[gunwale]

  Yeah I'd have to agree at this point. I tried the 7XX's tonight just flat, no EQ, no bass and no crystalizer with surround at 100, and I had very good resolution of footsteps, possibly better in some instances in that they were slightly louder for some reason, but at the expense of a fuller sound (and basically zero bass unless I turned the volume up to uncomfortable levels). I never really tried the 400i totally flat with bass and crystalizer turned off though, because I never had too. I feel like the 400i sort of gets the best of both worlds in that I can EQ the sound to my personal liking and get more bass and more "oomph" but still resolve footsteps well. If I knew audio lingo maybe I could articulate this better...  
 
Still going to give these a longer whirl. Not disappointed in them, and I'm glad I have now satisfied my curiosity to try these. But also now even more impressed with the 400i's. 

 
If that's the case, you can try reducing the master EQ by -3db to -6db (without or with bass boost 30% crossover at 20-30hz) and increase the main volume.
 
It should boost the bass a little more and reduce other frequencies.
 
Can you draw a simple before and after diagram of the soundstage?
 
For example :
 
V = voice
I = instrument
H = head
 
Before surround : 400i
 
     VVV
I      H      I
 I            I
 
After maxing surround : 400i
 
   I    V    I
    I        I
      I    I
        H
 
After maxing surround : 400i + EQ (up mid and highs)
    
I   I   V   I   I
     I      I
        H
 
I like my surround at 11% / 22% / 50% / 100% for my 400i

 

[mbyrnes]

Dumb question, but hopefully someone knows. Does the optical out screw with the signal? Do I have to worry about SBX being on or off?

I'm going to hook the Mixamp into the X7, and trying to think of the best way. Any settings that I need to worry about? I want to double check myself so I don't screw it up.

 

[ls13coco]

Dumb question, but hopefully someone knows. Does the optical out screw with the signal? Do I have to worry about SBC being on or off?

I'm going to hook the Mixamp into the X7, and trying to think of the best way. Any settings that I need to worry about?

Why do you plan to use the mixamp with it may I ask?
Also, I haven't had issues with optical that I could tell. I'm using optical to the ps4 and it's been great to my ears at least!

 

[raband]

The "newer" firmware do SBX out over optical/lineout if option checked (it's under "SPEAKERS" settings).
 
You only need to worry in the sense that you need to set it how you want it.

 

[mbyrnes]

Well I decided to bypass the X7 DAC. So the optical from the X7 goes into the Mixamp, but I'm feeding my MicroZOTL2 directly. I forgot I have 2 inputs on it, and a switch to change between them. The volume knob of the X7 controls the optical out.

I decided to do this because, why not? I have a Mixamp doing nothing, and I wanted to compare the 2. I'll have impressions later on it. Once my Mimby gets here Monday, I plan on running the Mixamp through that. Being as a Mixamp is an easy way to get Surround Sound, people with a good DAC/amp may be curious if the X7 is better than a Mixamp addition. Some people hate SBX, and I'm just looking for an alternative.

I have two Xbox Ones, and 2 setups. Currently only one has a headphone setup. I am thinking about a bedroom setup. Playing with options really.

 

[raband]

I'm probably wrong, or it's the wrong way from what you're trying to accomplish, but I'd be more tempted to have the mixamp feed the "better amps" through 3.5mm => RCA's
 
(double amping, but worked well with my O2 Amp when I wanted to use harder to drive cans with the mixamps processing.)
 
Isn't the Mimby just DAC? - You won't get any surround sound from that at all if you feed it into the mixamp?
 
To use the Mixamp after the X7 you'd need to be passing a dolby or 5.1 signal through the X7 - in which case the X7 may as well not be in the chain at all?
 
edit: passing "Headphone Surround" out via optical from the X7 isn't passing a 5.1 signal that the mixamp can use, but a 2ch stereo signal that has been altered by the X7's DAC to have the SBX already added.

 

[mbyrnes]

I'm going to wire it correctly once I get an optical splitter. I'll have each completely separate, both feeding the MicroZOTL2. That way I know each is operating correctly.

