Is there a 7.1 channel DAC ?

[Sam21]

I have a razer tiamat true 7.1 channel headset.
 
I am just wondering if a 7.1 channel DAC exists ?

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I have a Razer Tiamat True 7.1 channel headset.
 
I am just wondering if a 7.1 channel DAC exists ?

Assuming you mean an external DAC that can output 8 separate channels of audio?
Some external sound cards might(?) offer 8-channel output.
but I think an external sound card is not the best value
 
If this is for a PC, just get a used ($60) Xonar DX or D1 sound card, CS4398 DAC chip
Cheaper sound card would also work.

 

[Sam21]

well, I already have the vantec external 7.1 sound card. the problem is that when i pair it with the razer tiamat there are audio problems like when i play dead space 3 for instance the gun shots sound so low. I am wondering if i should get a quality 7.1 DAC or i should mess around with the equaliser in vantec's driver to fix the problem...

 

[ThePhoenix924S]

     To answer your question simply, yes. However, you must realise that most of what is dealt with on Head-Fi is for stereo, because most headphones are the equivalent of a 2.0 speaker set-up in terms of speaker layout. After taking a quick look at Razer's FAQ for the Tiamat, you need the five standard 3.5mm jack outputs from your computer. Most external DACs/ sound processors won't have 3.5mm outputs, so you would need to do a messy 3.5mm to RCA converter on each one of them from their analogue surround outputs. Honestly, you're probably better off keeping what you already have OR looking at Razer's website and list of recommended sound-cards and going with one of those. I would recommend first looking to see if your operating system AND sound card is configured correctly (as per Razer's FAQ) and then consider your other options.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  well, I already have the vantec external 7.1 sound card. the problem is that when i pair it with the razer tiamat there are audio problems like when i play dead space 3 for instance the gun shots sound so low. I am wondering if i should get a quality 7.1 DAC or i should mess around with the equaliser in vantec's driver to fix the problem...

Technically, your Vantec is a "7.1 channel DAC", the DAC chip in the Vantec is converting 8-channels of digital audio to 8-channels of analog audio, but I'm guessing the Vantec is not very good as is sells for $22.
I'm assuming your using a laptop?
 
Sell off the Razer and Vantec,
and buy a Xonar U3 or Creative X-fi Go, both are USB sound cards and cost around $40
also buy some quality stereo headphones ($) and any add-on mic you like.
The U3 and X-fi Go will processing 5.1 audio into headphone surround sound, for use with the stereo headphones.
We only have 2 ears (stereo input), so it only takes 2-channel (stereo) to make our ears hear surround sound.

 

[ThePhoenix924S]

  Technically, your Vantec is a "7.1 channel DAC", the DAC chip in the Vantec is converting 8-channels of digital audio to 8-channels of analog audio, but I'm guessing the Vantec is not very good as is sells for $22.
I'm assuming your using a laptop?
 
Sell off the Razer and Vantec,
and buy a Xonar U3 or Creative X-fi Go, both are USB sound cards and cost around $40
also buy some quality stereo headphones ($) and any add-on mic you like.
The U3 and X-fi Go will processing 5.1 audio into headphone surround sound, for use with the stereo headphones.
We only have 2 ears (stereo input), so it only takes 2-channel (stereo) to make our ears hear surround sound.

 
This is excellent advice if you're willing to start from scratch. As far as headphones are concerned, you do not need a million drivers right next to your ears to get "surround sound". Any pair of headphones with decent clarity and soundstage should be more than sufficient for your needs. Furthermore, a properly mixed stereo track should also give the correct spacing and positioning, so you might not even have to really worry about finding a multi-channel processor. No need to blow a bunch of money on new gear unless you really want to, there are many quality options for around $100 or so.

 

[cel4145]

This is excellent advice if you're willing to start from scratch. As far as headphones are concerned, you do not need a million drivers right next to your ears to get "surround sound". Any pair of headphones with decent clarity and soundstage should be more than sufficient for your needs. Furthermore, a properly mixed stereo track should also give the correct spacing and positioning, so you might not even have to really worry about finding a multi-channel processor. No need to blow a bunch of money on new gear unless you really want to, there are many quality options for around $100 or so.

Great advice from Phoenix and PurpleAngel. Sometimes it's worth rethinking in your entire setup

 

[Shattered (Gamer)]

Sell off the Razer and Vantec,
and buy a Xonar U3 or Creative X-fi Go, both are USB sound cards and cost around $40
also buy some quality stereo headphones ($) and any add-on mic you like.
The U3 and X-fi Go will processing 5.1 audio into headphone surround sound, for use with the stereo headphones.
We only have 2 ears (stereo input), so it only takes 2-channel (stereo) to make our ears hear surround sound.

