[conquerator2]

Hey guys,
Just a heads-up on the PX5 DSS transmitter.
Tested with the ATH-A900X and the noise floor is very, very low!
At high listening levels there is none. Only in the last 1/3 of the volume pot, there is very slight noise, but it's hardly hearable when no music is playing and it's way too load of a volume to use anyway.
In comparison to my PC soundcard output, it's might and day in terms of noise!
Very impressive in this regard as I believe the 900X are rather sensitive.

 

[vikaman]

Well, vikaman hasn't stated his sound preferences, I just mentioned the AD700 pros & cons to confirm what he/she has found from previous research. In a surround gaming audio thread, I make the assumption that surround and soundstage are important, and the AD700 (and Sony MA900) have the best soundstaging I've heard. And, I don't know how much a Sennheiser HD558 is in Europe, but £85 sounds like a high-enough price for the AD700x (my old-style purple AD700 were $80 US), I thought the HD558 cost a fair bit more. Still, the HD558 bass has better extension than the AD700x (I think) and may be more fun with music.

The FiiO E5/6 was just a suggestion to round-out the AD700, I personally enjoyed music more with the humble amp attached, but it is an optional purchase. No harm in trying a headphone without it first, and an amp could always be added later. Would be a good way to learn the difference made by output impedance. However, on that note, the AD700 didn't sound "bad" out from my Yamaha receiver either, and 32 ohms resistance isn't that different than 50 ohms, especially if you're trying to keep the 1/8 output to input impedance ratio suggestions.

Ha. Sorry, I had started a thread earlier requesting information for a gaming + rock music set up with surround sound. PurpleAngel is aware of that thread.
 
The incredible thing is that that the AD700x is £85 but with shipping and customs it becomes around £120. Local AD700x's cost around £180! It makes so sense.
The HD558 is £115 outright. 
 
But yes, I have a rock/classical preference with occasional gaming that relies on positional sound. 
 
In my thread I started out with the Grado SR60i, slowly moving away from that notion.

 

[Evshrug]

Conq,
What do you think of the A900x's size? Cool to hear the PX5 processor is good

I want to ask regarding the U3. So the xonar U3 is like a mixamp solution for laptop with onboard soundcard right? It emulate surround like mixamp in laptop, just like mixamp with console?
So if in my case is laptop usb -  u3 optic out - optic in aune x1 - fidelio x1.

Yisss...

Ha. Sorry, I had started a thread earlier requesting information for a gaming + rock music set up with surround sound. PurpleAngel is aware of that thread.

The incredible thing is that that the AD700x is £85 but with shipping and customs it becomes around £120. Local AD700x's cost around £180! It makes so sense.
The HD558 is £115 outright. 

But yes, I have a rock/classical preference with occasional gaming that relies on positional sound. 

In my thread I started out with the Grado SR60i, slowly moving away from that notion.

I mean, I bought my dad a pair of Grado SR60 (before the i version), he loves them and I liked what I heard. They're large on-ear headphones though, so personal comfort preferences come into play.
The HD558 is no bad choice, if you listen to music more than gaming the HD558 may be better as a well-rounded choice. Sennheiser's top gaming headset is based on the HD558 with a mic added, iirc. I used the AD700 for 3 years, it was very good but eventually I realized I personally preferred a little more forward headphone. Once you get your headphone, you'll be able to make your own call (though tbh you'll probably be pleased whichever nice headphone you try first ).

 

[vikaman]

  You might consider skipping on the E5 and AD700X and get the HD558 and plugging the HD558 directly into the U3.
I believe the U3's headphone amplifier is ok for headphones up to 150-Ohms.
The HD5XX series seems to do well with FPS gaming, comes with a decent amount more bass then my Audio Technica ATH-AD700s.
And the HD558s are 50-Ohm and are not as negatively affected by high impedance, my HD558 sound fair good plugged into my Yamaha receivers high impedance headphone output.

 
 

I mean, I bought my dad a pair of Grado SR60 (before the i version), he loves them and I liked what I heard. They're large on-ear headphones though, so personal comfort preferences come into play.
The HD558 is no bad choice, if you listen to music more than gaming the HD558 may be better as a well-rounded choice. Sennheiser's top gaming headset is based on the HD558 with a mic added, iirc. I used the AD700 for 3 years, it was very good but eventually I realized I personally preferred a little more forward headphone. Once you get your headphone, you'll be able to make your own call (though tbh you'll probably be pleased whichever nice headphone you try first

).

 
Thanks for the help everyone!
 
