Mehdi
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2010
- Posts
- 55
- Likes
- 10
cliffs:
* Great stereo sounds and amazing on consoles with the Astro MixAmp
* "Discrete" 5.1 sounds terrible. The virtualized surround sound is actually better.
details:
So as not to confuse, the HPX is the same as the HPA2, except the HPA2 simply comes with an additional amplifier.
I'm primarily a PC and Console gamer, so naturally I wanted to improve my immersion by getting a surround sound setup. Unfortunately, there are two issues. My computer is setup such that it is not very practical for me to have much more then 2.1 sound. Also, while I do have 5.1 setup on my consoles, playing late at night with the volume up isn't really possible.
So naturally I went the route of looking for headphones. My immediate reaction was to get the Astro MixAmp for at least the console. The short of it is, it is a must-have, as it works almost as good as my discrete 5.1 setup ... yes, I am absolutely serious. This holds true while paired with either my Sennheiser 260 Pros or the Turtle Beach HPX/HPA2. Though, the HPX's do sound better.
Moving on to the the PC, which is where I would have thought the discrete speakers in the HPX would take full effect, actually did not. Playing Battle Field Bad Company 2... I almost felt that the stereo sound with my Sennheiser 260 Pros sounded better then the Turtle Beach HPXs. It is as though the 'mids', I guess, just sound too muffled and the sound effects of firing a desert eagle aren't as ... detailed and textured. As for positioning... it is a joke. I simply do not get any added positioning effects from these headphones at all.
Just to be sure that it wasn't Bad Company 2's fault, I threw on Counter Strike Source and did a sound test. To my astonishment, while the 'rear sounds' in the test don't really sound like they are coming from the rear at all.
The long and short of it is, I am now contemplating whether to return these to replace them with a better pair of stereo phones, at which point, I would use the MixAmp for any surround sounding I wish to do.
I'd like to hear how your experience was with the HPA2 / HPX. For all I know, my settings are messed up... though I doubt it.
* Great stereo sounds and amazing on consoles with the Astro MixAmp
* "Discrete" 5.1 sounds terrible. The virtualized surround sound is actually better.
details:
So as not to confuse, the HPX is the same as the HPA2, except the HPA2 simply comes with an additional amplifier.
I'm primarily a PC and Console gamer, so naturally I wanted to improve my immersion by getting a surround sound setup. Unfortunately, there are two issues. My computer is setup such that it is not very practical for me to have much more then 2.1 sound. Also, while I do have 5.1 setup on my consoles, playing late at night with the volume up isn't really possible.
So naturally I went the route of looking for headphones. My immediate reaction was to get the Astro MixAmp for at least the console. The short of it is, it is a must-have, as it works almost as good as my discrete 5.1 setup ... yes, I am absolutely serious. This holds true while paired with either my Sennheiser 260 Pros or the Turtle Beach HPX/HPA2. Though, the HPX's do sound better.
Moving on to the the PC, which is where I would have thought the discrete speakers in the HPX would take full effect, actually did not. Playing Battle Field Bad Company 2... I almost felt that the stereo sound with my Sennheiser 260 Pros sounded better then the Turtle Beach HPXs. It is as though the 'mids', I guess, just sound too muffled and the sound effects of firing a desert eagle aren't as ... detailed and textured. As for positioning... it is a joke. I simply do not get any added positioning effects from these headphones at all.
Just to be sure that it wasn't Bad Company 2's fault, I threw on Counter Strike Source and did a sound test. To my astonishment, while the 'rear sounds' in the test don't really sound like they are coming from the rear at all.
The long and short of it is, I am now contemplating whether to return these to replace them with a better pair of stereo phones, at which point, I would use the MixAmp for any surround sounding I wish to do.
I'd like to hear how your experience was with the HPA2 / HPX. For all I know, my settings are messed up... though I doubt it.
