[Soundsgoodtome]

Hey just a quick share with this thread, I managed to come up with an inexpensive $80 wireless surround setup to pair with BT headphones. It works great for movies, games, although not so much music because I'm spoiled with a better wired. However movies and games, this thing works fantastic.

A quote from the deals discussion thread, if you've never been on that thread you might want to consider your wallet before entering..:

  I've made an inexpensive rig to pair with BT headphones as a gaming headphone. You can make it even cheaper by using a cheap BT headset like a Creative for around $50. I'm sure the sound quality level is not up to par with wired but it's very close and super convenient with freedom to move around.

Chain looks like this: (links for each item)
Gaming console < optical cable > Turtle Beach DSS (1 or 2)  ($15-$20 Ebay openbox)  < 3.5mm interconnect >   Avantree BT low-latency transmitter ($56 Amazon)   >   your choice of BT headphone (mine is a modded MDR-XB950BT)

Total rig without headphone is ~$80 plus optical cable if you don't have one. The freedom to move around with surround is super convenient specially when using in a living room. The low-latency is crucial to making the rig, if you use a standard transmitter latency is usually around 300-400ms whereas low-latency is 25-30ms, hardly noticeable from a direct speaker out.

 

[Stillhart]

This could be pretty solid when paired with a decent USB mic that can sit across the room and still be effective...

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

  This could be pretty solid when paired with a decent USB mic that can sit across the room and still be effective...

It'd be nice if the mic on the BT headset can pair separately directly to the console but I don't think any of them does that.

 

[Stillhart]

 
It'd be nice if the mic on the BT headset can pair separately directly to the console but I don't think any of them does that.

Oh and yeah, that's a $200 "extra bass headphone" which I doubt is optimal for competitive gaming.  Do you know of other BT headphones that are maybe cheaper?  I worry that at that price (nearly $300 combined) you're not going to get much better performance than just getting an A50...

 

[Evshrug]

Mother f! I just bought a Schiit Magni Uber 2 for $170 and about a month ago bought a new Mixamp 2014 for $100. That's the X7 right there.

Now the idea of picking up the X7 and selling and/or returning my gear has begun to percolate.

What do you guys think? Keep my Mixamp 2014 + Uber 2 setup or get the X7? This will be for the Xbox One and eventually the PS4. 

I mean... The X7 easily is a better DAC than the Mixamp, better amp than the Mixamp (not sure how the amo would stand up next to the Schiit, I suspect they're on the same level BUT you wouldn't have to deal with the static from the Mixamp), plus it's got a headphone stand and a speaker amp for that one day when you'd like to throw a party, Bluetooth for sources, mobile app, better PC/Mac integration... The list goes on dude, the X7 is pretty much the obvious choice at this price.

It'd be nice if the mic on the BT headset can pair separately directly to the console but I don't think any of them does that.

The PS3 allowed Bluetooth handsfree headsets... but yeah, hopefully Sony will re-add the functionality of 3rd party handsfree headsets to the PS4.

Oh and yeah, that's a $200 "extra bass headphone" which I doubt is optimal for competitive gaming.  Do you know of other BT headphones that are maybe cheaper?  I worry that at that price (nearly $300 combined) you're not going to get much better performance than just getting an A50...

Check out Inner Fidelity's review of the Meelectronics Matrix2. About $90 or less, I ordered a pair from Massdrop (my first drop) and it should be arriving soon.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

  Oh and yeah, that's a $200 "extra bass headphone" which I doubt is optimal for competitive gaming.  Do you know of other BT headphones that are maybe cheaper?  I worry that at that price (nearly $300 combined) you're not going to get much better performance than just getting an A50...

Modding the XB950BT completely changes the sound from a dark/veiled with a bass boost for an earthquake to a very nicely balanced warm headphone with a bass boost to satisfy borderling bass heads. I bought it for wireless music but worked the TV/Gaming system into it because of the convenience. But... modded they do sound great with angled drivers the surround is actually pretty decent!

But I there are other BT headsets that may be better out of the box and cheaper. Like the Creative WP-350 or WP-450. I don't think I know of any open-back BT headphones tbh which would be prime for gaming but there is a work around if you have an efficient openback gaming headphone already (like an MA900). Avantree has the Saturn Pro model which can be switched between a transmitter and reciever that you can plug to any efficient headphone to, gotta check how you can control the volume though as there are no controls on the unit itself. I believe you'll have to adjust the volume from the source which in this case will be the Turtle Beach DSS.
 

 

[Stillhart]

Cool, thanks guys.  The Mixamp 5.8 is rapidly disappearing from the wild so it'll be nice to have an alternate option for wireless that's better than your average Astro or TB headset.  The question is whether this is really that...

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Must have missed the X7 deal. Not that i ca afford it right now regardless, but nice to see the price go down so much, even if temporarily. That's a good sign that it will be affordable in the future.

I just need to sell my OLED Vita, PS3, Mixamp 5.8, and I'd consider it once it drops down that much again. I hardly ever touch my Vita, and my Ps3 is collecting dust. Obviously my Mixamp would go last once I'm certain to get the X7.

 

[Plexon]

What do you guys think about the Beyerdynamic MMX 300's with a sound blaster Z? Any alternatives around the 500$ price range? (I play PC games like CS:GO)

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I wouldn't spend so much for a headset, no matter how good it is. I prefer just getting a headphone I can use mics with. That being said, closed headphones with mic capabilities... I'm still not tooooo experienced with many, especially on the higher end side.

 

[Stillhart]

  What do you guys think about the Beyerdynamic MMX 300's with a sound blaster Z? Any alternatives around the 500$ price range? (I play PC games like CS:GO)

 
The great thing about PC gaming vs console gaming is that you don't need to waste money on a headset.  You can get a desktop mic and a regular headphone and come out ahead.  
 
The Z is pretty solid.  I'd pair it with a nice $200 headphone and a nice desktop mic like the Blue Snowball that Evs and Axel like.

 

[inseconds99]

I am so glad I got that x7 deal before it ended just a few hours later. I called it out in the forums and tried my best to give everyone a heads up when I saw it and bought it earlier. Just got tracking info on it and it will be at my house on Saturday. I hope that's right because that is a full 4 days earlier then the original estimate of Wednesday that Amazon face me.

 

[lenroot77]

@ Plexon
Isn't the mmx 300 just a dt770 with a mic? That's a hefty mark up! Much cheaper to get the dt770 and a clip on and if u choose to go with that type of setup I'd say there are better options headphonewise. Unless u are dead set on a closed back, then maybe be the dt770s are 4 u.

 

[High Fidelity]

What was the name of third party (company) that was selling the X7 on Amazon for $279.99? It's now being sold by Creative Labs, fulfilled by Amazon, hence the original retail price. 

 

[High Fidelity]

I have a question about the X7.
 
Currently I use my Sony VAIO F Series laptop connected to my Denon AVR-1712 receiver via HDMI to play FLAC files, using foobar2000 with WASAPI, through bookshelf speakers. According to the foobar display the music playing is lossless. I've wondered what exactly is going on within the laptop, whether any unwanted processing is being bypassed, if I got an external DAC if it would improve the sound with the above setup.
 
If possible, would the X7 connected to my laptop, and then the X7 connected to my Denon receiver, improve sound quality?