[Murder Mike]

Quote:

To anyone else who bought Tales of Xillia... the game runs in Dolby Digital, unlike Tales of Graces F.

 
That's kind of exciting. I should really pick up a surround device for my PS3. 

 

[burritoboy9984]

Quote:

Nah, they should be similar.

I never got into the O2 because of all the inputs being in the front. That is a horrible design. I mean, REALLY, a power adapter input on the front? That is such a turn off.

 
It is easy enough to purchase one with inputs on the back, or build your own. I'll get pics uploaded of the one we just finished.
 
-Erik
 
Edit: We need to make the front LED dimmer
 

 

 
 

 

[Evshrug]

Nah, they should be similar.

I never got into the O2 because of all the inputs being in the front. That is a horrible design. I mean, REALLY, a power adapter input on the front? That is such a turn off.

I don't like the power on the front plate either, nor how the O2 is in purgatory between desktop and portable sized, and is kind of a miss for either application. In the case of the E12, I actually understand having input, output, and volume "at the top," all the cables and controls are at the top of your pocket.

And yeah, that volume pot is hella tight, but it doesn't have that bracket thing over it like the E11. Eventually, you get used to the angle you need to torque to get it turning.

yeah, that's true, it's not very pretty and nobody tried changing this. I guess they're loyal to the board design.

The great appeal is in it being the best and at the same time cheapest solution for tougher headphones both SQ-wise and in power.

Is it really the best though?

 

[firefly89]

Quote:

I have both the Xonar U1 and the Xonar U7. The U1 has the same interface and the same options as the U3. But it has a better headphone amp section. It is good enough for Games and Movies. And you have the optical out that can feed the Dolby Headphone signal to your high quality DAC/AMP. The U7 on the other hand has a new Dolby implementation. It contains all Dolby Headphone algorithms and sounds for sure not worse than the U1/U3. But they gave up the manually selection of how many channels you want to run. Dolby says it is selected by the source automatically to grant you the best multichannel performance. And the user cannot select 2 channel when he has a 7.1 source. The U7 has a coax S/PDIF out and when using it you can still use the DH function of the Dolby software. But as I have no external DAC I cannot proof how good it sounds. The analog headphone out of the U7 outclasses the U1/U3. You can also enjoy your music with the K701 for sure, not only games and movies.

interesting, thanks
 
so my choices are:
 
1) keep u3 and go SPDIF to external dac/amp (a fiiio?)- SPDIF won't work in OSX (massive problem, will probably get rid of the U3 because of that)
2) get u7 and use it as a dac/amp (assuming the coax output works in OSX- can anyone test this? just plug it in, alt-click on the sound icon in top right and see what outputs there are from the card)
3) recon 3d with dac/amp- mac drivers so SPDIF to external DAC
4) is there a creative equivalent of the u7? the x-fi pro usb card maybe? but not sure if it has mac drivers, and support for THX tru surround 
 
so basically it's get a cheap soundcard (recon) and go to a DAC/amp, or get a good sound card and be happy with that- maybe get a DAC/amp in the future
the more I think about it the more I think I should get the recon, and an external DAC/amp- i've just heard that DH is better than the tru surround that creative use
 
i'd be happy to spend £100, maybe £120
 
 
Quote:

I haven't used the U3 myself. Right now I'm using a DSS, analogue out to my tube amp, and I'm not particularly interested in seeking another DH product. I sold my Recon3D USB in a bundle with my AD700 headphones, a "complete gamer kit," but I miss the Recon, and I had it plugged into my computer via USB (dual-boots Mac and Windows, and it continues to provide power through USB even if turned off) and optical to my Xbox at the same time, then a headphone-to-RCA cable into my tube amp, then Q701. I don't currently own a proper external DAC, unless you count the DSS (works in stereo with the PC, but I don't use it that way), but that'll be the last thing I'll upgrade.

I'll actually make a weird recommendation. First, just plug your K701s into your device. It ought to still impress you with better refinement and detail, and be a clear upgrade. Then, save up for a good amp later, one you won't need to replace. It'll be like two surprises in just how great things can get, and you'll end up with a better amp.

