Shilz, have you ever compared to the EVGA Nu to any of the Asus Essence cards? Also Did you notice any difference when you added that plate?
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Gamers, What's Your Audio Set Up?
- Thread starter Random Guy Esq.
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Shilz, have you ever compared to the EVGA Nu to any of the Asus Essence cards? Also Did you notice any difference when you added that plate?
No sorry, only compared it to my Creative, I did look at the Asus Essence and they are very close in spec but the Nu Audio packs a lot of other high end components onto the board.
Out the box there is no noticeable noise. It sounds very clean, no EMI hiss or buzz when the computer is running idle or when the GPU is on load.
So other than looking a bit nicer and running cooler I cant tell any audible difference. However id like to think that adding anything to the backside of the plain PCB will further help with noise isolation. I probably just dont have the higher end headphones/speakers to make it audiable.
Fwiw I have the GPU on a PCIe4.0 shielded riser and I have the sound card on good quality PCIe1x Riser so its sits about 5cm away from the motherboards electronics.
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Yes the Nu is a very high end.
Your correct about the noise from the motherboard, however it comes more via the DC power. You have one PSU powering everything in the computer. What happens is noise / RFI travels into the PSU from the motherboard / GPU / molex / sata power cables, then some returns back into the cable powering the card. Even something like a fan or water pump can generate noise that finds it's way into the sound cards power.
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This is very true and it's how the soundcard handles the noise that's most important.
What I found most interesting is the Nu audio card doesn't take any power from the PCIe slot and data is driven by the xmos core chip using a usb interface. So it's esstinaly a usb DAC/AMP in an internal card.
The power is then applied to the card via clean SATA power via a high end Texas Instruments regulator which filters out the DC to DC switching, it's then shielded very well from the rest of the board with an added heatsink.
I also think a very high quality decent power supply will really help with electrical noise.
The Asus Essence cards use the same concept by taking power direct from PSU, this is the approach all good sound cards should take. The STX II had improved power filtering over the original ST/STX. I'm still curious how the Nu compares to the STX II, I suspect the Nu is extremally good.
Your correct a high quality PSU helps a lot, I'm using a Seasonic Prime Titanium yet it does not filter all the noise / RFI. Some enters the PSU from the AC mains, other noise comes back into the PSU from DC cables such as GPU / CPU / motherboard.
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Jason, can you give me some idea of test tracks to try my headphones/soundcard? The audio output to my DT990s is sounding very high quality from YouTube, gaming and movies. I have the headphone power output in the nu audio driver set to about 65% (it can go to 100%) and the windows volume slider sits at about 25-40 for good quality normal volume level (this changes with source)
I can crank volume right up to 60-70 and it becomes loud but still sounding extremely clean, good and surprisingly bearable. There's is some distortion apparent on some sources at very high volume but I'd never be listening in that range.
If I play a movie encoded with TrueHD through Kodi using the WASAPI output option the movie sounds excellent. There is one very quite scene at the beginning of mission impossible dead reckoning where cruise is about to accept his new mission I can attempt to test the noise floor by really cranking up the volume and I still don't hear noise from the PC the sound is clear and without any drop in quality.
Do my 250ohm headphones mask the noise floor being high impedance?
The noise I'm referring to you can't hear in a typical sense, it's not like pops, crackles or hums in the sound you normally expect with noise.
The RFI when you remove it, for yourself it will be like going from a very good sound card / DAC, to an even better sound card / DAC.
One good track is Keith Don't Go on Nils Lofgren Acoustic Live.
Over your volume settings, I run my Asus STX II at 70% in it's control panel, this allows windows volume to go to 100% without clipping.
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Hello guys,
I'm wondering if anyone can give me some setting suggestions to use with my audio setup.
It's a creative G6 with DT 770 pro 250ohm
I play mainly apex (pretty much every day) with the occasional COD and other single player games but want the sound advantage in Apex.
