[Gdubz]

  As far as I know the surround output through HDMI is pcm.  Here's a quote from the MS guy:
 
Penello posted in the thread to cool matters. He said, “Dolby Digital is coming post launch. This was a SW scheduling issue pure and simple, and I know people are disappointed, but we will have it. Anyone with an HDMI receiver should be fine, as we pass the uncompressed 5.1 and 7.1 through HDMI as well as DTS. 

I was under the impression that Microsoft included a workaround to output digital surround via HDMI with some super hidden BETA option... Source

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Umm, Silent Cinema is NOT aka Dolby Headphone. They are two COMPLETELY different virtual surround dsps...

Where and how did someone manage to make up something like this?

 

[threei]

  I was under the impression that Microsoft included a workaround to output digital surround via HDMI with some super hidden BETA option... Source

Support for digital surround sound from your cable or satellite box is currently available as a beta. By default, only stereo sound will be received.
 
 
That is only for HDMI input. It will take a Dolby Digital signal from your cable/sat box, but it will convert it to pcm and output that through the HDMI.

 

[Hailin]

  Hey everyone...looking for input. I did post in the help/intro thread initially but my price range is changing and since I'm looking for headphones primarily for gaming I thought I'd pop in over here.
 
Basically I need headphones for use in my study/gameroom with my PS3 (PS4 sometime next year). I do have the PS3 (and other stuff) running into a Yamaha AVR (RX-V1800) which has Silent Cinema (aka Dolby Headphone).  I'm looking for headphones, not a head set...don't need a mic. For music, I listen to mostly classic rock and country but can be a little bit of everything....Adele, Billy Joes, Bon Jovi, Mat Kearney, Idina Menzel, Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, John Mellencamp, The Eagles.
 
I'm leaning towards open, circumaural. The only caveat to choosing open is that my office is right around a corner from the living room and the TV in that room can be pretty loud (family member with hearing loss). So it's more a question of how much sound will come into my ears as opposed to sound leakage from the headphones.
 
Budget...under $150 USD...closer to $100 would be even better.
 
The Yamaha manual has this to say about the headphones jack:
 
I did also email Yamaha and their response is:
 
With all that out of the way, some of the cans on my list (all open/semi-open) include:
 
(low end) AKG K99 or Pioneer SE-A1000
Yamaha HPH-200
AKG K240 MKII
Senn HD 558
and at the upper end of the range, ATH-AD700x or Beyer DT990 Pro 250.
 
Any comments on any of these? The sweet spot in my budget would be $100-125 so the AT's and Beyer are above that but I could possibly stretch.
 
Any others to strongly consider? Or should I be considering closed instead of open? Thanks.

I don't think the DT990pros or AD700 are what you are looking for. Ad700 is bass shy which would mean bass guitars are going to sound boring, lifeless and possibly nonexistent. The DT990pros are lacking midrange because the bass is so thick on it. The DT990/600 would be a better Beyer open option but out of your price range.
 
You might find a MA900 used. It can be used with any source because of it's built in impedance resistor. But are sooooo open it might be distracting with the other house noise. The Senn 558 are a great option too, you would have to do some research on how they work with rock and country, but if they are almost like a 598 with more bass I would say they would be great. I don't know anything about the other cans listed so I would rather not comment on them.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Been reading up here a bit and decided to join up on the forums because I had a question (here's my intro thread). I think you said you're rocking the playstation so you don't have to deal with the Xbox One lack of surround via optical, but Microsoft stated that you can still receive a surround signal from their HDMI out. 
I was wondering if you know anything about this 4x1 HDMI switcher and if I could receive surround sound from that optical audio out port, since it will technically receive surround signal from the HDMI cable I connect to it. It states:
I think that's a "yes" to my question, but I'm still really new to all this madness and it's a lot to take in all at once.
Thanks for any help you, or anyone else in this thread, might be able to give!

The only way I know to get Headphone Surround Sound from a gaming console, using HDMI, it to hook the HDMI cable to an A/V receiver, that has headphone surround sound sound and plug the headphones into the A/V receiver, Yamaha receivers come with Silent Cinema, Yamaha own Headphone surround sound technology. And with receiver you really want to use a headphone with high impedance, like 120-Ohms or higher.

 

[Gdubz]

  Support for digital surround sound from your cable or satellite box is currently available as a beta. By default, only stereo sound will be received.
 
 
That is only for HDMI input. It will take a Dolby Digital signal from your cable/sat box, but it will convert it to pcm and output that through the HDMI.

Oh wow, I guess I didn't process that when reading it, or maybe I just wanted it to be true for HDMI Out... damn.
 
Sorry for the misunderstanding.
 
I really hope they do something soon. I've never really been spoiled with a good sound stage and positional audio, but I would very much like to be right now. I guess if I kept gaming on my Xbox 360 until Xbox One released their surround support, I could accomplish this? I believe the Xbox 360's Optical audio delivers digital surround?

