[pennylane]

not sure if this is the right forum... but I'm wondering.

Is it a plug-in? Is it... something integrated only in certain DVD software players?

Is it only for playing from the CD-ROM? Can it be used for all headphone listening?

This may be a silly question but I never really found out. Thanks for any responses.

 

[ricola_pak]

I can't answer your question, in fact, I am asking one of my own

I've got Digital 5.1 Surround in my hometheater system, but when I plug my headphones into the receiver, I miss certain channels.

Does this mean anything such as DTS or 5.1 only works with speakers system?

 

[davei]

It can be implemented in software or hardware. It simulates 5.1 surround sound on headphones (not to be confused with stereo downmixing.) Different manufacturers also call it different things, Yamaha for instance calls their implementation "Silent Cinema". More info at:

http://www.dolby.com/dolbyheadphone/

Ricola_pak: your receiver is probably not Dolby Headphone enabled (or you need to set it up in the menus), so it's only sending the front two channels, or downmixing the surround track for stereo.

 

[Prodigul]

Is CMSS 3d, something that is part of the Audigy2zs software, any good for this purpose. It seems that you need to pay for the higher level versions of dvd software in order to get the dolby headphone and as I rarely watch movies with headphones it seems like a waste for just that. Also, if it isnt any god, any free programs that have dolby headphone?

 

[Quad]

I have a copy of WinDVD on my Dell laptop with this feature. I was surprised that is works quite well with my sealed headphones but not so well with my open headphones. In this case it is done with software.

I really noticed it with Fantasia where the duck is running around getting ready for something and is heard calling out and showering. I have never heard localized sounds come from so far away with headphones but these are short durations sounds so that dramatizes the effect. That is generally true of effects in movies, though, so I would not expect the effect to be so useful for music.

edit <That would be my 13th post for Friday 13 so maybe I should buy a lottery ticket or just stop now while I am ahead.>

 

[JeffL]

I'm sorry, but it defeats the purpose. You buy headphones to provide maximum clarity...with stereo music.

The main reason headphones can sound so clear, is because they are almost void from natural room physics (naturally occuring reverb). So then, you have your HiFi cans, why in the @#$(*? would you then go back and add artificial upmixing/reverb to simulate that original craptacularity?

Just listen to a CD in stereo versus Dolby Headphone, or a DVD and tell me how it sounds. I am willing to bet the stereo would be much clearer and less muddy.

 

[radrd]

Quote:

Just listen to a CD in stereo versus Dolby Headphone, or a DVD and tell me how it sounds. I am willing to bet the stereo would be much clearer and less muddy.

You really should try it before you make assumptions. I don't know why anyone would want to use DH for CDs, but for movie watching through my DT770 and W1000, it sounds damn good, much better than stereo, which I have used before.

 

[JeffL]

Quote:

Originally posted by radrd You really should try it before you make assumptions. I don't know why anyone would want to use DH for CDs, but for movie watching through my DT770 and W1000, it sounds damn good, much better than stereo, which I have used before.

I have, and muddy and unclear was what I got! I don't want fake room reverb to provide a false sense of airiness or soundstage, I get plenty. Doesn't click for me I guess...?

Listening to music with it was horrible.

 

[radrd]

Considering most music is not recorded with the intention of the listener using surround sound, I can certainly see why DH would sound terrible with music. I wouldn't even consider using it for music.

For DVDs, however, most of which have tracks that are intended for multi-channel setups, I fail to see how using DH is "wrong." I think it sounds great, better than my (admittedly non-audiophile)5.1 speakers actually, but I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one.

Judging by your signature, would it be fair to say that you are not a fan of 5.1 through speakers either? If that's the case, then I'm not surprised that DH isn't be your thing.

Quote:

I don't want fake room reverb to provide a false sense of airiness or soundstage, I get plenty

You do realize that the entire movie-watching experience, whether through plain stereo, DH, or DD is false, right? The tracks are mixed with the intention of producing the exact effects that you don't care for. Even in the movie theater, what you are hearing are carefully recorded sound effects to create an atmosphere. Essentially, there is no way to achieve a "true" sense of the sound when watching movies because they are recorded much differently from music. Actually, considering the sound tracks are generally intended to be heard through multi-channel setups, using plain stereo is actually more false than using DH...

