Need a amp for ps4 headset sennheiser pc350 se

wigz

wigz

wigz

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hi all I have been looking for something to boost the volume of my headset they seem very quiet even on max. I'm sure they are capable of much more. I have been looking about and the only one that keeps coming up is the astro mixamp. can anyone recommend anything else that has separate mic and headset volumes. any advice would be a great help.

ps4.
Sennheiser pc350 se Headset.
Headset Plugged into controller. (no usb)
Frequency 10 - 26,000 hz .(150 ohm)
Stereo.
3.5mm Connectors.
 
I don't think you're going to find a headphone amp with microphone input and output that doesn't require mains power. I've seen a Behringer MA400, but that requires mains power.

Ideally, I'd imagine you'd want one that uses a rechargeable internal battery, like FiiO's products. I've never seen one though that has microphone input/output.

If you need an amp for just the headphone part though, a FiiO A3 would be a good option.

Astro Mixamp would also be a good option, and perhaps a better one. That would take the optical out and USB power from the PS4, rather than have it (Mixamp) and the headset connected to the controller. A more expensive option than getting an amp and connecting that to the controller, but a less messy one. No microphone volume control though. If you want that, the Behringer MA400 will be your best bet. You're going to be tied down with cables though; not only from the unit to the controller and headset, but also to mains power as well.
 
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seem to be quite limited in the way of boosting a headset . I was looking at the fiio amps but was unsure if they would be compatible with ps4. I cant find any with mic volume so will just have adjust mic volume inside the ps4 options. its looking like the mixamp is best option.
 
I bought that headset cheap as chips when the mega deal was on the outlet store . they looked class but no way I could use them to full potential . They don't have full ps4 support . The ps4 controller doesn't give enough juice . Ive got a good headphone amp as well as I have expensive music headphones , so was not prepared to fork out on another amp just for gaming.
 
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I don't even think a astro mixamp has enough juice to power these.
I may get a fiio e6 amp to use when no friends are online. you cant have to much volume in a party because you cant hear people otherwise.

if I get a optical from back of ps4 to 3.5mm convertor to the amp . does anyone know if this will work. I know I wont be able to use mic with this setup . but I can go back to using controller connection when I have friends online.
 
Yes, you can get a DAC (digital to analogue converter) which will take optical in from the PS4 then output to analogue RCA or 3.5mm. Just connect an amp to that, then the headphones/headset.

The amp in the new Mixamp isn't as powerful as previous models apparently. I know Ryan has a 2011 model and he says that powers AKG K612 fine. They're fairly inefficient headphones that require more juice than the HD598. If that is indeed correct, I have no idea why would Astro put a less powerful amp in the latest version.

This will do the job. FiiO D3 is better, but twice as much.
 
thanks for the help marsman. would I need the dac you linked and then also another normal amp?.

and I'm guessing I cant use the fiio E6 on its own without another amp?.
 
Well a basic DAC is not an amp. You can use one without an amp, but you will have no control over the volume. A DAC converts the digital signal into an analogue one, which is then sent to a connected amp, then either to speakers or headphones.

The Mixamp is a DAC and headphone amp; although the amp section is not particularly powerful.

The E6 is just an amp. You could use that with the output from the PS4 controller, and do away with a DAC, as the controller's audio connection is analogue. You can't connect an amp directly to the PS4 though, as it has no analogue outputs, only digital. That's why you need a DAC, when connecting directly to the console.
 
first of all

i own a ps4, the newest astro mixamp and hd558's with antlion mod mic.

i had issues at first but all my settings weren't correct. the astro mixamp will power any headphone. in fact it's far too loud for HD558's and i compensate by putting the amp on 85% voice chat and 15% game to stop my ears from exploding.

second of all

never ever use the ds4 for voice chat, by plugging into the controller you are decreasing the quality of the bluetooth connection.

it also sounds fairly terrible like a old magnetic tape.



the best thing you can do if you own a console is buy a astro mixamp. i've tried many different setups and the only 3 i would recommend are:

1. USB headsets (hyper x cloud II's or senn's).
2. Mixamp setups (£100+)
3. External DAC/AMP like Creative X7 (£300+).
 
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thanks soony I may look into the mixamp it will be easier in long run.
your headset is 50 ohm and mine is 150 ohm do you still think the mixamp will make a big difference to the sound . I also read they was having problems with the chat on ps4 when using mixamp.
 
