[djodars]

   
Buy a sound card.

Care the explain the reasoning behind buying a sound card? All I heard and read here on the forums is that they are pointless aside from the softwares they offer (virtual surround for example, which I won't use) and that I should get DAC/AMP instead because of the huge difference in quality.
 
If you're still saying I should buy a sound card, do you have any recommendations? Should I go with the cheapest possible (Xonar DG) or with something a little more expensive (Soundblaster Z/Zx) and why?

 

[Stillhart]

  Care the explain the reasoning behind buying a sound card? All I heard and read here on the forums is that they are pointless aside from the softwares they offer (virtual surround for example, which I won't use) and that I should get DAC/AMP instead because of the huge difference in quality.
 
If you're still saying I should buy a sound card, do you have any recommendations? Should I go with the cheapest possible (Xonar DG) or with something a little more expensive (Soundblaster Z/Zx) and why?

 
Well you're in a thread all about the best headphones for virtual surround gaming, you mentioned that you have one of the best headphones for virtual surround gaming and that you play a game that benefits from virtual surround gaming.  Given those clues, I assumed you'd be using virtual surround gaming and therefore a soundcard would give you the best bang for your buck:  virtual surround plus a step up in the DAC and Amp categories.
 
If you're not going to be using virtual surround, you really need to frame your question better.  What exactly are the results you desire?  Better sound from games?  Music?  Movies?  How much do you listen to each?  Etc.  You can't just ask a question like that with no background an expect us to correctly guess your intentions.
 
You might also consider that this isn't the best thread in which to be asking that question, since you won't be using surround and you're not on a console. 

 

[djodars]

   
Well you're in a thread all about the best headphones for virtual surround gaming, you mentioned that you have one of the best headphones for virtual surround gaming and that you play a game that benefits from virtual surround gaming.  Given those clues, I assumed you'd be using virtual surround gaming and therefore a soundcard would give you the best bang for your buck:  virtual surround plus a step up in the DAC and Amp categories.
 
If you're not going to be using virtual surround, you really need to frame your question better.  What exactly are the results you desire?  Better sound from games?  Music?  Movies?  How much do you listen to each?  Etc.  You can't just ask a question like that with no background an expect us to correctly guess your intentions.
 
You might also consider that this isn't the best thread in which to be asking that question, since you won't be using surround and you're not on a console. 

Well virtual surround is just a gimmick as you can hear surround with basic stereo. I don't want to use virtual surround as they're not precise at all and they're not the sounds that the developers intented the user to hear.
 
I tried asking my question in different places but haven't had a single answer that explains everything clearly yet.
 
If you're saying that my headphones are one of the best headphones for gaming, in that case I shouldn't change them but either buy a cheap soundcard or get a DAC/AMP to get better audio?
 
The results I want optimally is best positional audio in games.

 

[Stillhart]

 
Well virtual surround is just a gimmick as you can hear surround with basic stereo. I don't want to use virtual surround as they're not precise at all and they're not the sounds that the developers intented the user to hear.
 
I tried asking my question in different places but haven't had a single answer that explains everything clearly yet.
 
If you're saying that my headphones are one of the best headphones for gaming, in that case I shouldn't change them but either buy a cheap soundcard or get a DAC/AMP to get better audio?
 
The results I want optimally is best positional audio in games.

 
If you want the best positional audio, I suggest getting a Sound Blaster Z or Omni and using virtual surround.  Upgrading your DAC/Amp or headphones will do nothing to improve the positional accuracy of stereo gaming, AFAIK.  I mean, there are ones that are rated slightly better than the Senns, but the difference won't be worth the money spent IMO.
 
This thread is all about people who don't believe it's a gimmick.  Chicolom posted a video a few pages back that compared stereo, DH and SBX on the same exact clip from a game.  Why don't you go listen for yourself and see if you can tell the difference and whether you think it's a gimmick?
 
http://new.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-update-7-9-2014-ultrasone-hfi-15g-added/25095#post_10770608

 

[djodars]

 
If you want the best positional audio, I suggest getting a Sound Blaster Z or Omni and using virtual surround.  Upgrading your DAC/Amp or headphones will do nothing to improve the positional accuracy of stereo gaming, AFAIK.  I mean, there are ones that are rated slightly better than the Senns, but the difference won't be worth the money spent IMO.
 