I hate these negative replies by audiophiles on every Tiamat Thread. I usually stay silent, but this is like the 8th time I've seen a comment like this in a 20 minute span of research. We are all here for a hobbies and niches. Gaming is a niche in audio. A niche you might not share but a very a large market and participants in this hobby. While we may not be as advanced we still have knowledge worth sharing. Knowledge such as Asus is a horrible company and should be avoided like the plague. They are the low bar in the PC world. The Xonar U3 and all ASUS cards are junk. Most dont work as Asus hasnt updated there sound drivers to work on Windows 10.

Anyone who thinks Tiamat 7.1 isnt good doesnt understand its purpose. It is good. Its more the good, its excellent and superior to everything else in its class. Full Stop.

What needs to be understood is they are built for a niche, gaming. They are meant for pin-point accuracy.

Being able to manipulate channels via separate 7.1 analog controls is far superior then the digital 7.1 reproduction on Stereo. Also currently Windows 10 Spatial Sound is limited to 16 bit, unlike 7.1 analog that goes 24bit/36bit. Also onboard 7.1 Analog controls allow for manipulation without programs, big for tournaments and lan meet-ups.

We only have 2 ears, but he have a brain between them. A brain that can differ between speakers in a headset. A headset inst a small enough sound-stage for your ears and brain to fail at differentiating speakers. Thats the point. Thats the end game. Center and bass turned low with front rear side blasting accompanied by a specialized equalizer settings. It doesn't sound natural at all. Buts its clear and adds insane situational awareness. Basically "Witcher Sense" like Witcher 3 or "Spider Sense" for non-gamers. The only benefit of the ASUS Strix is being able to quickly switch between presets. Which is like spider sense, hear a foot step and switch on to locate.

This is the situation for gamers. Your in a competitive environment fighting for your life. A magic fairy comes up to and says "I can giver superior hearing. You will gain distance, spatial awareness, and increased awareness of critical sound cues while dampening all non-vital sound such as engine noise, explosions, your own gunfire." One player says yes and gains superior senses, the other says no because it doesn't sound natural or good. One dies, one lives.

Gaming is a perfect 3d sound environment. There are no mics like real life. Its a perfect spatial real-time reproduction of whats happening in game according to the game parameters. Unlike a movie and music that requires hardware, editing, and syncing to record 7.1 sound. Making 7.1 way way way better, sensible, and forgiving in gaming. Many of the major pitfalls with surround in both headset and home theater is on the production not reproduction, gaming naturally produces spatial sound.

Hobbies are expensive and gaming is a hobby. Gamers will spend literal billion via premiums on stupid phone games to get an advantage. 800$ to gain for a 25% fps gain. 900$ to gain 25 fps on a monitor. 500$ for a SSD soley for steam. 200-300$ for a good headset. 200$ per peripheral. So when Tiamat comes along for 200$ offering an sizeable in-game advantage gamers are going to want it, regardless of "sound". It could sound like nails on a chalkboard and cost 400$ as long as it improves my K-D by 300%.

Also remember gamers audio market is not your audio market. Our audio market in the least words is "cancer". Over-priced, blinged-out with hyper marketing. Basically against the back-drop of the gamer audio market the Tiamat looks good, against the back-drop of the audiophile community....not so much......






@OP

Currently the best 7.1 analog sound card is the HT Omega Fenix. As far as PC's go HT Omega is the audiophile grade. But for whatever reason they produce only internal sound cards on outdated PCI (not PCIE) boards. They are the only company that was prepared for Window 10 and had/has working drivers. The Fenix is the best but suffers due to being an internal card wedged in-between two GPUS drawing 700 watts tons of other interference. I used a pcie data riser to move it out of my PC then an IFI ground isolator with external power for a clean power source. It sounds insane. The bass is unreal. I went thru 4 cards, none came close. But the card sounded horrible inside PC due to 0 shielding.

The next runner up is the Asus Xonar 7.1 MKii. Its ehh. Cheap (80$) and portable. Drivers have problems. It can be the only sound driver on your PC but only has controls for the external sound card. Asus is dumb all-around. Even their help guide and website is in "Engrish" and sometimes illegible. The amp is about 70% as strong as the Fenix. Also getting an ASUS card to run the Tiamat is kinda silly considering the whole reason to get the Tiamat is to avoid the default sound card on the Asus and being able to upgrade.

 

[Dulalala]

I hate these negative replies by audiophiles on every Tiamat Thread. I usually stay silent, but this is like the 8th time I've seen a comment like this in a 20 minute span of research. We are all here for a hobbies and niches. Gaming is a niche in audio. A niche you might not share but a very a large market and participants in this hobby. While we may not be as advanced we still have knowledge worth sharing. Knowledge such as Asus is a horrible company and should be avoided like the plague. They are the low bar in the PC world. The Xonar U3 and all ASUS cards are junk. Most dont work as Asus hasnt updated there sound drivers to work on Windows 10.

