[NamelessPFG]

Quote:

Hello there!

My setup is as follows:
 
Senheiser PC350
X-Fi Titanium 
Windows 8 (24-bit 96 kHz option)
 
I understand that the best option for music is to select Audio-Creation mode and bit-matched playback.
I understood as well the whole aspect of setting the windows source as 7.1, activating CMSS-3D in Gaming mode with the Headphones option activated, for the best positional sound possible.
The thing is, I really think games don't sound correctly this way. It might give a good positional audio, but I think the sound quality is suffering.
 
Don't most games nowadays, provide through their own software, positional audio if Headphones or 2.1 sources are activated in the settings?
Isn't it better in this case, to activate audio-creation mode and select Bit-Matched playback, and let the game do the positional audio for us (Preserving the quality of the sources?)
 
Sorry if I'm being an idiot, but genuine question. I'm pulling my hairs trying to do the best configuration for my games and music. 
 
EDIT:

The games I play daily are Source games.
DOTA2, CS:Go
 
The other games are occasional. So I'm interested in maximizing my SQ for Source games

 
Bit-matched playback in Audio Creation Mode only really works with ASIO.
 
No game outputs through ASIO. (Unless you paid the whopping 500 GBP for Rapture3D Advanced Edition and set it up with an OpenAL game, that is.) Thus, there's no point. Might as well just run in Game Mode with CMSS-3D Headphone off if you wanna do it that way.
 
However, the whole point is that the vast majority of games with software-mixed audio do NOT mix with headphones in mind. They'll probably mix with stereo speakers in mind, thus expecting the sounds to be localized more in front of you than beside you, and in especially bad cases, will only have one-dimensional left/right panning for positioning. That's why headphone surround features on sound cards are in demand.
 
Battlefield 3 with Enhanced Stereo Mode is probably the only exception to the rule I can find. The DiRT titles with Rapture3D Game Edition bundled don't really count since they're just running OpenAL and feeding it to a software OpenAL renderer in that case.
 
Quote:

I had some 15 minutes to test the Razer with BF3+HD 800 through my DAC. From what I could gather in those few minutes the SQ is changed worse than CMSS-3D in a few parts and the imagery is not consistent throughout in terms of accurate positioning. It feels kinda weird.
 
Yes, BF3 itself is not the most accurate in rendering but this software just does worse than DHP, SBX and CMSS-3D so far. I'll need to test more though (tonight).

 
Whoa, an HD800? I'd like to audition one of those some day, just to find out if all the hype for gaming is justified.
 
As for BF3 specifically, where do you think Enhanced Stereo Mode stands compared to the usual sound card-based solutions?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

the BF3 enhanced stereo? I don't like it. AT ALL. It still sounds like stereo.

 

[Arkanius]

Quote:

 
Bit-matched playback in Audio Creation Mode only really works with ASIO.
 
No game outputs through ASIO. (Unless you paid the whopping 500 GBP for Rapture3D Advanced Edition and set it up with an OpenAL game, that is.) Thus, there's no point. Might as well just run in Game Mode with CMSS-3D Headphone off if you wanna do it that way.
 
However, the whole point is that the vast majority of games with software-mixed audio do NOT mix with headphones in mind. They'll probably mix with stereo speakers in mind, thus expecting the sounds to be localized more in front of you than beside you, and in especially bad cases, will only have one-dimensional left/right panning for positioning. That's why headphone surround features on sound cards are in demand.
 
Battlefield 3 with Enhanced Stereo Mode is probably the only exception to the rule I can find. The DiRT titles with Rapture3D Game Edition bundled don't really count since they're just running OpenAL and feeding it to a software OpenAL renderer in that case.
 
 
Whoa, an HD800? I'd like to audition one of those some day, just to find out if all the hype for gaming is justified.
 
As for BF3 specifically, where do you think Enhanced Stereo Mode stands compared to the usual sound card-based solutions?

 
Got it.
I've been investingating, and it seems Source games use OpenAL only on the MacOSX and Linux implementations. For Windows they use MILES.
It seems the only way to get great Surround for headphones is to use the 7.1/7.1 -> CMSS 3D method right?

 

[Fegefeuer]

Quote:

the BF3 enhanced stereo? I don't like it. AT ALL. It still sounds like stereo.

