended one

 

[Mendel]

Burson Play is 200 USD new from Burson.

But is it an upgrade from the Sound Blaster x g5?

Getting nothing is 0 USD from nowhere if I just stick with the sound blaster.

I want to know how much the Burson play is better and why, or is it.

edit: Like if it is clearly better than the sound blaster, at 200 dollars. Sold! If they deliver to Finland at least.

 

[Dobrescu George]

But is it an upgrade from the Sound Blaster x g5?

Getting nothing is 0 USD from nowhere if I just stick with the sound blaster.

I want to know how much the Burson play is better and why, or is it.

edit: Like if it is clearly better than the sound blaster, at 200 dollars. Sold! If they deliver to Finland at least.

I can't guarantee that you'll like it better, but...

the DAC inside G5 is a bit below the one in Burson Play

Cirrus Logic CS4398 inside G5

Also, the AMP chip inside the Klipsch is exactly the same as the one in G5, so it may not feel like a big upgrade - Texas Instruments TPA6120A2 . In fact, the Cirus Logic DAC in G5, depending on how well the klipsch one is implemented, may be above the klipsch one

Burson Play uses ESS9018 which is above the Cirus Logic in G5, at least in virtually every implementation I have seen, in terms of details, clarity and overall soundstage / separation / resolution.

The version inside klipsch is a mini version of the same ESS DAC.

Now, about the OP-AMPS, theoretically, the ones in G5 and Klipsch are better than the ones in Burson, but, you can upgrade the ones in burson, and the full class A power deliver included with Burson Play may actually make up for it.

I heard Burson Play and many DAC/AMPs in the entry-level area, Burson Play, if you have HD800, should do you wonders.

 

[Mendel]

Okay. so the g5 is actually not a toy. It is trading blows with the options I was considering and judges decision between the klipch and the g5 isnt even certain... but maybe the dac in the burson play is what delivers the knockout... yes, the g5 goes down for the count!

Wait... what is that. g5 is standing back up and saying the burson website is really unclear on whether they ship to Finland. Oh and he's showing the pdf catalogue of the only import partner of Burson in Finland... the tur-pex... https://tur-pex.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/BursonAudio_Hinnasto2019.pdf

...And they don't carry a Burson Play at all! Burson never had the license to even enter this bout in Finland so by rules they can't win.
Shockingly... the judge is raising the hand of the g5!

seriously though, I'll fire up an email to that retail partner of Burson's and ask if they will carry the Play