[GeekGirl]

I'm upgrading my gaming PC now. Definitely going for the X-Fi, but may upgrade to the Fatal1ty / 64 MB X-Ram card for future support of EAX 5.0. In addition to all of the extra voices, textures, environments, etc. supported in EAX 5.0, the extra RAM will be used for processing uncompressed sounds on-card, which saves CPU cycles.

3-D positioning is important for gaming. Currently, I'm using the Zalman 5.1 with an Audigy 2. It seems to have better 3-D positioning when I configure the Creative drivers for 4-channel instead of 5.1 headphones.

A thread on the Creative Labs discussed 5.1 headphones with X-Fi and there were some suggestions to check out the Medusa 5.1 Pro-Gamer headphones. The concensus was that they were better than the Zalman http://www.medusa-usa.com/medusa-51-...352d86b7976bdf. Anyone try the Medusa?

 

[sfxjames]

Quote:

I've ordered the Philips SBCHD1500U, which should arrive shortly. The sound quality is supposed to be better than the Pioneer, and it uses digital RF transmission instead of IR. The old headphones themselves had some quality issues, but those are apparently solved in the newer "U" version. The new version also has more inputs, and a remote.

edit: this actually that must be a better version, I had know idea there is another one oops.

LN where did you buy these? I can't seem to find a place that sells them?

 

[_LN_]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfxjames edit: this actually that must be a better version, I had know idea there is another one oops. LN where did you buy these? I can't seem to find a place that sells them?

Sfxjames, I live in the Old World, and they are fairly easy to find online here.
I've ordered mine by phone, from a vendor I have dealt with before, and had good experiences with. But now I'm still waiting, 2 weeks after I ordered them.

But anyway, there are several online stores that will ship to customers outside the EU, at least in the Netherlands and in Germany (the ones in Germany are generally cheaper!).
Mind you, if you live in a part of the world where the mains doesn't carry 230V, you may have trouble finding a base station with a compatible power supply...

BTW, you might want to try searching for "SBC HD1500U", "SBC HD 1500U", and "SBCHD 1500U", as well as "SBCHD1500U". And, Philips has been known to use slightly different model numbers for different regions of the world...

Ellen

 

[Carl]

I have an HP1500 DHLing its way to me as I write this...

 

[_LN_]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl I have an HP1500 DHLing its way to me as I write this...

Cool! Perhaps that wired "HP" version is easier to find than the wireless "HD" version, outside of Europe. And the sound quality of the included HP1000 cans might be a tad better, too. Anyway, looks like you'll receive your surround phones before me, then...

Ellen

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by _LN_ Cool! Perhaps that wired "HP" version is easier to find than the wireless "HD" version, outside of Europe.

The HD1500U is everywhere in Europe these days. I guess having a headphone that doesn't break has done wonders for their sales.

Quote:

And the sound quality of the included HP1000 cans might be a tad better, too.

Well the HP1000 is a very underrated headphone, but in my case I'm going to bypass most of the internals, and use it with electrostatic headphones. All going well it'll sound at least a tiny bit better than the HD1500s do.

 

[_LN_]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl The HD1500U is everywhere in Europe these days. I guess having a headphone that doesn't break has done wonders for their sales.

Quote:

Well the HP1000 is a very underrated headphone, but in my case I'm going to bypass most of the internals, and use it with electrostatic headphones. All going well it'll sound at least a tiny bit better than the HD1500s do.

Envy!!!

But anyway, I just got a call from my vendor, informing me that Philips was expecting a new shipment of my phones to arrive today, so I should receive mine before too long, too.

Ellen

 

[_LN_]

For Sfxjames (and possibly others, of course): I just came across these on eBay, from a seller who has 10 of them up for sale. Mind you, this is the old version, so I think it's a bit pricey!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=9704726613

Ellen

 

[TooNice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeekGirl A thread on the Creative Labs discussed 5.1 headphones with X-Fi and there were some suggestions to check out the Medusa 5.1 Pro-Gamer headphones. The concensus was that they were better than the Zalman http://www.medusa-usa.com/medusa-51-...352d86b7976bdf. Anyone try the Medusa?