Anyone who thinks Tiamat 7.1 isnt good doesnt understand its purpose. It is good. Its more the good, its excellent and superior to everything else in its class. Full Stop.

What needs to be understood is they are built for a niche, gaming. They are meant for pin-point accuracy.

Being able to manipulate channels via separate 7.1 analog controls is far superior then the digital 7.1 reproduction on Stereo. Also currently Windows 10 Spatial Sound is limited to 16 bit, unlike 7.1 analog that goes 24bit/36bit. Also onboard 7.1 Analog controls allow for manipulation without programs, big for tournaments and lan meet-ups.

We only have 2 ears, but he have a brain between them. A brain that can differ between speakers in a headset. A headset inst a small enough sound-stage for your ears and brain to fail at differentiating speakers. Thats the point. Thats the end game. Center and bass turned low with front rear side blasting accompanied by a specialized equalizer settings. It doesn't sound natural at all. Buts its clear and adds insane situational awareness. Basically "Witcher Sense" like Witcher 3 or "Spider Sense" for non-gamers. The only benefit of the ASUS Strix is being able to quickly switch between presets. Which is like spider sense, hear a foot step and switch on to locate.

This is the situation for gamers. Your in a competitive environment fighting for your life. A magic fairy comes up to and says "I can giver superior hearing. You will gain distance, spatial awareness, and increased awareness of critical sound cues while dampening all non-vital sound such as engine noise, explosions, your own gunfire." One player says yes and gains superior senses, the other says no because it doesn't sound natural or good. One dies, one lives.

Gaming is a perfect 3d sound environment. There are no mics like real life. Its a perfect spatial real-time reproduction of whats happening in game according to the game parameters. Unlike a movie and music that requires hardware, editing, and syncing to record 7.1 sound. Making 7.1 way way way better, sensible, and forgiving in gaming. Many of the major pitfalls with surround in both headset and home theater is on the production not reproduction, gaming naturally produces spatial sound.

Hobbies are expensive and gaming is a hobby. Gamers will spend literal billion via premiums on stupid phone games to get an advantage. 800$ to gain for a 25% fps gain. 900$ to gain 25 fps on a monitor. 500$ for a SSD soley for steam. 200-300$ for a good headset. 200$ per peripheral. So when Tiamat comes along for 200$ offering an sizeable in-game advantage gamers are going to want it, regardless of "sound". It could sound like nails on a chalkboard and cost 400$ as long as it improves my K-D by 300%.

Also remember gamers audio market is not your audio market. Our audio market in the least words is "cancer". Over-priced, blinged-out with hyper marketing. Basically against the back-drop of the gamer audio market the Tiamat looks good, against the back-drop of the audiophile community....not so much......






@OP

Currently the best 7.1 analog sound card is the HT Omega Fenix. As far as PC's go HT Omega is the audiophile grade. But for whatever reason they produce only internal sound cards on outdated PCI (not PCIE) boards. They are the only company that was prepared for Window 10 and had/has working drivers. The Fenix is the best but suffers due to being an internal card wedged in-between two GPUS drawing 700 watts tons of other interference. I used a pcie data riser to move it out of my PC then an IFI ground isolator with external power for a clean power source. It sounds insane. The bass is unreal. I went thru 4 cards, none came close. But the card sounded horrible inside PC due to 0 shielding.

The next runner up is the Asus Xonar 7.1 MKii. Its ehh. Cheap (80$) and portable. Drivers have problems. It can be the only sound driver on your PC but only has controls for the external sound card. Asus is dumb all-around. Even their help guide and website is in "Engrish" and sometimes illegible. The amp is about 70% as strong as the Fenix. Also getting an ASUS card to run the Tiamat is kinda silly considering the whole reason to get the Tiamat is to avoid the default sound card on the Asus and being able to upgrade.

Whew that was a long post. While I understand your sentiment, in the end you are on an "audiophile" forum so I'm not sure what you expected.
If you come to an audiophile forum, your going to get advice based of an audiophile's perspective, not a gamer's.
Now I'm not chasing you off or anything, but I think it's rather nonsensical that your complaining about getting this kind of advice from an audio forum. Most of us here use our systems to listen to music as a primary so it isn't even something most of us are familiar with. If you want gaming based advice, go to a gaming based forum...

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I have a razer tiamat true 7.1 channel headset.

I am just wondering if a 7.1 channel DAC exists ?

You need a Pre-Pro, like what Arcam or NAD or Athem sell.

And then you need to figure out how to drive the drivers on the Tiamat. Like use four headphone amplifiers. And then customize the wiring.