[kellte2]

Do you mean the Sound Blaster X7? I don't see a separate dial for voice/sound balance.

It is software based.

 

[IceOrror]

It is software based.

 
Ah, I see. Thanks for the info. I needed something physical the can work when a game/video is fullscreen. If it's software based then it's no different than me just tabbing out and manually adjusting it.

 

[TeeReQs]

   
Do you mean the Sound Blaster X7? I don't see a separate dial for voice/sound balance.

There isn't a dial on the device, but you can adjust all inputs/outputs from the app.
 
There's a smartphone app that you can download and change all the settings. That way you can do it mid game without having to alt tab out. Also works well when using on console. My only gripe is that I haven't found a way for the X7 to automatically reconnect to my phone.

 

[Yethal]

  There isn't a dial on the device, but you can adjust all inputs/outputs from the app.
 
There's a smartphone app that you can download and change all the settings. That way you can do it mid game without having to alt tab out. Also works well when using on console. My only gripe is that I haven't found a way for the X7 to automatically reconnect to my phone.

That's weird, my X7 reconnects to the BT-W2 transmitter automatically every time i turn my PS4 on. I don't see a reason why it wouldn't work the same with smartphones.

 

[Napalmhardcore]

Been absent from this thread for a while. Just got me a pair of HD 600s and have no one to share it with that cares (not that you guys necessarily care, but at least you'll get it more than non-audio gear nuts like my family/friends). Also came to share something that slightly annoyed me.
 
I bought a Cloud 2 headset last year and while I was generally pretty impressed (considering the price), there was always something not quite right with them. When I was testing them I kept having a muscle (tensor tympani) spasm in my right ear which lead to some irritation. At the time I just put it down to excessive use of headphones and thought that my perception was being slightly thrown off, but it has since become apparent that the Cloud 2 I have has a channel imbalance. In hindsight this is possibly partially responsible for the ear spasms I was having at the time, though I still get them under certain circumstances. For example my work colleague's speaking voice seems to stike a particular frequency that causes it to happen. The other thing that causes it is when I'm listening to something and it abruptly stops or momentary sounds with a wide dynamic range (I have to turn down some tracks that have super punchy percussion even though I don't listen particularly loud in the first place). Anyway, back to what I was saying. Unfortunately I'm now outside of the warranty period, so I essentially have a useless headset (now I've noticed this channel imbalance it has I can't listen to them anymore because it drives me mad).
 
It's really interesting to finally have this point of reference (HD 600s) in my (small) collection. It is also really interesting to compare them to my AKG 240 Mkiis as they deliver music in completely different ways. I've not done any gaming with the HD 600s yet, but that is the next test for them. I must say that I'm surprised by something though. Despite the AKGs being semi-closed, the sounstage is much, much wider than the HD600s. The HD600s are more pleasant musically and is more flattering with poor/mediocre recordings whereas the AKGs are brutally honest (I guess that's why they are so popular for mixing). I personally find the HD 600's bass a lot more satisfying and the dynamics seem better. I find bass in real life situations seems to almost surround you and the HD 600s delivers that sensation really well. The AKGs can sound a bit... aloof I guess is the best way to put it (when it comes to bass). The AKGs are absolutely sublime when it comes to vocals though. The clarity and detail is amazing, yet somehow they manage to do it without ever sounding harsh. I love both pairs of headphones for different reasons.
 
I also have a Little Dot Mkiii on the way. Looking forward to that. I now understand how people end up spending so much money on this hobby. I don't really have the money but there are several pairs of headphones I really want to try, not to mentions amps, DACs etc. MUST... RESIST!

 

[themrmikemcd]

Been absent from this thread for a while. Just got me a pair of HD 600s and have no one to share it with that cares (not that you guys necessarily care, but at least you'll get it more than non-audio gear nuts like my family/friends). Also came to share something that slightly annoyed me.