Think I'm settling for the AD700x. I've had a Senn HD555 before and the crack that formed on the headband freaked me out constantly, not too keen on reliving that on a HD558 (unless it doesn't occur on these headphones).
 
Think my final setup will be: Xonar U3 -> Fiio E6 -> AD700x.
 
AD700x: http://www.eglobaldigitalstore.co.uk/audio-technica-ath-ad700x-open-air-dynamic-headphones.html
Xonar U3: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-Xonaru3-Mobile-USB-Soundcard/dp/B004ZI5E1S
Fiio E6: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FiiO-E6-Fujiyama-IPod-and-MP3-Headphone-Amplifier-FREE-UK-POSTAGE-/300894883753?pt=UK_CE_MP3Access_RL&hash=item460ebb8fa9
 
 
Total comes up to around ~£160, which is well within my budget! Just praying the AD700x website is legit because that's apparently phenomenally cheap; the average price I've seen everwhere else is a £160-180.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Think I'm settling for the AD700x. I've had a Senn HD555 before and the crack that formed on the headband freaked me out constantly, not too keen on reliving that on a HD558 (unless it doesn't occur on these headphones).
 
Think my final setup will be: Xonar U3 -> Fiio E6 -> AD700x.

I believe the Sennheiser cracking problem was resolved a few years ago.
I've had my HD558s for a few years, no cracking problem.

 

[chicolom]

Hey guys,
Just a heads-up on the PX5 DSS transmitter.
Tested with the ATH-A900X and the noise floor is very, very low!

 
 

Is that base even available on its own (apart from buying a PX5 headset and having it come with it)?

 

[conquerator2]

   
 
Is that base even available on its own (apart from buying a PX5 headset and having it come with it)?

Some people claimed so.
The head-fiers supposedly saw some over at Ebay/Amazon.

 

[jtsanabria]

So after a good amount of research and questioning what to purchase to power my AKG K712 Pros, I'm narrowed it down to the following list:

Audio-GD NFB-15.32
FiiO E17
iBasso D42 Mamba
JDS Labs Objective 2
Matrix M-stage

I understand these are of different price ranges for the most part, but what are your opinions on this list? If you had to choose ONE to purchase, which would it be? 

Thanks.
 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I love A-Gd products, so I'd go for that, but you need to know that the 15.32 doesn't have an analog input, so you can't hook up a DAC or Mixamp to it. You'd have to get at least the Compass 2 to be able to use external devices. If you're a PC gamer, you can use something like the Xonar U3 to the 15.32 though.

 

[jtsanabria]

I love A-Gd products, so I'd go for that, but you need to know that the 15.32 doesn't have an analog input, so you can't hook up a DAC or Mixamp to it. You'd have to get at least the Compass 2 to be able to use external devices. If you're a PC gamer, you can use something like the Xonar U3 to the 15.32 though.

Would you recommend just purchasing the Compass 2 over the 15.32 then?

 

[SaLX]

If you get the cheapest Xonar (internal or external), a SBZ Oem or a titanium (non-HD), you can then output to the 15.32/E17 via Spdif and retain the surround sound processing, eq etc from whatever's cards software. All depends on your favourite form of surround sound. This method means there will be no noise from the PC's innards transmitted to your digital signal.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Would you recommend just purchasing the Compass 2 over the 15.32 then?

If you're a console gamer that want's to use their amp/dac with something like a Mixamp, yes, the Compass 2 is the way to do it. If you're a PC gamer only, then the 15.32 will be fine.

 

[funnyguy123]

So I'm using Razer Surround for my virtual surround sound. In the game what should my audio settings be? There are usually choices between headphone, 2 speaker, 5.1, and 7.1.

 

[Eric_C]

  So I'm using Razer Surround for my virtual surround sound. In the game what should my audio settings be? There are usually choices between headphone, 2 speaker, 5.1, and 7.1.

I'm guessing you want 5.1 or 7.1. Seems like Razer Surround is about downmixing actual surround sound signals, and making them suitable for headphones. 
http://gizmodo.com/razers-surround-software-could-turn-regular-headphones-571816919

 

[mpawluk91]

So after a good amount of research and questioning what to purchase to power my AKG K712 Pros, I'm narrowed it down to the following list:


Audio-GD NFB-15.32

FiiO E17

iBasso D42 Mamba

JDS Labs Objective 2
Matrix M-stage


I understand these are of different price ranges for the most part, but what are your opinions on this list? If you had to choose ONE to purchase, which would it be? 


Thanks.

 

Arrow 4g