Virtual surround questions

P

Predaking

Weaksauce
Joined
Nov 16, 2014
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Basically I'm buying a new gaming headset. I currently have the Astro A40's but they broke plus I don't think the virtual audio aspect of it worked right...or I never had it setup right.

So I don't know much about this stuff so forgive any ignorance if my question doesn't make any sense.
But when it comes to virtual audio in gaming both 5.1 and 7.1.....which source of virtual audio processing is better for positional tracking and which has the highest compatibility with the most games?

Creative's CSS or MB3?
Dolby's 1 and 2...which I understand is 5.1 and 7.1 conversion? They also have one called dolby headphone and I don't know what that is.

I read somewhere online that true 7.1/5.1 headsets can't be more accurate positionally than virtual because the speakers are not far enough apart. Is that true? Most gamers say that high end stereo cans are best but I prefer a built in mic.

If Creative's MB3 software is superior and I buy say a Sennhieser gaming headset or basically any stereo cans. Can I purchase the MB3 software and have it work through that headset instead of Dolby's or whatever it uses? Does USB headsets work different than analogue 3.5mm output?...I know usb's won't use the onboard chip but not sure if that matters.

Or maybe someone can just explain to me how Virtual audio in gaming works and how do I setup virtual audio for the best experience? I heard you're supposed to set it both in Windows OS and in the driver?:confused:
 
Um. Buy a creative Z series and a pair of Sennheiser 518s ,558s, 598s or some such and that is it. The Creative headphone surround that comes with the Z series is all you will need for excellent headphone sound.
 
If I were going to use headphones and virtual surround, I'd probably also go with one of the newer Creative cards (if you don't already have something like an X-Fi) and some good stereo headphones.

The way virtual surround works properly, is that you need to set Windows (in the sound playback devices) to the highest number of speakers your sound device supports (5.1 for the newer Creative cards), then go to the Creative software and choose 'headphones' as the output and enable CMSS-3D or whatever they call it now (I think it's called SBX now). I think the process is similar for other sound devices as well, but that Windows setting is very important.

http://support.creative.com/kb/ShowArticle.aspx?sid=96663

Games look at the Windows speaker setting to determine how many speakers they can utilize, so Windows needs to be set to as many speakers as possible so that the virtualization software (when enabled) can take that multi-channel audio and process it for stereo headphones. If you set Windows to stereo/headphones, games will only output stereo which gives virtualization software very little to work with.

I'd say that you either had it configured incorrectly or you just weren't used to it. I play with surround speakers and tried virtual surround with headphones but the positioning was very dull in comparison to having discrete speakers; I guess if you use it long enough you get adjusted to it and it works out.
 
I can't put an audio card in mine, it's not that kind of PC. But thanks, I always left Windows at default.
So I'll set windows to 7.1. But seems odd they would make it so convoluted like that. My audio software also has similar options too so it just makes everything confusing.

I guess I'll use USB headphones that use Dolby so I don't have to mess with the audio chip's software. Because it has options for stereo,7.1...etc and no clue what to set those too.
 
Hmmm. Might want to try a stereo usb dac/amp. A good headphone setup sounds like surround even though it is in stereo. What is your budget?
 
I'm considering the Steelseries H wireless. Mostly because I can hook up my PS4 to it as well, it's wireless and comes with two 20 hr batteries. It also allows analogue or USB input as well as optical...but i don't have optical out. So I may just use USB. It says it uses Dolby headphone and Dolby prologic 2 on USB to provide 5.1 and 7.1 surround.

So far that's the only one that suits all my major needs. wireless, long battery life and PS4 compatibility
 
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