Is there such a thing as 5.1 Headphones?

S

ST|FFY

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Dec 16, 2003
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i know that Zalman makes some 5.1 headphones but as far as i know, they suck
so is there another company out there that can make a good pair of 5.1 headphones, preferably for gaming?
 
I doubt it too but I have yet to try any of these 5.1 headphones that are currently on the market. I remember reading something about a Dolby Digital 5.1 headphone sound format that Dolby was working on that should work with any headphones, but that isn't due out for a while as far as I know.
 
A lot of different companies make them. Most of them are "packages" which come with a DSP. They can normally take standard stereo sources as well as digital sources (like DD, DTS). For the most part, they're just fancy looking headphones packaged with a DSP that does all the real work. Some companies sell the DSPs separately, and many companies sell software solutions designed to work with PCs as plugins to popular media players like Windows Media Player 9 and Winamp.

Some PC DVD software already has built-in "Dolby Headphone" support (PowerDVD and WinDVD are examples). The only hardware solution I can think of at the moment is AKG's Hearo line (they also offer a software WMP9 plugin), but I'm sure that Sony makes some too.
 
so i guess i should stick with 5.1 speakers instead of headphones for now
 
Truthfully speaking, there are no 5.1 headphones. 5.1 designates 5 speakers and 1 subwoofer. The .1 denotes one sub.

As for the "5.1 headphones" they imitate 5.1. To date, I have not seen a pair of cans that had 6 speakers(5 speakers + 1 for the sub). In fact, I have not found any cans that had a sub!

You know what is funny though? My cans provide deeper bass than my 200 watt, 12 inch, down-firing woofer.

EDIT: Here's a simpler explanation of why 5.1 headphones wouldn't work. In a 5.1 set up you have 4 satelites, a center channel and a sub. The 4 satelites are placed as front left, front right, rear left, and rear right. What this means is that 2 speakers would have to go on the left side of the headphones and 2 more go on the right side of the headphones. The front left/rear left for the left side and the front right/rear right for the right. DUH. Sounds easy at this point, right? Wrong. Where do you place the center channel speaker? The sub I guess you could place on either side.
 
so there is NO such thing as 5.1 headphones

but is there such a thing as 4.0 headphones? like 2 front(left & right) and 2 rear(2 left & 2 right)??
 
Originally posted by ST|FFY
so there is NO such thing as 5.1 headphones

but is there such a thing as 4.0 headphones? like 2 front(left & right) and 2 rear(2 left & 2 right)??
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I would imagine no for a 4.0 set up as well...reason being is that it's quite hard to fit 2 speakers per ear piece. Headphones these days are quite good with mimicking surround sound with just one driver per ear piece.
 
allrite thx, i guess i'll just hang onto my cheapo headphones for now
 
Originally posted by ST|FFY
allrite thx, i guess i'll just hang onto my cheapo headphones for now
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just so you know, I prefer good stereo headphones over my Klipschs (4.1) for gaming
 
Originally posted by zachary80
just so you know, I prefer good stereo headphones over my Klipschs (4.1) for gaming
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Zachary80 brings up a good point. Headphones offer unprecedented surround sound capability. That is kind of contrary to what one would think, but it is true.

EDIT: I also use my headphones over my 5.1 digital system for gaming.
 
Originally posted by zachary80
just so you know, I prefer good stereo headphones over my Klipschs (4.1) for gaming
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Same thing here. I actually sold my Klipschs once I got my PPA amp hooked up to me 580's.
 
Originally posted by aug1516
Same thing here. I actually sold my Klipschs once I got my PPA amp hooked up to me 580's.
Click to expand...

:eek:
The Klipsch got owned? ;)
 
lol, this thread is just funny. If you think about it, we have two ears and only two ears and can hear sound all around us and be able to tell where sound is coming from. We have 5.1 speaker setups so that we can get the sound to come from all around us, but we still only hear that sound with two ears. Now put some microphones right near your ears, record the sound, the put on headphones and play the sound back. If the quality of the recording is high enough then you should be able to tell location pretty well. Your brain does all the location based on phase and stuff, so as long as that is all replicated correctly by the recording and the headphones then you only need as many speakers as you have ears. 5.1 headphones is just laughable, and would you really be able to differentiate sound coming from speakers about half a centimeter apart in the headphones anyway? It is kinda hard to think of it like that at first, but just keep in mind that you only have two ears and your brain does all the work of figuring out location of sound.
meh, didn't mean for that to be so long.
 
The ear is quite powerful at telling where audio comes from. Which means if you knew more about this you would know that as long as the audio is coming from in front of you like if you have two speakers in front of you, your ears will know its coming in front of you. This is not as true for low sounds which is why subs can be placed pretty much anywhere. I don't mean to attack you but I'm sure you've never heard a quality dolby 5.1 setup or DTS setup. It also is possible to have 5.1 headphones or more likely a 5.0 setup that sends the lower sound also. Why don't you guys do a google search for the zalman headphones I thought I actually read some surprisingly good review on them.
 
No way would I game with my 5.1 surround speakers. Headphones are much better.

I don't know if it's a process of the headphones or the digital audio but I know when someone is behind me to the left or behind me to the right when I game using headphones. I think good sound through headphones gives you a great advantage over players that use speakers. When you can hear enemies coming up to you or a battle going on in the distance, it helps. I'm speaking of Call of Duty and Medal of Honor BTW.


Anyway, I write hardware reviews and I'm getting these next week. http://204.247.157.162/products.htm#esound

They will be releasing them at CES.
 
