[mateo5]

 
Hi everyone!

 

I'm really happy to be here, from all the forums I found this one to be the most friendly and well informed

 

I always dreamed with 5.1 headphones, now I have the change of getting a good set of headphones and a DH amp. I had done some really extensive research and found that the Ear Force Dss is something that I want to try for sure. Dolby Headphones seems to do the work and I’m sold with it! 

 

The hard (this it's really driving me crazy) part it's choosing the best matching headphones for it.

 

After endless search for my first decent headphones (under US$60) I nailed the options down to 2 definitive candidates: HARX900 or HARX700 but reading about them in many forums really messed my head

 

 

I just have one shot with this for the near future (third world country constrains) so I’m trying really hard to make a good educated decision. As I won’t be able to return or resale them here in Dominican Republic (for a fair price at least).

 

I just want to pick the one that works best of the two with the Ear Force Dss... but things get really fuzzy the more I read!

 

Here comes the most terrifying paradox:

 

Some say that for the Ear Force to work its best, the cans need to be closed with little sound stage because that’s improves the Dolby headphones surround emulation. (HARX700)

 

Others claim the opposite by saying that it’s best to have an open can and a large sound stage (HARX900 are semi open and supposedly have a larger sound stage)

 

I’m more inclined to the HARX900 but the main attraction for me is the surround emulation, that really worries me as each explanation made by those guys sounded true and made sense.

 

Honestly I can’t truly choose because of this… can anyone please bring some light onto this?

 

Thank you so much!

 

Cj

 

[SoSpecial]

To be honest he RX900's are hardly an upgrade especially with gamming. At that rprice you start to get into betterheadphones all around( such as Creative Aurvana Lives and Sennhieser HD555's.

 

[mateo5]

Quote:

To be honest he RX900's are hardly an upgrade especially with gamming. At that rprice you start to get into betterheadphones all around( such as Creative Aurvana Lives and Sennhieser HD555's.

Thanks for your reply

can I ask why you dont see the RX900's as an upgrade with gaming? many think they do.

 

[mateo5]

well I asked the good fellas of Dolby about this and here is what they had to say:
 
 
Quote:

[size=x-small]Hi Carlos-[/size]
 
[size=small]Thank you for the email regarding your headphone purchase.  Unfortunately we don't have better information for you than you've found on the web.  All of the headsets with Dolby Headphone are good products, each with it's different strengths. [/size]
 
 
[size=x-small]Really it comes down to comfort and which product fits you the best.  Dolby Headphone technology allows for many hours of listening without the issue of listeners fatigue, but you need to have a headset that fits right in order to get the most comfortable experience.  In general a closed ear headset will give you the best audio quality, but open ear tend to be more comfortable for a number of people.[/size]
 
[size=x-small]I hope this helps a little.[/size]
 
[size=x-small]Best-[/size]
[size=x-small]The Dolby Game Team[/size]

 
mmmmmm so in general a closed ear will give me the best audio quality (with Dolby headphones I guess!)

 

[1Time]

Welcome to Head-Fi. 
 
The RX700 and RX900 have small slits in the back of the cups, so they are not totally closed. The sound stage difference is not related to these small openings. 
 
If wanting a surround effect, I'd think you'd want headphones that are known for a more expansive sound stage (not the RX700).
 
What's your budget for buying new headphones? 
 
Edit: 
And, I suggest disregarding the reply you got from "The Dolby Game Team".

 

[SoSpecial]

Just you wait, to my ears Dobly sounds like poop. Just like CMS3, I guess they help with positional but they sound so weird.

 

[mateo5]

 
Thanks for the replies! I really appreciate it!!!

 
Quote:

[size=13.3333px] 1Time: [/size]

[size=13.3333px] If wanting a surround effect, I'd think you'd want headphones that are known for a more expansive sound stage (not the RX700).[/size]

[size=13.3333px]  [/size]

[size=13.3333px] What's your budget for buying new headphones? [/size]

 
I have US$85 top for the headphones plus the US$80 for the Ear Force Dss... US$165 in total. Can you please tell me why you think a more expansive soundstage is needed and why should I disregard the dolby guys, and which cans you think will be more suited for my aim of surround emulating with the dss?  Thank you!
 
 
 
 
 
Quote:

SoSpecial: 
Just you wait, to my ears Dobly sounds like poop. Just like CMS3, I guess they help with positional but they sound so weird
 

 
 
Really??? Im really excited about the surround emulation with headphones, so you dont like the sound of it, but it works in the positional area... is that bad the sound? thanks!