This thread is all about people who don't believe it's a gimmick.  Chicolom posted a video a few pages back that compared stereo, DH and SBX on the same exact clip from a game.  Why don't you go listen for yourself and see if you can tell the difference and whether you think it's a gimmick?
 
http://new.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-update-7-9-2014-ultrasone-hfi-15g-added/25095#post_10770608

 


I should rephrase what I said about virtual surround. Some games have good coding regarding the position of the sound (like counter-strike) and don't require virtual surround. Other games (like BF, COD and others), don't have good audio coding and REQUIRES virtual surround to hear surround.

As you can see in this video (disable virtual surround and close your eyes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUDTlvagjJA it's clear that with good coding, you don't need virtual surround.

As for the footsteps in CS:GO, I believe it's mid-range audio and that's why I'm asking if a soundcard or DAC/AMP would improve on this and if yes, which one is the best to do it. My guess is that both are good and if I only have a 50 ohms pair of headphones, a soundcard will be cheaper and do the same thing but if I'd have a 250 or even 600ohms pair of headphones, a DAC and AMP would be my best bet?

 

[conquerator2]

The SoundBlaster3D is pretty amazing so far.
Has it been established that leaving the surround slider at 67% is the best?
It is less immersive than DH but much more accurate and imaging is noticeably better as well but yeah, less cinematic.

 

[Stillhart]

  The SoundBlaster3D is pretty amazing so far.
Has it been established that leaving the surround slider at 67% is the best?
It is less immersive than DH but much more accurate and imaging is noticeably better as well but yeah, less cinematic.

Per the discussion on Chicolom's video, moving the slider towards 100% will "blend" the cues more so it's more "immersive" like DH.  Or in other words, 67% will give you more accurate details, 100% will give you more realistic sound. 
 
Personally, I prefer 67% to 100% by quite a bit.

 

[Murder Mike]

Maybe I'd be better off just getting a USB mic. Snowball, Samson, any other suggestions or tips from PS users experienced with using a standalone USB mic?

 
The Samson Go-Mic and Blue Snowball are the most recommended on the PC forums I visit. If you wanted to go a little higher, you could grab a Blue Yeti or AT2020. 
 
 

  Tomb Raider as an Xbone exclusive will piss off PC gamers, which isn't maybe the wisest move.  

 
IIRC it's only a timed exclusive. 

 

[conquerator2]

  Per the discussion on Chicolom's video, moving the slider towards 100% will "blend" the cues more so it's more "immersive" like DH.  Or in other words, 67% will give you more accurate details, 100% will give you more realistic sound. 
 
Personally, I prefer 67% to 100% by quite a bit.

K, thanks.
Yeah, I guess I'll use DH for immersive and SBX for accuracy dependent games. Or just choose
It does seem like the internals are noticeably better... More timbre, lets your expensive headphones shine Guess that's "less processed" for me
Also, no bass boost or crystalizer. Has anyone tried EQ it a bit [any EQ tips or tricks to try?]
I was a bit skeptical, but the Recon's SBX surround is pretty amazing and less processed by a noticeable margin...
I also bought a Blaster Z for my speakers while at it and compared to on-board integrated, it's a no-contest :]
DH is still great though and I suppose once DH-X is out, it'll kick it a notch up above...
Still, thanks for the tip everyone!
 
EDIT: Positional cues/imaging/clarity up a few notches. DH definitely "restraints" good quality headphones in a way, by overly processing the sound. I think I'd much rather use the EQ settings on the Recon3D than DH right now... Not saying it won't change over time but right now, the clarity boost is just phenomenal. It is a pretty weak source though, that's clear. TB DSP was at 40/100, Recon is at 50-55/10 that's on high gain! [custom +26DB]. Recon is -2 clicks below max vol.

 

[Yethal]

 

   
If you want the best positional audio, I suggest getting a Sound Blaster Z or Omni and using virtual surround.  Upgrading your DAC/Amp or headphones will do nothing to improve the positional accuracy of stereo gaming, AFAIK.  I mean, there are ones that are rated slightly better than the Senns, but the difference won't be worth the money spent IMO.
 
This thread is all about people who don't believe it's a gimmick.  Chicolom posted a video a few pages back that compared stereo, DH and SBX on the same exact clip from a game.  Why don't you go listen for yourself and see if you can tell the difference and whether you think it's a gimmick?
 
http://new.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-update-7-9-2014-ultrasone-hfi-15g-added/25095#post_10770608

 


I should rephrase what I said about virtual surround. Some games have good coding regarding the position of the sound (like counter-strike) and don't require virtual surround. Other games (like BF, COD and others), don't have good audio coding and REQUIRES virtual surround to hear surround.

As you can see in this video (disable virtual surround and close your eyes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUDTlvagjJA it's clear that with good coding, you don't need virtual surround.

