[Evshrug]

The DSS is more hissy than the AX720 and the Mixamp, which can be a dealbreaker to some. With very sensitive headphones, it's pretty audible during quite scenes in games.
In order of least hissy, to most:
Mixamp Pro/Wired
Mixamp 5.8
AX720
DSS
I haven't heard the DSS2, but that doesn't use Dolby Headphone. I'd like to try and compare it to the Mixamp some day.

Makes sense, the DSS being cheaper and all. But still, at $45 used on Amazon, it may be worth it for entry-level surround sound. Most amazon reviews (maybe not the most reliable) point out that the DSS2 dropped to a Turtle Beach surround codec that only has 4 channels/directions. I think if I was buying new, I would either go cheap and get a used DSS or go big and get the Mixamp (since I've already got the headphone itself covered). I don't think Astro sells through Best Buy, right?

Edit: BB has the Astro Mixamp BATTERIES (and NuForce Icon DAC/amp), but not the Mixamp itself. So if someone was determined to buy through them, it would be the other two processors or a receiver. Not sure which receivers offer Dolby Headphone, I know my Yamaha has some in-house codec that only makes a small difference. I think. I dunno, my poor hifi stuff has been packed in a box in the basement for 6 months!

Just bear in mind that the sound card in the PC will determine whether you're feeding a 5.1 signal to the DSS. If the sound card wasn't built to output/process that, you won't end up with virtual surround on the headphones.

True, mine does so the thought hadn't occurred to me. Before I moved out of my apartment, I had my Xbox and hackinto--- er, PC hooked up to my receiver and then to my TV.

 

[calpis]

Quote:

I agree! Though I kinda did pay him by buying one of his used headphones. There was someone else listing a black pair of Q701s that were significantly cheaper than what MLE was asking, but I'd rather help MLE out for helping me, you know? It's kinda like online shopping vs visiting a local store; Sure I coulda saved a couple bucks buying from a stranger, but that would be shortchanging the one who helped me decide that the product was what I wanted in the first place! I wish him all the luck, and not just because I have faith that he shares his good fortune back with the community.
By the way, how would I connect the mini clip-on mic (3.5mm plug) to the Xbox? If I don't care for hearing my voice echo through the speakers when I chat, can I just use a 3.5 to 2.5 adapter to plug it into the controller and switch the Xbox chat preference to play through speakers only?

 
If you want to plug a mic directly into the controller (which is what I actually do) then you'll need  a 3.5mm to 2.5mm adapter and a stereo to mono adapter (if you're using a mic with 3 poles on the plug). If you use it without an a stereo to mono adapter then you voice with be very faint to everyone else. You can test this by recording a voice message over xblive and playing it back to hear how you sound.

 

[NinjaSushi2]

Quote:

I asked "still" because he made the guide a little while back, but he probably edits it as he needs to. I ask questions. Too many? Probably, but hey, I really can't help it. I'll back off soon. Yes his guide is informative, but its not pages upon pages per headphone (that would be ridiculous and is not expected). I'm used to having less than common opinions and desires, so I have got to test to see if we are really on the same page about what to expect. I appreciate your advice Evshrug. I do, and I will probably be testing a bunch of cans, but in my free time, when this is on my mind, I'd like to jump on a forum and talk to people with similar interests. MLE is the bomb. All people willing to share their experiences to help out others are very much appreciated.
 
I've decided the best scenario that depicts the experience I am desiring is of that demonstrated by sitting in a bar in Fallout 3 (Moriarty's Saloon if you know it) and being able to hear the radio with its old time tunes and static interference (ever so often smacked by Gob when experience more than normal static) with customers and workers alike walking around and participating in drab conversation. I desire to know the location of the radio and people within the room and to hear it as though I were there in those dark times and not as though I am experiencing this situation through a pair of headphones. This may sound like an obvious desire, but it excites me to paint this picture. I want to hear the depth of the Sheriffs voice and feel the impact of grenades and mini-nukes in VATS as raider and mutants scream for their lives in slow motion. I want to roam the wastleland with the Pip Boy's radio dialed into GNR and Three Dog's crazy support to "fighting the good fight". I play other games, but if a headphone fits this bill, it will serve just fine in all likely scenarios I am to experience. 

Over dramatic much?
Quote:

I haven't tested Fallout 3. Keep in mind some games do surround sound better than others. Fallout 3 may be bad at positional cues, so make sure to test as many games as you're able.

