[NamelessPFG]

Dolby Pro Logic II won't help you if the stereo stream isn't encoded in PLII to begin with, like PS2, GCN and Wii games tend to do. Not sure what made the PR rep think that.
 
While Microsoft's decision to support DTS and NOT Dolby is extremely baffling, frankly, I think that if developers make better use of the audio DSPs next-gen hardware has to offer combined with new software like AstoundSound, we won't NEED Mixamps or other such devices because the games themselves will provide proper 3D headphone surround instead of forcing us to make do with virtual 5.1/7.1 home theater speaker systems as the basis of our in-game headphone surround experience.
 
That frankly should have happened a decade ago...better late than never, I suppose.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Wow. Come on Astro. Dolby Pro logic II is NOT the same as Dolby digital encoded to Dolby headphone. There is a pretty noticeable difference, and DPLII adds even more reverb and sounds more artifical than proper Dolby headphone. The only good thing about DPLII is that the surround cues can be as good DD->DH.

Unless the XB1 is feeding the optical out a Dolby Digital signal that was converted to DPLII, the Mixamp won't do any damn thing to a basic stereo signal, other than add needless reverb with zero benefit in positional cues.

 

[Hailin]

I posted on their facebook wall, this is really silly to be honest. To say there is no difference is PR BS.
 
I agree Nameless. Both are packing AMD chips so I don't see why they couldn't pull off AstoundSound. But I am not a programmer so I really have no idea. I do think it is time for dev studios to look at other surround options.

 

[Hoffen00]

Hello everyone I would like some help to pick a headphone out of the ones I have seen here in this guide.

1. AKG K 702
2. Audio Technica ATH-AD700
3. Sennheiser HD598
And then two that I have not seen in the guide but I have heard good stuff about
4. QPAD QH-90 Pro
5.  Turtle Beach Ear Force Z Seven
 
 
I will use the headphones mostly for playing FPS  games ( PC ONLY) like CoD/BF, but also useing them for some music/movies. I dont have a sound card or a mixamp.
Which one of these 5 would be the best ? Detail-whoring very important =)
Thanks in advance!

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I don't know much about those, as I'm used to my external virtual surround tech, but this is some pure misinformation on Astros part, and they should be ashamed.

If anything, they need to hurry up and release a Mixamp that decodes DTS into Dolby headphone like older marantz receivers and the JVC/Victor SU-DH1 do). Pay for the DTS licensing, keep the business going. This would probably be the cheapest route for them, instead of investing in some new surround tech. Not saying I don't want something new, but in a business standpoint, adding DTS decoding into Dolby Headphone is simple, I'm sure. My assumption on how receivers and the SU-DH1 do it, is by convertting DTS into Dolby Digital, which then converts to Dolby Headphone. Having tested the SU-DH1 (thanks Nameless), the DTS signal and the Dolby signal being converted to DH, sounded exactly the same, which is why I'm sure DTS was changed to DD before going through the DH conversion.

Either that or release an add on device with the sole purpose of allowing older Mixamps to decode DTS.

Consumers in general are stupid and uninformed, but for the dedicated headphone user who relies on Astros, they'll be able to tell the difference.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Hello everyone I would like some help to pick a headphone out of the ones I have seen here in this guide.


1. AKG K 702

2. Audio Technica ATH-AD700
3. Sennheiser HD598
And then two that I have not seen in the guide but I have heard good stuff about
4. QPAD QH-90 Pro
5.  Turtle Beach Ear Force Z Seven


I will use the headphones mostly for playing FPS  games ( PC ONLY) like CoD/BF, but also useing them for some music/movies. I dont have a sound card or a mixamp.

Which one of these 5 would be the best ? Detail-whoring very important =)

Thanks in advance!

I don't particularly like any of them for music/movies. If anything, I'd get the K702, buy some Anniversary pads to give them the added warmth/fun. Or just buy the K702 Anniversary or K712 Pro outright.

You definitely need to invest in a soundcard/surround device to get the most out of them. Not sure what you plan on doing there.

I can't comment on 4 and 5 as I haven't heard them. 1, 2, and 3 are all very good at sound-whoring.

