[D126]

   
I would consider the Magni headphone amplifier a little better then the amp built into the ZxR or STX.
The Xonar DX and Essence STX use the same C-Media CMI8788 audio processor.
So buying the Magni (or Vali? or other amp) and plugging it into the Xonar DX should work well for you.

This may sound silly, but is it possible using an external DAC and a soundcard at the same time?
 
I could hold onto my Xonar DX and make it go through a Magni for when I needed surround, and when I am only needing stereo, I could just unplug my amp from the soundcard and plug it into the external DAC.
 
Also, what are your guy's thoughts on Magni vs Vali for the AKG K712? I saw that Magni has below 1 impedance and the Vali is like 6 impedance. Which one would be better for the 63 ohm (or power hungry) impedance of the K712?

 

[martin vegas]

I absolutely love horror games. I grew up on the first Resident Evil and Silent Hill. The first Dead Space was nice when the PS3 came around, and I heard much about the first BioShock. I'm actually hyped at what next gen has in store for us horror fans. Bloodborne looks hype, and it being an RPG makes it even more intriguing.

They are making resident evil one again in 1080p and 60fps..they should do resi 2 and 3 and silent hill 1 again!

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The reason they are doing RE1 was because it was already remade, and they're taking the assets from the last remake and improving on those. They won't remake the sequels (at least anytime soon) because it would basically be making a whole new game. Prerendered backgrounds aren't cheap, and I assume are actually more time consuming that just a game with a standard 3D world which can be manipulated via camera movement.

Basically, anything post Code Veronica can be remade, with a lot less time and budget.

This is the same reason why a game like Final Fantasy 7-9 would be a monumental and costly thing to remake. EVERYTHING would have to be redone from the ground up. Just look at the Steam version of these games. They still look like crap, because the backgrounds were prerendered at low resolution. Had the backgrounds been made at a high pc resolution bqck in the 90s, they MAY have been salvageable for a remaster, at the most. The only things that they could more easily remake on these vames would be the battles, as they were rendered in 3D. HOWEVER, the battles were pre-baked at really low framerates, with no way to raise them, even on PC.

 

[Yethal]

  This may sound silly, but is it possible using an external DAC and a soundcard at the same time?
 
I could hold onto my Xonar DX and make it go through a Magni for when I needed surround, and when I am only needing stereo, I could just unplug my amp from the soundcard and plug it into the external DAC.
 
Also, what are your guy's thoughts on Magni vs Vali for the AKG K712? I saw that Magni has below 1 impedance and the Vali is like 6 impedance. Which one would be better for the 63 ohm (or power hungry) impedance of the K712?

If the DAC has optical input and the soundcard has optical output then yes, it is possible, that way you still get virtual surround but bypass the card's own internal dac

 

[D126]

  If the DAC has optical input and the soundcard has optical output then yes, it is possible, that way you still get virtual surround but bypass the card's own internal dac

I didn't word that well. I mean can you have a soundcard AND an external DAC plugged into a computer at the same time. That way you can swap between using soundcard->amp->headset for when you want surround sound and external USB DAC->amp->headset for when you are listening to stereo (unplugging the amp from the soundcard and plugging it into the external DAC and vice versa).
 
For that matter, is it possible to synergizing the soundcard and external DAC by using the microphone input port of the soundcard AND using the external USB DAC for your headphones at the same time?

 

[Yethal]

It is physically possible but it's unnecessary hassle, just plug the dac into the soundcard ad the amp into the dac that way you  get the best of both. If you want to get back to stereo just switch from surround to stereo in the soundcard's driver

 

[D126]

  It is physically possible but it's unnecessary hassle, just plug the dac into the soundcard ad the amp into the dac that way you  get the best of both. If you want to get back to stereo just switch from surround to stereo in the soundcard's driver

 
So, you are saying get the Optical Input version rather than the USB version? And then connect the Modi by using an optical cable between the soundcard and the modi?
 
I remember reading that Optical Input is lower quality than RCA/Headphone Jack... Is it possible that this method would lose audio quality over just using a USB external DAC?
 
In other words:
 
Xonar DX Optical Output -> Schitt Modi Optical Input -> Schitt Modi RCA Output -> Schitt Magni RCA Input -> Schitt Magni Headphone out -> K712 Headphone in
 
vs
 
Computer USB Output -> USB Schitt USB Input -> USB Schitt Modi RCA Output -> Schitt Magni RCA Input -> Schitt Magni Headphone out -> K712 Headphone in
 
Would the sound quality be the same? Or could going over the Optical reduce SQ?
 
Edit: Dang, my Xonar DX has the Optical Out/Microphone In doubled up... So even then Microphone into soundcard + USB External DAC for my Headphones might be my best option. If I did upgrade soundcards, I would get the Optical Out/Microphone In seperate. However, at that point is an external DAC even better than let's say an STX/ZxR DAC?
 
