[Mad Lust Envy]

Just got my DT990/32. Great condition. Sounds stellar.

 

[Evshrug]

The Audio Technica "wing" design is far less objectionable than pleather earpads IMO, in fact I would go so far as saying the wings don't bother me as much as the Q701 bumps (which aren't a huge problem either). Putting a rubber band or hair tie between the two wings is an even easier mod than the foam removal mod of the HD 555, though both are really quite easy. Comfort is a bit of a toss up between the two, with the AD700 having a circumaural sized earpad that does rest on your outer ear, while the HD 555 has oval earpads that may fully avoid touching your ears but the headphone clamps more.

2x the suggestion that getting a headphone virtual surround processor is a bigger improvement than another pair of stereo headphones first. For cheapest PC headphone processor between the Asus Xonar U3 and Creative X-Fi Live! Go, I would recommend... whichever is on sale. Lol.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The rubberband mod made the AD700 even less comfortable... @_@

Wow, I'm sitting here listening to my DT990/32. I subconsciously reached for the volume knob to lower the volume...problem is, I was reaching for the NFB5's volume knob... and I no longer own the NFB5. I have to pick up the E17 and lower it with face buttons. Sigh, I miss my NFB5. That volume knob was just so lovely.

 

[Evshrug]

The rubberband mod made the AD700 even less comfortable... @_@
Wow, I'm sitting here listening to my DT990/32. I subconsciously reached for the volume knob to lower the volume...problem is, I was reaching for the NFB5's volume knob... and I no longer own the NFB5. I have to pick up the E17 and lower it with face buttons. Sigh, I miss my NFB5. That volume knob was just so lovely.

I know money is tight once again, but were you considering that receiver? And was the NFB5 volume knob much different from the E9's?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Yes, I pm-ed the seller. My problem is that I bet those receivers have high output impedance, so I may have to return the 990/32 and get a 250ohm. I didn't realize the 32ohm didn't have Amazon's square trade warranty, while the 250ohm does. Sigh... I KNEW there was a reason why it was under $200. :rolleyes: But I'll take the hit the DT990/32 messes up. I'm too pleased with them.

I don't wanna deal with the 250ohm's amping requirements IF I don't get a receiver.

And yes, Audio-GD uses a different system in the way it uses the volume knob. The volume knob has absolutely no noise whatsoever, and has a weighty movement on the metal knob, screaming quality. The E9's traveled a bit too easy, and had noise when adjusting volume. The only other one I tried was the Lyr, and I felt the AUdio-GDs were still much better. It also has zero channel imbalance.

 

[NamelessPFG]

Quote:

For whatever platform, a fun flight sim game or, even better, space flight sim, would be a fantastic platform for 3D surround sound. I personally think it could see the kind of console renaissance as we saw with FPS games that dominate the scene now, with a great game executed well.

 
I've thought the same thing, precisely because of those genres actually using the third dimension.
 
Only thing is, a realistic space "sim" wouldn't actually have any sounds in space, but there's the common justification of having the sounds all computer-synthesized for situational awareness purposes, like Shattered Horizon.
 
Have you thought about trying out Descent 3? It has DirectSound3D support, so just drop the ALchemy files in the folder and you're good to go. (I wish I could say the DXX-Rebirth or D2X-XL source ports of the first two games had DS3D or OAL support, but they don't.)

 

[Jason Bourne]

Quote:

I would think Sony would make the PS3 able to play any DVD or Blu-ray disk, no matter what audio standard is used.
And whoever makes the Blu-ray movie disks would provide enough different audio track "standards" to allow their disk to be played with different audio setups.
 
As S/PDIF (optical & coaxial) can not pass Dolby True-HD or DTS-HD Master Audio, you not going to get the "full audio experience" no matter what optical input device you use.
I would guess you would need to use HDMI for the "full audio experience".
I would guess something like Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS-EX audio might be hiding somewhere on the Blu-ray movie disk.
I would think once the PS3 turns DTS-EX audio signals into PCM, the PS3's DDL (Dolby Digital Live) should be able to compress it and send it thru the optical.

 
I had to read your post a couple times to understand what you wrote and after reading it today I follow you pretty much on everything 100%. Yes, without using hdmi you cannot really get Dolby True-HD or DTS-HD. They have to be going through hdmi, period. And yes, most blu-ray discs (90%) have DD5.1 as an audio track available along side DTS-HD, True-HD and other audio formats which the PS3 can send through optical. 
 
That all being said I understand that if I were to go the route of mixamp + headphones my audio would be limited to DD5.1 despite whatever better audio format was available on the blu-ray disc being watched and thats something Im willing to live with since my actual surround setup is simply too loud even at low volumes for my living space. I guess what Im saying is I HAVE to go to a headphone's setup for gaming and movies where I live now. 
 
So at the moment Im thinking mixamp + one of the following headphones (lol, long list I know):
 

[size=1.7em] Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro[/size]

[size=1.7em] Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro[/size]

[size=1.7em] BEYER DYNAMIC DT880 Pro[/size]

[size=1.7em] Beyerdynamic DT 990 Premium[/size]

[size=1.7em] AKG Q 701[/size]

[size=1.7em] AKG K 701/702[/size]

 
^^ Just not sure which way to. I would like to keep it under $250 for the headphones and want the headphones to have adequate bass while still providing crisp high's and balanced mid's (don't we all, right?). Chat is not a concern for me with gaming just focussed on sound for games and movies. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

edited, because I am apparently a ginormous herpaderping idiot.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

OMG! I do NOT know when the hell this happened, but there is an option WITHIN Blu-Ray playback on the PS3, where you can set the Bitstream (basically meaning the optical out) to Mix, instead of Direct. Direct basically means that there is no touching the audio signal whatsoever. I dunno what the hell Mix is and if it FOUND a Dolby Digital signal embedded in the Blu-Ray OR converted DTS to Dolby Digital, but YES! I can watch Blu-Rays in Dolby Digital!