Personally, I sound like a broken record, but the MA900 is both a sound-whoring headphone and still enjoyable for music/movies, IMHO. It's not expensive, and doesn't need a beefy amp. Something as simple as the Xonar DG/U3 would basically be fine.

 

[Hoffen00]

I don't particularly like any of them for music/movies. If anything, I'd get the K702, buy some Anniversary pads to give them the added warmth/fun. Or just buy the K702 Anniversary or K712 Pro outright.

You definitely need to invest in a soundcard/surround device to get the most out of them. Not sure what you plan on doing there.

I can't comment on 4 and 5 as I haven't heard them. 1, 2, and 3 are all very good at sound-whoring.

Personally, I sound like a broken record, but the MA900 is both a sound-whoring headphone and still enjoyable for music/movies, IMHO. It's not expensive, and doesn't need a beefy amp. Something as simple as the Xonar DG/U3 would basically be fine.

Which soundcard(s) would you recommend for the K702 ? thats not too expensive

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I myself use the Xonar U3, which is an external device. The soundcard equivalent is the Xonar DG. That is DEFINITELY not enough fo the K702. You need something powerful. Powerful and not expensive, are opposites. the K702 is on of the worst headphones to underpower, so I'd advise on something else if you're not gona push them properly, because it's a waste of money.

I'm not knowledgable on soundcards at all. Ask on the Nameless guide.

 

[conquerator2]

For closed headphones I recommend the Audio Technica ATH-A900X.
It's both an enjoyable and a very good sound whoring headphone...
The 3D wing support system is a bit temperament though. Other than that, for $189 it is a phenomenal value, can't recommend it enough.
U3 drives it okay. Very good positional cues. Excellent all rounder.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I'd take a Slyr over the A900x any day of the week. Just saying.

 

[benbenkr]

Well, it looks like Microsoft has made another 180 and giving another excuse; but at least Dolby is coming back post launch.
 

 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. Even if you have a Dolby only HDMI receiver (which I'm not sure exists), you will still get 5.1 or 7.1 sound since those receivers should accept uncompressed surround. 

For the Dolby only headsets, my understanding is that these will work but you will only get stereo audio since we only pass Stereo and DTS through the optical port. I have not tested this myself, but I'm told it works. Regardless, I understand this is an inconvenience, but again we're going to have Dolby coming.

This is unrelated to the HDMI-IN "Surround Sound" beta. To clarify, we default HDMI-IN audio to be converted to Stereo. However, we do have a feature you can access in TV settings/Troubleshooting that enables Surround Sound in "beta" form. If you check the box, and you get Surround, you're golden. We found some inconsistencies in STB's during testing and decided to disable it by default to insure a good initial setup experience for people.
 
Source: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=90673295&postcount=240

 
Heh.
Question is, when?
 
Oh and that statement by Astro is one of the dumbest things I've heard all week. PLII = DH? Seriously?
It's comments like this that I can never take gaming headset companies seriously, yet they want to be compared to companies who actually makes audio equipments for a living.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Pretty sure whomever made that statement by Astro was just a PR guy. The techs know better that to make up some BS like that.

Has there been any news on the Wii U side of gaming headset audio, considering that it only does PCM?

 

[conquerator2]

I'd take a Slyr over the A900x any day of the week. Just saying.

I know you would.
I have no idea how you've come to your statements about 900X though.
I still think to this day that something must have been amiss.
But that's preferences i guess... 

 

[martin vegas]

 I know you would.
I have no idea how you've come to your statements about 900X though.
I still think to this day that something must have been amiss.
But that's preferences i guess...

I use a sennheiser u320 headset with a cheap cyp aud3-192 dac..it's so I can use optical on my xbox360 with my headset..it sounds decent enough!

 

[conquerator2]

 

  I know you would.
I have no idea how you've come to your statements about 900X though.
I still think to this day that something must have been amiss.
But that's preferences i guess...

I use a sennheiser u320 headset with a cheap cyp aud3-192 dac..it's so I can use optical on my xbox360 with my headset..it sounds decent enough!

I use the U3 on its own or a Clip+ [which has a bit better SQ]
But for games the U3 [slightly worse, PC] or TB DSS2 [slightly better PS3] is good enough :]