[Mad Lust Envy]

Pro logic II turns 2 discreet channels into 5.1 channels.
Pro logic IIx turns 2.0 and 5.1 discreet channels into 7.1 channels.


and then we have Pro Logic IIz

To Mad Lust Envy : 

If we set the input to 7.1, and turn DH on, we always get virtual 7.1, no matter  what game we play ? [Games could output 7.1 or 5.1 channels]

No. The game must have discrete channels built into its sound. For example, lots of indie games only do stereo.

But for most standard titles, yes, you'll get surround.

If listening to music, just uncheck the DH button in the U3 software settings.

 

[NamelessPFG]

Do I have to explain Dolby Pro Logic II again?
 
For our purposes, it's a DECODER. Enabling that decoder on a two-channel signal with no Pro Logic channel data matrixed into it (usually with out-of-phase trickery for the rear channels) is completely pointless, like trying to somehow enable a Dolby Digital or DTS decoder on a two-channel PCM stream.
 
It's just that the Dolby Digital and DTS decoders can be automatically enabled and disabled as needed, since it's easy for a device to tell what kind of signal it's getting over S/PDIF and HDMI. Analog inputs? Not so much, hence why Pro Logic needs to be manually switched.
 
There are Pro Logic II channel tests out there to tell you whether it's working right or not. SoulCalibur II had one built-in, for an example off the top of my head, and you could probably find some environmental sound in Metroid Prime to test with.
 
Yes, discrete surround is better than matrixed surround; there's inherently less crosstalk when you can keep the signals separate. But even matrixed surround, decoded properly by a device that supports it, is better than just plain stereo.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

@JamesFiiO
, can you please manufacture a device (with a Dolby Headphone processor and chat capability) that will blow the other competition away?!? I know you can do it! I mean, you are FiiO!!!

Everyone who agrees quote me with a +1

That should grab they're attention

Spoiler: Lots of plus-1s

+2
Using a FiiO E17 with a surround DSP added would easily blow the competition away, but HDMI passthrough (instead of coaxial?) would make it future-proof.

(Is this posted on a FiiO page? And if so, which one?)

+1

10/10 would do again

JamesFiiO

Seriously, I have been a Fiio fan since picking up the E5 as my very first amp.

E5, E7, E9, E9K, E17, E12, D3, D03K

I have owned all of these, MULTIPLE times for some.

I would be first in line for an equivalent to the E17 with Dolby Headphone virtual surround capabilities. (DH2)

I have been waiting to recommend a Dolby headphone dac/amp that would also work for non-gaming applications when turning DH off.

+1 on the E17 similarity but without the rechargeable battery, please (strictly USB powered like the mixamp, Recon USB, DSS, etc). I think we all would prefer more internal room for better performance...

I don't know... I'm looking at these posts but I'm not familiar with this market. I know the principle--preset a device as a 7.1 sound card to the PC, funnel the 8 channels received into 2 channel headphone output via HRTF processing, add a mic input for those in-game group calls... so can somebody summarize the current offerings on the market? And what do you guys find lacking about them? Is it mainly a lack of amplifier fidelity? So you want us to do the same thing as they are doing, but with a better amp section, maybe a line out and digital out for connecting to even better DACs and amps? Or is there something you want us to do better about the digital processing section too?

 

[AxelCloris]

I don't know... I'm looking at these posts but I'm not familiar with this market. I know the principle--preset a device as a 7.1 sound card to the PC, funnel the 8 channels received into 2 channel headphone output via HRTF processing, add a mic input for those in-game group calls... so can somebody summarize the current offerings on the market? And what do you guys find lacking about them? Is it mainly a lack of amplifier fidelity? So you want us to do the same thing as they are doing, but with a better amp section, maybe a line out and digital out for connecting to even better DACs and amps? Or is there something you want us to do better about the digital processing section too?