Fallout 3 let alone any Bethesda game dominates with eccentric visuals and wide ranges of sound, both with amazing quality. I've never seen a Bethesda game that wasn''t visually, audio, and interactively beautiful.
Quote:

Crzycuyler,
True, what good is a forum if there is no discussion. I forgot that Gob would smack the radio, and for some reason the mini-nukes never worked well for me in VATS, but overall I get exactly what you mean. When I was a kid, I used to play Myst before I even realized it was a puzzle game, and I would just explore to find new views for as long as I was allowed to play.
I'm not trying to be mean, I think I had just reached a point where I felt your questions were anything but unusual - what is the perfect headphone you would recommend - and that you weren't counting/considering the advice already given. That probably is really just you trying to make SURE you'll be getting what you want... Again, a process I am very familiar with. 
Now, I'm going to assume you've been thinking about this for a while, probably since before Fallout 3 was released. So, take my advice to make a decision based on this perspective: If you have the means, and you know you'll enjoy an elevated experience, then you're only denying yourself the pleasure by waiting.
If you have best buy discounts, and don't already own an Astro Mixamp or other device with Dolby Headphone, then you may want to buy one of the Tritton AX720 since it comes with a decent dolby headphone surround sound decoder (so it's like you get a closed headset for free), and at least an open headphone to compare. I don't think Astro products (i.e. the Mixamp) are sold at best buy, so the AX720, the turtle beach DSS, and maybe a Receiver or two with Dolby Headphone decoding built in would be your only choices. I don't think you can go wrong starting with the AX720, a Creative Aurvana Live!, and a Sennheiser HD555 or HD558. You should feel very immersed with those options, but you'll see if you try them if you need to go beyond.
I have played Fallout 3 till I finished almost every side quest and Easter egg, though I can't speak specifically to it's surround mix quality. I was using stereo back then. Even so, fallout 3, Oblivion, and Skyrim do put a lot of emphasis on sound quality, and after hearing people describe how they can hear the direction and distance of an NPC carrying a torch in Oblivion, I think the audio will impress when hooked up to good equipment. Maybe you can contribute back to this thread with your impressions

Sadly... Astro Gaming started a trial run with 50 Bestbuy's nation wide. Yes this means you can buy their mix amps but it also means tons of kids are going to run out and get "MLG" A30s, 40s, and the new 50s for the same price as a decent pair of cans.

 

[crzycuyler]

Quote:

Over dramatic much?

Which part? I just type what I'm thinking.

 

[NinjaSushi2]

Quote:

Which part? I just type what I'm thinking.

lol all of it.. 

 

[crzycuyler]

Quote:

lol all of it.. 

well i think you're just swell

 

[NinjaSushi2]

Quote:

well i think you're just swell

I am. I also like your avatar. kekekekeke! jk jk.
 
Who likes my new Anime chick? Also which anime is this chick from and who is she? I just googled pics of the Q701 and found this. lol

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Those are actually K701s, and that's Mio Akiyama from 'K-on!'.

Lots of people on Head-fi have used that image as their avatar, lol.

 

[NinjaSushi2]

Quote:

Those are actually K701s, and that's Mio Akiyama from 'K-on!'.
Lots of people on Head-fi have used that image as their avatar, lol.

Well HELL yeah.. then. 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I uhh... caved...



Come Tuesday, I will be the new owner of...





(same headphone, btw)


I couldn't resist it any longer. Bought it through Amazon, so I didn't have to use my immediate funds, which is helpful. Also had $150 in gift card funds, so it literally cost me less than $200.

It was these or the HE400, and I realized... I want an 'alternative' to the D7000 for when they bother me, not necessarily an alternative to the D7000 sound. In the hot months/days, I hardly touch my D7000. If I touch them once a week, that's actually a lot. In comparison, I use my KSC35 almost every day. I'd love to use my D7000 all the time IF they weren't so hot and sticky. Velours are that important to me. I'd pay someone to mod some velour padding on TOP of the D7000 pads (like stitching velour directly on top, where the pads touch the skin.) I wasn't kidding when I said the D7000 was the last headphone I'd ever buy with non-velours.

I didn't find the Pro 2900 uncomfortable in the least, and I expect the same here.

If they satisfy me more than I expect, I may even put my D7000 on sale, which should recuperate most of my cash back as the D7000 is a rare commodity now. Not that I think I'll be giving them up. Just a possibility. I will of course be comparing them to one another and putting the Pro 900s through some heavy gaming abuse. Let's hope the mid bass, while being strong, isn't the uncomfortable kind that I can't handle. I also don't expect them to compare to the D7000 SQ-wise, but perhaps they'll be good enough for me not to totally miss the D7000 sound.

