[Plexon]

Sorry for the noobish question guys, but I just went to GuitarCenter and tested out the DT 770 250 ohms. I love them.
 
I am planning to get them after months of searching. I was told that the SoundBlasterZ adds 5.1 surround sound?
 
Heres the real question though:
 
Does any set of cans work with the 5.1 surround sound from the card?
 
Also, as a side note.
 
I was planning to get the modi/magni combo as well with the SBZ, but someone told me its not worth it for gaming purposes. Just to clarify, was he/she right?
 
Thanks in advance!

 

[Stillhart]

  I have a question peeps, Do all XB1 and PS4 games output 5.1 ?

 
Pretty much.
 

  Sorry for the noobish question guys, but I just went to GuitarCenter and tested out the DT 770 250 ohms. I love them.
 
I am planning to get them after months of searching. I was told that the SoundBlasterZ adds 5.1 surround sound?
 
Heres the real question though:
 
Does any set of cans work with the 5.1 surround sound from the card?
 
Also, as a side note.
 
I was planning to get the modi/magni combo as well with the SBZ, but someone told me its not worth it for gaming purposes. Just to clarify, was he/she right?
 
Thanks in advance!

 
Yes, any cans will get surround from the Z.  Some can make that surround sound better/more realistic than others.  See the guide at the beginning of this thread for details on that.
 
The Magni should help a little.  The Modi will not.  The DAC in the Z is good enough that the Modi will give no perceptible improvement.

 

[hi2chris]

Hi,
 
This is my first post on here and boy am I happy I found these forums.
 
The misses is looking to buy me some headphones for Christmas and is just waiting me to tell her what I’m after I originally said the Astro A40 which seem like a good start off point with the Mixamp. She is happy to spend around the $300 mark.
 
However upon reading many threads on head-fi seem like a standard option. I have tried doing research through google searches but many of the recommendations go against what is being said on here (head explosion with information).
 
So where I’m at is, perhaps I should just buy some form of DAC (Mixamp seems to be the best option or the Recon3d) and get my partner to buy
·         PC360/G4ME ONE     or      MMX300
 
Or bypass the all in one and go
 
·         HD598 or one of the AKG 701/712
·         Modmic
 
So for a pure gaming purpose am I on the right track? Or what would be your ‘perfect’ all in one setup and BYO mic setup?
 
Thank you

 

[benbenkr]

  I have a question peeps, Do all XB1 and PS4 games output 5.1 ?

 
Walking Dead S1 and S2 as well as The Wolf Among Us doesn't. Why? Go ask the sound engineers at Telltale. And no, the PC/PS3/360 versions didn't have 5.1 either.

 

[Evshrug]

There is still something I don't understand. Every headphone benefits from an additional amp right? However, some are just too hard to drive for the Mixamp and that's why you need an additional amp, this has something to do with the impedance, am I correct? Can someone explain the connection/link between the impedance and the Mixamps need for additional amping?

So I don't want to pay for an additional amp in the first place and realise three weeks later that a headphone or headset is just nothing for me, you understand? I've been around here quite some time now, reading everything and not posting much, but looking into the first post every so often. The AKG ones are still the one my eyes can't stop looking at. The AKG 612 Pro has 120 Ohm, does this one need an amp and is it useless without one? And can you still hear voice from the partychat with it? 

Last but not least, do you have any suggestions for an headphone/headset that is very good with just the Mixamp (and no addtional amp)? I need a mic, because communication is very important on the Battlefield. Also ModMic is a bit expensive . So I was thinking, is there a way to buy a headphone and mixamp combo and have that for the sound and use the PS4 controller for the mic? And then after a while if I like everything I can upgrade to a ModMic or something like that. 

Let me break it down a bit for you
A higher impedance has benefits and downsides... Downside is that everything will be a bit quieter volume. Sensitivity is also a factor for that but basically that means you'll just need to turn up the volume dial a little for the same sense of loudness. It won't separately make chat volume quieter. Some benefits of higher impedances are less distortion and noise, also an amp doesn't have to provide as high of a current to help the headphone playback sound controlled and each note more distinct.