I agree.
 
For BF3 try the following:
 
GstAudio.AudioQuality 0
GstAudio.SoundSystemSize 64
GstAudio.StereoMode 0
GstAudio.YourSoundSystem 3
 
either as a "user.cfg" in the root folder or directly in the profile-save. You should only do this if you use SBX/CMSS-3D/Dolby Headphone and of course have Windows set to 5.1/7.1

 

[pietcux]

I did my test with BfBC 2 single player disabled all other processing which means stereo on the Xonar U7 Dolby off. W7 64 headphone Ultrasone PRO-550. I found the sound to be very immersive with good directional cues. I will also do further testing maybe tonight.

 

[genclaymore]

Quote:

 
Bit-matched playback in Audio Creation Mode only really works with ASIO.
 
No game outputs through ASIO. (Unless you paid the whopping 500 GBP for Rapture3D Advanced Edition and set it up with an OpenAL game, that is.) Thus, there's no point. Might as well just run in Game Mode with CMSS-3D Headphone off if you wanna do it that way.
 
However, the whole point is that the vast majority of games with software-mixed audio do NOT mix with headphones in mind. They'll probably mix with stereo speakers in mind, thus expecting the sounds to be localized more in front of you than beside you, and in especially bad cases, will only have one-dimensional left/right panning for positioning. That's why headphone surround features on sound cards are in demand.
 
Battlefield 3 with Enhanced Stereo Mode is probably the only exception to the rule I can find. The DiRT titles with Rapture3D Game Edition bundled don't really count since they're just running OpenAL and feeding it to a software OpenAL renderer in that case.
 
 
Whoa, an HD800? I'd like to audition one of those some day, just to find out if all the hype for gaming is justified.
 
As for BF3 specifically, where do you think Enhanced Stereo Mode stands compared to the usual sound card-based solutions?

whoa, so that's the differences between the model of rapture, but who's crazy enough to pay 500 for that model.

 

[Yanoflies]

Xonar DGX
AD900X
FiiO E12
 
I'm having trouble with my positioning in CS:GO here, any help?
 
1. My amplifer inverts the sound ... left comes from the right and right from the left (i.e. I use window's testing and the ding will be on the right  when it's meant to be on the left and vice versa). What is causing this and how do I fix it?
 
2. What's do most people use for positioning with the DGX? I tried 2ch, 6ch and 8 ch (w/ Dolby on/off). In-game I tried headphones and 5.1.

 

[Chubtoad]

OK I've been having a strange problem with my setup, I don't know exactly how to describe it but when I am moving my mouse around on the desktop or just surfing the net its constantly making some kind of whirly/whistly static/interfence type of noise (sorry don't really know how to describe it). 
 
However I just tested and it only happens when I am running my headphones through my amplifier, I don't hear it when I'm connected directly to my sound card. What would be causing the amp to make this noise?
 
Sound Card: X-Fi Titanium HD
Amp: Schiit Asgard 2
Headphones: AKG K702 65th Anniversary Edition
 
I'd like to figure out how to fix this as its extremely annoying to hear this noise almost constantly on the desktop. Also, when gaming if its quiet I can hear a humming type of noise as well with the amp, but its not there when just plugged directly into the soundcard.
 
I'm connecting the amp through RCA to RCA cables, although they are pretty crappy old cables, I have ordered some premium monoprice cables to see if that makes any difference or not.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Xonar DGX
AD900X
FiiO E12
 
I'm having trouble with my positioning in CS:GO here, any help?
 
1. My amplifer inverts the sound ... left comes from the right and right from the left (i.e. I use window's testing and the ding will be on the right  when it's meant to be on the left and vice versa). What is causing this and how do I fix it?
 
2. What's do most people use for positioning with the DGX? I tried 2ch, 6ch and 8 ch (w/ Dolby on/off). In-game I tried headphones and 5.1.

I would guess the ATH-AD900Xs sound fairly good plugged straight into the DGX?

 

[pietcux]

Quote:

OK I've been having a strange problem with my setup, I don't know exactly how to describe it but when I am moving my mouse around on the desktop or just surfing the net its constantly making some kind of whirly/whistly static/interfence type of noise (sorry don't really know how to describe it). 
 