As for the footsteps in CS:GO, I believe it's mid-range audio and that's why I'm asking if a soundcard or DAC/AMP would improve on this and if yes, which one is the best to do it. My guess is that both are good and if I only have a 50 ohms pair of headphones, a soundcard will be cheaper and do the same thing but if I'd have a 250 or even 600ohms pair of headphones, a DAC and AMP would be my best bet?

The Video You posted is a binaural recording made using a dummy head with microphones inside them that record the sound the way human ears do, it has nothing to do with game's positional audio. Both Battlefield and Call of Duty have good audio engines and render great positional surround sound (by that I mean actual 5.1 or 7.1 speakers), we just take that signal and output it to our headphones. If You really believe that virtual surround is just a gimmick then I'm afraid You're in a wrong place altogether.

 

[djodars]

  The Video You posted is a binaural recording made using a dummy head with microphones inside them that record the sound the way human ears do, it has nothing to do with game's positional audio. Both Battlefield and Call of Duty have good audio engines and render great positional surround sound (by that I mean actual 5.1 or 7.1 speakers), we just take that signal and output it to our headphones. If You really believe that virtual surround is just a gimmick then I'm afraid You're in a wrong place altogether.

I only linked the video to prove you could hear surround even when you only have a stereo source. It's all in the way the sound is coded and in CS:GO, you can hear surround in headphone or stereo mode and it's very accurate. Also, using virtual surround you can have delay during the calculation required to output the 5.1 to stereo and you can also have errors in the calculation or so I read. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[AxelCloris]

^When are you supposed to be receiving the HP200?

 
I should hear something today or tomorrow on shipping. Looking forward to hearing them. Current impressions of the EROS v2, buy a Monoprice 8323 and a BoomPro for $53.97 instead; $21.02 less than the MRSP of the GAMDIAS headset.
 

Destiny actually gets a LOT of hates on forums for being a glorified Halo with Borderlands system. I've seen it mentioned so much. To be fair, gameplay is exactly like Halo, but in a new loot based system. Bungie could've turned this into a Halo spinoff in the Halo universe, and no one would've batted an eyelash. The core Halo gameplay is there. Not that it's a bad thing. I prefer the Destiny Beta over all the other Halo games. I think the loot based exploration works for the big maps that Halo is known to have. Halo campaigns don't really do it for me, though the gameplay was always solid.

I have a thing for loot based action games. I'm anticipating getting Diablo III for PS4 once I have nothing to do. I sunk in 40+ hours on Dragon's Crown in a few weeks, because it was a fun loot based action game.

I would've liked Borderlands too, but the game is very punishing if you try to play alone, and when you DO play with others, they tend to be overpowered and carry you through all the missions. If I can't play the game alone well enough, I don't wanna play it. I don't trust randoms, and my schedule doesn't permit me to play with friends all that often.

If Castlevania: Harmony of Despair made it on the PS4... goodbye world. I would sink 300+ hours without issues.

Anyways, If it's popular, people are gonna find reasons to hate it. That's just how hipster bandwagons are.

 
I liked Halo and I absolutely adored Borderlands 2. Should Destiny be successful at taking parts that I loved from both and successfully sequence them into a single game then I am going to poop rainbows. No exaggeration, that will actually happen.

 

[Yethal]

  I only linked the video to prove you could hear surround even when you only have a stereo source. It's all in the way the sound is coded and in CS:GO, you can hear surround in headphone or stereo mode and it's very accurate. Also, using virtual surround you can have delay during the calculation required to output the 5.1 to stereo and you can also have errors in the calculation or so I read. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Yup but it is a prerecorded video, that's why no special hardware is required to hear positional cues. There is no delay involved in sound processing, at least not big enough for human brain to notice. Well, the best advice for You would probably be to borrow an internal or external soundcard, or find somebody in Your area who has such a device and hear for yourself. I don't see any other way. Also a nice DAC/AMP never hurts

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

He doesn't seem to understand virtual surround, binaural, and stereo differences, at all. Lol. I'd just leave him alone. All the examples were given to him, but he still thinks a binaural recording is comparable to what a plain 2 channel source does.

Binaural, AND VIRTUAL SURROUND ARE BOTH fed to a 2 channel device.... HEADPHONES.

I can literally pre-record a virtual surround demo, and it'd be no diferent than a pre-recorded binaural video. Neither a reflective on what is possible with just a 2 channel source.

 

[Yethal]

To put it easily
 
Virtual Surround = Stereo + magic