The AKG k612 might allow you to crank the Mixamp's volume to full without it sounding "LOUD," but it will still work, and even a budget amp like a FiiO E11k daisy-chained between the mixamp and headphone will help it reach as loud as you could want. You can always step up to a Magni or other amp later.

One cool thing about the PS4 and headphone setups there, the PS4 can use USB for microphone audio. So, you could buy a separate USB mic and chat audio will just go through the same optical output as game audio, or you could use something like a Creative Recon3D USB to plug straight into a PS4 and use a cheap $3-$6 (3 for $6 on Amazon) mic clipped to your shirt. The Recon3D USB sounds clearer and the surround processing has less distortion than a Mixamp, but the amp is a little "quieter" and you'll probably want another amp just to make the 120 Ohm K612 louder. You can easily adjust chat volume and game volume balance in the PS4's party settings.

This is my first post on here and boy am I happy I found these forums.

The misses is looking to buy me some headphones for Christmas and is just waiting me to tell her what I’m after I originally said the Astro A40 which seem like a good start off point with the Mixamp. She is happy to spend around the $300 mark.

However upon reading many threads on head-fi seem like a standard option. I have tried doing research through google searches but many of the recommendations go against what is being said on here (head explosion with information).

So where I’m at is, perhaps I should just buy some form of DAC (Mixamp seems to be the best option or the Recon3d) and get my partner to buy

[COLOR=000000]·[SIZE=7pt]        [/SIZE][/COLOR] PC360/G4ME ONE     or      MMX300


Or bypass the all in one and go

[COLOR=000000]·[SIZE=7pt]        [/SIZE][/COLOR] HD598 or one of the AKG 701/712


+Modmic

So for a pure gaming purpose am I on the right track? Or what would be your ‘perfect’ all in one setup and BYO mic setup?

Thank you

What platform are you playing on, console or PC? Recon3D is the simplest setup so far for all the platforms, but it's getting a little harder to find. Think of it this way:
1.) You need a device to process the sound into headphone surround, and turn it from digital to analogue that your headphones can actually understand. This would be a mixamp/recon3D/DSS/Omni (Omni is computer only).
2.) you need to send game audio to the device in step 1 (optical connection for consoles).
3.) You need to send chat audio to the device in step 1 (a wire from the controller to device for any Xbox; on PS4 you can use USB just for a mic, and chat audio will be sent through optical along with game audio; the Recon3D uses it's USB for power AND microphone connection on PS4, but also comes with a 2.5mm cable to connect to an Xbox controller)
4.) you need a microphone (mixamp comes with a port for headphones that have an inline mic on the headphone cord, and an adapter to split mic input and audio output ports PC-style; recon3D comes with pc-style separate mic input and audio output mini headphone jacks (the standard 3.5mm jacks on most headphones) and you can just plug in a cheap lapel mic as linked in the first post; a mic just has to be connected separately from the DSS device)

"Daisy-Chaining" or "double amping" another amp between headphone and surround processing device optional but recommended for more nuance-capable headphones. The other upcoming option that takes care of all those above components and includes a nicer DAC and stronger amp in an all-in one package is the Sound Blaster X7, due out sometime next month. MSRP is a high $400, but it should cover all connection and power needs and sound better as a DAC than any of the other options.

I found the DSS to have an adequate amp for the K612, so I had been happy on the PS4 the past few months using a DSS+K612+Blue Snowball iCE mic I got second-hand on EBay.

 

[hi2chris]

Ahh yes I forgot to mention that this would be for PS4.
 
I have heard about the X7,looks like an awesome product but $400 for a DAC when i have never even used one before is a big step. Maybe in the future but for now i think i will stick with one of the cheaper options

.
 
Plus i don't think the misses will be to happy with me spending $400 on a device she will see as nothing more then a pretty paper weight.

