X-Fi w/5.1 Headphones

S

shadowsz14

Weaksauce
Joined
Apr 11, 2003
Messages
90
I'm planning to buy a pair of 5.1 headphones and an X-Fi audio card. The 5.1's connect to the computer with USB. I am wondering - will the two be able to interface?
 
USB headphones have their own USB soundcard and completely bypass your pci soundcard. But, like the others said, don't get 5.1 headphones.
 
Why shouldnt someone buy 5.1 headphones? Do they sound terrible? I would just like to know because I want to buys ome headphones =P
 
yes they sound HORRIBLE.. unless there's ones that cost like 500+ might be decent... but realy.. lots of regular ones has better positioning than 5.1 ones.. sad huh :D
 
KillerTomato said:
So theres no point to having a sound card is there =(
Click to expand...
You are missing the point.

How many ears do you have? 2, right? Right. How do you know when something is in front of you or behind you? By the way the sound changes due to the accoustics of your ear shape.

Think about that. Two ears. Two speakers SHOULD be able to perfectly accurately simulate the sound alternations needed to give you positional audio.

Now, the X-Fi is not "perfect" at this - that's still in the theoretical (and given how everyone's ears are shaped differently, probably unlikely to change)....but it IS very, VERY good at it.

Indeed, IMHO, with a GOOD pair of headphones, the X-Fi provides better positional queues than multimedia 5.1 speaker systems. At virtually any price point less than $300 - stereo headphones on an X-Fi vs a 5.1 system of the same price will sound more accurate with the headphones. CERTAINLY better than USB "5.1 headphones".
 
KillerTomato said:
So theres no point to having a sound card is there =(
Click to expand...
Your current soundcard + good stereo headphones will most likely sound much better than the usb 5.1 headphones.
 
shadowsz14 said:
I'm planning to buy a pair of 5.1 headphones and an X-Fi audio card. The 5.1's connect to the computer with USB. I am wondering - will the two be able to interface?
Click to expand...

Nope, they're totally separate things. I use the analog version of the Speed Link 5.1 headphones and they work well with the X-Fi. They're better than the other hedaphone I have now, certainly for gaming and while not better than other phones for music, it's usable. Comfy too.
 
senn's line or if you want the spend beyer 770-80 (or 770m) if you have 200ish. Will blow any 5.1's
 
I have a $10 pair of Sony headphones (MDR-G42) that sound great to me. I've been looking at the 5.1 Medusa or the "Listen to Believe" 5.1 headphones (direct to soundcard, not USB, version) for my Xtreme Music so I can have some "true" 5.1 effects for music & gaming. With sound quality not the #1 issue, would a $200 pair of stereo really beat these "true" 5.1 headphones in positioning with the X-Fi? (I can't use 5.1 speakers either, my living conditions prohibit them.)
 
dderidex said:
You are missing the point.

How many ears do you have? 2, right? Right. How do you know when something is in front of you or behind you? By the way the sound changes due to the accoustics of your ear shape.

Think about that. Two ears. Two speakers SHOULD be able to perfectly accurately simulate the sound alternations needed to give you positional audio.

Now, the X-Fi is not "perfect" at this - that's still in the theoretical (and given how everyone's ears are shaped differently, probably unlikely to change)....but it IS very, VERY good at it.

Indeed, IMHO, with a GOOD pair of headphones, the X-Fi provides better positional queues than multimedia 5.1 speaker systems. At virtually any price point less than $300 - stereo headphones on an X-Fi vs a 5.1 system of the same price will sound more accurate with the headphones. CERTAINLY better than USB "5.1 headphones".
Click to expand...

True on all accounts except one. EBay and Pawnshops for used Hi-Fi or Mid-Fi Equipment. Also Circuit City for Open Box H&K, Onkyo and even Pioneer or Sony. My Pioneer and Used speakers kills the best Computer MultiMedia speakers. Discrete 5.1 kills the best simulated surround most heaphones can do. I almost got caught up in the whole Headphone deal until my bud brought his Beyer 770's over. Untouchable for music (in that price range) but easily out gunned and done for Games. Games we tested used DS3D, OpenAL and EAX3. Even HL-2's excellent sound system saw the Headphones not do as well. Though they were good and did good fake 5.1.

Oh and the Ultra sound BF-2 setting with CMSS 3D will cause a hit to performance on some systems. There's something about trying to fake directions of 128 voices.

Donnie27

Added, Heaphones were un-amped.
 
Vertigo Acid said:
You mean they were good at faking reality? Just like 5.1 speakers?
Click to expand...

Sorry I missed this one.

5.1 Speakers and 5.1 Receivers Discretely put sounds at locations where they originated from in space. This is Discrete. Your ears pick up and out those sounds plus the reflections of those sounds to tell you where they came from. That's what Heaphones *TRY to do. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't for Cans. It works EVERY TIME for speakers though.

If the sound is behind you, the speaker behind you plays ONLY that sound. It doesn't delay or pan or etc...though it might echo. I've heard some good cans but they aren't as realistic once you've heard good Game rear sounds. ALso keep in mind that I'm talking about full range (well close to it) speakers and not those dinky Multi-Media crap ones either.
 
But you don't have an ear on the back of your head. Regardless of how many drivers are used to generate a given sound, it still is interpreted by your two ears. Reality is N. There can be infinitely many discrete sources, but still just two ears. I'm not saying 5.1 speakers are bad; i'm just contending that their purpose is to simulate reality in terms of where sounds are coming from. And you can do the same thing with just two speakers and the proper modulation of the sound
 
I'm sure you're right in theory, and I've heard simulated 3D done amazingly well. However it doesn't quite seem to hold true for gaming + headphones yet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top