I bought a Cloud 2 headset last year and while I was generally pretty impressed (considering the price), there was always something not quite right with them. When I was testing them I kept having a muscle (tensor tympani) spasm in my right ear which lead to some irritation. At the time I just put it down to excessive use of headphones and thought that my perception was being slightly thrown off, but it has since become apparent that the Cloud 2 I have has a channel imbalance. In hindsight this is possibly partially responsible for the ear spasms I was having at the time, though I still get them under certain circumstances. For example my work colleague's speaking voice seems to stike a particular frequency that causes it to happen. The other thing that causes it is when I'm listening to something and it abruptly stops or momentary sounds with a wide dynamic range (I have to turn down some tracks that have super punchy percussion even though I don't listen particularly loud in the first place). Anyway, back to what I was saying. Unfortunately I'm now outside of the warranty period, so I essentially have a useless headset (now I've noticed this channel imbalance it has I can't listen to them anymore because it drives me mad).

It's really interesting to finally have this point of reference (HD 600s) in my (small) collection. It is also really interesting to compare them to my AKG 240 Mkiis as they deliver music in completely different ways. I've not done any gaming with the HD 600s yet, but that is the next test for them. I must say that I'm surprised by something though. Despite the AKGs being semi-closed, the sounstage is much, much wider than the HD600s. The HD600s are more pleasant musically and is more flattering with poor/mediocre recordings whereas the AKGs are brutally honest (I guess that's why they are so popular for mixing). I personally find the HD 600's bass a lot more satisfying and the dynamics seem better. I find bass in real life situations seems to almost surround you and the HD 600s delivers that sensation really well. The AKGs can sound a bit... aloof I guess is the best way to put it (when it comes to bass). The AKGs are absolutely sublime when it comes to vocals though. The clarity and detail is amazing, yet somehow they manage to do it without ever sounding harsh. I love both pairs of headphones for different reasons.

I also have a Little Dot Mkiii on the way. Looking forward to that. I now understand how people end up spending so much money on this hobby. I don't really have the money but there are several pairs of headphones I really want to try, not to mentions amps, DACs etc. MUST... RESIST!

I've heard really good things about the 600s. I have heard they are AMAZING for music but not the best for gaming.

Until i learned more about headphones the cloud x2 were my favorite "headset" ever. They are still really good headphones. Its a shame you got a broken pair I got mine for a steal at $70 on Amazon because they were selling the pink version at a discount sometime back. I dot care what color they are and I gladly paid $30 less!

 

[Napalmhardcore]

I've heard really good things about the 600s. I have heard they are AMAZING for music but not the best for gaming.

Until i learned more about headphones the cloud x2 were my favorite "headset" ever. They are still really good headphones. Its a shame you got a broken pair I got mine for a steal at $70 on Amazon because they were selling the pink version at a discount sometime back. I dot care what color they are and I gladly paid $30 less!

 
I'm absolutely loving my HD600s so far. They are easily the most pleasant headphones I've ever listened too. I totally understand why they are so widely loved.
 
I gave my impressions of the Cloud 2 earlier in the thread. For the price, they are amazingly good value (provided you have one without issues) and perfectly suited for gaming. One slight criticism I had with it regarding music was that there can be just a touch of sibilance and vocals can have a slightly hard sound to them, but that same quality actually lends itself really well to gaming as it makes directional cues easier to hear and pinpoint.
 
I'm now toying with ideas for a replacement headset. I do own a Modmic, but I'm not that big a fan. I don't like having two wires to deal with as it looks messy and is one extra cable to get snagged/tangled. I used braided cable wrap when I had it attached to my AKGs but it made them look ugly. I was also considering looking for a set of headphones that is compatible with the Boompro, but I've read that it can rotate it the socket because there's nothing to lock it in position. I could see that being really annoying. I think I'm going to go with a dedicated headset.
 
At the moment, the Game Ones (50 Ohm version) are at the top of my list. Apparently they are very similar to the HD 598s which is a headphone I am interested in anyway. The only thing I'm not 100% sure about is whether I want to go for an open or closed back headset. Most of the time, an open back is perfect for my situation, but with my Clouds no longer in the picture I don't currently own anything closed back. Apparently the Game Zeros are a bit bass light and not as good an all-rounder as the Game Ones, so for a closed back headset I'd be looking elsewhere. The most widely praised closed back heaset still seems to be the Cloud 2, but I've been there and done that, so I'd really like to try something else. The Sony MDR-1A is on my radar as it has an inline mic. Just not sure what the mic quality is like (not that it has to be amazing). I'm not hugely competitive so I'd rather sacrifice the ability to pinpoint in-game cues for the sake of something more enjoyable and versatile (music/movies).

