[Change is Good]

 
Isn't the custom street just a smaller version of Custom One Pro?

 
Yeah, just wanted to see if anyone is familiar with its sound quality and soundstage for being an on ear. I can get one for pretty cheap.

 

[Evshrug]

Isn't that kind of pointless unless content is specifically produced for it?

One of my gripes with surround sound in video games is the fact that you have no real sense of up and down. Allegedly one Creative's old technologies did use similar kind of techniques to how they give the impression for in front/behind you for cues that are supposed to be above or below, but it was scrapped for some reason (less devs wanting to use their proprietary technology and having to pay the license fee?). It also allegedly modeled the Dopler effect (which sounds pretty cool to me).

OpenAL. Which is still part of the Mac OS core audio stack, I believe... just that games weren't coded to take advantage of it's libraries

Creative combined OpenAL with their proprietary EAX 5.0 effects, and worked more closely with game devs to have the feature coded in games. I think there were only about 16 notable games made to support it before Windows Vista came out and Microsoft totally changed the audio stack. Creative made work-around software called ALchemy, but basically FMOD and WWISE rose to favor instead because they were also console compatible. Made porting games and reaching a wider consumer demographic easier. NamelessPFG has more details because I wasn't in PC gaming at all at this time, but the above is basically the gist of it.

Now, a lot of Blu-Ray movies aren't just encoded in DTS, but DTS-X with height channels. It's even starting to show up in some console games. There's even a home theater encoding format with speakers above AND below the seating position, ambisonics IIRC (it's referenced in the Smyth Realiser video):

[video]https://youtu.be/3mZhN3OG-tc[/video]

Also, with VR becoming popular, more attention is coming to a complete 3D experience including audio. I pointed out a while ago in my "if I knew then..." thread linked in my posting signature that, basically, the consoles are 3D audio capable with dedicated sound processors, and exciting times are ahead of us.

 

[Evshrug]

Supported the project!
http://kck.st/2aFlTCg

The Kickstarter did begin an hour before they said in the email, but even so it looks like the project is already 1/4 funded! Kiiiiinda cool.
It's definitely a financial stretch for me, I talked about it today to my friends, my my customers at work, and my fiancé, but eventually I decided I could swing it (and I don't have to sleep on the couch tonight!). For anyone curious, I was the 31st backer, and it looks like there's still 168 early bird priced units available (about $1k USD, price after Kickstarter will be $1600).

 

[Napalmhardcore]

OpenAL. Which is still part of the Mac OS core audio stack, I believe... just that games weren't coded to take advantage of it's libraries

Creative combined OpenAL with their proprietary EAX 5.0 effects, and worked more closely with game devs to have the feature coded in games. I think there were only about 16 notable games made to support it before Windows Vista came out and Microsoft totally changed the audio stack. Creative made work-around software called ALchemy, but basically FMOD and WWISE rose to favor instead because they were also console compatible. Made porting games and reaching a wider consumer demographic easier. NamelessPFG has more details because I wasn't in PC gaming at all at this time, but the above is basically the gist of it.

Now, a lot of Blu-Ray movies aren't just encoded in DTS, but DTS-X with height channels. It's even starting to show up in some console games. There's even a home theater encoding format with speakers above AND below the seating position, ambisonics IIRC (it's referenced in the Smyth Realiser video):

Also, with VR becoming popular, more attention is coming to a complete 3D experience including audio. I pointed out a while ago in my "if I knew then..." thread linked in my posting signature that, basically, the consoles are 3D audio capable with dedicated sound processors, and exciting times are ahead of us.

I must admit that it does seem very appealing. I think I'll have to wait until the technology trickles down to a more wallet friendly product. Hopefully by then DTS-X/Dolby Atmos etc will be more widely used, though I'm guessing you'll still get the benefit of headtracking and the user calibration for 5.1 and 7.1 sources.

 

[Evshrug]

I mean, the first Realiser came out in 2008-9, at $2500, so I think this already is the iterative, trickle down price. Also, there's still some early bird prices available at basically $1,000 after shipping, which is $600-$700 less than it will cost after the Kickstarter (and probably less than the resale value if you end up not using it). Way less cost than buying and having a DTS X, Dolby ATMOS, or Ambisonics speaker setup and installation.

