[I95North]

Just pulled the trigger on the Recon3D usb!. wow like i really need it but at $65.00 used i could not pass it up so tuesday i should have it. I wonder if it has the same dsp chip as  turtle beach's dss2??

 

[I95North]

Quote:

 
Assuming that we're talking about the USB version of the Recon3D, I hear almost no hiss on a Panasonic HTF600. The noise floor isn't dead silent, but I really have to go into analytical mode to detect anything.
 
When I'm done reviewing it, I'll send it off to Mad Lust Envy for another review geared more toward the console side of things, if he's okay with that. (Also, he can better test its amplification capabilities with the more demanding dynamics and orthos.)

So since you have it is it good for fps games?? can you tell the direction of players coming up from behind and most important hard right and left of you in close proximity??

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Just pulled the trigger on the Recon3D USB. wow like I really need it but at $65.00 used i could not pass it up so Tuesday I should have it. I wonder if it has the same DSP chip as Turtle Beach's DSS2?

All Creative's sound cards (like the Recon3D USB) uses Creative's own audio processor(s).
Turtle Beach uses someone else's audio processor.

 

[Mrniceguy633]

I think 10 hours but the annoyance is when your really groving to something or gaming online and the battery goes dead. Now you have to wait it seems like forever to recharge the dead battery..I'm sure using it with the HE-400 will cut the battery life in half but don't hold me to that i never gauged it but you have to remmember the HE-400 likes alot of current/power.

The more you drive them it seems the better they sound and the more your brain say's turn it up some more!! In the end you will have very short battery life.

Despite what everyone might say buy this or that buy something once or you will be like alot of us spending money hand over fist looking for the perfect amp in which their is none just your personal taste and color of sound that you like.

To end get something with more than enough drive power/ watts.. Better to have more than not enough. The E-11 is ok but all planners need more drive power than what that puts out i'm one that knows that now from alot of experimenting...

Just do your homework before buying alot of possibly unessasery amps,dacs,cables and the like that you may not like..Next  thing you know now is your changing pieces of your equiptment like crazy  looking for the perfect sound its never ending once you start lol.

Good luck

That seems logical and I certainly don't want to get to the point of buying, and selling, just cuz I find something that may or may not be "better". Anything at this point will be better than what I've tried thus far. I do game a lot, so that amp may not be ideal. I'll have to do more research. The HE-400s should be ok with just my mixamp for now without a Mic. Thanks for the advice

 

[I95North]

Quote:

All Creative's sound cards (like the Recon3D USB) uses Creative's own audio processor(s).
Turtle Beach uses someone else's audio processor.

oh ok cool.
 
Man only if turtle beach's dss'2 was able to be hacked and you could custom tailor the dsp the way you wanted would be bad a$@!.
 
EQ setting and sound angles for DDL 5.1

 

[I95North]

Quote:

That seems logical and I certainly don't want to get to the point of buying, and selling, just cuz I find something that may or may not be "better". Anything at this point will be better than what I've tried thus far. I do game a lot, so that amp may not be ideal. I'll have to do more research. The HE-400s should be ok with just my mixamp for now without a Mic. Thanks for the advice

No probs..
 
Also not for nothing some guys are running their HE-400's off of speaker taps from avr's and Home speaker amplifirers but at low volume and seem to like it that way.. 

 

[Mrniceguy633]

Do you need the amp to be portable? If not then a desktop amp like the O2 or E9 would be a good choice in terms of power/price. Or you could go for something higher end like M-stage, Schitt Lyr/Asgard. 

For Fiio's portable amps the E11 is the current top of the line in terms of power output, but doesn't have the DAC capability like the E7, or E11 (which you shouldn't need for gaming). The lower end of the line (E1-6) may not have enough power output to really be worth it. 

x2

If you don't need a portable amp, don't get one.  Get a desktop amp.  The M-stage and Schiit amps are probably overkill for gaming, but E9s are cheap on the FS forum (~$80), and the O2 isn't that bad either.

Since he's aiming for the 32ohm DT990, I'd say go for the O2 instead of the E9, due to the output impedance which may make the treble even more prominent off the E9.

Also, thanks for the amp recommendations. The O2 seems like a good choice at a reasonable price. Also it doesn't seem too terribly big either, which is nice

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

FYI, the E17 can be charged while its used.

 

[Mrniceguy633]

FYI, the E17 can be charged while its used.

O.o so I guess it's between the e17 and the o2 then. Good to know, thanks!

 

[Evshrug]

Hey guys, been busy but I thought I'd swoop in here with an update.

My Recon3D FINALLY arrived yesterday, apparently the USPS is so poor that they closed the hub at the neighboring city, and ALL standard mail is massively delayed. I only had a short chance to audition the Recon3D USB yesterday with Starcraft2 (not the most 3D positional game, but cutscenes are surround!), first impression is WOW! Much better and more natural sounding with 3D enabled than my Yamaha's Silent Cinema. The main difference is the lack of harsh echo, and i feel the processing is more subtle and natural. I installed Creative's software for Mac straight away and had zero issues connecting, playing with the EQ settings is cool and saving a custom profile to the processor is easy (last tab on the sidebar menu). They have a small THX video built-in to the software to dynamically test your changes while playing, but I think the native file is a little "dull" and misleading... You may end up overcooking the settings if you go just by that.