 

[dakanao]

   
I'm absolutely loving my HD600s so far. They are easily the most pleasant headphones I've ever listened too. I totally understand why they are so widely loved.
 
I gave my impressions of the Cloud 2 earlier in the thread. For the price, they are amazingly good value (provided you have one without issues) and perfectly suited for gaming. One slight criticism I had with it regarding music was that there can be just a touch of sibilance and vocals can have a slightly hard sound to them, but that same quality actually lends itself really well to gaming as it makes directional cues easier to hear and pinpoint.
 
I'm now toying with ideas for a replacement headset. I do own a Modmic, but I'm not that big a fan. I don't like having two wires to deal with as it looks messy and is one extra cable to get snagged/tangled. I used braided cable wrap when I had it attached to my AKGs but it made them look ugly. I was also considering looking for a set of headphones that is compatible with the Boompro, but I've read that it can rotate it the socket because there's nothing to lock it in position. I could see that being really annoying. I think I'm going to go with a dedicated headset.
 
At the moment, the Game Ones (50 Ohm version) are at the top of my list. Apparently they are very similar to the HD 598s which is a headphone I am interested in anyway. The only thing I'm not 100% sure about is whether I want to go for an open or closed back headset. Most of the time, an open back is perfect for my situation, but with my Clouds no longer in the picture I don't currently own anything closed back. Apparently the Game Zeros are a bit bass light and not as good an all-rounder as the Game Ones, so for a closed back headset I'd be looking elsewhere. The most widely praised closed back heaset still seems to be the Cloud 2, but I've been there and done that, so I'd really like to try something else. The Sony MDR-1A is on my radar as it has an inline mic. Just not sure what the mic quality is like (not that it has to be amazing). I'm not hugely competitive so I'd rather sacrifice the ability to pinpoint in-game cues for the sake of something more enjoyable and versatile (music/movies).

Do you find the HD 600 a bit harsh in the uppermids? Also, how does the HD 600 fare for gaming in your experience?

 

[themrmikemcd]

I'm absolutely loving my HD600s so far. They are easily the most pleasant headphones I've ever listened too. I totally understand why they are so widely loved.

I gave my impressions of the Cloud 2 earlier in the thread. For the price, they are amazingly good value (provided you have one without issues) and perfectly suited for gaming. One slight criticism I had with it regarding music was that there can be just a touch of sibilance and vocals can have a slightly hard sound to them, but that same quality actually lends itself really well to gaming as it makes directional cues easier to hear and pinpoint.

I'm now toying with ideas for a replacement headset. I do own a Modmic, but I'm not that big a fan. I don't like having two wires to deal with as it looks messy and is one extra cable to get snagged/tangled. I used braided cable wrap when I had it attached to my AKGs but it made them look ugly. I was also considering looking for a set of headphones that is compatible with the Boompro, but I've read that it can rotate it the socket because there's nothing to lock it in position. I could see that being really annoying. I think I'm going to go with a dedicated headset.

At the moment, the Game Ones (50 Ohm version) are at the top of my list. Apparently they are very similar to the HD 598s which is a headphone I am interested in anyway. The only thing I'm not 100% sure about is whether I want to go for an open or closed back headset. Most of the time, an open back is perfect for my situation, but with my Clouds no longer in the picture I don't currently own anything closed back. Apparently the Game Zeros are a bit bass light and not as good an all-rounder as the Game Ones, so for a closed back headset I'd be looking elsewhere. The most widely praised closed back heaset still seems to be the Cloud 2, but I've been there and done that, so I'd really like to try something else. The Sony MDR-1A is on my radar as it has an inline mic. Just not sure what the mic quality is like (not that it has to be amazing). I'm not hugely competitive so I'd rather sacrifice the ability to pinpoint in-game cues for the sake of something more enjoyable and versatile (music/movies).

I used the 598s and to me the bass is almost non existant. I didnt like them for my gaming needs. I found the phillips 9500 to sound better, they are also bass light, but I feel they have great soundstage and are way cheaper. I found the superlux 668 with pad mods to be shp9500 like with a tad more bass. I only play for emersive sound in games as I also do not game online. I would love to hear music with the Hd600s!

 

[Napalmhardcore]

  Do you find the HD 600 a bit harsh in the uppermids? Also, how does the HD 600 fare for gaming in your experience?