 

[Gdubz]

  The only way I know to get Headphone Surround Sound from a gaming console, using HDMI, it to hook the HDMI cable to an A/V receiver, that has headphone surround sound sound and plug the headphones into the A/V receiver, Yamaha receivers come with Silent Cinema, Yamaha own Headphone surround sound technology. And with receiver you really want to use a headphone with high impedance, like 120-Ohms or higher.

So not the Sennheiser HD558's that I was looking at purchasing, right? I'm still new to all of this, but I believe the specs on Amazon listed them as only having 50ohms impedance.
 
Also, is Yamaha's Silent Cinema as good as the Dobly Headphone or should I look for something else with that as an option?

 

[texasnightowl]

Umm, Silent Cinema is NOT aka Dolby Headphone. They are two COMPLETELY different virtual surround dsps...

Where and how did someone manage to make up something like this?

 
Maybe a case of .... they're not the same, they're similar?  I was trying to search on Yamaha Silent Cinema when I first started to look for info on headphones to use and I guess my understanding could be wrong but it seemed like Yamaha (along with others) developed their own take on Dolby so they didn't have to pay Dolby fees for it?
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/583075/silent-cinema-yamaha-headphone-thread

 

[texasnightowl]

  I don't think the DT990pros or AD700 are what you are looking for. Ad700 is bass shy which would mean bass guitars are going to sound boring, lifeless and possibly nonexistent. The DT990pros are lacking midrange because the bass is so thick on it. The DT990/600 would be a better Beyer open option but out of your price range.
 
You might find a MA900 used. It can be used with any source because of it's built in impedance resistor. But are sooooo open it might be distracting with the other house noise. The Senn 558 are a great option too, you would have to do some research on how they work with rock and country, but if they are almost like a 598 with more bass I would say they would be great. I don't know anything about the other cans listed so I would rather not comment on them.

 
 
Thanks for eval on the DT990's and AD700...I don't want overwhelming bass, but nonexistent isn't any better!  The Senn 558's seem a great option...I found them for $128 last night so right in my target, but....
 

  So not the Sennheiser HD558's that I was looking at purchasing, right? I'm still new to all of this, but I believe the specs on Amazon listed them as only having 50ohms impedance.
 
Also, is Yamaha's Silent Cinema as good as the Dobly Headphone or should I look for something else with that as an option?

 
This wasn't part of my thread but I'm in the same boat...since I'm using a receiver is the 50ohm rating on the Senn's OK? The email I got from Yamaha re: my receiver would indicate it's fine, but @PurpleAngel recommended cans with 120 ohms for receiver use?

 

[martin vegas]

I ended up buying the dacmagic xs with the sennheiser hd 25 2's today..on first listen, it's not bad for the price..haven't listened to it on the 24/192 setting yet..the instructions are a bit basic..i will go on Cambridge audios website and find out more!

 

[threei]

  Oh wow, I guess I didn't process that when reading it, or maybe I just wanted it to be true for HDMI Out... damn.
 
Sorry for the misunderstanding.
 
I really hope they do something soon. I've never really been spoiled with a good sound stage and positional audio, but I would very much like to be right now. I guess if I kept gaming on my Xbox 360 until Xbox One released their surround support, I could accomplish this? I believe the Xbox 360's Optical audio delivers digital surround?

Yes, the 360 outputs dolby digital through optical. You can still get dolby pro logic from the xbox one if you're using a dss or mixamp. I've never used pro logic and I can't imagine its all that good, but probably better than stereo.

 

[Gdubz]

  Yes, the 360 outputs dolby digital through optical. You can still get dolby pro logic from the xbox one if you're using a dss or mixamp. I've never used pro logic and I can't imagine its all that good, but probably better than stereo.

Good to know, maybe I'll go ahead and purchase some headphones now then and use them with the 360 until the xbox one supports dolby digital.
 
Would you still not recommend the Sennheiser HD 558's because of their low (50ohms) impedence? I've got an old Astro mixamp (I think the Mixamp Pro from this guide) but I don't know what it's output is and if it fits within that 1/8th rule.
 
Would I need to pickup a DAC and Amp? or could I use the Astro Mixamp Pro with the Xbox360 and <insert some headphones here> and get good positional audio and surround sound?

 

[Murder Mike]

  Ty MM: The 11.32 isn't too dry overall, bright in the highs and restrains the bass too much (if I may ask)?

 
I don't find it dry at all really. I'd maybe get a few more impressions though. The bass is tight and lively and I don't get any fatigue from the highs. 

 

[NamelessPFG]

Well, ill drop a few buck on a sound card if I can get dolby headphone to a good DAC . Just need to find the right one. Currently i have creative X-fi Titanium (non-HD version).

 
You have an X-Fi Titanium already?
 
You can just output a CMSS-3D Headphone-mixed signal to an external DAC with S/PDIF input. Headphone surround accomplished!

 

[SaLX]

  I don't find it dry at all really. I'd maybe get a few more impressions though. The bass is tight and lively and I don't get any fatigue from the highs. 

MM - thanks for replying. They're having a debate over on the K712 pro thread atm re warm or neutral amps http://www.head-fi.org/t/659251/the-akg-k712-pro-support-and-appreciation-thread/2355#post_10038700