 
We want a better DAC, better amp, multiple inputs, and of course mic input for chat with console support. I'd love for it to have USB input as well for PC and console gaming. There's only one device that I know of that can natively handle console, PC and Mac gaming without additional hardware, and that's the Creative Recon3D USB. I'd love for a device from Fiio that directly competes with it and has multiple inputs with Fiio's better amps and DAC. Currently I have to amp off my Recon3D to get the best sound.
 
Console
Astro Mixamp
Creative Recon3D USB
Tritton 720+ 
Turtle Beach DSS
 
PC
Asus Xonar U1/2/3/7
Creative Recon3D USB
Creative Sound Blaster Omni
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi
 
Mac
Creative Recon3D USB
Creative Sound Blaster Omni
 
There may be more than this out there but these are all the ones that are coming to mind. I can update the list if people have more that I'm overlooking or forgetting. This list is specifically devices that let you bring your own headphones. Devices that are exclusively paired with a single headset should not be considered.

 

[Fegefeuer]

All current devices that do HRTF processing are generally bad with the exception of the Beyerdynamic Headzone which is very expensive or let's say too expensive for the gamer market (plus it doesn't have voice support) so excluding that device we are left with generally bad devices with high impedance outputs, low frequency cutoff (35Hz), hiss, high noisefloor, bad amping in general. We have no better choice, it's downright sad. 
 
The current best offer is the Astro Gaming Mixamp which uses Dolby Headphone like most of these devices actually (beyerdynamic is using their own formula). It suffers from hiss, high noise floor, doesn't extend below 35Hz and has an impedance out of ridiculous 32Ohms, yet it's better than all others. That's how bad the situation is.
 
The features you mentioned are what we actually want:
 
Console/PC with Dolby Digital and DTS (would be best if possible) output--> FiiO Device with Dolby Headphone (DH 2)/AstoundSound/DTS Headphone X, any current good HRTF DSP-> binaural stereo signal -> Headphone Out
 
Low impedance output, better amp section. The possibility to output the fully processed binaural stereo signal to digital out for other dac/amps would be superb actually.

 

[1llest]

Can you adjust Chat volume with the Creative Recon3D usb? And is it better than the astro mixamp?

 

[conquerator2]

   
We want a better DAC, better amp, multiple inputs, and of course mic input for chat with console support. I'd love for it to have USB input as well for PC and console gaming. There's only one device that I know of that can natively handle console, PC and Mac gaming without additional hardware, and that's the Creative Recon3D USB. I'd love for a device from Fiio that directly competes with it and has multiple inputs with Fiio's better amps and DAC. Currently I have to amp off my Recon3D to get the best sound.
 
Console
Astro Mixamp
Creative Recon3D USB
Tritton 720+ 
Turtle Beach DSS
 
PC
Asus Xonar U1/2/3/7
Creative Recon3D USB
Creative Sound Blaster Omni
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi
 
Mac
Creative Recon3D USB
Creative Sound Blaster Omni
 
There may be more than this out there but these are all the ones that are coming to mind. I can update the list if people have more that I'm overlooking or forgetting. This list is specifically devices that let you bring your own headphones. Devices that are exclusively paired with a single headset should not be considered.

I guess a DAC/amp unit, like the E17, that supports DTS processing [Dolby Headphone mainly], has digital inputs [optical, usb, HDMI], possible some analogue inputs [RCA in, line in] a headphone out and possibly an HDMI output too. We need the outputs to output the DSP processed sound too.
It would be cool if it could stand as a DSP processor only [like the U3 can] so we can connect our own DAC/amps to it as well.
Works with both PC and consoles. I don't personally mind either if the unit runs off DC or usb power.
An all-in-one gaming unit basically.

 

[chicolom]

I don't know... I'm looking at these posts but I'm not familiar with this market. I know the principle--preset a device as a 7.1 sound card to the PC, funnel the 8 channels received into 2 channel headphone output via HRTF processing, add a mic input for those in-game group calls... so can somebody summarize the current offerings on the market? And what do you guys find lacking about them? Is it mainly a lack of amplifier fidelity? So you want us to do the same thing as they are doing, but with a better amp section, maybe a line out and digital out for connecting to even better DACs and amps? Or is there something you want us to do better about the digital processing section too?