In the first few minutes I was a tad concerned about the upper mids being a tad harsh, but with continued listening that concern went away. In my limited experience, the sound of a headphone changes dramatically in the first 20 minutes. I know breaking in headphones can be a controversial topic, but I had the same experience with both the Cloud 2 and the HD 600s where initially the mids sounded hard for about 20 minutes. Just to be clear, I don't mean each time I put them on. I mean that straight out of the box they both had a very hard sound in the mids, but after around 20 minutes they softened and warmed up (to a greater extent with the HD 600s). The HD 600s sound tremendously well balanced across the frequency range to my ears. In comparison, the AKG K240 Mkiis sound pretty lean in the bass.
 
I've not had a chance to put the HD600s to the test in games yet. I am expecting them to perform pretty well though. I've heard people say that some AKGs have an almost artificially wide soundstage and I think I know what they are talking about. When a sound is panned hard left or right on the 240 Mkiis, it actually sounds like it is coming from slightly behind me whereas hard panned sounds on the HD 600s sound like they are coming in from 90 degrees. I can occasionally misplace cues with the AKGs because of this. I'm expecting the HD600s to be pretty accurate, but perhaps less spacious sounding. I'll report back when I've had a few hours in-game

 

[Evshrug]

Back from CanJam NYC! I'll write impressions coverage and share a link with you guys so I don't fill the thread too much, but there are some VERY INTERESTING things on the horizon for us gamers!

Do you mean the Sound Blaster X7? I don't see a separate dial for voice/sound balance.

Well, I'd HIGHLY recommend reading an X7 review to see how you connect chat to a console. Way tidier and simpler on a PS4 by the way, the XBOne is a bit "you can have any choice you want, so long as you want the one choice we made". But after you're hooked up, you simply use a smartphone app and the Mixer panel to remix the volume balance of game and chat. The latter will be labeled Bluetooth or Line-in, depending on how you set it up.

 

[Evshrug]

That's weird, my X7 reconnects to the BT-W2 transmitter automatically every time i turn my PS4 on. I don't see a reason why it wouldn't work the same with smartphones.

The X7 "seeks out" the BT-W2 and automatically connects if it finds one it paired to before, but unlike Creative's portable DAC/Amps, the X7 doesn't seek my iPhone and I suspect anything of the phone/tablet variety.

 

[TeeReQs]

 
That's weird, my X7 reconnects to the BT-W2 transmitter automatically every time i turn my PS4 on. I don't see a reason why it wouldn't work the same with smartphones.

 
 

The X7 "seeks out" the BT-W2 and automatically connects if it finds one it paired to before, but unlike Creative's portable DAC/Amps, the X7 doesn't seek my iPhone and I suspect anything of the phone/tablet variety.

 
This is what I've noticed. My BT-W2 will connect automatically if plugged in, but if I want to connect my phone directly to the X7 itself, I have to unplug the BT-W2 and hold the power button until it starts searching for bluetooth devices. I noticed when I have the BT-W2 plugged in I can't get my phone to connect and play audio through the X7, so I just keep it unplugged unless I want to use my PS4.

 

[Yethal]

Back from CanJam NYC! I'll write impressions coverage and share a link with you guys so I don't fill the thread too much, but there are some VERY INTERESTING things on the horizon for us gamers!

Smyth Research dropped the price of the A16 to a reasonable levels?

   
 
 
This is what I've noticed. My BT-W2 will connect automatically if plugged in, but if I want to connect my phone directly to the X7 itself, I have to unplug the BT-W2 and hold the power button until it starts searching for bluetooth devices. I noticed when I have the BT-W2 plugged in I can't get my phone to connect and play audio through the X7, so I just keep it unplugged unless I want to use my PS4.

X7 can be paired to two devices however they can't both be connected at the same time.  If You want to stop the BT-W2 from being constantly connected to the X7, disable supplying power to USB ports in PS4 power saving settings.

 

[TeeReQs]

  Smyth Research dropped the price of the A16 to a reasonable levels?

X7 can be paired to two devices however they can't both be connected at the same time.  If You want to stop the BT-W2 from being constantly connected to the X7, disable supplying power to USB ports in PS4 power saving settings.

Good call! I'll try that tonight then. I don't use chat that often on PS4, so that should work well.