[chicolom]

Quote:

MadLust, I'm looking at getting a Schiit Modi as my first DAC, how do I utilize the DAC to play both sound effects from let's say "skyrim" as well as music from FooBar. What plugins might I need from Foobar. I know my Internal Sound Card and drivers have options to output all the sound through another device. But I'm still not sure how to use an external DAC with a computer :O.

 
 
I would take that $30 Asus Xonar U3 stick over a $100+ stereo DAC (or any stereo DAC) for gaming. 
 
As long as neither the game nor Foobar take exclusive control over the device, I think they should both fall into the shared audio stream.  This means no using ASIO or WASAPI as those are exclusive modes.  If you route both to the "Primary sound driver" that usually throws them both into the shared mode stream.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I would take that $30 Asus Xonar U3 stick over a $100+ stereo DAC (or any stereo DAC) for gaming.

x1000000000000000

 

[Impulse]

The external DAC basically replaces your mobo's on-board audio once you select it as MLE described, you could even disable the latter in the BIOS and it will no longer show up on that menu. Tho if you wanna use it to hook up cheap speakers or whatever then you'll wanna leave it on.

If you're not messing with WASAPI there's nothing more to it, everything will play thru your selected audio device, period.

If you're leaving speakers or whatever on the mobo and you wanna be able to switch between audio devices quicker than going thru that whole process you can look on the Hardforum.com boards for an app someone developed, it's sole function is to allow you to switch audio devices from a right click on a taskbar icon.

It's on the Computer Audio sub-forum, I can post the link later if you want it and can't find it.

P.S. I also agree with WASAPI/ASIO being kinda irrelevant now if you're running Win 7/8 (for playback that is), due to improvements on the OS audio stack.

 

[Impulse]

Quick audio switcher for going between USB DAC and mobo on-board audio or sound cards on PC (or HDMI out via video card, etc etc):

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1656534

Also, I've found that generally if you plug in a USB DAC of any kind and select it, then later disconnect it, when it's reconnected again Windows will auto select it and switch back...

So it's a pretty seamless process if you're using a laptop or something where you'll manually unplug it often (or a small DAC like the U3, which you might plug in on the front ports), wouldn't even need this app.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Quick audio switcher for going between USB DAC and mobo on-board audio or sound cards on PC (or HDMI out via video card, etc etc):

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1656534

SWEET. Gracias, hermano.

 

[chicolom]

That's the same little app I use

 
Speaking of DACs, does anyone notice that sometimes your DACs show up as recieving an input signal?  I'm talking about on the "recording" tab of the audio devices screen.  Sometimes My E10 and ODAC both will have a strong green signal there, and unplugging and replugging them gets rid of it. 
 
What even happens if you disable or DAC from the recording devices tab... nothing?
 
I'm talking about this tab.  Sometimes my DAC and E10 will have constant green signals like that and replugging them gets rid of it...

 
 

 

[DoctaCosmos]

skyrim supports dolby and i'm pretty sure if you try sending anything other than a stereo signal to an external dac you will get white noise. Unless you just send it a stereo signal but then you're missing out.  I

 

[Grymok]

Quote:

Hmm.
Was just searching a bit for the DT 990 pro and premium on the prices. And here i felt over the Beyer T70 250 ohm for 521 USD,  but the ones of found on amazon.co.uk was the T70p 250 ohm and they goes for 665USD. 
This prices seems ridiculous cheap :O.
The DT 990 premium 250 ohm goes for 390USD on amazon.co.uk, but on this store 332 USD. The 32 ohm premium goes for 323 USD.
Is this pretty cheap or?.
Actually thinking to get me one of those T70 premium for that price, even that i need it for some FPS, but mainly music, and pt without an amp

No one can answer this? :O.
If it's really that cheap, i think i will grap one.
But how does the T70, perform vs the dt990 premium 250 ohm.?.

 

[xanderwolfe]

Hi guys, I'm new to audio and stuff.

