Let's talk Audio

[Cpl Ledanek]

My wife is always yelling at me to turn it down.

I need a soundproofed gaming room

Best soundproofing to me is when wife goes shoe shopping. Some of my best Doom3/GR/GRAW Hi-Def gaming experience is when she buys 2-3 pairs.

I can't wait when the new shoe store in my neighborhood opens

[dporter]

You might ot have to wait much longer, Edimensional don't hang about, I have my new set of Audio FX Pro Gaming headphones right here!

How many pairs of headsets do you have laying around the house? I'll need to upgrade my headphones later and I was looking at your review on the force feedback set. Are those 5.1 surround like your new ones you just picked up?? Trying to decide if I want to spend the extra $30 to get the audio FX pro gaming set.

I bought a $19 cheapo logitech set from walmart and within a month I had to hold the cord just right in order to hear out of both left and right headphones.

[Rocky]

You might ot have to wait much longer, Edimensional don't hang about, I have my new set of Audio FX Pro Gaming headphones right here!

How many pairs of headsets do you have laying around the house? I'll need to upgrade my headphones later and I was looking at your review on the force feedback set. Are those 5.1 surround like your new ones you just picked up?? Trying to decide if I want to spend the extra $30 to get the audio FX pro gaming set.

I bought a $19 cheapo logitech set from walmart and within a month I had to hold the cord just right in order to hear out of both left and right headphones.

I don't think the old ones are 5.1, but the new ones are. I played some GRAW2 in them tonight, the first thing I noticed was the helicopter inserts were even cooler now, the thudding of the rotors is ace with the vibration set to max. The next thing I noticed is a jump out of my skin even more when hit by an incoming round.

[eyn093]

Any updates on those Audio FX Pro Gaming headphones yet ?I'm in the marked for a new set of cans and i was thinking of getting one of these.

[Rocky]

Any updates on those Audio FX Pro Gaming headphones yet ?I'm in the marked for a new set of cans and i was thinking of getting one of these.

It's going to be a few days at least before I get a full review up, but for a quick summary;

They are a really good fit. The cups fit very snug around the ears, so there is virtually no leakage at all. Having one USB cable is cool, rather than the old way of a USB + a mic wire. The sound quality is great. The design is actually cooler than I thought from the images, the tan leather look is very classy. There's an inline volume control that adjusts your master volume, and also a mute button. There's a coloured LED on the inline, not sure why, it's kind of distracting, but it's out of view for the most part anwyay.

The mic quality is top notch, I tested it on teamspeak (TS certified) and it was crystal. It's on a very strudy adjustable stalk, so no worries there.

It comes with a software CD that has the USB drivers, but I'm not sure if you really need that unless you want to tinker with the 5.1 surround stuff. I just plugged the set in and played, no problems.

So, for gaming, these are cool, practical, comfy, and attractive

[dporter]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16826504004

Not a bad price at newegg for $56. I was thinking of buying them at $80 so the newegg price is a bonus.

[ARDelta]

Another basic question... If using USB headphones, which obviously don't plug into the sound card (duh!), how does the sound information get from the sound card to the USB port? It seems like using USB headphones might use more CPU than when using headphones that connect directly to the sound card.

[Dannik]

A USB headset becomes a new "sound card" as far as your system is concerned.

If you use an USB headset with a system with an existing sound card, you will now have two entries on the hardware sound card front.

Yes, it will use more CPU, as an USB headset is akin to using onboard sound, with the soundcard not being on the motherboard, but on the USB device.

[firefly2442]

I would imagine the CPU increase is minuscule.

[eyn093]

Hey,help me out here guys,i'm kinda confused

So i have a X-FI Xtrememusic sound card that i like and obviously would like to keep on using with my (maybe) new headset.

When i plug the USB cable in, it wont use my soundcard but my onboard soundcard ?

Its kinda a huge step down

Or am i wrong here ??

Cheers

PC : c2d 6600 @ 2.4

wINDOWS XP SP2

2 GIGS OF RAM

Nvidea 8800GTS 640 ram

MB :MSI P965 Platinium

And other things that go blimp kloing katschieng

Edited August 21, 2007 by eyn093

[Rocky]

Yeh this is interesting, and I was wondering the same thing.

For example, once you plug in a USB headset your soundcard and the "generic hardware" options in the GRAW 2 sound options both disappear - which bears out what Dannik just posted.

So there seems to be a wierd kind of trade off here that I am still trying to get my head around.

Using a conventional set of headphones that plug in to your soundcard, you are benefitting from your soundcards features and quality - correct?

Using USB headphones, you are totally bypassing that expensive new soundcard and instead stealing processor time?