However I just tested and it only happens when I am running my headphones through my amplifier, I don't hear it when I'm connected directly to my sound card. What would be causing the amp to make this noise?
 
Sound Card: X-Fi Titanium HD
Amp: Schiit Asgard 2
Headphones: AKG K702 65th Anniversary Edition
 
I'd like to figure out how to fix this as its extremely annoying to hear this noise almost constantly on the desktop. Also, when gaming if its quiet I can hear a humming type of noise as well with the amp, but its not there when just plugged directly into the soundcard.
 
I'm connecting the amp through RCA to RCA cables, although they are pretty crappy old cables, I have ordered some premium monoprice cables to see if that makes any difference or not.

It could be the mouse's digital signal disturbing the amp's analog stage. This is more likely when you are using a wireless mouse but can also happen when you use a wired setup.

 

[Chubtoad]

my mouse is a wired logitech G400 plugged into the usb 2.0 on the rear of my case.

 

[NamelessPFG]

Quote:

OK I've been having a strange problem with my setup, I don't know exactly how to describe it but when I am moving my mouse around on the desktop or just surfing the net its constantly making some kind of whirly/whistly static/interfence type of noise (sorry don't really know how to describe it). 
 
However I just tested and it only happens when I am running my headphones through my amplifier, I don't hear it when I'm connected directly to my sound card. What would be causing the amp to make this noise?
 
Sound Card: X-Fi Titanium HD
Amp: Schiit Asgard 2
Headphones: AKG K702 65th Anniversary Edition
 
I'd like to figure out how to fix this as its extremely annoying to hear this noise almost constantly on the desktop. Also, when gaming if its quiet I can hear a humming type of noise as well with the amp, but its not there when just plugged directly into the soundcard.
 
I'm connecting the amp through RCA to RCA cables, although they are pretty crappy old cables, I have ordered some premium monoprice cables to see if that makes any difference or not.

 
Hmmm...that IS a strange issue, since you said that it goes away once the amp's disconnected.
 
Have you tried reducing or even muting the digital volume for the card in Windows, then listening through the amp if the noise is still there?
 
Also, do you have any other sources you could connect that amp to for a quick listening test?
 
You know, the usual things that could help us isolate the issue...I'd certainly hate for such an expensive amp to turn out faulty, at any rate.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

OK I've been having a strange problem with my setup, I don't know exactly how to describe it but when I am moving my mouse around on the desktop or just surfing the net its constantly making some kind of whirly/whistly static/interfence type of noise (sorry don't really know how to describe it). 
However I just tested and it only happens when I am running my headphones through my amplifier, I don't hear it when I'm connected directly to my sound card. What would be causing the amp to make this noise?
Sound Card: X-Fi Titanium HD
Amp: Schiit Asgard 2
Headphones: AKG K702 65th Anniversary Edition
I'd like to figure out how to fix this as its extremely annoying to hear this noise almost constantly on the desktop. Also, when gaming if its quiet I can hear a humming type of noise as well with the amp, but its not there when just plugged directly into the soundcard.
I'm connecting the amp through RCA to RCA cables, although they are pretty crappy old cables, I have ordered some premium mono price cables to see if that makes any difference or not.

Try connecting the Asgard 2 to the T-HD's (Titanium HD) 3.5mm headphone/line-out jack, see if you still get the interferance.

 

[Chubtoad]

plugging it into the headphone jack using my monoprice 3.5mm to rca cables i still get the same noise.
 
I switched the amp to another power strip and the noise has been dramatically reduced but its still audible, both with RCA to RCA, and 3.5mm to RCA. (At the same volume settings as before)
 
I haven't tried the asgard 2 yet with my mixamp and consoles so I dont know if there would be any hum noise there yet.
 
I am embarassed to say that my cabling/power strip situation right now is a mess, so maybe the new RCA cables will reduce the noise altogether, and possibly a new power strip as the ones I have now are pretty crappy.
 
any other suggestions to try?  I have the digital in muted right now as well

 

[CFGamescape]

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the BF3 enhanced stereo? I don't like it. AT ALL. It still sounds like stereo.

What settings do you use/recommend for BF3?