[happycamperjack]

Well yes, but I'm talking about the head-tracking on its own won't make that much of difference in terms of positional cues, at least I fail to see exactly how that would work.

Consoles can't output audio thru USB (USB is for chat audio only, at least on xbox), let alone surround.

Is there a reason GSX and the mobious lack the optical input (is there a limitation compared to USB) to decode DD/DTS signal and apply their processing ? Just like the X7 they could have a optical in, and then use the USB to connect to a computer to apply the processing/drivers.

Yea I looked into this before actually. Apparently Dolby doesn't want people to decode surround to their PC to prevent piracy and flooding the market with cheap decoders. So sound blaster extigy was one of the last PC Dolby surround decoder. Until x7. All other consumers decoders after can only decoder to stereo on pc. As for the head tracking, best way to simulate that feeling of immersion is through vr

 

[raband]

Well yes, but I'm talking about the head-tracking on its own won't make that much of difference in terms of positional cues, at least I fail to see exactly how that would work.

Am hoping it will.

Am hoping the tracking component is enough to trick my brain that slight bit more to resolve frontal cues better

 

[Fotopaul]

Both the GSX and Mobius would be much more versatile units if they wheren't PC only, the optical input and decoder would not really detract anything from the PC part of the unit.

Unit like The Soundblaster X7, Mix AMP, TB tactical etc has the ability to work on both platforms, so it's certainly doable.

I think the GSX for one would be a heck of unit if it could be used with consoles as well. Of course, there would still be the issue with came chat (at least on Xbox as you need to have the licenses chip to pass that thru USB) still would be a nice feature to have as not everyone need game chat.

 

[happycamperjack]

Both the GSX and Mobius would be much more versatile units if they wheren't PC only, the optical input and decoder would not really detract anything from the PC part of the unit.

Unit like The Soundblaster X7, Mix AMP, TB tactical etc has the ability to work on both platforms, so it's certainly doable.

I think the GSX for one would be a heck of unit if it could be used with consoles as well. Of course, there would still be the issue with came chat (at least on Xbox as you need to have the licenses chip to pass that thru USB) still would be a nice feature to have as not everyone need game chat.

Yea, but HRTF + Head tracking + LDAC in one headphone? Not even one of these features is found in most other headphone let alone a powered planar one. So I'm way more than happy enough for its features right now. There's no way Audeze built this by themselves without some relation to ossic

 

[Fotopaul]

Am hoping it will.

Am hoping the tracking component is enough to trick my brain that slight bit more to resolve frontal cues better

For consoles where it will be fed an analog downmixed signal, I very much doubt it will, but id love to hear experiences from users testing this once it's available.

 

[raband]

For consoles where it will be fed an analog downmixed signal

I've got zero intent using it on console

 

[Fotopaul]

I've got zero intent using it on console

Maybe you missed the discussion whether or not head-tracking of the Mobious alone (which is what you get if you use it on a console) would be a game changer for positional cues.

 

[raband]

Ah, probably did

 

[insidius]

I was hoping I'd get more suggestions here. Bad luck I guess.

 

[pietcux]

I'm considering picking a GSX 1000 up but I'm still trying to figure out if it's right for me. I'm on PC and I am a novice when it comes to sound setups.

I had a Mixamp gen. 1 for gaming and positional audio that worked well (enough) for me. Problem is, the Mixamp seems to be bad quality and never lasts more than a year or two.
I've been through 3 of them already (thankfully the warranty covered me the first few times, but that's no longer the case). I'm tired of the shoddy build quality of the Mixamp and ready to move on to better things.


ANYWAY, I have a Soundblaster Z and a pair of Fidelio X1's. The positional audio (SBX) plugging straight into the sound card isn't doing it for me and I can tell the difference
in my play having come from the Mixamp. I just can't hear footsteps well enough anymore without the Mixamp.


I know, stereo is all I should need, et cetera but I really think I prefer the virtual surround sound (even if it is considered a gimmick by some people).
So what would you suggest? What headphone amp or other device should I include in my build to get the desired results? Should I go with the GSX 1000? Will it work with the Soundblaster Z or should I use it separately?


Thanks guys.

The GSX is connected via usb, so you can have the Soundblaster Z in your pc it does not interfere with the GSX. I have very good results with the GSX. It is easy to use. All configuration is done on the device, no pc software needed. I sometimes even put it to two channel and use the Windows Sonic or Atmos plugins. The GSX is definitely worth a try. And you can use any more easy to drive headphone with it. Just check that you select it as speakers in windows, not as headset. And don't gorget to tell us your opinion about it after you used it for some time.

 

[Glasofruix]

Exactly, positional accuracy is one extra benefit of head position transformation as detailed by the Head-Fi video. So you get more accurate sound cue in FPS games. As for movie, the benefit is like having a virtual surround speaker setup in your room where speakers stay in the same position no matter how you move. Making you feel like you are inside a theater.

