[Hordsak]

I've read and searched and read some more. There are ALOT of varying amounts of information in regards to the settings one uses while gaming with decent headphones or listening to music from a computer. I recently replaced my PC350's with AD700's and I really like the new Audio Technicas. Now, I've always used CMS3D with headphone mode in the Creative setup for gaming.

I found a thread on another forum that said some headphones don't really like CMSS 3d, and to enable 2.0/2.1 speaker mode, with all 3d effects off etc. Well I tried this today with Call of Duty MW2, and man it sounds alot better.

So, what FPS games do you guys play, and what are your Creative settings set to, while listening to music and gaming?

Thanks.

 

[owenhan]

For all games including MW2 I play in Game Mode with CMSS3D on. For music I set it to Audio Creation Mod with bit-matched output but I don't think it makes a difference since I'm using WASAPI in foobar anyway.

 

[Hordsak]

Could you do me a favor and report back if you have time? I would like you to try these settings for a map or so, just to see what it's like. I find it sounds ALOT better for me, with my ATH-AD700's.

Game Mode
Speakers: 2.0/2.1
EAX Effects Enabled
CMSS-3D Disabled
Crystalizer enabled or disabled, not a big deal.
I find with setting the speakers from Headphones to 2.0/2.1 my soundstage increased about 10 fold, and everything just sounded alot nicer, and I could also pinpoint enemies MUCH better.

 

[Junliang]

for your eax effect, which envrionment did you set to ?

for the crystalizer, did you move the slider ?
because even if its 0.5db difference, there audible difference was quite obvious..

 

[BlackLabel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hordsak /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've read and searched and read some more. There are ALOT of varying amounts of information in regards to the settings one uses while gaming with decent headphones or listening to music from a computer. I recently replaced my PC350's with AD700's and I really like the new Audio Technicas. Now, I've always used CMS3D with headphone mode in the Creative setup for gaming. I found a thread on another forum that said some headphones don't really like CMSS 3d, and to enable 2.0/2.1 speaker mode, with all 3d effects off etc. Well I tried this today with Call of Duty MW2, and man it sounds alot better. So, what FPS games do you guys play, and what are your Creative settings set to, while listening to music and gaming? Thanks.

I actually use the PC350s myself and love them. Took a little bit to break them in, but they're solid now and the mic is superb.

I use the CMSS-3D and I have no complaints. Pinpointing sound is pretty accurate for me. To me, disabling the CMSS-3D is throwing away most of the good things about having an stand-alone sound card for games.

I play BFBC2 mostly, but I don't do a whole lot of FPS gaming anyways.

 

[freestyler]

There you are

X-Fi CMSS-3D Headphone - Guru3D.com Forums

 

[owenhan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hordsak /img/forum/go_quote.gif Could you do me a favor and report back if you have time? I would like you to try these settings for a map or so, just to see what it's like. I find it sounds ALOT better for me, with my ATH-AD700's. Game Mode Speakers: 2.0/2.1 EAX Effects Enabled CMSS-3D Disabled Crystalizer enabled or disabled, not a big deal. I find with setting the speakers from Headphones to 2.0/2.1 my soundstage increased about 10 fold, and everything just sounded alot nicer, and I could also pinpoint enemies MUCH better.

Basically never select the headphones profile for anything ever. 2.0/2.1 always works better. I'm not sure why you'd game with CMSS3D disabled but I haven't spent much time comparing enabled to disabled so maybe the difference isn't much, but I'm under the impression that CMSS3D enabled is a lot better. Also I don't think checking the enable EAX effects box actually does anything.

 

[Coupe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by freestyler /img/forum/go_quote.gif There you are X-Fi CMSS-3D Headphone - Guru3D.com Forums

He's asking if that's the right settings. I don't think its recommended

Why would you select 2.0/1 over Headphones? Is it a case of it just sounds better or there is something to it?

 

[coredump]

Back when I used an X-Fi it was always set to 2.0 speakers. I tried the 3D once and it sounded holographic and inaccurate.

 

[freestyler]

Those are the best settings for use with headphones when you want to get the best directional / positional audio in FPS games.
He asked about that as well, so i answered.

 

[Coupe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by freestyler /img/forum/go_quote.gif Those are the best settings for use with headphones when you want to get the best directional / positional audio in FPS games. He asked about that as well, so i answered.

Ahh cool good find. I didn't read it properly

Kudos!

Some of the guys are arguing in the thread. So maybe its just a fool around settings lol.

 

[BlackLabel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by owenhan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Basically never select the headphones profile for anything ever. 2.0/2.1 always works better. I'm not sure why you'd game with CMSS3D disabled but I haven't spent much time comparing enabled to disabled so maybe the difference isn't much, but I'm under the impression that CMSS3D enabled is a lot better. Also I don't think checking the enable EAX effects box actually does anything.

Disagree. I spent 20 minutes today in Entertainment mode going back and forth between Headphone and Stereo 2.1 settings in the Creative Control Panel. I'm sticking with headphone. It sounds fuller, more dynamic, and not so crowded. When I use the stereo 2.0/2.1 setting, it feels like all the sound is brought to the front and is "in my face" so to speak instead of immersing me in it. CMSS-3D did not mitigate this enough for me to justify leaving it in Stereo 2.0/2.1, so I'll always use headphone for music.

That being said, I haven't tested out the stereo 2.1 setting for game mode in an FPS game, so I'll have to try.

I don't think there's a "never" that's applicable with audio settings. It depends on the person and the cans. I use a Sennheiser PC350 and I like the CMSS-3D setting for games. Guys with the AT AD700s usually do not. Just depends what sounds best to you, really. There is no scientific formula on what sounds "best".

 

[owenhan]

I'm pretty sure for music setting it to headphone distorts the signal whereas 2.0/2.1 is true to the source.

 

[BlackLabel]

Can't agree with that. I hear no distortion. Just a different method of presenting the sound. Stereo 2.0/2.1 sounds like the sound is right in front of you and facing you. The headphone setting sounds more like how I want it to sound where I'm immersed in the music.

But again, those are my ears and my PC350s. Someone else with PC350s might disagree with this, and myself with different cans might disagree and choose stereo 2.0/2.1 as well.

I can't agree on "signal distortion" though.

 

[_Spanky_]

Quote:

Originally Posted by owenhan /img/forum/go_quote.gif For music I set it to Audio Creation Mod with bit-matched output but I don't think it makes a difference since I'm using WASAPI in foobar anyway.

With WASAPI, you shouldn't have to switch modes. I get bit-matched with WASAPI in Game Mode just fine. I use SPDIF out from my X-Fi into an external DAC/amp that clicks whenever the sample rate changes and the music from Foobar2000 is unaltered as long as I'm using WASAPI, the mode doesn't matter since it's bypassed.

I think it probably mattered with XP when people used Creative ASIO. I've used that a couple times and using Audio Creation Mode with Bit-Matched Playback selected does help.

Anyway, to the OP, I use 2.0/2.1 settings in Game Mode with a slight bass boost and that's it. Like studio recordings, I like to hear the sounds for what they are (plus a little bass

) and some game engines these days are pretty damn good at generating positional audio. Creative's little tweaks can be good at times but since there's so many games by so many different developers made on so many different engines, I think meddling with the tweaks can screw it up just as much as it can improve it.