Customize A Setup for $540

[jonnieos]

I've decided to wait for another paycheck to come through before I pull any triggers. At $540, I want the best headphone experience for 3d immersion in action movies (blu-ray quality), 3d immersion in games (Bad Company 2 for example), great sounding pump up music (hip hop, rock and that sort of stuff). My source is a PC with onboard sound, so I think the best bang for my buck would be getting the Asus Essence STX soundcard with a built in amp that can handle up to 600ohms (I'm also looking at the Musiland MD10), then adding on heapdhones. I'm thinking the pair to get would be the Beyerdynamic DT 880 (600ohms), but if there's something smarter for me to do please let me know. And also please check back on this thread if you need to ask me a question to better formulate a response, I answer pretty fast but then I won't hear from the same guy for at least a day 

. Feel free to let me know what you guys think. If you need me to tell you more I will gladly but please don't leave me hanging!!
 

I do not want to sacrifice ANY quality on the gaming spectrum.

 

[jonnieos]

Come on, am I at a good budget yet, would I want to save up some more or would I hit diminishing returns?? I came here cuz I don't wanna talk to myself anymore+I don't know any audiophiles!!!! Any help appreciated I'm insta-subscribed and I wanna join the audiophile club, but I give myself such a headache with all the different choices, causes, and effects that I'm beginning to think I should just get a laptop or put the chedda in the bank. But I figured with a $2.2k rig with 2 gtx 480s in sli and a liquid cooled i7930+a $500 3d monitor with glasses and a blu-ray player, I might as well put the whip cream and cherry on top to FULLY immerse myself (3d vision and audio

" class="bbcode_smiley" height="" src="http://files.head-fi.org/images/smilies//biggrin.gif" title="

" width="" />). Please don't be afraid to turn me off of the idea if audiophilism is considered an "acquired taste" as I only want to jump in if it will completely amaze me (it's alotta dough). Anyways the rants over feel free to tell me what you guys think ask me anything you like I'll be ready to answer. Been researching every second that I'm awake and not at work or eating, and I have to say I'm more confused then I was to begin with.

 

[jonnieos]

halfway till page 2 with no response...

 

[jonnieos]

If I don't add this bump I'd be at about page 3 by tonight. NO idea what is going on.

 

[wang228]

3D realism. Headphones probably not the best bet for you. I would look into some speaker set up if I were you. For me, headphone is all about nuance, texture, and details.

 

[matthewh133]

TBH with you. Get a Auzentech Forte 7.1. I have this soundcard, and it is significantly better than the STX for gaming, the reviews will back me up on this. It also sounds great for music, though not quite at the STX's level for that. It runs with CMSS3D which will emulate 5.1 surround.
 
With this, also get the ATH-AD900, or the AD700 if you want to save some money. These both have incredible soundstage. The day I got mine I could already hear so much more on counter strike and precise locations of enemies through walls etc. It was quite rediculous the difference going from $7 headset and onboard sound to the setup I have now.

 

[jonnieos]

Quote:

TBH with you. Get a Auzentech Forte 7.1. I have this soundcard, and it is significantly better than the STX for gaming, the reviews will back me up on this. It also sounds great for music, though not quite at the STX's level for that. It runs with CMSS3D which will emulate 5.1 surround.
 
With this, also get the ATH-AD900, or the AD700 if you want to save some money. These both have incredible soundstage. The day I got mine I could already hear so much more on counter strike and precise locations of enemies through walls etc. It was quite rediculous the difference going from $7 headset and onboard sound to the setup I have now.

You are seriously the man. I'll get the ATH-AD900+Auzentech Forte 7.1 (based on CMSS3D beating Dolby Digital Surround right?) just wanted to make sure you've tried both cards. Don't want to doubt you but I just want to be sure. I really like this plan though as I've pretty much decided on the ATH-AD900 as well.
 
EDIT: I've also heard the prelude beat's the forte? Hmm can anyone deny or confirm that?

 

[jonnieos]

Oh and another idea, would there be anything wrong with just getting the Ear Force DSS? Wouldn't it act as it's own soundcard so I could keep my onboard on to hook up my 5.1 speakers (X-540s won't need a dedicated soundcard really) and use the ATH-AD900 along with it for pc gaming, then use the DSS+the Turtle Beach Ear Force Z2 for Xbox 360. I'm pretty sure this idea could be the diamond in the rough of all ideas, simple, cheap does exactly what I need and boosts my 360 as well, all for half the price of these pci/pci-e soundcards.

 

[matthewh133]

Quote:

You are seriously the man. I'll get the ATH-AD900+Auzentech Forte 7.1 (based on CMSS3D beating Dolby Digital Surround right?) just wanted to make sure you've tried both cards. Don't want to doubt you but I just want to be sure. I really like this plan though as I've pretty much decided on the ATH-AD900 as well.
 
EDIT: I've also heard the prelude beat's the forte? Hmm can anyone deny or confirm that?

Quote:

Oh and another idea, would there be anything wrong with just getting the Ear Force DSS? Wouldn't it act as it's own soundcard so I could keep my onboard on to hook up my 5.1 speakers (X-540s won't need a dedicated soundcard really) and use the ATH-AD900 along with it for pc gaming, then use the DSS+the Turtle Beach Ear Force Z2 for Xbox 360. I'm pretty sure this idea could be the diamond in the rough of all ideas, simple, cheap does exactly what I need and boosts my 360 as well, all for half the price of these pci/pci-e soundcards.

The sound quality wouldn't be nearly as good on something like that Ear Force as it wouldn't have a built-in amp and the modules wouldn't be as expensive. The Forte has a built-in amp to give our headphones that little extra "oomph" That being said, I haven't used anything like it so I can't comment directly.
 
As for CMSS3D, it is better for games than Dolby Headphone from my experience. Like I said, the STX is great for music, but has a little issues with gaming, whereas the Forte is amazing for gaming and great still with music. I have used both cards.