[Stillhart]

My understanding is that the X7 can process stereo or Dolby.  I'm unclear on what signal you plan on sending to the X7 if it's not one of those...

 

[conquerator2]

   
So you want to hook up a device that converts DTS to Dolby and the hook that up to a device that decodes Dolby into SBX.  That doesn't seem like it would give better sound than just using Dolby in the first place.  But I'm all for your experimenting and letting us know!  It'd be pretty cool if it worked.

Can't you convert DTS to DH/SBX?
Assuming there is one device that could do it, which there isn't... That'd be the killer we've all wanted with a HDMI pass-through even! 

   
Inferior in that it doesn't give as good positional accuracy, perhaps.  But inferior SQ?  Don't know.  I'm still trying to figure out why you'd want to downmix DTS to stereo instead of using Dolby virtual surround, I just assumed it was for SQ.
 

 
Yeah, I meant spatial cues only. SQ might very well be better as some AVR have decent or even beefy DACs/Amps.

 

[Stillhart]

I'm not trying to be difficult, I'm genuinely confused.  If you crosscode DTS to DH, you lose any benefit DTS was giving you in the first place, so what's the point?

 

[Evshrug]

Do some of you think it would be worth it if i buy a dts decoder for the ps4?

can i hook up a decoder to the ps4, then hook the decoder up to the x7, so sound goes through the high quality dac for sound fidelity?

What kind of output would the "DTS decoder" have?
Or, perhaps the better question, which brand/product in particular are you thinking of?

I personally wouldn't bother. Most games' source files are already at a compressed file bitrate, so lossless output doesn't add anything to files that are already compressed. You're trying to find something that was trimmed out in the first place. For some reason, the anecdote that's sticking in my head is a redwood tree: if you stand near the base and look up, you can't see the top of a redwood tree. Game files already have the peak of the redwood tree chopped off. If you imagine the compression of DTS or Dolby as high tunnels, DTS is a tunnel higher than our topless redwood sound tree, but so is Dolby, so either way we're seeing as much of the tree from below as we can.

I also think that not equipping the X7 with DTS decoding is a missed opportunity, but I really doubt it will make a noticably difference anywhere except well-recorded BluRay movies.

 

[conquerator2]

For anyone interested, I tested the highlighted step in the X7's owner's guide and it works. For anyone who'd wish to disable Bluetooth for whatever reason. It is easily reversible, though slightly obnoxious. [EDIT: nevermind, holding the power button for a few seconds also resets it and so does holding the three buttons in sequence again. It's fairly easy then.]
The BT related features still behave the same [holding the power/BT button still makes it blink blue, suggesting it's pairing, etc.] but the BT module is indeed off, so it's only a visual mishap, and is no longer detected by my phone.
Just FYI...

 

 

 

 

[hi2chris]

For the workaround to get non usb mic to work with the ps4, did anyone find an adapter that worked and fit into the ps4 directly without the need for an extender?

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

Hi

 

[Evshrug]

Howdy!

 

[Stillhart]

Sup?

 

[AxelCloris]

Bonjour, I'm a French model.

 

[Stillhart]

  Bonjour, I'm a French model.

 
"There, how do I look?"
"Like a cheap French harlot!"
"French?!?"
 

 

[AxelCloris]

 
"There, how do I look?"
"Like a cheap French harlot!"
"French?!?"

 

 

[Varingjar]

You guys are great! I have learned a lot the past few days going through the forums and ended up getting the X7. I had to start using a headset again and the Xbox One was killing me with the sound quality. My Windows 10 computer sits next to my Xbox One which allows me to connect the X7 to both. Using the Xbox Party App on the Windows 10 computer I have both game audio and chat audio working with no wires out of the controller! 

 

[Evshrug]

My SBX settings and exploration
Article writing/editing in-progress...


One of the most major selling points of Creative products for me is the software and sound processing. It has a ton of features and some of them could use a little explaining, but FORTUNATELY the SBX and Crystalizer Voice sections (on those with Microphones) are basically the same across most of their devices. So, here's a general overview of each feature!

With SBX surround set to 67%, I couldn't really feel an immersive 3D effect very clearly at all. It's like the rear speakers are removed... Almost exactly like what the graphic shows when you have the slider lower. When you turn up the Surround effect, it REALLY makes A Big, NOT KIDDING YOU, difference. I would describe increasing the surround % as having the effect of either "rotating" the surround speakers from the position of being near your side (like a clock hour hand positioned at 3:30 and 8:30) to being more behind you (respectively, like 4:30 and 7:30) or emphasizing the volume and "distance away" of rear cues. If SBX is only being fed a stereo signal, there's no rear cues and a sound playing with equal balance between L/R speakers will have a greater sense of distance in front of you (instead of being positioned inside your head, right between your ears. The benefit of using less % is less reverb or processed sound, but for gaming I still think it sounds quite good at 100% (YMMV, but at least you can customize it the way you like). I usually don't use Surround for music other than pop, and even then I usually don't bother.

