[Sleinzel]

I'm upgrading my whole chain (Sennheiser HD 800 inc ^^) and have some questions.
 
I'm currently Using Dobly Headphone (Mode 1) with a Xonar Essence ST and I'm thinking about switching to a titanium.
 
I need digital output to feed my future dac (probably gonna be a xonar essence one). Also CMSS-3D seems to be pretty cool because it uses DirectSound3d while Dolby Headphone actually uses no data from the game. Am I right?
 
Simply put: I wanna have the best card for Counterstrike Global offensive (which seems to have DirectSound3D support ?!? And what is ALchemy?) and it should have digital output (Unfortunatly The Xonar Essence ST is not able to output digital Dolby Headphone).
 
Could you help me clear this up a little bit? What should i go with?
 
I saw that you already tested some source based games Nameless. What do you think would be the best way for professional gaming in CS:GO, because I'm not really astonished by the result of Dolby Headphone.
 
Chain:
 
Gaming: PC ==> Soundcard ==> (Digital Toslink/Optical) Asus Essence one ==> Headphones
Music: PC ==> Asus Essence one ==> Headphones

 

[Impulse]

DH uses 5.1/7.1 directional data from games (the kind that the game would send to an HT surround), just like CMSS-3D does w/the vast majority of modern games. With games that still use DirectSound or implement OpenAL directly then CMSS-3D can use additional positional data, height etc. If either scheme were using no data from the game they'd just be upmixing a stereo signal, which is generally pointless.
 
My STX can output DH over digital btw, are you sure the ST can't? Earlier driver revs didn't allow it but they later changed it... Not sure if it was done for all the cards in the line tho.

 

[Sleinzel]

Quote:

DH uses 5.1/7.1 directional data from games (the kind that the game would send to an HT surround), just like CMSS-3D does w/the vast majority of modern games. With games that still use DirectSound or implement OpenAL directly then CMSS-3D can use additional positional data, height etc. If either scheme were using no data from the game they'd just be upmixing a stereo signal, which is generally pointless.
 
My STX can output DH over digital btw, are you sure the ST can't? Earlier driver revs didn't allow it but they later changed it... Not sure if it was done for all the cards in the line tho.

Yeah you are right. It can output DH over digital. Strange that I never got it to work eventhough I have the newest driver version installed.
 
The main issue I have with DH is that I don't hear if someone is above or below me and how far away he is (horizontal and vertical). CMSS-3D should fix that. Am I wrong here?

 

[Impulse]

It can help w/that, but it won't be an improvement w/every game out there (or even the majority). If it works for what you're playing then it might be worth trying out, some people just prefer CMSS-3D over DH or vice versa regardless of any of this.

 

[Blue A10]

I was wondering if someone could confirm/correct me as to if my plan will work. I'm hoping to fit all of my needs with just a sound card without also buying a Mixamp or giving up games that support DirectSound3D/OpenAl.
Also, at the moment the only headphones/headset I have are some portable Senn px200-ii's (and the Tritton AX Pros), but I plan on getting a PC360 with this set.
 
I want to get an X-Fi card to get CMSS-3D Headphone for the games that support binaural 3D audio as well like what DH does for 5.1/7.1 if 3D audio support is unavailable. Now, I game on the consoles as much as I do on the PC, so that's why I figured I'd get an X-Fi for 3D audio on certain PC games, with 2D surround for on everything else, instead of buying a Mixamp and only getting DH for everything. If I get an X-Fi with a TOSLINK Optical In port that can decode Dolby Digital Live or DTS (if one can), then I want to hook up my Xbox 360/PS3's TOSLINK to the X-Fi so I can use CMSS-3D Headphone on those as well (Xbox/PS3 5.1 > X-Fi TOSLINK > Senn PC360 via CMSS-3D for surround sound on console games.) I also want to use the PC360's mic with my Xbox controller as well as the PC, and I have a 3.5mm to 2.5mm cord. I was aiming for the Titanium HD as the sound card, but I noticed it doesn't have a TOSLINK port, and only takes 5.1 from PC games (which honestly might not make a difference, but still). So, now I'm aiming for just a normal X-Fi Titanium.
 
So basically, should I be able to use CMSS-3D Headphone with my PC and consoles + voice chat, all with a Sennheiser PC360 and an X-Fi Titanium, or do I need to buy a different X-Fi card.
 
Btw, sorry if that's hard to understand; my train of thought knows no rails.

 

[Impulse]

I think a number of people have looked at taking a console's output into a PC sound card for surround processing and it never ended up working for one reason or another. I don't know if it's because the cards can't decode DDL/DTS from an external input or if it was some other sort of issue... There was some discussion about this a few months ago on Mad Lust Envy's console gaming thread.