I use a custom-made tube amp (a super simple 6DJ8 amp), a FiiO E12, and in my old apartment I used to use my Yamaha receiver for simplicity's sake (DAC, amp, surround processor, input switcher, and speaker amp all in one, with a remote control for bonus). Oh, I also used a FiiO E5 at first, that was ok and it did take a bit of the edge off of the treble, but better amps were better. Other good recommendations for amps are around, but I feel that tonally they're all pretty close if they're solid-state amps (which is partly why I'm playing with tubes), so pick one with a good match in high power and low output impedance.

I personally think THX TruStudio Pro was also an advantage of the Recon3D USB, but that's a taste thing.

 
how much would I be looking at for an 'amp I don't need to replace', i'd rather get that right away instead of a stop gap waste-of-money amp- don't really want to spend more than 200 max though, i'm not really an audiophile, and the law of diminishing returns doesn't interest me, I'm not a huge music listener and I mostly listen to quite low key electronic music- I only really got the 701's because they look awesome, and they were a pretty good price 

 

[firefly89]

Quote:

I haven't used the U3 myself. Right now I'm using a DSS, analogue out to my tube amp, and I'm not particularly interested in seeking another DH product. I sold my Recon3D USB in a bundle with my AD700 headphones, a "complete gamer kit," but I miss the Recon, and I had it plugged into my computer via USB (dual-boots Mac and Windows, and it continues to provide power through USB even if turned off) and optical to my Xbox at the same time, then a headphone-to-RCA cable into my tube amp, then Q701. I don't currently own a proper external DAC, unless you count the DSS (works in stereo with the PC, but I don't use it that way), but that'll be the last thing I'll upgrade.

I'll actually make a weird recommendation. First, just plug your K701s into your device. It ought to still impress you with better refinement and detail, and be a clear upgrade. Then, save up for a good amp later, one you won't need to replace. It'll be like two surprises in just how great things can get, and you'll end up with a better amp.

I use a custom-made tube amp (a super simple 6DJ8 amp), a FiiO E12, and in my old apartment I used to use my Yamaha receiver for simplicity's sake (DAC, amp, surround processor, input switcher, and speaker amp all in one, with a remote control for bonus). Oh, I also used a FiiO E5 at first, that was ok and it did take a bit of the edge off of the treble, but better amps were better. Other good recommendations for amps are around, but I feel that tonally they're all pretty close if they're solid-state amps (which is partly why I'm playing with tubes), so pick one with a good match in high power and low output impedance.

I personally think THX TruStudio Pro was also an advantage of the Recon3D USB, but that's a taste thing.

I might go for your option of just using the 701's with the recon/u3- but if you think an amp, or a DAC/amp would improve things (which would be better? i'm looking at the Fiio products, the e12 and the e17) I have the money right now so would like to go for it and not have to worry about upgrading again
 
if I got the e17 I could use it as a USB dac with osx, and as a SPDIF dac to convert DH audio from u3- or should I just get the recon and feed the e17 SPDIF for osx and windows?

 

[miceblue]

yeah, that's true, it's not very pretty and nobody tried changing this. I guess they're loyal to the board design.

The great appeal is in it being the best and at the same time cheapest solution for tougher headphones both SQ-wise and in power.

Says who? A whole bunch of people have modified where the inputs/outputs are.

 

[Fegefeuer]

Quote:

Says who? A whole bunch of people have modified where the inputs/outputs are.

 
DIY people for sure. I don't see any EU reseller doing this though. 

 

[miceblue]

Quote:

Quote:

Says who? A whole bunch of people have modified where the inputs/outputs are.

 
DIY people for sure. I don't see any EU reseller doing this though. 

Well yeah...
 
Quote:

Anyone is free to use the O2 design, as presented here, if they comply with the Creative Commons
 
No Derivative Works — You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work.