Can someone help me setup it up to the correct settings to get the most out of them before I try the X2HR and HD 599 from Amazon.
Thanks
I'm wondering if anyone can give me some setting suggestions to use with my audio setup.
It's a creative G6 with DT 770 pro 250ohm
I play mainly apex (pretty much every day) with the occasional COD and other single player games but want the sound advantage in Apex.
Can someone help me setup it up to the correct settings to get the most out of them before I try the X2HR and HD 599 from Amazon.
Thanks
I would look for EQ settings for your current setup before taking a backwards step in headphones. I didn't find the X2HR very good for FPS games.
What about using Dolby Atmos with the G6?
The HD 599 is currently £69.99, any other options up to £100? I did think about getting DT 990's but want to try a different brand, it's strictly for gaming
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Dolby Atmos for headphones works brilliantly with the small number of games that support it. Although it's done in software either on the PC or Xbox and therefore you need to make sure the G6 is in stereo mode with no other processing going on. I think 3D audio is great but some people don't like it as there is an element of subjectivity.
The HD 599 are a solid open-back headphone for gaming (particularly for the price which is a great price atm), that will work well with open-world, multiplayer or competitive games. The should compliment the DT 770s you have given aren't another closed-back pair. I can't think of many pairs under £100 although the aforementioned Fidelio X2HRs spring to mind. Can be too bassy for some and may be more recessed in the mids than the HD 599s. I think you are looking at the HD 560S or the Beyerdynamic TYGR 300R for the next step-up in terms of open-back headphones, but those are £140-160 range.
Thanks for the reply.
Would they be worth spending the extra for in the long run? I tried Dolby Atmos last night as it's free for 7 days, definitely better but still not enough detail or shall I say I can't hear soon enough.
So would I run my G6 in direct stereo mode, Dolby Atmos with either the HD 560s or TYGR 300R?
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I don't believe the Windows spatial codecs (so Dolby Atmos for headphones, DTS:X headphone, Windows Sonic) are supported in either the latest COD:MW3/Warzone 2 or Apex Legends - if those games were the ones you were testing with.
It may be using the Virtual Surround from the G6 is better in that scenario, i.e. just run that on it's own amongst the SBX enhancements. To be honest these days I tend to prefer plain stereo and then let either the in-game engine do the work, or use DTS:X on Xbox or Tempest 3D on PS5 - for games that support those although I don't really play any multiplayer/competitive games these days. My G6 isn't connected up atm.
The headphone question is more difficult in that there is subjectivity involved. There would be nothing wrong with starting with the HD 599s are seeing if you like open-backs, particularly if the budget is set. The HD 599 is long standing and well regarded open-back pair for gaming. Definitely been superseded but whether you need anything more is going to be preference.
I used to have the HD 598s as they were my first 'audiophile' headphones. They were great for gaming and a step up from some of the awful gaming headsets I had used previously (although headsets tend to be much better these days). The HD 560s is more neutral/clinical, more detail, a bit moire siblent, better imaging and more soundstage. But they will cost twice the price. The TYGRs are more v-shaped than the 560s but have very similar qualities. Indeed they are re-tuned DT 990s but with much smoother tuning, which makes the treble and bass more pleasant. I currently own both and love them for gaming, music and general listening on PC (much less on console given the backwards adoption of open audio standards). I have given up trying to choose between them and have kept both. In terms of the 560s vs TYGR if you like the sound tuning of the DT 770 and love the comfort and fit then the TYGR as another Beyer will be much closer in sound tuning and does have the exact same frame, similar pads etc.
What I would add, is that the DT 770s are solid for gaming (particularly amongst closed-backs but not their 'strength') but open-backs tend to have more soundstage and better imaging which can help with gaming. I think closed-backs tend to lean towards arena shooters or where concentration/immersion from outside noise is needed.
Sorry a bit of a long winded answer but hope that helps. There isn't a wrong answer per-say and it would be wise to look around for reviews, reddit opinions etc. as well.