 
You're on the right track...
 
Also, we went ahead and made a dedicated thread for it here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/699717/petition-for-a-gaming-device-from-fiio

 

[AxelCloris]

Can you adjust Chat volume with the Creative Recon3D usb? And is it better than the astro mixamp?

 
If you're asking can you increase the chat volume in my headset like the Mixamp, yes I can in the Recon's software settings. But it's not something you can do while on the console, you have to set it beforehand. If you're asking about boosting it for others to hear, no idea. I wouldn't say that it's necessarily better than the Mixamp. The Recon handles THX TrueSound and the Mixamp does Dolby Headphone. They're different and everyone has preferences. I personally like both. I chose the Recon as it has native Mac support and I game on Mac and PC.
 

  I guess a DAC/amp unit, like the E17, that supports DTS processing [Dolby Headphone mainly], has digital inputs [optical, usb, HDMI],a headphone out and possibly an HDMI output too.
It would be cool if it could stand as a DSP processor only [like the U3 can] so we can connect our own DAC/amps to it as well.

 
The digital output could be useful to console gamers, I'll agree. I feel that with PC gaming most will just run an integrated card out to my DAC/amp and go from there. So if they can integrate a digital out it might help console gamers. I'd still prefer to see better integrated components than those in the Mixamp and Recon3D so another DAC/amp won't be needed.

 

[retiredat21]

Does anyone know the difference between the creative recon3d and the soundblaster omni surround? Features seem the same.. but im not really sure..

 

[AxelCloris]

Does anyone know the difference between the creative recon3d and the soundblaster omni surround? Features seem the same.. but im not really sure..

 
Recon3D can be used with consoles. The Omni is computer only. The optical on the Omni is an output.

 

[retiredat21]

Recon3D can be used with consoles. The Omni is computer only. The optical on the Omni is an output.

thanks for the reply.. how about sound quality.. thx surround and sbx surround. Are they the same?

 

[noswej]

Hey all, I'm looking for something specific and thought this thread could be the right place to ask. Summary:
- Headphones must be closed and over ear.
- Purpose:  PC Gaming for fun, fps, rts, rpg etc. Movies and music (electro, chill, drum n bass, rock). Must isolate sound.
- I am in Australia, land of the everything overpriced. Amazon does ship, but not all models etc.
- Price range is about $200-300. <$200 is even better
- Have no amp/soundcard

Thanks for any help, it is greatly appreciated!

 

[AxelCloris]

thanks for the reply.. how about sound quality.. thx surround and sbx surround. Are they the same?

 
Unfortunately I've never heard the Omni. I'd like to at some point but since I haven't I can't comment on the sound quality or the SBX. THX sounds nice to my ears. The Recon3D is decent at powering headphones, but it's not great. I have run my HD650 directly off it in the past. But that was before I got my E12. And now the E12 is always topped up to be ready for gaming.
 
Random note. I can't talk about specifics, but the soundtrack in Elder Scrolls Online is lovely. The sound design still has a bit to go, but it's getting better.
 
Edit: Oh hey, 1000 posts. Whee.

 

[AxelCloris]

  Hey all, I'm looking for something specific and thought this thread could be the right place to ask. Summary:
- Headphones must be closed and over ear.
- Purpose:  PC Gaming for fun, fps, rts, rpg etc. Movies and music (electro, chill, drum n bass, rock). Must isolate sound.
- I am in Australia, land of the everything overpriced. Amazon does ship, but not all models etc.
- Price range is about $200-300. <$200 is even better
- Have no amp/soundcard

Thanks for any help, it is greatly appreciated!

 
So does the $300 max budget include buying a soundcard and amp?