 

[Elf-1]

Thanks Evshrug, your answer really clarifies a lot for me
 
At the first page, the Audio Technica AD700 is mentioned as one of the best headphones when it comes to competitive gaming, is this still the case or not? Would you still recommend it to anyone? In the last 20+ pages I didn't read anything about it, that's the reason why I'm asking this. 

 

[Stillhart]

  Thanks Evshrug, your answer really clarifies a lot for me
 
At the first page, the Audio Technica AD700 is mentioned as one of the best headphones when it comes to competitive gaming, is this still the case or not? Would you still recommend it to anyone? In the last 20+ pages I didn't read anything about it, that's the reason why I'm asking this. 

 
The reason it was so recommended back in the day is that you could get it for like $80.  It's been discontinued and replaced with the AD700X, which is pretty much the same but a lot more expensive.  Once you're into the $150+ price range, there is a lot of competition and the AD700X is no longer the clear-cut choice.

 

[Yethal]

  Thanks Evshrug, your answer really clarifies a lot for me
 
At the first page, the Audio Technica AD700 is mentioned as one of the best headphones when it comes to competitive gaming, is this still the case or not? Would you still recommend it to anyone? In the last 20+ pages I didn't read anything about it, that's the reason why I'm asking this. 

It's out of production now so it's kinda difficult to buy

 

[rage3324]

  Thanks Evshrug, your answer really clarifies a lot for me
 
At the first page, the Audio Technica AD700 is mentioned as one of the best headphones when it comes to competitive gaming, is this still the case or not? Would you still recommend it to anyone? In the last 20+ pages I didn't read anything about it, that's the reason why I'm asking this. 

 
I have a pair of AD700 (the old version). PM Me if you want them
 
Under $100 they are the clear winner when it comes to competitive fps gaming. The huge sound stage and accuracy of footsteps is unparalleled. The bass might be lacking, but that is a good thing for most competitive gaming.

 

[vercify]

Before I start, I would like to thank Mad and all the other people who have contributed to make this guide so informative. I have read through most of the guide and the last few pages of comments here and want to lay my thoughts out to make sure I understand everything I've read and that I am buying the right stuff! I've been lurking here for a few months now and this is my first post. 
 
I currently have an Xbox One and am using the older Tritton AX720s for surround-sound gaming. The front is pictured below, the rear has the power plug, a "Voice to PS3" port and the optical port that connects to my Xbox One. I include this because, if in understand correctly, this box is unable to accommodate anything other than my Trittons. I am hoping someone can confirm this or, if not, tell me how I could go about hooking up other headphones to this device.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/videogames/detail-page/B002ZS6Y64-control-box.jpg (not sure how to post pics here... I tried html tags and that wasn't working)
 
I am pretty happy with the Trittons but am thinking about upgrading to something a little newer. Initially I had my eyes on the new wireless A50s but am now rethinking that after seeing this guide and reading what other people have been saying regarding the relative quality of the A50s compared to their $300 price tag. From what I can tell, the only real benefit from the A50s for me right now would be the lack of wires (which is a big plus). I am now thinking about getting the Phillips Fidelio X1s, an amp and a V-Moda Boom Mic instead. My rationale is that with the X1s I get a set of cans that will work for more than just gaming and blow the A50s away in terms of performance. The downside is that I am still stuck with some cord mess, but hey, you have to pick your battles ;) 
 
Here is where my questions start. From what I can tell, I am going to need some sort of mixamp to convert/mix the surround sound as an intermediary between my Xbox and my headphones. I am also going to need a mic (the vmoda) an amp (looking at the Fio e11 or e12), an optical cable and a 2.5-3.5mm cable, i think. Is this correct? I am a bit unsure if I need the amp when using the X1s, but from what I can tell even if they don't need it it will only help them perform better, both for gaming and just listening to music in general.
 