Thank you Timber.
I have found b stock for both the HD 560S and the TYGR 300, both about £100 each, so ready to hit order on one now, just not sure, might try the beyerdynamic as that's what I have currently, suppose I could order both and then return one.
Again thank you for your help, just to clarify, should I run direct mode on the G6 with whatever headphone I use? I'm after that pin point accuracy and to know if people are on top of below me
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Tbh fwiw I don't think it really matters whether you run the G6 in direct mode or without any processing, so all SBX, crystalizer, equaliser settings off. The end result is essentially the same; no processing on the audio source. In terms of pinpoint accuracy I'm not 100% sure on the best settings because people's setups and preferences vary, although for some it will be using virtual surround and down mixing to stereo - which the G6 can do. I think a channel like Fresh Reviews on Youtube may be a starting point, former CS pro who reviewed both the TYGR and 560S and talks about PC audio a lot in his reviews.
I personally prefer the TYGR for it's slightly warmer, less harsh sound although in gaming they are so neck-and-neck. I think the TYGR has the edge on imaging, but detail and soundstage go to the 560S. In terms of other media, the 560S will play stuff with worts and all. And for this it makes some music incredible and other songs not as nice to listen to. The TYGR is better for media watching imho. Both are brilliant but I do think the majority would choose the Sennheiser. Comfort is largely a tie, although the 560S has removable cables.
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No worries, thank you.
I didn't like the original Fidelio's when I bought them (were a new hotness on here for a while) but I know some people enjoy the more bass-y sound on them. Still very much a bargain at that price. I'd lean towards the HD 599 at the same price between the two in the BF deals essentially at the same price. That said some do prefer the X2HR so it's subjectivity and that there isn't a wrong answer here. For my Steam Deck I'll be honest I've been using the Epos H6pro's I've recently got. Not as good as the PC38x but easy to drive and so comfortable. Really pair well with the Deck. The TYGRs and 560s will be fine with the Deck but easier to drive headphones will give you more headroom in volume. In this sense the X2HR may be better with the Deck.
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Its quite hard to recommend headphones as everyone prefers a different sound signature. I started off with a pair of HD58X and X2HR but felt I could not pin point audio with these headphones. I then purchased K702 which I still use today.
I've also got HD560S, DT 990, SHP9500, Beyerdynamics T1 Gen2.
HD58X, X2 HR have bene in the cupboard since buying the K702.
The SHP9500 got retired for the HD560S
The Beyer T1 Gen 2 seem to top them all (Some say around 95% of the performance as the HD800 for a fraction of the cost) but its all down to the game audio engine really. They are a cracking headphone for gaming though.
I would happily stick to my K702 or HD560S now. I did always own bass cannon gaming headsets and both those as mentioned are more neutral so tend not to lose as much detail when things get mad.
I've also got HD560S, DT 990, SHP9500, Beyerdynamics T1 Gen2.
HD58X, X2 HR have bene in the cupboard since buying the K702.
The SHP9500 got retired for the HD560S
The Beyer T1 Gen 2 seem to top them all (Some say around 95% of the performance as the HD800 for a fraction of the cost) but its all down to the game audio engine really. They are a cracking headphone for gaming though.
I would happily stick to my K702 or HD560S now. I did always own bass cannon gaming headsets and both those as mentioned are more neutral so tend not to lose as much detail when things get mad.
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100%. Lot of factors too that impact things.
For a long time I had the K702 as my favourite headphone. Soundstage for days. I still have my beat up pair in the loft with my hacky elastic fix and re-soldered earcup. Poor things are so beaten up and fallen apart from everyday use. I would probably love them now and every so often look at getting a new pair. That said the elastic and build is their weakness.
I did have the K712 as well which whilst more refined lacked that reverb and rawness of the K702. Ended up selling those earlier this year as I just wasn't quite as fond of those.