I understand NamelessPFG's point about how it could fit with AVR receivers, except receivers are primarily a speaker product and the Realiser tech is primarily for headphones... To buy a receiver good enough to decently power a 16 speaker setup AND add a complex tracking and processing component to equalize sound live for a PRIR, that combo would not be cheaper than an A16.

 

[Vader2k]

I mean, the first Realiser came out in 2008-9, at $2500, so I think this already is the iterative, trickle down price. Also, there's still some early bird prices available at basically $1,000 after shipping, which is $600-$700 less than it will cost after the Kickstarter (and probably less than the resale value if you end up not using it). Way less cost than buying and having a DTS X, Dolby ATMOS, or Ambisonics speaker setup and installation.

 
It's definitely cool that you jumped on it Evs, it'll be great to hear your impressions.  I'm sorely tempted to, especially at the early bird pricing.  It'll sting at first for sure, but the longterm value of the device and endgame nature (for me anyway) of it are making it hard to pass up.
 
One thing I'm curious about and can't seem to find in the details on the campaign page, will the A16 work with most mid and top-tier headphones, or will it only be ideal with a select range?  I seem to remember something about the A8 that it worked best with a specific set of cans despite being able to generally work with most headphones.  For me personally, I'm curious to know if it will work fine with my TH-X00 and K7XX as I likely won't be getting any new cans for a long time.

 

[MonsieurNiceGuy]

I think it should. Based on the video, there was someone using the realizer for gaming with the Sennheiser GAME ZERO, so I'm sure it should work fine. The only thing that I would be concerned with is where you would put the head tracking unit on the K7XX. 
 
Quote:

   
It's definitely cool that you jumped on it Evs, it'll be great to hear your impressions.  I'm sorely tempted to, especially at the early bird pricing.  It'll sting at first for sure, but the longterm value of the device and endgame nature (for me anyway) of it are making it hard to pass up.
 
One thing I'm curious about and can't seem to find in the details on the campaign page, will the A16 work with most mid and top-tier headphones, or will it only be ideal with a select range?  I seem to remember something about the A8 that it worked best with a specific set of cans despite being able to generally work with most headphones.  For me personally, I'm curious to know if it will work fine with my TH-X00 and K7XX as I likely won't be getting any new cans for a long time.

 

[Evshrug]

@Vader2k,
Headphones with better resolution, fast decay, and flatter response are a more capable canvas for recreating the sound of various speakers in various positions. I think the point isn't just direction... The headphones are also supposed to be EQ'd to have the same sound character as the speaker (and the effect your face, head width, and body have on the HRTF). I'm new to this, never having demo'd it even, but I assume you don't HAVE to EQ the headphones (and most higher-quality headphones have a fair bit of EQ room), but doing so enhances the illusion. If I decide to keep my K612 instead of passing them along, I'll be sure to test that with the Realiser, so you and people with the K7XX can get an impression of the sound.

I totally understand not wanting to change headphones often or spend more money (my time keeping the K612 is racking up now!), but if I were to make a prediction/suggestion, I bet you would be pleased if you kept your TH-X00 for fun and isolation, but traded your K7XX for a Stax SR202 or SR2107 setup. Fostex headphones are a fun stylized sound treat for sure, but the ability of a Stax setup to reproduce a performance is uncanny and next-level! (I think NamelessPFG is selling his whole two-headphone Stax Lambda setup for a stupidly-low price right now).

@MonsieurNiceGuy,
I'd probably attach the tracker to the head bars?

 

[SirMagnificat]

I really wish there were a Dolby Headphone DSP with a proper line out, and just more of them on the market in general. Are Dolby's licensing terms really that bad, or are there just so few headphone enthusiasts that also game?

 

[rudyae86]

Sennheiser is releasing another headset, with 7.1 surround. Honestly looks like a PC360/Game One but with an inherent surround dsp.

Still, it IS Sennheiser, so color me interested.

ALso, for the price of the new Realizer, I'd DEFINITELY use those funds for a new PC rig instead.

Appearently it's a rebrand of their PC363D which also comes with a USB Dongle to give you Dolby Headphone. Nothing new here but just a new color scheme and name....
 
EDIT: So far thats what some people have commented on Sennheiser's Facebook page...