 

[Evshrug]

interesting, thanks

so my choices are:

1) keep u3 and go SPDIF to external dac/amp (a fiiio?)- SPDIF won't work in OSX (massive problem, will probably get rid of the U3 because of that)
2) get u7 and use it as a dac/amp (assuming the coax output works in OSX- can anyone test this? just plug it in, alt-click on the sound icon in top right and see what outputs there are from the card)
3) recon 3d with dac/amp- mac drivers so SPDIF to external DAC
4) is there a creative equivalent of the u7? the x-fi pro usb card maybe? but not sure if it has mac drivers, and support for THX tru surround 

so basically it's get a cheap soundcard (recon) and go to a DAC/amp, or get a good sound card and be happy with that- maybe get a DAC/amp in the future
the more I think about it the more I think I should get the recon, and an external DAC/amp- i've just heard that DH is better than the tru surround that creative use

i'd be happy to spend £100, maybe £120

how much would I be looking at for an 'amp I don't need to replace', i'd rather get that right away instead of a stop gap waste-of-money amp- don't really want to spend more than 200 max though, i'm not really an audiophile, and the law of diminishing returns doesn't interest me, I'm not a huge music listener and I mostly listen to quite low key electronic music- I only really got the 701's because they look awesome, and they were a pretty good price 

About your choices... I don't think the U3 has full functionality with OS X, in fact I'm pretty sure it just would show up as a generic stereo device. So probably no DH from that. Second, I've been very specific to NOT ABBREVIATE Recon3D USB, because there are Recon3D internal soundcards (no native Mac drivers for these by Creative) and then there's the USB unit that does have Mac drivers and CAN address DDL input from consoles S/PDIF optical so that consoles can supply surround sound. Third, the Recon3D USB does not have a digital output to connect to another DAC... the Recon3D USB >is< the DAC, and you would want to double amp using the analogue headphone jack. Don't worry, this works pretty well because the noise floor of the Recon3D USB is pretty low, I've had good/great results with all my amps.

Creative makes an X-Fi Go! Pro (or something similarly named) that is the equivalent USB stick as the Asus Xonar U3, but it says on the product page that it doesn't support Mac either. OS X may still mount it as a generic stereo device, but that doesn't give you a benefit over the pretty good internal sound on Apple computers (most of their headphone jacks also double as optical outputs, too).

I've mentioned before, Creative is rumored to be making another Mac-compatible external sound device, but I don't know what that'll support and I bet it's at least a few months away.

I might go for your option of just using the 701's with the recon/u3- but if you think an amp, or a DAC/amp would improve things (which would be better? i'm looking at the Fiio products, the e12 and the e17) I have the money right now so would like to go for it and not have to worry about upgrading again

if I got the e17 I could use it as a USB dac with osx, and as a SPDIF dac to convert DH audio from u3- or should I just get the recon and feed the e17 SPDIF for osx and windows?

Yeah, here's where I think you're saying that you think the Recon has a digital out... It doesn't. The E17 is a DAC/amp, and the Recon3D USB is a DAC/amp with only a headphone output, the E17's amp section is stronger than the Recon3D's but neither is really good amping for the K701 by themselves. A receiver with headphone surround (like the old Denon/Marantz receivers with DH, old and current Yamaha receivers with Silent Cinema, and other manufacturer's implimentations) would have a decent amp section to be an all-in-one solution for the K701, you can get one like mine for less than $200 US dollar. If you use the Recon3D USB + an amp, that amp could be a FiiO E09k or E12, Little Dot i+, or one of the amps Head-Fi user Chicolom has enjoyed with his Q701 (Matrix M-Stage, iFi iCAN). Some people like the Objective2, but I think it's the person child of a desktop and portable amp that borders on analytical sound and was designed to prove a point and make NuForce look bad; it's a good value SQ-wise but I probably won't buy one.

Does that help any? I'm falling as.eep, and typing/concentrating is getting hard when some of my blinks starts some REM activity. Goodnight my friends on Head-Fi!

 

[calpis]

Slowly read through like 50 pages of posts while listening and still loving my Pro2900 playing my new guilty pleasure, the new Tommy Feb6 album. I'm still trying to figure out how to pick up a TH600 :/
 
Quote:

To anyone else who bought Tales of Xillia... the game runs in Dolby Digital, unlike Tales of Graces F.

I say this, because if you're using Millia, the very first area of the game when you're in control of her has some water running in the distance which offers very fantastic positional cues.

I'm sure the game has plenty of more, but just thought I'd mention this as I just now heard it, and I have to immediately go to sleep, lol.