[ARDelta]

My point exactly, Rocky. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who doesn't fully understand the implications of using a USB headset with your nice $ound card. It seems some research is in order.

[eyn093]

I guess i should wait on buying these bad boys...

[eyn093]

Just a moment guys.

Is it possible that the headset that Rocky is talking about has 3 cords ?

1 for the speaker and go's into the 'green or black'

1 for the mic.that go's into the 'pink or red '

And 1 for the USB cable to go into a free usb-port.

The USB cable only gives you the 'rumble' and the other 2 cords give you the benifit of your soundcard ?

Just thinking out loud here.

[Rocky]

Just a moment guys.

Is it possible that the headset that Rocky is talking about has 3 cords ?

1 for the speaker and go's into the 'green or black'

1 for the mic.that go's into the 'pink or red '

And 1 for the USB cable to go into a free usb-port.

The USB cable only gives you the 'rumble' and the other 2 cords give you the benifit of your soundcard ?

Just thinking out loud here.

No, the headset has one USB cable, that's it.

[ARDelta]

Rocky, when you played GRAW2 with that headset, what did you have selected for the audio device in the game's options?

[Rocky]

Rocky, when you played GRAW2 with that headset, what did you have selected for the audio device in the game's options?

Plug in USB Headset

Start GRAW 2

Check Audio Settings

There are only 2 options now, Generic Software or Audigy ZS.

If you select Audigy, you get no sound.

NOTE. I have uninstalled the Headphones USB Audio Software. With the HS software installed, the option says "C-MEDIA" , which is at http://www.cmedia.com.tw/.

So, while the sound throught the headphoines sounds exactly the same to my hearing as my previous set, I was not comfortable with a whole new set of audio drivers, so that's why I unistalled them, and it still functions, mic and everything.

[ARDelta]

So, did you ever test them in GRAW2 using the software that came with headset? If so, did it work and could you tell any difference compared to using "Generic Software"?

Now back to the "motherboard sound" vs "USB headset" vs "conventional headset + add on sound card" debate.

I read a few articles on extremetech.com.

The first was a review of a USB headset, Razer's Barracuda HP-1. Here's a quote.

All those drivers in each earpiece are simply too close to your ear to complete the illusion of being surrounded by sound. In fact, we find that a good pair of stereo headphones with a really good faux-5.1 technology (like that provided by Creative's X-Fi cards) delivers a more convincing positional audio experience.

The second article was about Creative's X-Fi's cards. Here's a quote.

the X-Fi completed the 127 voice test with a CPU utilization of 6%. Needless to say, no integrated audio solution can come remotely close to that.

The third was a comparison of Turtle Beack Ear Force HPA2 and the Tritton AXPC.

Turtle Beack Ear Force HPA2, plugs right into a 5.1 sound card as if it were a high-end set of speakers. The second, the Tritton AXPC, is a DSP-based USB model that bypasses the sound card altogether.

So it seems that add in cards definitely reduce the load on your CPU. And, USB headphones completely bypass any onbaord or add-in sound so you may not need it. Finally, the 3D sound reproduction can vary a good deal, but the best effect is achieved with a quality add-in card and good headset.

In the end here's their recommendation.

Interestingly, another multi-cone headset from Tritton, the AX360, sounds better than either of the headsets reviewed here. It features an optical input from a sound card with optical-out and brings home better 3D than the AXPC and cleaner sound than the Ear Force HPA2.

[Rocky]

All those drivers in each earpiece are simply too close to your ear to complete the illusion of being surrounded by sound.

That isn't really a driver comment, it's a 5.1 surround side in a headset comment. I have 5.1 surround sound conventional headphones that plug sirectly into the soundcard with the standard jacks. I always maintained you cannot hear the benefit of 5.1 ina headset, even when there are extra speakers in the ear piece. You just can't hear the diff in a confined space like a headset earcup. You MIGHT get some additional clarity, but you simply cannot tell the rear speakers from the side speakers, in my opinion.

[ARDelta]

I think by "drivers", the writer meant "speakers". I just thought it was an interesting comment that he had heard simulated surround sound with a 2 speaker headset that he thought was better than actually surround with an 8 speaker headset. Of course, I can't help but think I would rather have an 8 speaker headset. And, you're absolutely right, it's hard for headphones to produce the spaciousness of the sound from a conventional 5.1 speaker set up.

[eyn093]

So what would be a good headset to use with my X-FI Xtrememusic ? Without the usb-cable of course

Price range no more than 100 euro.

[ROCO*AFZ*]

All those drivers in each earpiece are simply too close to your ear to complete the illusion of being surrounded by sound.