Man, they look so much better with gray velours rather than black. O_O

 

[AxelCloris]

That's actually quite the good thing. I was looking for a folding headset with velour pads for when I travel. I've been eyeing the Ultrasone Pro series as they are said to have a nice soundstage for closed headphones. Looking forward to seeing how they sound for you.May pick up a pair on the used section sometime once my funds are restored from paying my car's alternator.
 
And to be honest, I do have a bid right now on a pair of  SRH940s on ebay. I shouldn't be bidding but I am. I've heard they're very similar to the Q's in their presentation and sound, but closed.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I wouldn't expect too much out of the soundstage with Dolby Headphone. Even the open Pro 2900 sounded like a closed headphone. However, in stereo mode, the soundstage was large to the extreme left and right, not so much all around the head. The instrument separation was pretty significant though. Lots of separation. Took getting used to the way they produce sound. Not a huge fan of S-logic, but it wasn't a bother. Just... the Q701 spanked the Pro 2900 overall. The Pro 900 is a bassy can, so it automatically wins out for my purposes, assuming I can handle the mid bass.

IF the Pro 900 reproduces the QUALITY of bass that the Pro 2900 has but with more quantity... then I will be in love. Not sure it will though, since it's open vs closed. I do hear nothing but great things about the Pro 900 quality and quantity, so I'm hopeful. I'm expecting a closed version of the DT990 with better bass, and slightly less treble. I couldn't ask for more (other than wishing the Pro 2900 would've been like a more improved DT990, yet it came up as an inferior DT880 alternative music-wise, though better for gaming.)

I'll miss the Q701, but I honestly don't have a need for a well balanced headphone anymore, and they weren't getting the love they deserve. They were honestly too good for my V shaped tendencies. If I ever need a well balanced, natural sounding headphone, I won't hesitate to get them again. As it stands, the D7000 satisfies both my basshead and natural sounding tendencies. I don't expect the Pro 900 to come close to sounding as organic as the D7000.

What's funny is that I bet I will still use the KSC35 a lot more than either.

 

[audiophizile]

Hi. I hate to say but reading through 412 pages is hard haha I'm looking for a quality closed headphone as my Xbox is very close as well as my pc and can be noticeably distracting. I also use an astro mixamp on both. Currently own the senn pc350 but the right ear is buzzing and am looking for an upgrade that is good for competitive gaming(footsteps and positioning). I notice there aren't many closed cans on the list probably because of the close soundstage. Though you haven't tested the fa-003, from what I've read it sounds like it would good. Any other closed cans you or anyone would recommend for this?
Edit: also I'd like to stay around the $150-200 but feel free to recommend anything not crazy expensive you think would be suitable. Thanks.
Another edit haha: bass isn't a huge priority to me. I do love having a solid full spectrum but for gaming tight, controlled bass even if it's lacking seems better to me. So fast, clear, tight, good ?upper mid? response for footsteps, and closed back are my main concerns.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

If I were in your shoes, I too would go for the FA-003/HM-5. It's as good as it's gonna get in that price range. I honestly haven't tested enough closed headphones, let alone at that price range. You might wanna try the DT770/32 ohm if you can stretch your budget, as the bass shouldn't be obtrusive like it's other variations, and the DT770s have really good positioning (really the best I've heard). Sadly, they've been discontinued, and finding a 32ohm DT770 can be hard nowadays but not impossible. I mention the 32ohm version, because I hear they're not as bassy as the others, which is a good thing in your case.

Some online stores are selling them for $250. Just look around.

I'd probably try the FA-003 or HM-5 though, as they are more readily available, and should be more enjoyable as a whole, FWIR Cheaper is also a good thing.

 

[audiophizile]

If I were in your shoes, I too would go for the FA-003/HM-5. It's as good as it's gonna get in that price range. I honestly haven't tested enough closed headphones, let alone at that price range. You might wanna try the DT770/32 ohm if you can stretch your budget, as the bass shouldn't be obtrusive like it's other variations, and the DT770s have really good positioning (really the best I've heard). Sadly, they've been discontinued, and finding a 32ohm DT770 can be hard nowadays but not impossible. I mention the 32ohm version, because I hear they're not as bassy as the others, which is a good thing in your case.
Some online stores are selling them for $250. Just look around.
I'd probably try the FA-003 or HM-5 though, as they are more readily available, and should be more enjoyable as a whole, FWIR Cheaper is also a good thing.

Thanks for the quick reply, awesome write ups and anime knowledge haha I think I'm going to try to find the fa-003 which seems difficult currently and test em out. Will keep you guys updated if you're interested.