That train of thought is also repeated in a few gaming oriented forums. Cost wise, those headphones are still a couple of notches more affordable than mid-fi headphones.. I'd give them a shot if I can borrow it from someone, but I don't think I would bother when the decent can + CMSS combo.

 

[Cyrilix]

I don't see how they could ever implement proper 5.1 in headphones unless they did it AKG K1000 style.

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by _LN_ For Sfxjames (and possibly others, of course): I just came across these on eBay, from a seller who has 10 of them up for sale. Mind you, this is the old version, so I think it's a bit pricey! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=9704726613 Ellen

Don't get the old version. Philips released a new version because the original had an often-fatal design flaw that almost saw the death of the product.

I've heard from someone that Meier Audio can get HD1500Us for customers outside Germany. You might want email them to see if that's correct or not.

 

[Ganiki]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeekGirl I'm upgrading my gaming PC now. Definitely going for the X-Fi, but may upgrade to the Fatal1ty / 64 MB X-Ram card for future support of EAX 5.0. In addition to all of the extra voices, textures, environments, etc. supported in EAX 5.0, the extra RAM will be used for processing uncompressed sounds on-card, which saves CPU cycles. 3-D positioning is important for gaming. Currently, I'm using the Zalman 5.1 with an Audigy 2. It seems to have better 3-D positioning when I configure the Creative drivers for 4-channel instead of 5.1 headphones. A thread on the Creative Labs discussed 5.1 headphones with X-Fi and there were some suggestions to check out the Medusa 5.1 Pro-Gamer headphones. The concensus was that they were better than the Zalman http://www.medusa-usa.com/medusa-51-...352d86b7976bdf. Anyone try the Medusa?

I do not really know a huge amount about headphones, but I have tried the Zalman's, I thought they were actually ok for the time I got them mainly because headphones were an afterthought to me, and the Medusas from Speedlink are better than the Zalman in some areas but not all.

The Medusas cannot handle bass properly, just like the Zalmans, the 3D positioning in the Medusas for what I can tell are worse than the Zalmans. Usually its a real pain to setup any of the 5.1 headphones to get the positioning even decent, but the Medusas just will not complete get to the point the Zalmans get to. I own both and now I am running to find some real headphones now after my nightmare experience and constant let downs with these two sets. They do however have a little better sound quality overall when you compare them to the Zalmans, but I really just do not think they are worth.

 

[_LN_]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl Don't get the old version. Philips released a new version because the original had an often-fatal design flaw that almost saw the death of the product.

Correct -- the swivel joints between the headband and the driver units were made of poor quality plastic, which often broke. The new swivel joints are supposedly made of metal. Also, the new base unit has more inputs, and comes with a remote now.
I just mentioned the old version on eBay in case someone really wanted these, and couldn't find either new or old version, or intended to use them with their own wired phones, anyway. (or mod them and use them with electrostats, like some over-privileged Head-Fi members do...

)

Ellen

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by _LN_ (or mod them and use them with electrostats, like some over-privileged Head-Fi members do... )

Who would do something so crazy?

Oh wait, I would...

 

[Spad]

There are reviews here on at least the Pioneer DH versions. Just search on "Pioneer" and I'm sure they will turn up. John Medeiros and I had lengthy threads on the gadgets and John wrote an extensive review on both models.

I've owned a Pioneer SE-XB-1, which is the same as the DIR-1000C with a bass boost for gaming effects, for about three years. I couldn't be more satisfied with it and I recently bought a second wireless headphone for it.

Don't believe those who say that surround sound can't be done via headphones. It certainly doesn't rival my HT, but it's sufficiently satisfying that I often opt for the DH system even when the HT wouldn't disturb a single soul.