Crystalizer (compressed audio restoration) doesn't seem to help high-quality audio. The effect seems to be a bit of bass and treble emphasis to compensate for how low-bitrate files have poor extension to highest highs and lowest lows, and an effort to expand the volume dynamics between loud and soft, making the audio seem more lively and engaging. If you have good sound files, the effect is too much. I turned it off and soundstage improved (like another step from maxing surround), the Crystalizer seemed to create the harsh trebles I was hearing before while also smoothing out minute cues that expand the soundstage. Seems logical to me. Turning it low seems to help, but I'm liking it best turned off. Maybe this would be good with MP3's (as it's designed for), but in gaming, just uncheck it.

Smart volume seems similar to Scout Mode. I think I'd prefer smart volume in the "night" setting over scout mode if running a late night marathon, so useful then, but generally it crushes the sound field together and I'd refrain from activating it for max quality. Definitely made menus wonky and background music... wrong.

Dialogue Plus: Actually, I had this on before defaulting and tweaking, as I tend to like a little help making out voices sometimes. Doesn't seem to hurt immersion much, but maybe the audio was slightly better without the effect? Hard to tell really, if you think it's a benefit try it for yourself.

Lastly, bass... Actually, I'm kinda feeling the ambiance created, just by turning... Ooh yeah this is fun Where was I? Did I mention I'm listening while typing? Lol. But yeah, turning the bass setting "on" at the default position adds to the ambiance and SLAMMM! I like that you can aim the "cossover point" to emphasize a boost in the sub-bass range. To paraphrase Creative's description of the effect, it boosts harmonic frequencies that are an octave or so up from the bass, which tricks your brain into hearing stronger bass. Whatever, this feature works, and it works well without causing note bloom/mushiness. The body from this eez fun ^____^

Ok, so the graphic equalizer settings only worked on the Recon3D when in PC mode, and of course that applies for the Omni and internal sound cards too (which are PC only anyway), but the E-series portables and the X7 can apply EQ using the mobile app. There's only like 8-bands of adjustment, but if you have a headphone that is too colored then the EQ is very handy for broad corrections. It also does it very well, specially designed to prevent clipping. So if your headphones have recessed mids, too much bass, or shrill treble you just need to tame a bit, this will be useful to you.

Tested with my Q701 plugged directly into the Recon3D, playing "The Deal" cinematic from Starcraft 2 in full, each time I made a tweak. I listened for rear sounds (the fluid wires snapping off and waving behind you off screen was cool, also violins during title screen seem to come from behind) Starcraft2 is set to Recon3D as output device, speaker setup Surround (not 5.1 or 7.1), reverb is checked (taste thing), sound quality high. Live in-game surround testing will have to wait, too tired now.

My final and recommended settings, today, are with SBX mode on, Surround checked on and maxed, Crystalizer off, Bass checked on at default values, Smart Volume off, Dialogue Plus on at default (just kinda left it on, maybe it helps to keep balanced with Bass?). The Q701 scaled well with a little EQ, we'll see of I still like the bass on (or at a lower crossover point so only lowest bass is emphasized) once I play an FPS. Edit: I have enjoyed these settings for years with FPS games, though I prefer to set the bass boost "crossover" to like 60 Hz.


CrystalVoice suite
I consider the mic input panel a separate "suite" of adjustments from the SBX outputs. Most models offer effects, echo cancellation, and smart volume, but pickup focusing and background noise cancellation are only available when you have a stereo microphone.




FX is a bunch of voice effects... Pretty self explanatory, more for fun than utility. You could use this to make trolling YouTube videos, but nobody would believe most of these effects are anywhere near your real voice. I think kids could have a blast with this, but honestly... I've never used this.

 

[conquerator2]

Interesting. With the slider at 67% I don't find all that much difference compared to the max 100% setting. I usually find the 67% a bit more natural and less processed sounding and the 100% a bit better rear cues and more artificial sounding, though the difference being rather small. With headphones that image really well [My former HE-560 for example] I found the 67% more preferable by a slight margin, though the 100% had slightly more accurate rears. They were both serviceable enough as far as rear cues go though, and SQ wise, the 67% felt more realistic... So for me, with the aforementioned headphone it was anywhere from a toss-up to a slight preference for the 67%.
I always leave all the other settings to off 

 
Thought a slight bass boost is... could be pleasing