[conquerator2]

I am selling my Recon3D for interested parties...

 

[Evshrug]

Finally managed to read the full review lol only took me about 10 months. I now have a great sound setup for my ps4 thanks to MLE and everyone else who contributed to the thread.
I use akg q701 > schiit vali > astro mixamp pro and a blue snowball mic. Just wanted to ask if anyone plays battlefield hardline what audio setting are you using ? I tried headphones and even through I can hear footsteps really well it's kind of hard to pin point where there coming from . I'm new to the bf usually a cod player so not sure what audio setup works best.
Also if I was wanting to change from Dolby surround to sbx what would I bet best to buy ?

Congrats on reading the full review! Your setup is very similar to what I had last summer and fall, except I had a TurtleBeach DSS instead of the Mixamp (I didn't need the game/chat mixing, the DSS has a cleaner amp and a nice bass control dial).

Here's the "WHY" of BF4 positioning not sounding accurate with your setup: you're processing surround twice. BF4 is one of the very few games with an ok built-in headphone surround mode, the output is 2-channel audio which when played through headphones can imitate surround. When you feed 2-channel to a Mixamp and turn on that processing, it sees "stereo" input (instead of Dolby 5.1) and tries to "fake" surround by making it sound further away and adding reverb.

In short, only use processing once. I preferred setting BF4 to "Home Theater" then using my DSS' Dolby headphone processing, though you may prefer BF4's built-in headphone mode.

These days I use a Creative X7, which is a fairly big upgrade that works very well on PS4 (especially with my Snowball for USB mic duties). Occasionally I have some kerfluffles with Windows audio and the Creative control panel freezing, but most of the time it's a non-issue (set and forget). I only use my computer for gaming.

 

[Yethal]

Occasionally I have some kerfluffles with Windows audio and the Creative control panel freezing, but most of the time it's a non-issue (set and forget). I only use my computer for gaming.

Thank god, I thought the freezing was caused by my PC.

 

[ParityBit]

  MLE has a MixAmp 5.8 for sale in the For Sale forums. 

 
 

   
+1. Buy this one.
 
That way MLE can buy the wireless Mixamp again in about 4 months.

 
 
I did, waiting for a reply!  Thanks for the advice.   I hope this thing will work well on my consoles.

 

[mindbomb]

Here's the "WHY" of BF4 positioning not sounding accurate with your setup: you're processing surround twice. BF4 is one of the very few games with an ok built-in headphone surround mode, the output is 2-channel audio which when played through headphones can imitate surround. When you feed 2-channel to a Mixamp and turn on that processing, it sees "stereo" input (instead of Dolby 5.1) and tries to "fake" surround by making it sound further away and adding reverb.

In short, only use processing once. I preferred setting BF4 to "Home Theater" then using my DSS' Dolby headphone processing, though you may prefer BF4's built-in headphone mode.
 

 
 
I have bf4 for pc. It does not have a headphone surround mode built-in that I could find.

 

[Yethal]

  I have bf4 for pc. It does not have a headphone surround mode built-in that I could find.

It does, in Audio settings choose Headphones and Surround

 

[mindbomb]

  It does, in Audio settings choose Headphones and Surround

 
I just checked it. The speaker config options (stereo, surround) control whether 2.0 or 4.1 audio is output. The speaker type (hi-fi, home cinema, headphone) is just EQ changes. There is no dolby headphone type of thing available.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Yes there is. Home theater is the 5.1 solution. Your system settings MUST be at 5.1/Dolby Digital (if on console). The Mixamp and stuff like it does NOT work properly if you send it two channel audio. Hence why using the headphone option on the game is 100% WRONG. YOU MUST SEND A SPEAKER TYPE SIGNAL BECAUSE THE MIXAMP IS THEN CONVERTING THAT TO SURROUND FOR HEADPHONES.

 

[PacoTaco]

   
I just checked it. The speaker config options (stereo, surround) control whether 2.0 or 4.1 audio is output. The speaker type (hi-fi, home cinema, headphone) is just EQ changes. There is no dolby headphone type of thing available.

Headphone speaker type, as confirmed by DICE, is their version of virtual surround sound that expands the dynamic range. If you send that through the Astro Mixamp, it will sound odd due to being put through virtual surround sound processing twice. If you put it on 4.1/5.1 and hi-fi/home cinema, you will be sending an actual surround sound signal to the astro mixamp that the astro mixamp is looking for. None of the speaker types are EQ changes.

 

[Mach3]

I own the early Astro Mixamp Pro which has the least noise. My impression, where do I start. Weakest part of this device is the amp section, by a huge margin. Noise floor and channel imbalance.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

That is exactly why we like to nearly max out the volume pot (where there is no channel imbalance), and use it as a pre-amp to a proper headphone amp with real power.

 

[mindbomb]

  Headphone speaker type, as confirmed by DICE, is their version of virtual surround sound that expands the dynamic range. If you send that through the Astro Mixamp, it will sound odd due to being put through virtual surround sound processing twice. If you put it on 4.1/5.1 and hi-fi/home cinema, you will be sending an actual surround sound signal to the astro mixamp that the astro mixamp is looking for. None of the speaker types are EQ changes.

No, the game doesn't seem to have virtual surround. The speaker types are EQ changes, with the lower quality options (tv, war tapes) having dynamic range compression as well. Where are you getting your information from?

 

[PacoTaco]

No, the game doesn't seem to have virtual surround. The speaker types are EQ changes, with the lower quality options (tv, war tapes) having dynamic range compression as well. Where are you getting your information from?

I was partially mistaken. It isn't virtual surround, by it isn't EQ either. Each setting differs in dynamic range and how compressed the audio is. Wartapes is the most compressed and least dynamic, while HifI and headphone are the least compressed and have the largest dynamic range. The surround setting, if you set it to 5.1/surround, it will go to the Mixamp as that. If not, it won't do anything.

http://battlelog.battlefield.com/bf4/forum/threadview/2979150493948035698/

 

[rudyae86]

Not sure what you are trying to accomplish here but MLE and EVs know what they are talking about. I mean you have been given the answer to the right way of setting it up.
 
Try home cinema/surround for a week and then switch back to headphone/surround and try to notice the difference.
 
I use to game with headphone/surround and it did sound weird and thought it was the right way.
 
After setting it to home cinema/surround it completely changed and sounded better.
 
When you have it set up with home cinema/surround, the game is sending a 5.1 signal into the mixamp or what ever you have, which then converts it into processed virtual surround sound, in which you can hear it with your headphones. Simple as that.
 
Dont over think it, just do it.
 
Swoosh.

 

[BadBoyBrazil]

What you guys think. Mint condition HD700 for $350! How are those for gaming anyways? Thanks!