[Mad Lust Envy]

It's one reason why I like stuff like the Hel 2 that doesn't come with software that has too many options. There is such a thing as having too much.

One thing that does it was is the GSX1000 where all the options are on the device itself. That's what Creative should try to do next. Have a device where all the settings are. No software.

 

[illram]

I think they are trying to ape the GSX1000 a little bit with this design. There is surround (only used for SBX), bass, and treble control on the device itself. You could also probably set it up so the "custom" buttons (C1, C2, etc.) buttons do everything you want, once you set up your profiles on the software. You can map 3 profiles total to switch between, which are basically exactly the same as profiles you could set up on the X7, among other things. You can even bind a keybind to one of the buttons which is sort of neat I guess.

But yeah, no full functionality on the device itself. We still must use Creative's head scratching software at some point.

 

[Lay.]

I was really hoping this GC7 might be the one. But no SBX with PS5 without hdmi extractor and no SXFI output via optical out.

Does the SXFI work only from USB or also from SPDIF (PS5)?

 

[illram]

I was really hoping this GC7 might be the one. But no SBX with PS5 without hdmi extractor and no SXFI output via optical out.

The instructions indicate you can of course also hook it up via USB as well but I have no idea if the PS5 does multi channel PCM or Dolby via USB. (Haven't been following the PS5 discussion much.) Would need either of those for SBX.

And there's always the TV optical out option, I guess. If you have a TV in the mix. But it's kinda silly we still have to resort to these old work around solutions.

 

[Lay.]

The instructions indicate you can of course also hook it up via USB as well but I have no idea if the PS5 does multi channel PCM or Dolby via USB. (Haven't been following the PS5 discussion much.) Would need either of those for SBX.

It can do PS5 Tempest 3D audio from USB but no multi channel PCM or Dolby. The G6 is fine for that purpose.

 

[illram]

It can do PS5 Tempest 3D audio from USB but no multi channel PCM or Dolby. The G6 is fine for that purpose.

Yep, then in that case this device really does nothing beyond what the G6 already does. Sadly.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The G6 continues to be that one gaming dac/amp to get for us vss users. Unless ofc you want to go bigger with the X7. But I think G6 optical to audiophile dac/amp is the way to go instead of the X7 unless you really just want one unit for everything.

 

[Aivanpou]

Hi, I am currently using SB X3 with DT 1990. Do you think a Hel 2 would be an improvement over the X3? I only use X3 in direct mode, since SXFI or SBX did not quite convince me for gaming.

What do you think of the Hel 2 so far? The use would be for games and music.


Sorry for my english

 

[JES]

It's one reason why I like stuff like the Hel 2 that doesn't come with software that has too many options. There is such a thing as having too much.

...

This is why I ordered the Hel. Using Astro A50s for years, I found that I was disabling all of their hardware DSP and utilizing Atmos (either on Xbox or PC) for surround. So in effect, I was paying $300 for wireless capability and questionable sound quality (not to mention my poor experiences with build quality and customer service).

So when my Hel 2 arrives, I expect it to improve my experience by adding hardware volume/mic gain control and improved sound quality to my current wired headset. Plus the potential to drive some "bigger" planars or something in the future. And that's all I really want.

 

[illram]

Does the SXFI work only from USB or also from SPDIF (PS5)?

Sorry missed this question earlier. I did not verify whether SXFI will function from SPDIF in, i.e. after decoding DD+. (I presume it would function normally via an unencoded pcm SPDIF stream but SPDIF cannot pass more than 2 channels unencoded if I remember correctly). That's sort of the one thing I did not test. If it did work that would be kinda cool and something the G6 cannot do.

 

[illram]

Sorry for the double post, I've been trying to test out Dolby decoding on the GC7 via Windows 10 to see if I can apply SXFI to a decoded Dolby bitstream. Unfortunately this device shares the G6's limitation of no Dolby decoding via anything other than SPDIF input. So, no dolby decoding of any PC media from the USB port, unfortunately. (This only really matters for movies and tv shows but still, kind of a weird limitation. I am going to guess this is something Dolby enforces.)

 

[halcyon]

The bad news is it does NOT pass SXFi through line out or SPDIF. Sad face.

Thank you for this! What a missed opportunity from Creative.

I'm almost temped to buy it with a 2 week free return, do 3 different versions SXFI analyses of my ears, record the impulse responses of those into files, return the card for refund and use the impulse response files in HeSuVi instead. SXFI for free with ANY soundcard and ANY DAC and ANY headphone amp I want, and stop waiting for Creative to "do it right" the next time around.

 

[illram]

Thank you for this! What a missed opportunity from Creative.

I'm almost temped to buy it with a 2 week free return, do 3 different versions SXFI analyses of my ears, record the impulse responses of those into files, return the card for refund and use the impulse response files in HeSuVi instead. SXFI for free with ANY soundcard and ANY DAC and ANY headphone amp I want, and stop waiting for Creative to "do it right" the next time around.

This sounds intriguing. Is this the process you're referring to?

https://sourceforge.net/p/hesuvi/wiki/How-To Record Impulse Responses Digitally/

Or is there another way to do this with in ear mics?

 

[halcyon]

This sounds intriguing. Is this the process you're referring to?

https://sourceforge.net/p/hesuvi/wiki/How-To Record Impulse Responses Digitally/

Or is there another way to do this with in ear mics?

Yes, that's how you would do it. I would just process the analog output from the headphone output of GC7 (while trying to adjust the output volume so that it is within line output specs or near, to avoid distortion).

You can do it with ear canal mics, but that's like doing SXFI (which simulates your ear HRTF) + HRTF of your ears (from the in-ear mics), which is like double HRTFing (not worth it).

The best way to do it, if you can afford it, is to forget about SXFI, just get a 7.X full frequency loudspeaker setup (calibrated), get high quality in-ear microphones, then record the impulse responses of the 7.X loudspeaker output with your mics in your ears .then process this and use it as the personalized HRTF function within HeSuVi. Personalized, accurate, no more guessing.

Bonuses:
- no more generic SXFI guessing - your ears+head+torso HRTF, actual impulse response modelling, not a generic algo

- you can record this in the kind of room you want to "hear" with the final HRTF file : if you record it in your room, the impulse response file and the HeSuVi simulation using this, will sound like your speakers in your room (not some generic algo room made up with maths)

- Near zero millisecond processing delay - just pick the fastest sound card you can find that has the lowest overall latency, and then your sound playback latency will be: Windows driver/audio stack latency (can't change this yourself) + Your selected sound card latency (differences here can be up to +300 ms from card to card) + HeSuVi additional latency (should be within <5ms within most modern fast systems)

- Pick your sound card, pick your DAC, pick your headphone amp, pick your heaphones. No more crappy compromises.

It's cumbersome, expensive and time-consuming, but probably will give you the best results.

More info in this long thread (incl. software, links, examples, instructions):

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/recording-impulse-responses-for-speaker-virtualization.890719/

 

[Evshrug]

You mean like same size? I dont think so

Correct, the HD 800 series pads are significantly wider in diameter.