[Yethal]

I'd mod the PS4's HDMI and feed the audio through a custom I2S Design with a Dual ESS9038Pro DAC attached to it and a tube output section after the conversion for maximum holographicness.

It's the only way to defeat a blindfolded MLE sporting Porta Pros on his Mixamp 5.8 on a lazy, rainy Sunday afternoon.

Pure silver cables improve positional accuracy #confirmedinfo.

Now that I own the X3 I use it to power my HD800. It works quite well. Not audiophile endgame, but quite well. I talk about stereo use for music here. Why should a X7 be a problem with sound from a console then?

The amp is rather weak, especially considering the 300ohm impedance that can spike up even higher. Better opamps make it somewhat better but you'd still be better off connecting it to an external amp with a higher power output

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I'd mod the PS4's HDMI and feed the audio through a custom I2S Design with a Dual ESS9038Pro DAC attached to it and a tube output section after the conversion for maximum holographicness.

It's the only way to defeat a blindfolded MLE sporting Porta Pros on his Mixamp 5.8 on a lazy, rainy Sunday afternoon.

I'm still so angry at Koss, I can't even laugh at this atm.

 

[mindbomb]

I know this is headfi, and people are obsessive over dac and amp quality, but let's be real here; as long as you put it a modicum of effort into keeping noise, distortion, and output impedance in check, and you don't have volume issues, then your dac and amp are fine. I'm skeptical that an x7 owner has to do any upgrades for any practical benefits.

 

[mindbomb]

Looking to get rid of VSS and go full on stereo for my HD800S on my PC/XOX/PS4PRO. I feel like I’m not getting the highest quality sound out of my headphones because of all the processing. I am looking for some help on how I get the most direct unaltered stereo sound out of each console and PC. What settings should I be using on both devices to achieve this. I also want to try in game headphone processing to hear how that compares to SBX. As of now I am not happy with SBX and HD800S as I don’t hear as distinct of an advantage as others are describing with HD800S.

Well, the games internally have surround sound, they just annihilate a lot of spatial information when it gets converted to stereo. So I don't think the way you characterized stereo as "unaltered" makes any sense. There is a bit of a learning curve with vss. My advice is, assuming you set everything up correctly, stick with it for a couple of days, and then you will get used to it. Remember, the advantage of vss is that front and back can be distinct in ways that are not possible in stereo.

 

[inseconds99]

Well, the games internally have surround sound, they just annihilate a lot of spatial information when it gets converted to stereo. So I don't think the way you characterized stereo as "unaltered" makes any sense. There is a bit of a learning curve with vss. My advice is, assuming you set everything up correctly, stick with it for a couple of days, and then you will get used to it. Remember, the advantage of vss is that front and back can be distinct in ways that are not possible in stereo.

I don’t know if I have the settings on my PS4 pro or Xbox one X set correctly. I have everything setup through optical, but what settings are correct on the consoles end in order to get optimal VSS?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I think with the HD800s it's less about power, and more about matching and offsetting its least desirable traits. I would think an X7 and its neutral/bright sound isn't a good match for the HD800.

 

[mindbomb]

I don’t know if I have the settings on my PS4 pro or Xbox one X set correctly. I have everything setup through optical, but what settings are correct on the consoles end in order to get optimal VSS?

Someone who uses the x7 on consoles can probably give you a more detailed answer than me or correct me if I'm wrong, but I imagine you want a 5.1 dolby digital bitstream from the console, headphones selected in speakers/headphones and sbx surround in sbx pro studio.

 

[inseconds99]

I think with the HD800s it's less about power, and more about matching and offsetting its least desirable traits. I would think an X7 and its neutral/bright sound isn't a good match for the HD800.

My issue isn't the brightness, its the fact that the headphone has great soundstage and imaging and I feel that whatever settings I am using are actually making it sound worse.

 

[Yethal]

I know this is headfi, and people are obsessive over dac and amp quality, but let's be real here; as long as you put it a modicum of effort into keeping noise, distortion, and output impedance in check, and you don't have volume issues, then your dac and amp are fine. I'm skeptical that an x7 owner has to do any upgrades for any practical benefits.

If you're trying to push a 32ohm gaming headset then no, additional amp wouldn't provide that much benefit. 300ohm (with spikes) HD800s is a different game altogether.

 

[Playstation]

Ordered the X2HR’s to use with my smsl dac on console. Wonder why they’re so much cheaper than the X1’s were.

I expect them to be more comfortable than hd5xx, but more so than beyerdynamics? doubtful

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Ordered the X2HR’s to use with my smsl dac on console. Wonder why they’re so much cheaper than the X1’s were.

I expect them to be more comfortable than hd5xx, but more so than beyerdynamics? doubtful

As technology matures, prices tend to go down. The HD650 used to be over $600. Now the 6XX is less than $200 at times.

Supply and demand is a factor as well.


I remember buying my D7000 for $600 new. By the end of its life cycle, they were going for nearly double that.

 

[mindbomb]

If you're trying to push a 32ohm gaming headset then no, additional amp wouldn't provide that much benefit. 300ohm (with spikes) HD800s is a different game altogether.

Everything else being equal, 300 ohms will reduce the volume by 10db compared to 30 ohms. If you had more than 10db of headroom to begin with, then it doesn't really matter. If you have high impedance at a frequency because of resonance, then use a source with low output impedance for electrical damping.

 

[Wintersun2015]

What about the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 for competitive fps gaming ?

i've seen many R6 Siege streamers/pro use it...could be an improvement over the AD700X?

Thanks

 

[Chastity]

What about the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 for competitive fps gaming ?

i've seen many R6 Siege streamers/pro use it...could be an improvement over the AD700X?

Thanks

The DT-1990 Pro has everything you want in a gaming headphone:

For competitive, use the Analytic pads with no EQ for lower bass, higher detail, fast dynamic attack/decays, excellent layering to pick out footsteps/gun cocks. Natural soundstage for pinpointing locations.

For immersive gaming, same pads with Oratory1990 PEQ: better bass response, cans can extend into the subbass range for rumble. Timbre will be meaty and have impact. You still have great detail too.

IMO, they're gaming overkill. Which isn't a bad thing.

 

[SierraMadre]

Everything else being equal, 300 ohms will reduce the volume by 10db compared to 30 ohms. If you had more than 10db of headroom to begin with, then it doesn't really matter. If you have high impedance at a frequency because of resonance, then use a source with low output impedance for electrical damping.

^^ This.

While it’s certainly true that better amps might get more out of the HD800s, when we’re already talking a X7 then we’re already on the path of diminishing returns and the notion peddled that the X7 is too “weak” for the HD800S is just silly.