[halcyon]

RE: Comparing different 3D sound virtualization engines (Dolby Atmos, DTS Headphone X, Creative CMSS 3D, Creative SBX Pro Studio, Sennheiser GSX, Razer Surround, Creative SXFI) I stumbled onto this video:



Of course, you can just download HeSuVi yourself and try them out yourself. https://sourceforge.net/projects/hesuvi/

To my ears (on my headphones, on my soundcard w/ 3D virtualization on card turned OFF) Dolby Atmos, CMSS 3D and Sennheiser GSX sound the best in terms of positional accuracy (esp. front-back localization), without totally distorting the sound.

To my ears, using the settings in the video, Creative's new and improved Super X-FI (SFXFI) sounds like total crap. In fact, every single demo I've heard about Super X-FI - whether games or multi-channel music - sounds distorted, muffled and with bad front-to-back localization.

 

[halcyon]

Onkyo is entering the lucrative gaming sound market with its own sub-brand SHIDO. They demonstrated this gear at CES 2019.

http://www.shido-fsg.com/

Looks like there'll be at least a USB-based external sound-card SHIDO 002 (with 7.1 sound virtualization) :

And a headset SHIDO 001 w/ a detachable microphone coming soon:

Some initial info at different sites:

https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20190113-ces2019_onkyo/
https://audioduvillage.fr/onkyo-shido-lapproche-gaming/
https://www.phileweb.com/news/d-av/201901/11/46260.html

Tags: Onkyo, SHIDO, 3D sound virtualization, USB gaming sound card, 7.1 virtual surround sound

 

[WhiteHartMart]

Give the sivga sv007 a try

Thanks - I'll take a look.

I've also been looking at the Beyer DT880 (and then getting them modded for a removable cable), DT1990 and Audio Technica ATH-RX70. Can't get to try any of them first which makes this so difficult!!

 

[This Is Q]

I wonder if this would work with consoles.

That was in response to the Shido. I forgot how to quote haha.

 

[Fegefeuer]

I'M PROBABLY VERY LATE TO THE PARTY BUT

Dolby Access is now properly virtualizing 7.1 for any game I tested. Wildlands, Doom, Titanfall 2 etc etc

 

[mindbomb]

I'M PROBABLY VERY LATE TO THE PARTY BUT

Dolby Access is now properly virtualizing 7.1 for any game I tested. Wildlands, Doom, Titanfall 2 etc etc

are you sure? Does it set a 7.1 default format like razer surround does?

 

[Fegefeuer]

yes, I tested AC:Odyssey, Origins, Wildlands, Doom and a few others.

Titanfall shows 7.1 in the menu. It probably uses some APO stuff and tricks the game to output 7.1

Also, once you loaded up a game and check out the windows volume setting on the bottom right. It will notify you that Dolby Atmos for headphones is in use.

 

[mindbomb]

I tested windows sonic for headphones now in overwatch, and it still isn't working, but it's nice to see that dolby atmos for headphone is reportedly.

 

[Monsterzero]

My AstroMix Amp 2013 is starting to act up and I should probably be looking for something new soon.
I use K701,Fidelio X1,DT770s (250 ohms) for headphones. Modmic for mic,and game on PS4 only, and am constantly communicating with teammates,so mic input is a must.

Are there any alternatives that are better than the Astro for virtual surround on PS4 these days?

 

[Lay.]

My AstroMix Amp 2013 is starting to act up and I should probably be looking for something new soon.
I use K701,Fidelio X1,DT770s (250 ohms) for headphones. Modmic for mic,and game on PS4 only, and am constantly communicating with teammates,so mic input is a must.

Are there any alternatives that are better than the Astro for virtual surround on PS4 these days?

Sound BlasterX G6 in every way except game/chat balance control. I have the latest MixAmp Pro TR and G6.

 

[halcyon]

I'M PROBABLY VERY LATE TO THE PARTY BUT

Dolby Access is now properly virtualizing 7.1 for any game I tested. Wildlands, Doom, Titanfall 2 etc etc

Has anybody been able to find tests for :

1) Latency measurements of Dolby Access (Or other CPU-driver based virtualizers)
2) CPU usage % or sound stress artefacts during high in-game CPU load

Or has anybody run into any issues with the above?

 

[BrightCandle]

To my ears, using the settings in the video, Creative's new and improved Super X-FI (SFXFI) sounds like total crap. In fact, every single demo I've heard about Super X-FI - whether games or multi-channel music - sounds distorted, muffled and with bad front-to-back localization.

It might be amazing but because it isn't using generic cues but user specific ones it may not sound right to anyone other than the person who scanned themself. I suspect it is just bad because in my experience any binaural recording sounds binaural regardless of the generic average ear shape they used on the dual microphone input, so I find it hard to believe that all of them are so far from normality. What I think it is going to require is a review by someone who has experience with CMSS/SBX/GSX and can compare it on positional accuracy. I tried to buy one but I am not sure it is directly on sale yet or if they are just having issues with their website but now I am waiting for someone else to actually say "yeah it sounded garbage generically but once I measured myself and compared to my GSX1000 it is clearly better".