So my questions at this point:
 
1. Is it okay to leave a Soundcard + USB DAC in at same time for Microphone sake
2. Is STX/ZXR DAC better than Modi DAC?
3. Does Optical Out degrade quality over RCA?

 

[Xander Shade]

Hi Mad Lust Envy,
 
I am really new to the gaming headphone life. Being new and not knowing any better I originally went to Turtle Beach. But I just couldn't find a headphone that really struck my fancy. There was no way I was going to pay 300 dollars for a gaming headset that might break in 6 months. So I did a lot of research and a lot of reading. I eventually came across a site that swore by Sennheiser's. So I ventured into a realm of a true audiophile.
 
I have looked at the PC 350 SE, PC 323D. I wasn't really sold on the PC 363D.  So for quite some time I was pretty much focused on the PC 350 SE. Then I read some other sites and they swore by the Sennheiser HD 558. So then I was focused on that one. Until I read your forum post about headphones. I really liked the ATH-AD700 from what you had stated. It looked as though it might be one I might be interested in, I even found one that was well priced. But like a fool I passed on it and waited. And when I made my decision it was gone.
 
So now I am a bit perplexed by all the headphones I have looked at and read about. These headphones will be mainly for consoles. Xbox 360 and the PS4. I do some competitive gaming on the consoles, while I play some games on the PC I don't play anything competitive. A really nice soundstage like the ATH-AD700 would be great or something at least close to that. I would prefer to spend under $300.00. For just the head phones.
 
Also if you can recommend an decent amp/dac for the headphones that would be great. I had been looking at the Fiio E17 and the Astro 2013 Mixamp. And like I said I am new to this world. So which ever is going to produce the best sound would be beneficial. I will also be needing a mic for any headphones that doesn't have a mic. I already have a sound card for my computer.
 
Thanks all for helping me for my gaming immersion.

 

[D126]

Option 1: STX/ZXR + Modi Optical + Magni
Option 2: 2 setups depending on Surround: USB Modi/Magni or Xonar DX + Amp
Option 3: Xonar DX + Magni
Option 3.1: STX/ZXR + Magni
 
Questions which would help choose option:

1. How is STX/ZXR DAC compared to Modi DAC?

2. Let's say you use Optical Out into an External DAC (with an Optical In) to override the soundcard DAC. Does Optical Out degrade quality over the typical RCA Out? In other words is Optical or RCA better?
 
Ty all!

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

If the DAC has optical input and the soundcard has optical output then yes, it is possible, that way you still get virtual surround but bypass the card's own internal dac

I am waiting for the Vali to come in the mail. I got advice from another headfi member that they worker well together and "tamed the highs". I was hoping it would. I was worried that I would hear a slight buzz with them. Same member said it was barely audible. In regards to Vali versus Magni I am not sure. I was really torn between both for which would be better with the K712. I could PM you more thoughts after I get it and use it a bit if you want

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

Whoops! That meant to go out to D126 ha

 

[D126]

Option 1: STX/ZXR + Modi Optical + Magni
 
Would this setup work for getting surround sound, Modi DAC, and Magni Amp?
 
I am being told that Optical can't support more than 2 channels. Is this true? Is it possible they mean physical speakers? Or does Optical not support Dolby 5.1/7.1?

 

[jaysins]

As far as sound cards I would save your money and not worry about getting the best of the best. It's wasted money if you're already getting a great AMP/DAC to go along with it. My personal preference for gaming is the Creative Card and the Z or Zx are wonderful cards at better prices than the Zxr. Right now I go through USB when listening to music to avoid my sound card's DAC and it's as easy as right clicking the audio icon on my pc, choosing playback device and setting either the Creative or O2 as the primary device. With the money saved on the sound card either save it for a game or look into the best DAC/AMP that meets your budget. Or save it for you next big audio purchase as it's now inevitable

 

[jaysins]

  Option 1: STX/ZXR + Modi Optical + Magni
 
Would this setup work for getting surround sound, Modi DAC, and Magni Amp?
 
I am being told that Optical can't support more than 2 channels. Is this true? Is it possible they mean physical speakers? Or does Optical not support Dolby 5.1/7.1?

That would work. Optical doesn't support uncompressed 5.1 which is fine. 

 

[D126]

  That would work. Optical doesn't support uncompressed 5.1 which is fine. 

Just to verify: STX Optical Out -> Optical Cable -> Modi External Optical In -> Modi External DAC RCA -> RCA Cable -> Magni Amp RCA -> Magni Headphone Jack (for Headphones)
 
What is the difference between uncompressed 5.1 and Dolby Surround 5.1/7.1? Aren't they the same thing? Or are they completely different and uncompressed 5.1 is for physical speakers?
 
Edit: The person says that I lose the ability to surround: "Also, you lose the surround once you get to the Modi Out... Since it's only L/R RCA." When he says surround, does he mean VSS? I don't see why L/R would be problem for VSS.