 

[Napalmhardcore]

Totally unrelated to anything on the thread, but I had to share. I'm an idiot. Since I've had my monitor, videos have suffered from screen tearing. My old monitor didn't seem to have this problem (or at least I don't remember it being a problem) but I had it connected via HDMI and my current monitor is dual link DVI. When connected via HDMI there is a list of HDTV resolutions, so I used to set it to 1080p. With my current monitor there are only PC resolutions available. I searched Google a couple of times but the searches I entered brought back results that weren't particularly helpful, so I just put it down to the possibility that the framerate of 1080p/720p video was slightly mismatched with my particular display (thinking maybe it was 59.?? Hz when it should be 60 Hz or vice versa).
 
Tonight I watched a few Youtube videos on my PS3 and the lack of tearing really stood out (I'd kind of got used to it). This got me annoyed that my main means of watching video (my PC) sucked so badly in comparison and set out to find an answer. I came across a thread on the Nvidia forums where people were complaining about their high end GTX 970 and 980 cards tearing when playing videos. The reply was to enable Windows Aero (or set V-sync either globally or for specific applications). I'd always thought Windows Aero was simply to make stuff like icons look a bit more fancy so I'd never bothered with it. Turns out it also handles vertical sync for videos (and I think internet browsers too). So for more than two years I've been watching videos with tearing and getting annoyed when a scene pans a lot or there is a flash (lightning/gunfire) because it makes the tearing incredibly obvious. Now I find out all I had to do was change one simple setting. Yeah, like I said, I'm an idiot.
 
On a note related to the thread. With the Realiser, I'm a bit puzzled. In the description it says that the HRTF is kind of what makes the whole thing come together. However it sounds like you have to calibrate this using the speaker setup that you are trying to emulate. Isn't the whole point that you can't afford this kind of speaker setup? Would the HRTF calibration not be compromised without an ideal speaker setup to perform it?

 

[Vader2k]

I think it should. Based on the video, there was someone using the realizer for gaming with the Sennheiser GAME ZERO, so I'm sure it should work fine. The only thing that I would be concerned with is where you would put the head tracking unit on the K7XX.

 
Oh, good point.  Likely the bars as Evs mentioned below, but I agree they are a bit wobbly.
 

@Vader2k,
Headphones with better resolution, fast decay, and flatter response are a more capable canvas for recreating the sound of various speakers in various positions. I think the point isn't just direction... The headphones are also supposed to be EQ'd to have the same sound character as the speaker (and the effect your face, head width, and body have on the HRTF). I'm new to this, never having demo'd it even, but I assume you don't HAVE to EQ the headphones (and most higher-quality headphones have a fair bit of EQ room), but doing so enhances the illusion. If I decide to keep my K612 instead of passing them along, I'll be sure to test that with the Realiser, so you and people with the K7XX can get an impression of the sound.

I totally understand not wanting to change headphones often or spend more money (my time keeping the K612 is racking up now!), but if I were to make a prediction/suggestion, I bet you would be pleased if you kept your TH-X00 for fun and isolation, but traded your K7XX for a Stax SR202 or SR2107 setup. Fostex headphones are a fun stylized sound treat for sure, but the ability of a Stax setup to reproduce a performance is uncanny and next-level! (I think NamelessPFG is selling his whole two-headphone Stax Lambda setup for a stupidly-low price right now).

@MonsieurNiceGuy,
I'd probably attach the tracker to the head bars?

 
Ah, ok.  I didn't even occur to me that the headphones would be EQ'ed as well, but that makes sense.  Thanks for recommendation of the Stax.  A different/upgraded pair of headphones isn't completely out of the question, it would just have to happen far down the road.  The A16 would leave quite the dent for a while!

 

[Raimo Ainla]

Hi guys - this is my first post here.
I apologize if it's in the wrong section - please redirect it!
 
I currently own a pair of Qpad QH90 and DT 770 32 ohm version. I listen to music and game 50/50. I'm not an audiophile but I obviously really enjoy high quality sound. I play competitively and my apartment is not that big, so I need isolation and a closed (or at least semi-closed, if the isolation is good enough) headphone. I've read this guide through and through and asked questions elsewhere, but haven't really found an answer to my question.