 
I should be getting my copy from Amazon tomorrow. Not sure when I'm going to start it since I picked up Time and Eternity about 2 weeks ago. The game and audio is pretty bad and I had to switch playing it in stereo since the voice mixing is pretty horrid in DH. This is bad since the japanese voice cast has some of my favorites :/ Oh well, I'm only playing it for an hour or 2 every other day so...

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I heard that game was... not good. I was looking forward to it just based on the character models looking like they came straight out of an anime, but reviews have slammed the game, and just from what I've seen, I probably would've been peeved to waste that much money on a dud. I want to help keep jrpgs alive, but companies need to start localizing the GOOD games, not these lackluster titles. There's so much of a backlog that they can localize and be popular now, but companies would never do that.

I'm so excited for Xillia. My last real, lengthy, console RPG played was tales Graces F, which was a year ago. That's how scarce JRPGs are now.

 

[calpis]

I haven't really played a JRPG that I wanted to finish to completion in over a decade now. I tried plenty but lost interest quickly. I have a few sealed JRPGs (Resonance of Fate, P4G, and a few more) that I will give a shot later but for now the Pre-order goodies in Xillia got the best of me lol. Still want to pick up Dragon's Crown and play a bit of it before Saints Row 4 comes out because I feel that game will consume me for a good month.

 

[Vicx]

Mad Lust, great, great thread. I was going to buy the Astro A40 + mixamp for PS3 gaming, but after reading this thread it seems like I should forget the A40 and just buy the mixamp alone as I already own the Denon D2000 which I use just for music on PC, should I go ahead with it? I mainly play BF3 and Black Ops 2 so I think the D2000's soundstage should be good for these games.
 
Just trying to decide whether to buy the 2012 or 2013 mixamp. From what I've read the 2013 ed. is better but unreliable.
 
I started a thread here but I think this thread has answered my question: http://www.head-fi.org/t/675626/d2000-on-ps3-pc-with-astro-mixamp
 
I also read your DT990 review which seems even better than the D2000 for gaming, so I might consider that in the future.
 
 
this quote was also helpful: http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-updated-7-18-2013-philips-fidelio-x1-added/4695#post_8222587
Quote:

The Beyerdynamic DT990s will give you a bigger soundstage with more "3D" sounding spatial cues and some extra bass will add to the immersion too.  Any version of those will probably benefit from an amp though.
 
The D2000s aren't as "3D" as the Beyers but they have plenty of bass, go deeper than the DT990 or HD650 and should be fine from your mixamp.
 
I found both of those to be have pretty fatiguing treble but many other people aren't bothered by it at all so it depends on your preferences.
 
The HD650s are smooth, detailed, and relaxed.  IMO they don't really excel at anything but they don't do anything badly because they don't have any glaring weakness either.  I think that they're more of an all-rounder.
 
The D2000 or DT990 will likely pull you into the game or movie a bit more than the HD650 and games and movies will probably mask the D2000's and DT990's weaknesses (to those people who think the treble is a weakness anyway) since in games in movies the focus isn't always on the music.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Though I haven't heard the D2000, if the soundstage is in the same realm as the D7000, i think you're in a very good place as far as a fun gaming headphone goes. Considering it sits between the Creative Aurvana Live and the D7000 as far as Fostex headphones go, I think I'd just get the Mixamp alone, if you're not in need of a headset.

I personally find the pre-2013 Mixamps to be better than the 2013, due to way less hiss on the older models, though while gaming, the hiss isn't problematic on the 2013. The 2013 Mixamp has the advantage of having EQ-presets, to tune your sound a little, though I personally don't like to tweak a headphone's sound unless it's a horrible headphone, or if there is something problematic like too much treble, etc.

 

[Vicx]

awesome, I'll go ahead and buy the Astro mixamp once I've decided which edition I'll get. I'll recoup the cost from selling my Sony Pulse 7.1 headset. Looks like I'll only need one headset for PC, PS3 and drumming (TD-12). You're providing a great service for humanity with this thread.
 
Decided not to buy the DT990, I think I'd prefer the bass of the D2000 instead and it's more comfortable. The DT990 looks similar to the Pulse which aren't very comfortable after an hour or so, it's strange because the first Sony headset had much bigger cups and far more comfortable.