Before hearing the Recon3D, I had time from the mail delay to consider testing to see if HDMI or optical out between computer and receiver would suffice to serve as an external DAC, I'll still test for that functionality but my first impression is that the Recon3D is better suited for headphones. I read some people displaying concern about background "blackness," I admit I haven't tested specifically for that yet, but no soft static is heard while playing, and i feel there is a strong "contrast" between notes and rests, even enough to say that during a sound, I can feel the "air around the note" and it feels like its holding still, like sounds don't bleed into the background, if that makes sense... The less esoteric way to explain that is, with Starcraft2 set to "surround" and highest sound quality (no impact on FramesPS I could detect btw), sounds and effects were very crisp with authority on my Q701s.

Keep in mind, all the above is opinion based on short-term experience in a not-particularly revealing game. I just wanted to play and have fun, the analytical stuff will come tonight after I send out a few job apps The Recon3D delivered the fun however, and powering the Q701 off of just that rather than my more powerful receiver DID NOT LEAVE ME WANTING in any easy to perceive way.

Analytical tests will be done with Xbox 360: Oblivion (immersion), Reach (Competitive SWAT mode, Campaign intro for immersion), Batman: Arkham City (immersion), and I'll probably finish the night with some super competitive CoD4 I'm ready to review my Q701 as well, I just have to wrap up what I want to say about it from the notes I've been typing.

Also, the E11 is the only amp in FiiO's current lineup that can't charge and play at the same time... Buy it from Micca Distributor to get an extra battery & external charger and you'll have no problems, or you could always buy the battery separate (it's not proprietary). I actually prefer to have swappable batteries, slap in fresh while away from charging, no noise issues while charging, no End-Of-Life from a completely dead battery.

See yinz soon!

 

[Evshrug]

Also, if I keep the Recon3D for it's DAC, but find myself wanting another amp, my amp shortlist is the E11, O2, and Little Dot i+ for synergy with my Q701. I've seen three very positive positive impressions on the Bravo Audio hybrid tube amps, but not enough reviews to take them with more than a grain of salt (and a degree of background noise is expected with pretty much any tube amp). The e17 is a decent all-rounder, jack of all trades but master of none. An improvement on the E7 for sure.

 

[NamelessPFG]

Quote:

So since you have it is it good for fps games?? can you tell the direction of players coming up from behind and most important hard right and left of you in close proximity??

 
Some brief testing in a TimeSplitters: Future Perfect botmatch showed that it does indeed have rear positional cues, and with less of a gap than Dolby Headphone in the 6 o'clock area.
 
However, Dolby Headphone's positional cues have a bit more distance to them, not so close to your head.
 
This was with the HTF600 and my original Xbox; I'm still testing the PC side of things on my desktop, where my Stax Lambda setup resides. I also have yet to test it with a Dolby Digital Live stream from the X-Fi Titanium HD, which would allow me to better analyze how it handles Dolby Digital imaging in its various modes.
 
So far, I'm not exactly impressed with its USB PC performance relative to a proper X-Fi card, and the rear channel mixing can be rather quirky with THX TruStudio Surround off (yes, this includes turning Scout Mode on). It's better than nothing if you have a laptop that can't use a proper X-Fi card, though.
 
I still need more time for a thorough review. I've been very busy lately, what with handling a friend's Nexus 7 16 GB for shipment overseas, now doing the same for an overseas Head-Fier who wants an X-Fi Titanium at US prices, getting my Sony GDM-FW900 (YES!), and all the work shifts that have been piling up now that I'm the only one in my position for the time being. (But at least I get paid more!)

 

[PceLuvnSloMo]

I'm about to buy an Astro Mixamp and a pair of Beyerdynamic 990 32 ohms, just waiting for the price to be right.
I also purchased the Denon D2000 a couple months back, I'm liking the heck out of it right now, and once I get the Beyers I might do a little newbie review. 
 
Also, as a short-term but previous owner of the Recon3D, it was an absolute cord massacre in my room (with a mic attached). I had bought these previous to me knowing that my AX720 amp could accommodate other headphones, which was the main point I returned the Recon. 
But if you are not using these for XBOX and not using a mic, they would be excellent compared to the DSS for the price.

 

[Evshrug]

How do you know when the optical cable is in far enough? It's really tough to get it in all the way, and I'm afraid of breaking the cable lol. Seems really tight on the HD component cable that came with my Xbox & the audio dongle I got to use with my HDMI to DVI cable.

Edit: oh. I've never used an optical cable before, I didn't realize the diffused plastic tip thingie was actually a cap. Hope I didn't break anything... glad I tried first with my $3 dongle than the $70 ($130) Recon3D.

 

[Evshrug]

Edit: I orininally wrote my recon3D review in-thread, updating my post like 20 times as I played and added new notes, but for the sake of not bombing this thread I put my text in it's own review, here:

http://www.head-fi.org/products/creative-sound-blaster-recon3d-thx-usb-external-sound-enhancer-for-pc-ps3-xbox-360-and-mac-sb1300/reviews/7395

If its too much, you can pretty much understand the product by reading the intro and get my opinion in the last paragraph. I hope you read it, and find it informative!