That isn't really a driver comment, it's a 5.1 surround side in a headset comment. I have 5.1 surround sound conventional headphones that plug sirectly into the soundcard with the standard jacks. I always maintained you cannot hear the benefit of 5.1 ina headset, even when there are extra speakers in the ear piece. You just can't hear the diff in a confined space like a headset earcup. You MIGHT get some additional clarity, but you simply cannot tell the rear speakers from the side speakers, in my opinion.

I agree... i just recently got a pair of 5.1 razer barricuda's that don't use usb for anything except to power the lights amd amp.

The sound was clear in 5.1 but directional was confusing as all get out. I lose transition between speakers (it's not smooth) once minute there in front, next behind... no inbetween. I switched it to headphones from the 5.1 and now it's surround only using speaker like my 30 $ plantronics used that i blew a speaker in. If you ask me 5.1 was not worth the 139.00 but... the LEDs on the headset are cool... and now as headphones (not 5.1) profile wise they work well.(was very tiny though so i had to lower the treble and jack up the base.

USB headphones as stated bypass your nice soundcard for a software based one of there own.

So what would be a good headset to use with my X-FI Xtrememusic ? Without the usb-cable of course

Price range no more than 100 euro.

Plantronics audio 350 is a cheap but very good headset... i loved mine... but thought 5.1 would be better. it was not.

[eyn093]

So the bottom line is : get a good set stereo sound headset and your good to go ,forget all about the 5.1 ,USB crap.

Its not worth it ,wright ?

[viiiper]

I'm ready to make some upgrades, but I'm really unsure what to do about sound. There are a lot of options for both sound cards and headsets and I can't decided what to choose. Here's what I'm considering.

Sound Card

Creative Labs X-FI Xtreme Gamer Fatality

Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer

Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi Extreme Audio

Turtle Beach Montego 7.1 Dolby Digital Live Surround PCI Sound Card

Headsets

Turtle Beach X-52 Surround Sound Headphones

Tritton AXPC 5.1 USB Rumble Gaming Headphones

eDimensional AudioFX Force Feedback Gaming Headset

Considering that I'm currently using mobo onboard audio, a microphone that's integrated into this old Compaq CRT monitor that I'm about to trash, and some cheap Sony earclip-type headphones, anything will be an upgrade. All feed back and other suggestions are much appreciated.

If your serious about an upgrade let me throw this into the pot;

Only for those serious about sound

Auzentech X-Fi Prelude 7.1 Soundcard

http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-fi_prelude.php

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct....=11&subcat=

Based on a licensed chip from Creative (X-fi) so you know the drivers are good and compatible, the Auzentech pushes where Creative dreams.

- Creative X-Fi CA20K audio processor

- One AKM AK-5394 super high performance 192kHz 24-bit ADC for analog input

- Four AKM AK-4396 192kHz 24-bit advanced multi-bit DAC for analog output

- 64Mbytes of memory for audio processing

- High fidelity audio OP-Amps for analog input and output

- Front L/R output OP-Amp is replaceable by end-user

- Dual mode S/PDIF receiver and transmitter

- One 3.5mm MIC input connector in rear panel

- One 3.5mm line input connector in rear panel

- One 4-pin AUX connector on board

- Four 3.5mm 8 channel line output connectors in rear panel (FL/FR/C/SW/RL/RR/RSL/RSR)

- One S/PDIF combo input connector in rear panel for receiving either coaxial or optical digital

- One S/PDIF combo output connector in rear panel for transmitting either coaxial or optical digital

- 16-bit to 24-bit recording sampling rates: 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 and 96kHz

- One 10-pin front panel connector on board for MIC input and headphone support

- One 40-pin digital extension header on board to support AD-Link and other digital functionality

- 24-bit Analog-to-Digital conversion of analog inputs at 96kHz sample rate

- 24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion of digital sources at 96kHz to analog 7.1 speaker output

- 24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion of stereo digital sources at 192kHz to stereo output

- 16-bit to 24-bit recording sampling rates: 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 and 96kHz

- ASIO 2.0 support at 16-bit/44.1kHz, 16-bit/48kHz, 24-bit/44.1kHz 24-bit/48kHz and 24-bit/96kHz with direct monitoring.

- Enhanced SoundFont support of up to 24-bit resolution

- 64MB of X-RAM

For headphones with mic;

Medusa Progamer 5.1 headset

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SpeedLink/Medusa51

[Rocky]

For headphones with mic;

Medusa Progamer 5.1 headset

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SpeedLink/Medusa51

Yes, that is the set I unplugged to use the Edimensional ones. The speedlink ones are good quality sound, no worries there, but the fit is poor compared to the Edimensional ones. I guess it depends onthe shape of your head, but with me anyway, the medusa ear cups leave a gap big enough to shove a finger in at the bottom. The Edimensional ones are a SNUG fit.