Serious Audio Questions

[ralfyboy]

These questions have been on my mind for quite some time, but I never took the time to ask them. I plan on getting an Xbox 360 or PS3 soon, so I'm going to hook them up to my 19" CRT monitor. I got that part figured out, but I need to know what I should do about the sound. I have a pretty good sound card, Audigy 2 ZS, so I'm off to a good start. Speaker systems are just not practical for me. I'm a very clean guy, so I hate to see wires all over the place. I also know I won't be able to place the speakers where they should go for optimal hearing, so I'm thinking about getting some nice, high-quality headphones. Now this is the part where my questions come in.

1. What kind of headphones will take full advantage of my Audigy 2 ZS for both music and games? I had a pair of cheapo 5.1 surround sound headphones, but they quickly fell apart. The sound was not too great, so I'm in need of a new pair. (Looking to spend $75-$150)

2. What is the difference between surround sound headphones and non-surround sound headphones? I read on these forums about people spending hundreds on non-surround sound headphones, and I started thinking. Why would they spend that much when surround sound is SUPPOSED to be good? What am I missing? Can you get surround sound from regular headphones? Does the sound quality exceed the surround sound feature?

3. How do I hook up my Xbox360/PS3/Wii to my sound card in a way that will support the latest in audio technology like Dolby Digital/DTS stuff? What combination of adapters/cables do I need?

I'm a guy who appreciates great sound, but I just don't know squat on how to achieve it. My primary goal is to be able to listen to my music collection in awesome quality, fully immerse myself in games (PC and Consoles) with surround sound, and enhance movie experiences. Any help I can get will be much appreciated. I hope that by asking these questions, I can also help others with the same inquiries.

*I will most likely remember and ask more questions later, and I'm sure I will have questions to answers to my original questions.

 

[Cyrilix]

Because a set of stereo headphones reproduces soundstage pretty well. You should try hearing the DT880, very airy and wide soundstage, gives you the "concert hall" feeling, as I like to call it. With things such as crossfeed and DSPs, this can be improved. There's no need to place multiple drivers per ear on a set of headphones. If you've heard binaural recordings, then you can understand how standard stsreo headphones can reproduce 3d effects very very well.

And one more note, don't be dumping serious money into this hobby unless you're SERIOUS about your sound quality... This is not something that most casual people can just pick up, spend $1000 and say "WOW, my life has changed". It takes time spent with your headphones, understanding of your gear and understanding of the details in your music to fully appreciate the hobby of an audiophile.

I consider myself to be only an audiophile-in-training even after 12 months, because every once in a while, I understand more and more of my headphones, their good/bad qualities, and I become more familiar with the nuances in my music -- the learning stage is long.

 

[ralfyboy]

Thanks for the advice.

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