I had hoped to be able to use my Tritton box but I don't think I will be able to do that, as there is not a headset jack from what I can tell. (Maybe someone will show me otherwise!). So, I need a mixamp. From what I have read, the Astro Mixamp 5.8 is a decent place to start. Trouble is I am not exactly sure which version of the 5.8 I am supposed to be getting. The guide mentioned a new and old version, stating that the older the better is preferable. I have no idea how I am supposed to tell what Mixamp 5.8 will work for my needs! I don't want to end up buying the wrong thing, lol. This is probably what I am most confused on right now. I think I have picked out a good amp, mic and pair of headphones (the X1s), so I just need to figure out what sort of mixamp I need as my intermediary, whether it is the Astro setup or something else (other suggestions welcome)!
 
Any help or advice on either tracking down the proper Astro Mixamp 5.8 or on another mixamp solution would be greatly appreciated. Right now the X1s are going for $250-300. In addition to the headphones, I am ready to spend around $150 extra on the mixamp, amp and mic to make the X1s function for gaming as well, just to give everyone an idea of my budget. 
 
Oh, and as a closing bit, do you guys think this setup is a good choice overall? I listen to a lot of music, especially while studying, and I have 3 years of living, gaming and studying alone in law school ahead of me next fall. I currently have V-Mada LP2s as my go-to cans but they are two years old and beat to hell, which is why they are my on the go pair for traveling, walking around, going to class, etc. I occasionally listen to Bose AE2s and as I said before I have my Trittons for gaming. I think my proposed X1 setup makes sense for me, since the X1s will work for gaming and general listening at home or in the office. If people think there is a better solution I am more than open to hearing their thoughts :)  

 

[vercify]

Before I start, I would like to thank Mad and all the other people who have contributed to make this guide so informative. I have read through most of the guide and the last few pages of comments here and want to lay my thoughts out to make sure I understand everything I've read and that I am buying the right stuff! I've been lurking here for a few months now and this is my first post. 
 
I currently have an Xbox One and am using the older Tritton AX720s for surround-sound gaming. The front is pictured below, the rear has the power plug, a "Voice to PS3" port and the optical port that connects to my Xbox One. I include this because, if in understand correctly, this box is unable to accommodate anything other than my Trittons. I am hoping someone can confirm this or, if not, tell me how I could go about hooking up other headphones to this device.
 
I am pretty happy with the Trittons but am thinking about upgrading to something a little newer. Initially I had my eyes on the new wireless A50s but am now rethinking that after seeing this guide and reading what other people have been saying regarding the relative quality of the A50s compared to their $300 price tag. From what I can tell, the only real benefit from the A50s for me right now would be the lack of wires (which is a big plus). I am now thinking about getting the Phillips Fidelio X1s, an amp and a V-Moda Boom Mic instead. My rationale is that with the X1s I get a set of cans that will work for more than just gaming and blow the A50s away in terms of performance. The downside is that I am still stuck with some cord mess, but hey, you have to pick your battles  
 
Here is where my questions start. From what I can tell, I am going to need some sort of mixamp to convert/mix the surround sound as an intermediary between my Xbox and my headphones. I am also going to need a mic (the vmoda) an amp (looking at the Fio e11 or e12), an optical cable and a 2.5-3.5mm cable, i think. Is this correct? I am a bit unsure if I need the amp when using the X1s, but from what I can tell even if they don't need it it will only help them perform better, both for gaming and just listening to music in general.
 
I had hoped to be able to use my Tritton box but I don't think I will be able to do that, as there is not a headset jack from what I can tell. (Maybe someone will show me otherwise!). So, I need a mixamp. From what I have read, the Astro Mixamp 5.8 is a decent place to start. Trouble is I am not exactly sure which version of the 5.8 I am supposed to be getting. The guide mentioned a new and old version, stating that the older the better is preferable. I have no idea how I am supposed to tell what Mixamp 5.8 will work for my needs! I don't want to end up buying the wrong thing, lol. This is probably what I am most confused on right now. I think I have picked out a good amp, mic and pair of headphones (the X1s), so I just need to figure out what sort of mixamp I need as my intermediary, whether it is the Astro setup or something else (other suggestions welcome)!
 
