[Antilochos]

I always used a FiiO E10 on my pc for my headphones (Beyerdynamics DT770 and DT990). Now I replaced the FiiO for a Fostex HP-A3.
 
The Fostex works great in every aspect and with every program I run on my pc, except for one particular game (Arma 3). And even with this game the sound is good in menu etc, but turns very flat and one dimensional when start playing.
 
Does anybody has any idea why this could be and what I could do to fix it?

 

[Dulalala]

Could you try plugging the headphones into the motherboard and see if the problem persist. 

 

[Wiljen]

That sounds like a source problem rather than a DAC problem to me.  I think that is the angle Dulalala was looking at too.

 

[Dulalala]

  That sounds like a source problem rather than a DAC problem to me.  I think that is the angle Dulalala was looking at too.

Yeah sounded more like a software issue to me.

 

[Antilochos]

Direct via motherboard cq soundcard I have not tried yet, but when I try the old FiiO, the problem is not there. That's why I think it must by something typical for the Fostex.
The difference I found between both so far is in samplespeed (is that the right translation?); FiiO has 48,0 kHz while Fostex has 96,0 kHz. I don't know much about this stuff, but could this explain anything?
 
Anyway, thanks already for the replies.

 

[Wiljen]

It may be a difference in the driver software for the fostex and the fiio.  The Fiio has a ceiling of 24/96 too for the original e10 model and I believe the e10K may be higher yet.  Not sure where you got that it would only do 48khz unless it is a limitation of your USB implementation. 
 
On both DACs, they should support native audio up to 24 bit / 96khz sample rate.  This will depend on how your software is setup.  If you set the software to convert all audio to 16/44.1 for example that is all the DAC will ever see.  If you let the software pass the audio untouched to the dac then you should see the bitrate and sample rate change as the source files do.     Some DACS also up-convert if you setup the software to do so.   By doing this tracks recorded at 16/44.1 can be upsampled to 96khz before conversion.   This probably is of no benefit in a gaming environment and may actually cause problems.  
 
At this point in the discussion, I would be almost 100% that the difference is in the drivers for the Fiio and the Fostex and that either changing settings on the fostex driver or finding a generic driver that will support the fostex (AISO maybe?) is the most likely cure.
 
 

 

[Antilochos]

​I kind of "plug&play" the two divices and know nothing about their drivers (or how to change anything with them). Is it wise to mess around with the drivers for someone like me?

 

[Wiljen]

I would start with the windows sound settings and make sure they are set to allow the DAC to function at the native level and not forcing the source to 16/44.1. 
 
Go to Control Panel, Sound.   On the main screen select the device and choose properties.  On the properties sheet look for supported formats and make sure all the appropriate ones are checked.  
 
Then look at advanced  and see what the default format is set to.

 

[Antilochos]

​Thank you. This solved my problem!