My question is: Could someone recommend me as comfortable as possible and perhaps better sounding DT770 / QH90 (pretty much the same as HyperX, iirc, it's a rebranded Beyerdynamics product). I enjoy the sound of both headphones, but I find the Qpad QH90 to be much more comfortable as I've a big head and larger ears. I find the DT 770s press under the ear lobes, so after 1 hour or so I feel pain and pressure. I've tried to stretch the headband endlessly, but this does not help. The clamp is not the issue. This does not happen on the qh90, as its clamp is stronger, but there is no pain. I came to the conclusion that it's the structure of the speakers themselves, where they distribute the pressure much more equally than the DT 770.


So, atm I prefer to use the Qpad QH90s. They have more midrange and to my ears a more fun, full and balanced sound, although the DT 770s have slightly more clarity and soundstage.
I'm using a Creative X-Fi Titanium in my PC, which is more than enough for my needs in most cases. I have also compared the sound on different smartphones.
 
 
I have looked at B&O H6 v2, but it seems that it's uncomfortable due to the small pads. I don't want the ear to touch the speaker.
Sony MDR1 but heard it has poor isolation and not the deepest earcups.
Meze 99 classics look good, but seems like earcups are on the small side and would become uncomfortable.
Don't mind if it is a headset.
 
Headsets/headphones that I found comfortable - QH90, Roccat Kave (sound quality is trash, but earcups insanely comfy), Logitech G35, Sennheiser hd 598 (open)

So, priority top list as follows, with 1 being the most important : 1) comfort 2) sound quality 3) enough soundstage for competitive gaming 4) good enough isolation 5) enough mids and bass to have balanced/fun sound 6) price

I live in Scandinavia and my max budget is 250-300 euros. Can go a bit over 300 if it's worth it. I won't order from US amazon and don't wanna import from some faraway country.

Thanks,
R
 

 

[Yethal]

  Hi guys - this is my first post here.
I apologize if it's in the wrong section - please redirect it!
 
I currently own a pair of Qpad QH90 and DT 770 32 ohm version. I listen to music and game 50/50. I'm not an audiophile but I obviously really enjoy high quality sound. I play competitively and my apartment is not that big, so I need isolation and a closed (or at least semi-closed, if the isolation is good enough) headphone. I've read this guide through and through and asked questions elsewhere, but haven't really found an answer to my question.

My question is: Could someone recommend me as comfortable as possible and perhaps better sounding DT770 / QH90 (pretty much the same as HyperX, iirc, it's a rebranded Beyerdynamics product). I enjoy the sound of both headphones, but I find the Qpad QH90 to be much more comfortable as I've a big head and larger ears. I find the DT 770s press under the ear lobes, so after 1 hour or so I feel pain and pressure. I've tried to stretch the headband endlessly, but this does not help. The clamp is not the issue. This does not happen on the qh90, as its clamp is stronger, but there is no pain. I came to the conclusion that it's the structure of the speakers themselves, where they distribute the pressure much more equally than the DT 770.


So, atm I prefer to use the Qpad QH90s. They have more midrange and to my ears a more fun, full and balanced sound, although the DT 770s have slightly more clarity and soundstage.
I'm using a Creative X-Fi Titanium in my PC, which is more than enough for my needs in most cases. I have also compared the sound on different smartphones.
 
 
I have looked at B&O H6 v2, but it seems that it's uncomfortable due to the small pads. I don't want the ear to touch the speaker.
Sony MDR1 but heard it has poor isolation and not the deepest earcups.
Meze 99 classics look good, but seems like earcups are on the small side and would become uncomfortable.
Don't mind if it is a headset.
 
Headsets/headphones that I found comfortable - QH90, Roccat Kave (sound quality is trash, but earcups insanely comfy), Logitech G35, Sennheiser hd 598 (open)

So, priority top list as follows, with 1 being the most important : 1) comfort 2) sound quality 3) enough soundstage for competitive gaming 4) good enough isolation 5) enough mids and bass to have balanced/fun sound 6) price

I live in Scandinavia and my max budget is 250-300 euros. Can go a bit over 300 if it's worth it. I won't order from US amazon and don't wanna import from some faraway country.

Thanks,
R
 

AKG K series?

 

[Raimo Ainla]

 
AKG K series?

Thanks. Which one though?