Any help or advice on either tracking down the proper Astro Mixamp 5.8 or on another mixamp solution would be greatly appreciated. Right now the X1s are going for $250-300. In addition to the headphones, I am ready to spend around $150 extra on the mixamp, amp and mic to make the X1s function for gaming as well, just to give everyone an idea of my budget. 
 
Oh, and as a closing bit, do you guys think this setup is a good choice overall? I listen to a lot of music, especially while studying, and I have 3 years of living, gaming and studying alone in law school ahead of me next fall. I currently have V-Mada LP2s as my go-to cans but they are two years old and beat to hell, which is why they are my on the go pair for traveling, walking around, going to class, etc. I occasionally listen to Bose AE2s and as I said before I have my Trittons for gaming. I think my proposed X1 setup makes sense for me, since the X1s will work for gaming and general listening at home or in the office. If people think there is a better solution I am more than open to hearing their thoughts  

 

[Stillhart]

  Before I start, I would like to thank Mad and all the other people who have contributed to make this guide so informative. I have read through most of the guide and the last few pages of comments here and want to lay my thoughts out to make sure I understand everything I've read and that I am buying the right stuff! I've been lurking here for a few months now and this is my first post. 
 
I currently have an Xbox One and am using the older Tritton AX720s for surround-sound gaming. The front is pictured below, the rear has the power plug, a "Voice to PS3" port and the optical port that connects to my Xbox One. I include this because, if in understand correctly, this box is unable to accommodate anything other than my Trittons. I am hoping someone can confirm this or, if not, tell me how I could go about hooking up other headphones to this device.
 
I am pretty happy with the Trittons but am thinking about upgrading to something a little newer. Initially I had my eyes on the new wireless A50s but am now rethinking that after seeing this guide and reading what other people have been saying regarding the relative quality of the A50s compared to their $300 price tag. From what I can tell, the only real benefit from the A50s for me right now would be the lack of wires (which is a big plus). I am now thinking about getting the Phillips Fidelio X1s, an amp and a V-Moda Boom Mic instead. My rationale is that with the X1s I get a set of cans that will work for more than just gaming and blow the A50s away in terms of performance. The downside is that I am still stuck with some cord mess, but hey, you have to pick your battles  
 
Here is where my questions start. From what I can tell, I am going to need some sort of mixamp to convert/mix the surround sound as an intermediary between my Xbox and my headphones. I am also going to need a mic (the vmoda) an amp (looking at the Fio e11 or e12), an optical cable and a 2.5-3.5mm cable, i think. Is this correct? I am a bit unsure if I need the amp when using the X1s, but from what I can tell even if they don't need it it will only help them perform better, both for gaming and just listening to music in general.
 
I had hoped to be able to use my Tritton box but I don't think I will be able to do that, as there is not a headset jack from what I can tell. (Maybe someone will show me otherwise!). So, I need a mixamp. From what I have read, the Astro Mixamp 5.8 is a decent place to start. Trouble is I am not exactly sure which version of the 5.8 I am supposed to be getting. The guide mentioned a new and old version, stating that the older the better is preferable. I have no idea how I am supposed to tell what Mixamp 5.8 will work for my needs! I don't want to end up buying the wrong thing, lol. This is probably what I am most confused on right now. I think I have picked out a good amp, mic and pair of headphones (the X1s), so I just need to figure out what sort of mixamp I need as my intermediary, whether it is the Astro setup or something else (other suggestions welcome)!
 
Any help or advice on either tracking down the proper Astro Mixamp 5.8 or on another mixamp solution would be greatly appreciated. Right now the X1s are going for $250-300. In addition to the headphones, I am ready to spend around $150 extra on the mixamp, amp and mic to make the X1s function for gaming as well, just to give everyone an idea of my budget. 
 