 

[JeffL]

Quote:

Judging by your signature, would it be fair to say that you are not a fan of 5.1 through speakers either? If that's the case, then I'm not surprised that DH isn't be your thing as well.

Yes, very much so. I fail to see what is grand?

Have you ever read "The Old Soundmad" over at Prosoundweb.com? He has a very funny article on what he calls the "Zoned Dual Mono Protocol." http://www.prosoundweb.com/live/oldsoundman/zdm/zdm.php I think it is a good read. If anything, that is as much a surround sound as 5.1 surround sound. I mix for a church that uses something to the effect, and it works very well.

Anyway, agree to disagree. I just don't like the processing.

 

[harkamus]

It's already been answered; they just simulate dolby surround.

However I will add to this, but disregard it if it's already been stated. I didn't read the entire thread.

There will never be dolby digital headphones because that would mean 5.1 channels of audio. That would also mean that the headphones would need 4 surround speakers, a center channel speaker, and a subwoofer. No matter what they claim, they are not real dolby digital cans.

 

[rwooda]

Quote:

Originally posted by JeffL I'm sorry, but it defeats the purpose. You buy headphones to provide maximum clarity...with stereo music.

I appreciate your point of view, but take exception to your statement.

No flame intended, but YOU buy headphones to provide maximum clarity with stereo music.

That is not the primary reason for everyone on the planet buying and using headphones. Not even on this forum.

I am not a surround sound fan, but crossfeed (which definitely affects clarity in a negative fashion) greatly improves my ability to listen to headphones for a long period, depending on the source material.

Maybe I should put myself on Team Personal Preferences Matter or Team There is No One Way, or something like that.

Cheers.

 

[davei]

Quote:

Originally posted by harkamus There will never be dolby digital headphones because that would mean 5.1 channels of audio. That would also mean that the headphones would need 4 surround speakers, a center channel speaker, and a subwoofer. No matter what they claim, they are not real dolby digital cans.

Not quite. "Dolby Digital" (AKA "Dolby AC-3") is more of an encoding scheme. It doesn't necesssarily have to have 5.1 (six) channels, I've made plenty of Dolby Digital videos with 2, 3, 4 channels. Lots of old movies which were recorded in mono only have Dolby Digital (2.0) sound on their DVD equivalents.

And there are 5.1 headphones:

http://www.zalman.co.kr/usa/product/...eId=cat1430032
http://www.tomshardware.com/video/20...zalman-01.html

Not that they work very well, but they do exist.

 

[davei]

Quote:

Originally posted by JeffL Have you ever read "The Old Soundmad" over at Prosoundweb.com? He has a very funny article on what he calls the "Zoned Dual Mono Protocol." http://www.prosoundweb.com/live/oldsoundman/zdm/zdm.php I think it is a good read. If anything, that is as much a surround sound as 5.1 surround sound.

Does that guy write like that all the time? I can appreciate humor but it took him 2/3 of the article to get to the freakin' point, which he didn't explain all that clearly anyway!

Oh yeah, I tend to mix mono a lot of the time as well. Especially for club-type music, nobody can tell the difference.

 

[harkamus]

Quote:

Originally posted by davei Not quite. "Dolby Digital" (AKA "Dolby AC-3") is more of an encoding scheme. It doesn't necesssarily have to have 5.1 (six) channels, I've made plenty of Dolby Digital videos with 2, 3, 4 channels. Lots of old movies which were recorded in mono only have Dolby Digital (2.0) sound on their DVD equivalents. And there are 5.1 headphones: http://www.zalman.co.kr/usa/product/...eId=cat1430032 http://www.tomshardware.com/video/20...zalman-01.html Not that they work very well, but they do exist.

Where's the woofer on that thing?