The ears don't know where anything is. The ears just take in the sound waves and the brain does all the processing and that is how you know where stuff is. You only have two ears!! Your brain can tell you where anything is with only two ears, just like how your eyes have depth perception. 5.1 headphones is FUCKING STUPID. It is. In all those pictures I didn't see a center channel. Where the fuck is it? Where is the subwoofer? What the fuck is the point of a subwoofer in headphones? Haven't you ever seen those stereoscopic images(magic eye and all that). How do you think that works? Two eyes, two pictures, 3d image. Two ears, two sound sources(headphones), 3d sound. The reason 5.1 speaker systems exist is because the ears can tell where the sound is coming from. It is so you can hear stuff in front of you and behind you. But the sound from all that still goes to two ears. 5.1 headphones are just for ignorant losers who make purchasing decisions based on the biggest number on the box.
edit: for more information on 3d audio, look here
 
Originally posted by rally9x
Why don't you guys do a google search for the zalman headphones I thought I actually read some surprisingly good review on them.
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Um...I think many of us that replied here know of those Zalmans. However, it was stated that they are not true 5.1/5.0(call them what you will). It is not 5.1 if it doesn't have 5 speakers and a sub. On the same token, it is not 5.0 if it doesn't have 5 speakers.

For the record, Zalman mimics surround sound. And screw those cans. I'll take my Beyerdynamic "stereo" headphones over those glorified ear muffs any day.
 
I know they are not technically 5.1, but I love my Acoustic Research AW791 "surround sound" headphones. They are wireless and have a DSP built into the charging base. There are three inputs, stereo, digital coax, and optical which is great to me. The sound quality is just amazing and the range and battery life is great too.
 
Tststs

phones.jpg


5.1 Headphones
 
I'm beginning to believe that most people replying in this thread do not understand the concept of 5.1.

Eh, to each his own.

BTW, that link is bad.

Until I see a headphone with 4 speakers, a center channel, and a subwoofer....
 
Ooops sorry guys. Well there is of course no Headphone solution that can recreate the same feeling as a real HT. But it can simulate it quite well :)
 
Originally posted by tillyoubreakit
Ooops sorry guys. Well there is of course no Headphone solution that can recreate the same feeling as a real HT. But it can simulate it quite well :)
Click to expand...


Yea, but my point(as well as a lot of other's that have used "stereo phones") is that you don't need a headphone that mimics 5.1 to achive directional/positional audio. A stereo 'phone can do that just the same if not better.
 
From all the reviews of the Zalmans ALL have found the surround effect being better than with stereo headphones. Sound quality of course an Audiophile will hate those but for what they are marketing they obviously do pretty well.

I think saying stereo headphones can produce a better surround effect is like saying stereo speakers can produce a better surround effect than 5.1 speakers...

But I will soon know for sure I have some used ones on their way. I don´t necessarily expect better sound quality than with my plantronics A90 which of course aren´t high end but I do expect better surround...
 
I for one are looking for a solution that will take advantage of the digital DTS ouput my MB(ABit NF7-S) has,
and are implemented as headphones - for the sake of my wallet and my neighbours.

So the ESound 5.1 Channel Headphones™ don't come close to my needs, because they only use USB, as far as I understand the don't need any other soundmodule than the CPU. ;)
The same goes for the Zalman solution, since that only utilizes analog out.

So if anyone know of a current, or upcoming solution for these demands - speak up :)

Or if you know of a product that will take the DTS signal and use that to create positional audio in stereo headphones, please share that information.

*edited for MB info*
 
EinsteiN said:
I for one are looking for a solution that will take advantage of the digital DTS ouput my MB has,
and are implemented as headphones - for the sake of my wallet and my neighbours.

So the ESound 5.1 Channel Headphones™ don't come close to my needs, because they only use USB.
The same goes for the Zalman solution, since that only utilizes analog out.

So if anyone know of a current, or upcoming solution for these demands - speak up :)

Or if you know of a product that will take the DTS signal and use that to create positional audio in stereo headphones, please share that information.
Click to expand...

What kind of motherboard do you have? If I'm understanding this correctly, you want to play DD 5.1/DTS encoded material via headphones and get simulated 5.1 position audio, correct?
 
oqvist said:
I think saying stereo headphones can produce a better surround effect is like saying stereo speakers can produce a better surround effect than 5.1 speakers...
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I hear what you're saying (pun most definitely intended) but I'll be damned if, in certain applications like FPS games, I get a much better result with cans than I do my 5.1 setup. It's odd how two speakers so close to your ears can let you know if a sound is from in front or behind. I oughta try the same thing with a HT receiver that's been tuned for the room; I halfway expect much different results. Either way, for now it's headphones for games, 5.1 for movies and TV.

I knew I shoulda gone to college for accoustical engineering...
 
I said I think because I don´t know hehe. I will soon hopefully though. But from all the reviews they state the surround effect is indead better on this headphone compared to others they have tested including sennheisers.

But yes you can get good result from stereospeakers. I remembered when first playing thief on an aureal soundcard that was damn cool
 
Since we're on the subject. I thought I might throw this set of headphones (KINYO KY-100 5.1 Heaphones) into discussion. I wonder if anyone here has this set?

They are almost equally priced with the Zalman 5.1's.

Edit: added a description of what "this set of headphones" are..... clicking a link to find out kinda sucks. ;) X
 
lil layzie said:
Since we're on the subject. I thought I might throw this set of headphones (KINYO KY-100 5.1 Heaphones) into discussion. I wonder if anyone here has this set?
Click to expand...

I plan on getting this pair of headphones soon. From the little info I can gather about them, they have 3 drivers per cup and they simulate 5.1 pretty well. I'll post my thoughts on them once I get them.
 
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