Oh, and as a closing bit, do you guys think this setup is a good choice overall? I listen to a lot of music, especially while studying, and I have 3 years of living, gaming and studying alone in law school ahead of me next fall. I currently have V-Mada LP2s as my go-to cans but they are two years old and beat to hell, which is why they are my on the go pair for traveling, walking around, going to class, etc. I occasionally listen to Bose AE2s and as I said before I have my Trittons for gaming. I think my proposed X1 setup makes sense for me, since the X1s will work for gaming and general listening at home or in the office. If people think there is a better solution I am more than open to hearing their thoughts  

 
So let's see, some points in no particular order:
 
1 - If you're considering the X1 and seeing it for $250-300, just get the X2.
 
2 - The X1/2 + Boompro + mixamp is a wonderful setup overall, yes.
 
3 - Honestly, I'm not 100% sure I'd recommend a Boompro setup with the Xbox One.  Currently you can't force the chat audio thru the speakers; it auto-detects what you have plugged in and makes a wild guess as to what you want.  For some reason, whenever I used the Boompro, it always guessed wrong. 
 
Now I'm not saying you should give up on the idea.  I'm just saying you should be prepared to have some potential issues to troubleshoot.  If you're not comfortable with that idea, there are other options like the Modmic or a cheap clip-on.
 
4 - The Mixamp 5.8 is the wireless one.  They've been out of production for a while and they're not easy to find at a reasonable price.  It is doable, tho, with some patience on eBay.  Any of the other Mixamps (2011, 2013, 2014) will work fine.
 
5 - If you're buying new, the Mixamp should come with your optical cable and 3.5mm->2.5mm cable.  No need to buy those separately.

 

[vercify]

LOL, I didn't even know the X2s existed! I will definitely look into those. I don't see any sense in paying the same price for the older version, though I do wish they shared the same color scheme IMO the brown and silver on the X1s looks super classy, and everything electronic nowadays is black. Silly things like color can be a deal breaker for me, but I think I can live with the black X2s.

That issue is quite annoying on Xbox One. I'm hoping the address it sometime in a patch, I should be able to choose where my chat audio is going. You could on the 360, idk why they took it out on the One. I'm not set on using the V-Moda boom mic, I only mentioned it because everyone says how awesome it is. Quite frankly if it doesn't end up working properly with my setup I will just get a clip on or something else. Would a headphone cord that has a microphone on it work ok with this setup? The aux cable on my LP2s has a microphone built in with volume adjustment buttons, would I be able to plug that into the X2s and use it as my mic? Hmm.

Ok, so any mixamp will work, the wireless ones are just nicer because they are wireless, right? Is there a wireless mixamp that isn't an Astro in that same price range I could use as an alternative? Or at least something in that price range that would do the same thing?? Wireless seems like something I would want, as the cord mess on my Trittons is frustrating and why i was originally drawn to getting the new A50s.

Oh, and thanks for the speedy reply! I will check this thread later tonight

 

[MichaelJames99]

Hello all!
 
I'm all about movies these days.  .. not so much into gaming but really want the best movie experience possible,
Has anyone heard any reviews of the Sound Blaster x7?  I heard something about a Singapore release?  I also heard someone say that with OP AMPS it might be a dud?
Are there any other processors being released I should be on the lookout for? 
 
(fyi: I ended up buying the AKG k712 cans and I'm pretty happy with them so far....)  Interesting enough, when I workout I decided to try out the headphone jack on the Samsung TV I had from 2009 which has SRS Trusurround XT on the headphone and the tv has its own built in amp for the headphone too .. it honestly was not bad.  I compared it to the Recon3D + Musical Fidelity amp combo off of DirectTV Lord of the Rings movie and it actually sounded a little better.. it shouldn't but for me it did.  It does lack a little rear stage though.  But this was for casual watching of movies.... for real watching using headphones, I want something better for producing surround)