I'd rather feel like i'm in the movie. And again, i fail to see how exactly the positional accuracy is enhanced by the movement of your head (outside of VR). Let's imagine a system with perfect HRTF where you can pinpoint the sound to the millimeter. You are playing an fps game and hear a sound behind you on the left, you are looking at your screen then turn exactly to where the sound comes from and perform a frag. In this example the sounds are positionned around your ingame character. Now, imagine you have head tracking, you have your head slightly turned, inclined whatever, there is a sound that comes from the same spot, but according to the position of your own head, not in relation to what you see on screen. Tell, me will you be able to move the mouse to where the sound came from? I don't think so.

Yea, but HRTF + Head tracking + LDAC in one headphone? Not even one of these features is found in most other headphone let alone a powered planar one. So I'm way more than happy enough for its features right now. There's no way Audeze built this by themselves without some relation to ossic

HRTF can be generated with, surprise, something like a GSX (or that new creative thingy we keep hearing about) and work on any headphones. Head tracking is a useless gimmick. LDAC is only good on a smartphone. The only attractive feature to me here is the planar part.

Also the first comment i see on the youtube video:

I don't understand what it is solving. If you are in vr, the sound is supposed to adjust as you move your head. And if you are looking at a screen, your view is stable even iif your head moves. I think when I heard sound in video games, I am locating it in relation to the view on the screen, not the angle of my head.

 

[happycamperjack]

I'd rather feel like i'm in the movie. And again, i fail to see how exactly the positional accuracy is enhanced by the movement of your head (outside of VR). Let's imagine a system with perfect HRTF where you can pinpoint the sound to the millimeter. You are playing an fps game and hear a sound behind you on the left, you are looking at your screen then turn exactly to where the sound comes from and perform a frag. In this example the sounds are positionned around your ingame character. Now, imagine you have head tracking, you have your head slightly turned, inclined whatever, there is a sound that comes from the same spot, but according to the position of your own head, not in relation to what you see on screen. Tell, me will you be able to move the mouse to where the sound came from? I don't think so.



HRTF can be generated with, surprise, something like a GSX (or that new creative thingy we keep hearing about) and work on any headphones. Head tracking is a useless gimmick. LDAC is only good on a smartphone. The only attractive feature to me here is the planar part.

Also the first comment i see on the youtube video:

Let's say you are playing CSGO. You sit very close your 4k monitor to spot enemies at the distance. You are looking at your minimal by tilting your head. That angle of differences between looking straight and looking at it can be off by as much as 30 degrees depending on how close you sit to your monitor. Even more when you are using ultra wide. That means whatever you are hearing on you gsx, such as footstep behind you, is off by that much angle as well cus the sound doesn't change when you move your head. Meaning the positional accuracy is off by 30 degrees everytime you are staring at your minimap.

Lots of people had argued that HRTF is a useless gimmick as well. Now you are doing the same for head positioning tracking. I guess it all depends on how much you care. 95 percent of gamers are perfectly happy with stereo headphones. And saying that LDAC is useless to you cus it's only for smartphones is just amusing to me.

 

[Fotopaul]

Let's say you are playing CSGO. You sit very close your 4k monitor to spot enemies at the distance. You are looking at your minimal by tilting your head. That angle of differences between looking straight and looking at it can be off by as much as 30 degrees depending on how close you sit to your monitor. Even more when you are using ultra wide. That means whatever you are hearing on you gsx, such as footstep behind you, is off by that much angle as well cus the sound doesn't change when you move your head. Meaning the positional accuracy is off by 30 degrees everytime you are staring at your minimap.

LOL i really questions if some of you guy's actually played competitive FPS, are you sitting and bobbing you heads left and right?

Again unless you are feeding the HT visual data (as in VR) from what you actually see in the game the correlation isn't there if anything it will be less accurate.

It's doesn't matter where on the screen your actual head is looking, in a FPS all that matter is in which way you have your aim directed (as in your virtual head) that moves within the soundscape of the game.

 

[Glasofruix]

...

Ummm, the sound is still positionned in relation to your character's position, in relation to what you see on the screen, not where your head is physically located. If a sound comes from behind while you're staring at the minimap and your head is turned in such way that you hear that sound on your left and then you'll look up to the middle of the screen, what happens next? Will you turn your character around to look behind you or to the left? Based on what you've heard. What you describe is what happens with head tracking. And ldac is a bluetooth codec with a crapload of latency, i know, i own a pair of WH-1000XM2s, it sounds good for a bluetooth headset but not great when you compare with a more robust dac+amp solution.

 

[happycamperjack]

LOL i really questions if some of you guy's actually played competitive FPS, are you sitting and bobbing you heads left and right?

Again unless feeding the HT visual data (as in VR) from what you actually see in the game the correlation isn't there if anything it will be less accurate.

It's doesn't matter where on the screen your actual head is looking, in a FPS all that matter is in which way you have your aim directed (as in your virtual head) that moves within the soundscape of the game.

Doesn't have to be 30 degree. Even 5 degree is enough difference to make a difference when you are gaming on PC going around corners. I remember having to kept my head steady in a tight situations like that before to hear the exact positions of enemy coming around the corners.