I have a 3.5mm to RCA jack cable. The Mixamp is feeding the MicroZOTL2 directly. I'm thinking the X7 messes with the optical feed. Also I'll be able to level match them, as the Mixamp doesn't put out a 2.0v signal.

It'll take a while to come to any conclusions. But it's a fun experiment for me. I still have to figure out a few things to make sure everything is correct.

 

[raband]

Were you:
Optical in Console to the mixamp
3.5mm out Mixamp to RCA in X7
Optical out X7 to MicroZOTL2?
 
"Direct Mode" should disable any SBX stuff on the X7??

 

[TeeReQs]

I'm going to wire it correctly once I get an optical splitter. I'll have each completely separate, both feeding the MicroZOTL2. That way I know each is operating correctly.

I have a 3.5mm to RCA jack cable. The Mixamp is feeding the MicroZOTL2 directly. I'm thinking the X7 messes with the optical feed. Also I'll be able to level match them, as the Mixamp doesn't put out a 2.0v signal.

It'll take a while to come to any conclusions. But it's a fun experiment for me. I still have to figure out a few things to make sure everything is correct.

I remember reading about someone doing this over on the Xim4 forums when I was researching about the X7. If I can find the thread, I'll link it to you.
 
Edit: See antithesis' post about using the mixamp with the X7. I know he has a better post somehwere, but this is all I could find at the moment..
 
http://xim4.com/community/index.php?topic=50416.0

 

[Yethal]

X7 has three modes of operation for the Optical Out.

• USB>S/PDIF converter. In this mode X7 takes stereo signal over USB and outputs it over optical
• Optical Passthrough. In this mode X7 takes 5.1 or stereo signal over optical and outputs the same signal over Optical out
• Surround to Optical output. In this mode X7 takes 5.1 or stereo signal over optical or USB and outputs SBX-processed stereo signal to optical out.

 
So, if You want to compare Mixamp to the X7, enable Surround processing to line/optical output in the Speakers settings, set volume to 100% (RCA output on the back of the X7 is variable) and then connect the X7 to the amp.

 

[Find the Door]

I have K712 Pros currently. My X7 has 3601's installed and will soon have 3602's as well.

I have to EQ otherwise it sounds a bit flat. For music it sounds great. I don't like SBX though as it really hollows the sound quality and I feel in stereo the K712 Pros give better directional sound went sent a dolby signal.

I'm currently saving for H800-S'(the new revision) in hopes of a better soundstage.

Quesiton should I run the 712s at high gain? What about the HD800-S'?

 

[raband]

Run everything at high gain (unless you need it quieter).
 
Low gain limits the "volume" rather than high gain "boosting" it (opposite of most applications of gain)

 

[Find the Door]

Run everything at high gain (unless you need it quieter).

Low gain limits the "volume" rather than high gain "boosting" it (opposite of most applications of gain)

Can't I damage my headphones?

 

[raband]

Only if you run the volume too high (as in too high to listen to - you'll damage your ears before your headphone)

 

[alpiney]

  Just got a pair of AKG 7XX's from Massdrop. Trying them out with the X7, coming from the HE-400i they sound different and I am not sure how to describe it. Muffled? I was surprised as I read several comments online that the 7xx's have a bigger soundstage than the 400i. The 400i's really sound like you are in a room with speakers when you are using SBX surround. 
 
Messed with the EQ and SBX settings and got it to sound better, but anyone have settings with these cans (or equivalent like the annie 702's) they like that they can share? 

 
I got the K7XX's last year and really dislike them for gaming because I found it difficult to tell where the sounds were coming from. The soundstage is a little bigger than some of my other headphones I've had (HD600 and the HE-400i) but what it gains in soundstage it loses in imaging. The sound gets a little muddy in the transition from the low end to the mid range. That's what I really dislike about the sound on them. 
 
So, I don't use them for gaming or music but I do like them for movies. The HE-400i are better but I returned them due to disliking the build quality, the cord and I experienced some pain in the ear area. But the sound was good. I liked them just a little more than my HD600's. 
 
As for others bringing up the power supply I strongly recommend upgrading. The improved sound quality is just flat out amazing - on speakers. The one I got was on amazon... www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019HW0UBU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1