 

[NamelessPFG]

Quote:

DH uses 5.1/7.1 directional data from games (the kind that the game would send to an HT surround), just like CMSS-3D does w/the vast majority of modern games. With games that still use DirectSound or implement OpenAL directly then CMSS-3D can use additional positional data, height etc. If either scheme were using no data from the game they'd just be upmixing a stereo signal, which is generally pointless.

 
That sums it up quite nicely.
 
Quote:

I think a number of people have looked at taking a console's output into a PC sound card for surround processing and it never ended up working for one reason or another. I don't know if it's because the cards can't decode DDL/DTS from an external input or if it was some other sort of issue... There was some discussion about this a few months ago on Mad Lust Envy's console gaming thread.

 
The problem is that every sound card I know of (potentially barring the first-generation X-Fi PCI card lineup that have the Decoder tab in their drivers) cannot decode Dolby Digital/AC-3 or DTS through their S/PDIF inputs. Word is it's because both Dolby and DTS don't want the sound card manufacturers to allow real-time decoding and recording of such signals for very similar reasons as to why HDCP exists; they don't want people to just record protected content like that.
 
Oh, and before anyone brings up the Recon3D USB, its S/PDIF input is NOT present as a recording device when connected to a PC. It's strictly for decoding Dolby Digital sources and outputting them either downmixed to stereo or processed with virtual surround.

 

[Blue A10]

Alright, so say I get one of the older X-Fi's that can decode it (I've seen a Platinum and I think I found an Elite Pro without the I/O box online), but it doesn't have an S/PDIF connector (I may have missed it, but still). Can I hook up my consoles audio to my motherboard's Optical/Coaxial In and pass it to the soundcard for decoding and then virtualization?

Also, are these older cards at any significant disadvantage compared to a Titanium?

 

[Makiah S]

I have an odac, it works great. I need to use a mic for my gaming in addition to my odac to processor the out coming sound... any tips as I have no idea where to start! 
 
The issue I'm having is, plug n play with my mike isn't entirely working with the odac
 
nor is audacity working to even record with direct sound as well... all thing that used to work. I'll try unpluggin and seeing what happens 

 

[ssg1]

Hi,
 
I just bought my first good headphones, Sennheiser HD 598. I have read like 100 posts and I have come to this conclusion.
 
For music I want to get DAC. Like FiiO E10 or something portable like E17 etc. Am I correct?
 
For gaming I want get soundcard with CMSS-3D Headphone support. I currently have ASUS Crosshair IV Formula MB, which has SupremeFX X-Fi Built-in. It is comparable to X-Fi XtremeAudio. It has CMSS-3D. So, to get everything out of my new headphones in gaming I have to set Windows 7 sounds to 5.1/7.1 and X-Fi control to headphones and enable CMSS-3D? Am I correct?
 
I noted that Creative guide advices changing X-Fi control panel to gaming, but it seems that I only have entertainment mode. I suppose it does not matter as I checked this mode has same and even more features than gaming.

 

[genclaymore]

It does matter, the CMSS3D in entertainment mode is not CMSS3D headphone which is optimized for headphone usage. Entrainment mode CMSS3D is just the normal one.But yea you would config the windows control panel speaker settings to 5.1 or 7.1 while using Headphone mode in game mode with CMSS3D headphone enable, f you had the mode.

 

[grandpatzer]

Those Stax headphones in OP are not available in my country.
What are the best headphones for competitive fps gaming (Counter Strike: GO)?
 
My research shows these are used mostly for fps: AD700, K701, Q701, PC360.
The K601 are much cheaper then K701, are they inferior to K701 for fps?
 
The Q701 is 260euro.
AD700 is 130euro.
K601 is 130euro.
K701 200euro
K702 260euro.
PC 360 150euro
 
Also do I need to use spdif on my Xonar DX for dolby digital?!

 

[ssg1]

Thanks.

I have set CMSS-3D headphones on Entertainment mode. But I guess it is little different.
Anyway. I remember seeing different modes at some point. So it is most likely just software issue which should be easy to fix.

 

[daleb]

Those Stax headphones in OP are not available in my country.
What are the best headphones for competitive fps gaming (Counter Strike: GO)?

My research shows these are used mostly for fps: AD700, K701, Q701, PC360.
The K601 are much cheaper then K701, are they inferior to K701 for fps?

The Q701 is 260euro.
AD700 is 130euro.
K601 is 130euro.
K701 200euro
K702 260euro.
PC 360 150euro

Also do I need to use spdif on my Xonar DX for dolby digital?!

I'd suggest going though the mad lust envy thread, all but the 601s are in the first post.

 

[grandpatzer]

Quote:

I'd suggest going though the mad lust envy thread, all but the 601s are in the first post.

Yeah I know thats where I got alot of inspiration.
 
K702 Annie is overpriced where I live, Q701 is cheaper candidate.
I guess I could sacrifice some competitive edge for more fun with Stax 407 or DT990 Pro 250ohm 
 
I don't like paying for overpriced stuff generally but I might make a exception with the K702 Annie.