The last time I checked those settings, that option was NOT there, or it WAS but since I didn't know what it did, I left it on Direct, since it's the raw signal! This was apparently added two years ago. :rolleyes:

So no receiver necessary! EVERYONE who has a PS3 as their main Blu-Ray player, make sure to change the audio setting to Bitsream MIX! I dunno about any other BD player and if such an option is available for them, but I certainly hope so.

I just found this, after seeing this option for the first time!

http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/PlayStation-3/Tricks-on-the-Bitstream-Mix-setting-for-BD-Audio-Out-Optical-on/td-p/36931958

]I have found certain tricks on using the Bitstream (Mix) setting for the BD Audio Output (Optical) setting on the PS3; actually a few.

This tutorial will show you how to use the Bitstream (Mix) setting to your advantage.

I've tested this setting and can prove to be useful for folks who have OLD Digital Surround setups (Receivers that don't support DTS, but does support Dolby Digital), and they tried to play back their DTS-HD enabled Blu-rays but only got no sound or Stereo sound.

Also, another trick became very useful to potentially get better quality sound for Blu-ray movies that have Dolby TrueHD and make it play back in DTS for folks who have a DTS/Dolby Digital supported receiver, but doesn't support the HD variants.

Anyways...

Make sure your PS3 has FW 3.30 or higher for this to work, I'm pretty sure all of you do have the latest FW.

Blu-ray movies with only DTS-HD Support for the main track and how to play back in Dolby Digital:

This is for the small number of people who have a much older receiver that lacks DTS support, but has Dolby Digital. These people are likely to be buying the latest Blu-ray movies that have only DTS-HD support for the English audio. If the setting for the BD Audio Out on Optical is set for Bitstream (Direct), and the Audio Output Settings has only Dolby Digital enabled (not DTS), they'll only get stereo sound. If Bitstream (Mix) is enabled, those Blu-ray movies with DTS-HD as the main audiotrack will be transcoded to Dolby Digital, and then you would have 5.1 audio.

What the hell Sony? I'd have to love to know what the hell this was AGES ago. I almost spent money unnecessarily to get DTS to work for my headphones!

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

This is not true, at least in the case of the main language (secondary languages like French and Spanish do tend to be encoded with Dolby Digital). Almost all Blu-Rays are encoded with DTS tracks. If you don't have DTS checked, the PS3 will automatically revert to 2 channel PCM (which is why you can't EVER uncheck it in audio settings). If you uncheck DTS, and keep Dolby Digital, the Blu-Rays will still default to 2 channel PCM. This is exactly why the Mixamp and other virtual surround device users are out of luck when watching Blu-Rays. We can't get Dolby Digital so it can be changed to Dolby Headphone. We simply have to deal with these devices adding reverb to a basic stereo signal.
If you have both DTS and Dolby Digital checked on the PS3, the Mixamp, etc won't play any audio, because the Blu-Rays are only playing DTS.
However, certain receivers (like certain Harman Kardan receivers), WILL convert DTS to Dolby Digital and then to Dolby Headphone.
Now, if you can somehow find me this 'hidden' Dolby track that I can feed to the PS3's optical out while watching Blu-Rays, you will officially be my audio savior.
As far as Dolby Digital True HD, and DTS-HDMA and what have you, yes they do have the basic non-HD tracks hidden within them. Like if you're playing a DTS-HDMA movie, the optical will use the basic DTS signal. The rare few movies that use Dolby Audio, will have the hidden Dolby Digital track (I believe Dreamworks movies seem to go Dolby instead of DTS).

I was making a "guess" about Blu-ray movie disks having a "hidden" DD 5.1 audio track.
As a blu-ray movie disks can hold 25GBs, adding a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio tracks would be under 1GB (?), so the blu-ray disk would have the room to spare.
If the PS3 defaults to 2 channel PCM and that is what comes thru the PS3's optical output, guess that is as good as it gets for the mix-amp user.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Check the last two posts before you posted. I can't believe I JUST found this out. I'm embarrassed. This is HUGE!

 

[NamelessPFG]

Sounds like you don't need to hunt down an SU-DH1 or a receiver after all.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I'm actually quite upset that I found this out TWO+ YEARS late. I have been watching Blu-Rays in basic stereo all this damn time when I could've enjoyed them in Dolby Headphone, due to Sony not clarifying what Bitstream Mix does. Not only is it impossible to figure out that this changes DTS to Dolby Digital, but it's only available WHILE you are watching a movie.You'd think they'd have this option in the PS3 Audio Settings. Stupidity really. The only explanation you get is when you switch back to Bitstream (Direct), where it says that some audio information may potentially be missing. :rolleyes:

I wonder if standard Blu-Ray players have an option like this, though I don't see it being useful for the vast majority of people, seeing as this conversion only helps those with really old receivers that don't accept DTS but accept Dolby Digital, or us here who have these niche devices that rely on Dolby Digital.

PS3 games do have the DTS option, but already have Dolby Digital in them.

I'm gonna have to edit the first post with this information later on. I'm sure lots of the PS3 users with the Mixamp/DSS/Recond 3D would LOVE to know this.

 

[Jason Bourne]

^^^ What just happened exactly in the last few posts above after mine? Are you guys saying the PS3 is capable of converting DTS to DH on its own by adjusting a setting in bitstream mix?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Yup. So if you're watching Blu-Rays, you can use something like the Mixamp to get Dolby Headphone. If you have the audio set to Linear PCM or Bitstream Direct, you will not get the Dolby Digital signal, meaning not Dolby Headphone.