What Headset/Headphone + Sound Card do you use for gaming and why?

[delta0]

What senns? For example the Senn hd 280 pro are crap for any positional audio.

Then there is something wrong with yours and his headphone/system. You are the first person that I have seen, ever, that has listened to that and has had trouble picking out where the sounds are coming from.

449. Your video file sounds awesome and sounds like it is surround sound but i really don't get the clarity of the directional i get with 5.1 speakers. Don't get me wrong i can pick out where the sound is just mostly on the left or right rather than being as accurate with front and rear as well. Are yours just the same as when you use 5.1 speakers (not headset)?

 

[Rroff]

Different combinations work differently for different people... however no multi driver "5.1" headset can (currently) reproduce vertical sound cues without resorting to HRTF type software so you might as well use 2 decent quality drivers from the start w/ a HRTF type system.

 

[melmac]

We aren't talking about 5.1 speakers, we are talking about 5.1 headsets.

 

[delta0]

We aren't talking about 5.1 speakers, we are talking about 5.1 headsets.

I know but my 5.1 headset is pretty much the same as my 5.1 speakers. Most people have access to the latter to compare their stereo headset with. I get sound like the 5.1 speakers, i wondered if you got the same from the stereo headphones?

 

[setter]

Goldring ns1000 headphones and an asus xonar DX. Heard good things about the headphones, and they were well priced. Had creative soundcards in the past, but had a lot of issues with drivers. So i opted for the xonar, been very impressed with it. I did consider moving to the D2X, but after borrowing my nephews for a few days. I couldnt tell any difference so just kept the DX.

 

[delta0]

Different combinations work differently for different people... however no multi driver "5.1" headset can (currently) reproduce vertical sound cues without resorting to HRTF type software so you might as well use 2 decent quality drivers from the start w/ a HRTF type system.

I can imagine vertical being a problem (i've not noticed in games yet), the 7.1 headsets do that. However games only run in 5.1.

 

[melmac]

449. Your video file sounds awesome and sounds like it is surround sound but i really don't get the clarity of the directional i get with 5.1 speakers. Don't get me wrong i can pick out where the sound is just mostly on the left or right rather than being as accurate with front and rear as well. Are yours just the same as when you use 5.1 speakers (not headset)?

The Senn 449 explains a lot actually Great headphones for music. But they are closed back, and while they have a wide enough soundstage for closed headphones, they cant compete with open headphones in that regard. But, there is one more problem, which might explain the rear positional audio not been great is that they aren't deep, I mean the sound stage to the rear isn't very good.

So yes, you would find 5.1 headsets better than your stereo headphones for gaming.

 

[delta0]

Do you think windows 8 could be the problem , i.e. Drivers?

 

[delta0]

The Senn 449 explains a lot actually Great headphones for music. But they are closed back, and while they have a wide enough soundstage for closed headphones, they cant compete with open headphones in that regard. But, there is one more problem, which might explain the rear positional audio not been great is that they aren't deep, I mean the sound stage to the rear isn't very good.

So yes, you would find 5.1 headsets better than your stereo headphones for gaming.

I see, that makes sense. Do you get sound the same as you get from 5.1 speakers from your headset?

 

[melmac]

I see, that makes sense. Do you get sound the same as you get from 5.1 speakers from your headset?

Tough question. It varys from game to game really. For FPS shooters where positional audio is a must I use my headphones because they are way, way better. I can tell where everything is, can hear reloads from half a map away and know exactly if they are behind me or in front of me.

But, for music and movies my speakers are way better.

 

[delta0]

Tough question. It varys from game to game really. For FPS shooters where positional audio is a must I use my headphones because they are way, way better. I can tell where everything is, can hear reloads from half a map away and know exactly if they are behind me or in front of me.

But, for music and movies my speakers are way better.

I agree about the speakers for the music and movies. The headphones do give the careful detail of sound you need for the game. Positional wise i find the headset just the same as these in games.

 

[Sighn]

Plug in a pair of stereo headphones and listen to this.

Your ears are stereo, the brain works out where the sound is coming from based on how long it takes a sound wave to reach each ear.

I find this to be a better example

Though, overall, I don't find Dolby Headphone processing to be quite as effective as an actual binaural recording.

 

[delta0]

Thanks for clearing it up. I thought i was going mad when you guys kept saying the positional audio was there in stereo and i was trying it and getting great spatial but no accurate positional then trying the 5.1 headset and thinking this is how it should sound like my 5.1 speakers. Seems it works for both.

 

[melmac]

I find this to be a better example

Though, overall, I don't find Dolby Headphone processing to be quite as effective as an actual binaural recording.

No, haha, I mean yes I agree with you!! Dolby headphone is only ok and in some games is actually worse. The binaural recordings are way better.

 

[melmac]

Thanks for clearing it up. I thought i was going mad when you guys kept saying the positional audio was there in stereo and i was trying it and getting great spatial but no accurate positional then trying the 5.1 headset and thinking this is how it should sound like my 5.1 speakers. Seems it works for both.

Sound is tricky But you had summed it up yourself earlier in another thread when you said it depends on the headphones. Open headphones are way better for gaming than closed headphones. Not true in every case, but generally