[Murder Mike]

Quote:

hmm so i dont need the fiio d03k for my hd 585 headphones on pc ? 

 
No, it's something MLE uses because his USB soundcard is finicky with his Compass 2 DAC/AMP. 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Yeah, I don't get the confusion here. I said that's MY personal issue. if my Compass 2's spdif wasn't so finicky, I wouldn't need the Fiio D03K.

Again, this is just for when using the Xonar U3 external Dolby headphone device. I honestly could've just ran an analog cable to my Compass 2 directly, using the U3 as a Dolby pre-amp, but the U3 has a bad internal amp, which is why I wanted to bypass it entirely.

 

[chicolom]

So the U3 mixes DD 5.1 into a DIGITAL-stereo-2-channel-Dolby-Headphone-signal and passes that digital signal through optical?  That seems unusual, as usually Dolby Headphone is only applied with the analog out/HP jack.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

So the U3 mixes DD 5.1 into a DIGITAL-stereo-2-channel-Dolby-Headphone-signal and passes that digital signal through optical?  That seems unusual, as usually Dolby Headphone is only applied with the analog out/HP jack.

Yuppers. So far, it's the only Dolby headphone device I've seen that does that, making it indispensable, IMHO.

People were hating on the U3, when it may actually be Head-fi's best device for Dolby headphone gaming, considering amp and dac duties can be sent to legit devices.

Now if we could only get a device that does that for consoles...

 

[conquerator2]

I an using this device. I wonder how it compares with the other processors you mentioned
 

It has an optical in and out, RCA input and a 1/8 out.
 
It emulates 5.1/7.1 virtual surround, as well as dolby pro logic IIx
The device automatically select the supported format(s)
 
It came with the Turtle Beach PX5
 
So it goes PS3 - TB processor - external amp - HP
 
The device itself has an amplifier as well, as well as 2 volume knobs (one for the 1/8 and one for the RCA, so there are probably 2 internal amplifiers)
 
Works quite well IMO, no noise floor and the SQ seems decent, good spatial cues/ space rendering.
No presets though.
 
Supports bypass mode (sound passes through unaltered, without any sort of emulation)
Powered through USB
 
Tested with the Pro 900 and HE-6.

 

[daleb]

Quote:

no noise floor

I don't believe that's how it works XD

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I an using this device. I wonder how it compares with the other processors you mentioned

It has an optical in and out, RCA input and a 1/8 out.

It emulates 5.1/7.1 virtual surround, as well as dolby pro logic IIx

It came with the Turtle Beach PX5

So it goes PS3 - TB processor - external amp - HP

The device itself has an amplifier as well, as well as 2 volume knobs (one for the 1/8 and one for the RCA, so there are probably 2 internal amplifiers)

Works quite well IMO, no noise floor and the SQ seems decent, good spatial cues/ space rendering.
No presets though.
Tested with the Pro 900 and HE-6.

That's a Dolby headphone device. Like the Mixamp.

I assuming you're attaching your external amp to the headphone out on the device to get the virtual surround. You're basically doing what all of us Mixamp users do, using the device as a pre-amp for Dolby headphone.

What I mean is a NEED for an external device that retains the virtual surround through the optical out. Optical outs on devices like yours are passthroughs and only transmit either an untouched signal (usually Dolby Digital or down converted to 2 channel PCM aka stereo). I dunno how the U3 is doing it, but more devices need to do the same. I know some other PC devices and soundcards do virtual surround passthroughs, but that's like CMSS-3D, not Dolby Headphone...

 

[conquerator2]

Quote:

That's a Dolby headphone device. Like the Mixamp.

I assuming you're attaching your external amp to the headphone out on the device to get the virtual surround. You're basically doing what all of us Mixamp users do, using the device as a pre-amp for Dolby headphone.

What I mean is a NEED for an external device that retains the virtual surround through the optical out. Optical outs on devices like yours are passthroughs and only transmit either an untouched signal (usually Dolby Digital or down converted to 2 channel PCM aka stereo). I dunno how the U3 is doing it, but more devices need to do the same. I know some other PC devices and soundcards do virtual surround passthroughs, but that's like CMSS-3D, not Dolby Headphone...

Yep, that is exactly how it works.
And I agree, and HDMI out would be nice as well.
 
I tried connecting the TB and my other DAC to see what happens. The result was a loud distorted hissing sound.
 
 
EDIT: I do wish there was an audiophile grade device to use. Audiophile Dolby Headphone for consoles. Having an HDMI out.
Something like the Matrix S-Sabre for console gaming would be great...

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Sure you probably knew this, but that's because your 'legit' DAC doesn't accept Dolby Digital. The only legit DAC (not bundled in a receiver, etc) I've seen that accepts Dolby and DTS (without any virtual functionality) is the Fiio D07. It's for those who absolutely need to decode Dolby/DTS for something like a soundbar that won't accept those encoders, or devices with no way to convert them to PCM. I know my soundbar didn't, and I got the distorted sound when trying to watch OTA channels. My TV also didn't have an option to convert signals to standard PCM, so I was out of luck. That could've been rectified with the D07 (wasn't available back then).

 

[conquerator2]

Or isnt a DSD audiophile device what we are looking for? Is PCM the way?
As a matter of fact what kind of device do we exactly need to make the sounds as good as possible?
I guess we need the consoles to support sound through USB, or is the optical out fine? Isnt it the same as using the optical outs of our PC soundcards? (to a less degree of deformation)
 
I am still kinda lost as far as the gaming DH sound processing works. 

 

[Change is Good]

I don't game at all on a computer, but let's say I want to stream movies on my laptop and listen in Dolby Headphone. Would the U3 be my best cheap solution?

 

[Naingolann]

It's out...
 
http://ff6.ocremix.org/
 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Change, absolutely. Still, the headphone out isn't the best. 23 ohm output impedance. You'll want to at least bypass the internal whether by spdif, or just double amping with another amp.

Nain, I torrented it earlier today. haven't heard it yet though.

 

[Change is Good]

Would I be able to bypass it to my DAC then my amp?

 

[Happy Bullets]

Phillips X1 + http://v-moda.com/vtf-accessories/ Should = Pimp