 

[1Time]

Not that a larger sound stage is needed, but most likely would prefer it. A smaller sound stage would tend to minimize / reduce the surround sound effect / experience. The Dolby Team was blowing you sales blather. FWIR, I suggest considering the ATH-AD700 with the Ear Force DSS. Or if that's over your budget, get the ATH-AD500.  
 
Quote:

I have US$85 top for the headphones plus the US$80 for the Ear Force Dss... US$165 in total. Can you please tell me why you think a more expansive soundstage is needed and why should I disregard the dolby guys, and which cans you think will be more suited for my aim of surround emulating with the dss?  Thank you!

 

[mateo5]

Quote:

Not that a larger sound stage is needed, but most likely would prefer it. A smaller sound stage would tend to minimize / reduce the surround sound effect / experience. The Dolby Team was blowing you sales blather. FWIR, I suggest considering the ATH-AD700 with the Ear Force DSS. Or if that's over your budget, get the ATH-AD500.  
 

Thanks for the info!!!! I was thinking in that one, but the lack of bass made me look elsewhere. After reading your reply I searched a little bit more about it and know I'm trying to figure out if I prefer a bigger soundstage with less bass, These are going to be my first decent cans and I listen to a lot of house music too so a little bass is welcomed.

 

[mateo5]

Can anyone please recommend a gamer headphone under US$100 (other than ATH-AD700 as I want a little bit more bass) THANKS!

 

[mateo5]

no one?

 

[SoSpecial]

Quote:

Can anyone please recommend a gamer headphone under US$100 (other than ATH-AD700 as I want a little bit more bass) THANKS!

Like to get moochan in here, he uses the XB700's for gaming and says its got a great soundstage and perfect bass for gaming. I myself have and XB500 but I don't game to much. Maybe later tonight I'll try my XB500's on our A40 Mixamp.

 

[mateo5]

Quote:

Like to get moochan in here, he uses the XB700's for gaming and says its got a great soundstage and perfect bass for gaming. I myself have and XB500 but I don't game to much. Maybe later tonight I'll try my XB500's on our A40 Mixamp.

Please let me know your findings

 

 

[dachness]

 
Thought I would chime in. I would say your main contenders are M50, HX-700 and AD700. 
 
I spoke with a forum member who had the M50 , RX700 & RX900. His comments were that M50s sounded the best, but with smallest sound stage of the three. RX700 sound second best but with less sound stage than RX900. So RX900 only has the soundstage bonus but worse on sound. The M50 was also least comfortable so that is a consideration. 
 
So of the three condentors they are listed from worst sound stage to best sound stage, as well as most bass to least bass. Since you already are not interested in the AD700s that leaves you with the M50 and HX-700. M50 are around $111 on amazon while RX700 are $35. If you also read the reviews of the Ear Force DSS, at least two people are using the RX700s and love them.
 
I personally was looking for closed headphones and based on all of the above information I decided to go with the RX-700 over the M50 due to the sound stage, price and comfort. I intend to get an Ear Force DSS in the near future. My RX-700s should arrive this weekend.
 
Daniel

 

[mateo5]

Quote:

 
Thought I would chime in. I would say your main contenders are M50, HX-700 and AD700. 
 
I spoke with a forum member who had the M50 , RX700 & RX900. His comments were that M50s sounded the best, but with smallest sound stage of the three. RX700 sound second best but with less sound stage than RX900. So RX900 only has the soundstage bonus but worse on sound. The M50 was also least comfortable so that is a consideration. 
 
So of the three condentors they are listed from worst sound stage to best sound stage, as well as most bass to least bass. Since you already are not interested in the AD700s that leaves you with the M50 and HX-700. M50 are around $111 on amazon while RX700 are $35. If you also read the reviews of the Ear Force DSS, at least two people are using the RX700s and love them.
 
I personally was looking for closed headphones and based on all of the above information I decided to go with the RX-700 over the M50 due to the sound stage, price and comfort. I intend to get an Ear Force DSS in the near future. My RX-700s should arrive this weekend.
 
Daniel

thanks for your response Daniel

 
 
after much reading I went with the dt770 pro 80 (used) I'm kinda upset with the seller as he assured me that there were no rattling (something that these cans suffer sooner or later), now I hope that is a hair or something inside the drivers, *sighs* I will try to clean 'em later on, is annoying but not to the point of discomfort.  Besides that... I really love the dt770, my first pair of decent cans 

 
I got the DSS yesterday and so far is not what I had in mind

, I wont jump into conclusions yet as I believe there is a conflict with my sound card's drivers and in order to use dolby live I will need to install vista x32 as a second OS just to be sure is working as it should. I'll be doing that tonite, hopefully.
 
I will post here as soon as I test it and let you know if I'm a victim of the hype wagon!
 
Cj