 

[illram]

It might be amazing but because it isn't using generic cues but user specific ones it may not sound right to anyone other than the person who scanned themself. I suspect it is just bad because in my experience any binaural recording sounds binaural regardless of the generic average ear shape they used on the dual microphone input, so I find it hard to believe that all of them are so far from normality. What I think it is going to require is a review by someone who has experience with CMSS/SBX/GSX and can compare it on positional accuracy. I tried to buy one but I am not sure it is directly on sale yet or if they are just having issues with their website but now I am waiting for someone else to actually say "yeah it sounded garbage generically but once I measured myself and compared to my GSX1000 it is clearly better".

I have it and I have compared it to SBX directly, and it is superior for positional accuracy. After you calibrate it. Its whole selling point is individual calibration so comparing a generic sample of it really does not do it justice.

From memory, it is better as far as positional audio accuracy than any other DSP VSS I have tried. I have tried SBX, Waves, OOYH, Razer, Dolby Headphones, Atmos, Sonic, and DTS. I have not tried the GSX or CMSS 3D.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Hello fellow Head-Fi gamers. I have been gaming with AD700/X-Fi Titanium HD for the past 8 years. I am having a hard time deciding on my new wireless headphone. I have an RS-185 on the way coupled with the Antlion wireless mic. However I cannot decide whether I should go for Amiron Wireless; it is closed back. From the comments I read around the web, it seems like Amiron Wireless should have a better sound quality than RS-185. Though I am not sure whether that difference makes up for the fact that it is a closed back. It seems like Amiron Wireless performs similar to DT1770 but less analytic and tiring. DT1770 is not really a go-to gaming headphone from what I gather but should be more fun/immersive than the RS-185, I believe. So here I am trying to decide.
Oh, and there is the GW100 but I have no clue how it compares to RS-185. I think I watched and read every review out there on GW100, RS-185 and Amiron Wireless. Nobody really compares stuff though. I care mostly about imaging and sound stage. Some fun would be nice too after all these years with AD700. I would appreciate some advice.
Thanks

Me, I would have bought a headphone amplifier and connected it to the Titanium-HD's line-output (RCA) jacks and bought wired headphones.
(an external headphone amplifier, with a low output impedance, should also improve the detail in the audio, for the ATH-AD700)
But that's just me.
We can assume you going to connect the Sennheiser RS-185 optically to the Titanium-HD?

 

[Fausst]

Me, I would have bought a headphone amplifier and connected it to the Titanium-HD's line-output (RCA) jacks and bought wired headphones.
(an external headphone amplifier, with a low output impedance, should also improve the detail in the audio, for the ATH-AD700)
But that's just me.
We can assume you going to connect the Sennheiser RS-185 optically to the Titanium-HD?

I just want to have a go at becoming wire free.

I have the RS185 at hand. It took me multiple days but I experimented with multiple configurations. Currently I am using Titanium HD's optical out which has the digital signal processd with CMSS 3D and feed that to the base station of RS 185. The base station and RS 185 performed very acceptable through analog connection with fairly low static noise. But I wanted to give RS185 a pure signal so I am using the optical out atm. It also has no static compared to analog which was very faint to begin with.

I haven't formed any deep comparisons to AD700 setup yet, but the sound stage of RS 185 is not on the level of AD700 which was not surprising. I hoped it would provide a more fun experience thanks to a better bass. The more bass was there but it did NOT lead to a better experience. I guess the rest of the sound feels a bit thin. At least when I put it on, it felt like I lost something initially. Maybe 8 years with AD700 made me even miss its shortcomings I will make a better comparison with my latest 185 configuration. First, I need to connect things in a way that I can switch between them (between AD700 and RS 185 | also both with CMSS 3D) quickly.

On another note, I took the plunge on Amiron Wireless as the initial expression of RS185 setup felt like a slight downgrade compared to wired AD700 setup. RS185 also has a much higher clamp pressure and the top padding hurt me. There are two independent pads on its top that are quite hard, leading to a feeling like of high pressure from 2 separate points on top of my head. I am hoping Amiron Wireless will be better for comfort. There is also the matter of latency. The 55ms latency (RTINGS measurement) of RS 185 is not game breaking but noticeable. It wasn't responsive enough for me as I play a lot of FPS games. I am sure I would get used to it though. Still, aptx-LL of Amiron Wireless should be around 34ms which would be better. I'll leave my comments on RS185 vs Amiron Wireless too when I get them. Amiron Wireless will be my first proper closed back headphones. So I am especially curious on how much I will lose on sound stage and whether it will be worth (compared to RS185) it sound quality wise.