[Mad Lust Envy]

I'm hoping the HD558's will have a similar sale soon.  otherwise I might just jump at the $104 refurb price on amazon from Dahmart.

Judging by my brief demo of the HD558, I like them more than the HD598 and PC360. More enjoyable as a whole.

 

[NamelessPFG]

Quote:

No problem. I ran into that issue as well and forgot exactly how I fixed it. I am using a custom driver with my Titanium HD though, maybe that's why. You can find more info on it here: http://www.hardwareheaven.com/pax-drivers/
It always made it better for me with cheaper headphones. But I found with headphones that have a huge soundstage, what it does is bring the sound closer which might actually be better for gaming.
Play a song with the X-Fi control panel open, and try disabling/enabling CMSS-3D during playback. If it's like mine, you should notice without CMSS (on headphone mode), the sound extends further back. With it on, it sacrifices some of the soundstage to make the sound more intimate to me, and give clearer mids.

 
The different drivers may have something to do with it. I just use stock Creative drivers, which are surprisingly good in the Titanium HD's case to the point where I don't really find myself missing Daniel_K X-Fi Support Pack support for this card.
 
I generally avoid using CMSS-3D Headphone with music, but when I turn it on, it doesn't shrink the soundstage to my ears so much as it moves the sound out in front, where the front left/right speakers would be in a speaker system, as opposed to the usual stereo headphone presentation of being directly out from your ears. This naturally reduces the usual stereo separation that happens with headphones.

 

[Makiah S]

Quote:

JRPGs generally don't exactly demand positioning. There's probably a few action RPGs where that might be pretty in. For music in general, Ar Tonelico's got an awesome soundtrack so you might want to try that.
I remember one of the earlier PS2 Atelier games had sound setting in the options. Don't remember if the setting went up to 4.0 or 5.1 speakers. I think it was Atelier Viorate, but don't hold me to it. Definitely pre-Iris though.
Speaking of JRPGs, I gotta go finish Tales of Symphonia on PS2. Never got around to finishing that.
EDIT: There looks like a nice poem or something in your avatar, Mshenay. I can't read it due to the crap resolution. You got a larger picture of that?

I have the Poem in my Sig niture :3 it reads "Boobs over flowers, tommorow I might really try" xD best poem ever <3
Quote:

I tried emulating Symphonia (Dolphin) but the sound was jacked up. Any tips?

Yea get over it, it's just how the game runs. I turn off the games BGM and run the OST from ToS off Foo Bar which is equally interesting
 
Also I'm playing the Ar Tonellcio and they are nice, and in addition I can run Wii games at max speeds

 

[widdyjudas]

Nice HD 650 review. I absolutely agree with your description, after I tested it before. Question: Can the E17 drive 650? Properly with good SQ? How is the music SQ compared to he400?
 

 

[lubczyk]

@Mad Lust Envy
 
Which revision o the HE-400 do you own now?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Nice HD 650 review. I absolutely agree with your description, after I tested it before. Question: Can the E17 drive 650? Properly with good SQ? How is the music SQ compared to he400?

 

The E17 will drive it loud, though without headroom for dynamics. I wouldnt settle for that alone. The SQ is amazing, just laid back compared to the HE400. They are similar in warmth, but the HE400 has and energetic sound the hd650 lacks. The hd650 as I mentioned, has better mids/vocals.

@Mad Lust Envy

Which revision o the HE-400 do you own now?

Not yet, but its the newest one, which is identical to the Rev. 2.

 

[mafiamike]

Hello gamer's, which audio preset's does everyone prefer on black ops2? 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I use the Treyarch mix, which is basically flat. Everything else is basic EQing of specific frequencies. Depending on the headphone, those presets would mostly hurt SQ, unless you have a pair of headphones that could use a bump in bass or treble...

Just dont use the Headphones setting, as its just converting it down to stereo, if its anything like the prior games.

 

[NamelessPFG]

If only some game developer would use an audio middleware where the "Headphones" option isn't some crappy one-dimensional stereo mix, but proper binaural sound...we wouldn't even need Mixamps or fancy sound cards at all!
 
But alas, current software audio middlewares aren't even close to what late-1990s PC games were doing with Aureal Vortex2-based cards and A3D. It's such a damn shame, since I'm sure we could do all that in software on today's hardware, even the wavetracing.
 
Meanwhile, that HD650 still tempts me as a must-review headphone, if not must-own (solely due to the pricing being well into used Stax territory). I'm sure my Onkyo receiver can feed it adequately through the front-panel headphone output.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

In the end, the HD650 is a love it or hate it headphone. Its a huge departure from the usual, so its hard to compare. All I can say is that I wouldnt like it as my sole headphone. As a distinct opposite of what im used to, they are amazing though.

 

[raband]

In the end, the HD650 is a love it or hate it headphone. Its a huge departure from the usual, so its hard to compare. All I can say is that I wouldnt like it as my sole headphone. As a distinct opposite of what im used to, they are amazing though.

How would they go beside HD598's? Do you think they'd be complimentary or overlap too much/replace the 598's?

I've got the 598's, but have a chance for a good deal on 650's.

I'm thinking they might be different enough to keep both.

598's for multiplayer FPS's, 650's for solo play RPG's etc.

598's for female vocals, 650's for male vocals sort of thing.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I think they blow the HD598 away for everything except competitive gaming. Much more enjoyable, IMHO.

 

[raband]

I think they blow the HD598 away for everything except competitive gaming. Much more enjoyable, IMHO.

Cheers - 598's can be left at the mixamp then

 

[RapidPulse]

I have both the 598 and 650.  I do feel like they are different enough to justify keeping both (using the 598 mostly for gaming though)

 

[lubczyk]

Well, I've been using the Samson sr850 since my Audio-Technica CKS77 crapped out and I've got to say....they're pretty amazing. For my first set of open cans I find that the air circulation combined with the great detail and soundstage great for gaming. Bass response is pretty epic too. It's not bloated but goes pretty deep. As a gaming only option, I don't know if there's anything better under $50.
 
I mean, I've tried the Audio-Technica M50, WS55, M-Audio Q40, Phillips Citiscape Uptown and Downtown and this beats them all in gaming/movie performance. Nice and Light with no clamp and a self-adjusting headband. Very comfortable. Music souunds pretty good too.
 
Makes me want to look into the Q701/HE-400/HE-500/HD650 but I don't want to have to mess with expensive amps. I'll just settle for the Fiio E09k.
 
I wish Astro would stock their Mixamp already. They said by the mid of November.