I read the first page, and I think I like the AKG K702, not the anniversary edition, I tried it once and it really sounded good. But it's 560 USD here in singapore.
Also, I know nothing about setting it up for my gaming laptop. I know that it needs some kind of amplifier. 

I'm having a dilemma 'cause i found an Astro a40 with 2013 mixamp pro selling for about 400 USD,
I asked the seller if I can just buy the mixamp pro but he refused.

So my question is:
 
Should I buy the astro a40, sell the headset, save a lil bit more then buy the AKG K702 for Mixamp pro.
 
or
 
Buy the AKG K702, and buy something like the recon3d or the turtle beach dss, which is commonly found here in singapore?


Also, if I bought the AKG K702, can anyone tell me the requirements on how to properly set it up? like a checklist of what should I buy.
I'm hoping for the cheapest setup, but doesn't compromise the quality, because when I asked the salesman on the AKG K702, he proposed that I should buy the Predator Amp, which cost @ around 550USD. 

Anyway, my laptop is equipped with SoundBlaster Recon3di.

And my current headset is the earphones of iphone. 

 

[Evshrug]

Grymok,
Those are all priced above my budget, so I can't even think about them. Therefore, I don't know if those are relatively low prices, otherwise I'd give you a suggestion. Seems you are already in shopping mode though, does that seem like a good price from what you've seen? If so, go for it.

xanderwolfe,
The K702 is certainly a capable headphone. In the USA, the Q701 is very similar but a little cheaper, check if that's the case in your country too.

I have the Q701, I like it a lot, though to be honest I wish it had a higher impedance, like 120 or 250 ohms. Even if it requires the user to turn up the volume a little, it's easier to amp and avoid distortion at higher impedance. Anyway the Predator is a nice amp, but you should check out the new FiiO Mont Blanc E12, the desktop E09k, or even the lower powered E11. Both should be much cheaper, suitable for the AKGs, and available because they're made in Hong Kong. I haven't used an E11 myself, but I am enjoying my E12. If you already have a receiver with your TV setup, you can use that as an amp too.

I didn't know Creative made a Recon3Di. You should check to see if it already offers headphone surround. I like my Recon3D USB a lot and I think it's surround feature works great, especially on PC.

 

[zx6guy]

Mad, you reference some low level noise in your review of the Tritton AX 720 dolby box.  Have you (or anyone else) had a chance to test out the box for the new 720+? 
 
Can you (or anyone else) expand on your overall feel of the AX720 vs the mixamp?

 

[roguegeek]

if the comfort is improved, and now has substantial bass which is not obtrusive, and still retains it gigantic soundstage and detail-whoring capabillities, would it be worth it for $199?

IMO, If JUST the comfort is improved, they may be worth the asking price.

 

[Makiah S]

Yea, i figured. I found a guy selling a used odac. So ill save some cash n.buy it From him. He's getting a bit frost. So hopefully he will sell his odac 3/4 what he paid for it. I think he will.

 

[chicolom]

Quote:

Mad, you reference some low level noise in your review of the Tritton AX 720 dolby box.  Have you (or anyone else) had a chance to test out the box for the new 720+? 
 
Can you (or anyone else) expand on your overall feel of the AX720 vs the mixamp?

 
It looks like the "+" is just for some minor changes to the headset.  The box is probably the same.
 
The main difference between all of the dolby headphone devices is noise floor.

 

[BrecMadak]

Hello fellas, and wow, what a progress, over 700 pages already..
 
Been looking for a closed gaming headset for a while, that is about ~60 $  So firstly Koss KSC75 got my attention and then after i read elsewhere some about PortaPro it kept going, albeit as being not sure which one to choose, i felt asking would be the best option.
Here are my preferences as follows;
 
* Comfortableness is important
* Isolation is not on top priority, but not on lowest either.
* Low noise on mic
* majority of games will be from new generation, if not all be fps, but H&S and such..
 
So which models would fit my needs at best,and be as best value tier ?
 
 
Thanks for reading.