Mixamp will certainly be easier, as it's all one DAC and amp.

Despite the latest version apparently having a weaker amp, I would imagine that it will still power the PC350's sufficiently. Although they are 150 Ohm, they are going to be efficient. It wouldn't make any sense for Sennheiser to make a gaming headset inefficient, because most people will likely use basic onboard audio, for the majority doesn't have anything in the way of decent headphone amplification..

I am rather sceptical though that the latest Mixamp will drive any headphone. The HD5xx series can be powered by a potato. It's not necessarily about how loud the volume is though. A guy who reviewed the latest version with AKG K612 headphones found the sound to be flat and lifeless, compared to Creative's E5, which he described the sound as being "full of life". They are inefficient headphones though, so not so surprising if the amp in the latest Mixamp isn't as good as the one in the 2011 model. As I said before, Ryan found that the 2011 model did a good job with the K612, so there must be some difference.

Any model of the Mixamp should do a fine job with efficient headphones. Most Sennheiser's are efficient and easy to power, except maybe their higher end HD6/7/8 series.

Something I should have mentioned before is that using a Mixamp or DAC and amp, is going a much better solution than connecting an amp (FiiO E6) to the controller, because as Psycho Sonny said, the quality of the Bluetooth connection is a weak link and also the DAC in the controller itself isn't going to be particularly good. Fine for simple comms, but not that good for anyone wanting decent sound.
 
thank you for the help. my headset is great how it is but sometimes you just need a little bit more volume sometimes. if the mixamp can do that I will be very happy. now do I get the new 2015 edition mixamp or try and find the older version one 2013 I think.

was just looking at black mixamp tournament ready edition. as my headset has two 3.5mm jacks for headset and mic can I use a 3.5mm to usb for my mic rather than using controller. link to part I mean below.


Link.
 
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I'd probably just get the new one. I'm guessing that you are judging that the PC350 needs a bit more volume from using it with the PS4 controller. If that's correct, then that will be why the volume isn't as loud as you'd like it. The audio internals of the controller aren't going to be anything special at all. It's a controller pad after all and the audio out is really there for convenience.

Any Mixamp will do a far better job than connecting the headset to the controller; not just for sound quality, but also providing more power. If you had inefficient headphones that need that bit more power to make them sound great, then maybe the 2011 model would be worth tracking down.
 
yeah I use it threw the ps4 controller using the 3.5mm splitter that goes from two connections to 1 into controller . so I think a mix amp will add a lot more power without going threw controller. but I will still need a mic into the controller though?.
 
I went for the 2011. It has the best amp, more quiet background than the others I've tried. My friend has a 2013 that he gave me to test out for him and it was inferior in terms of power. The newer models are less warm than the 2011 so they can sounds a bit more detailed. The 2011 is slightly on the warmer side but that's the one I'd aim for.
 
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Microphone audio is sent via the USB connection, so headset is just connected to the Mixamp. Just had a quick look on their site to confirm that. :p
 
wigz said:
thank you for the help. my headset is great how it is but sometimes you just need a little bit more volume sometimes. if the mixamp can do that I will be very happy. now do I get the new 2015 edition mixamp or try and find the older version one 2013 I think.

was just looking at black mixamp tournament ready edition. as my headset has two 3.5mm jacks for headset and mic can I use a 3.5mm to usb for my mic rather than using controller. link to part I mean below.


LINDY-USB-2-0-Audio-Adapter
Click to expand...

That Lindy USB sound card will only work with PCs.

What you'll need is a Y adaptor because the Mixamps take what is known as 'four pole' jacks. Both headphone and microphone channels combined into one 3.5mm jack. This is the same type of 3.5mm sockets smartphones use. If you look at one of the jacks on the 350 headset, there are three sections, with two black plastic separators. With four pole jacks, there's an extra section, so three plastic separators. The extra section is for the microphone. So you have left and right audio channels, microphone and ground.

The PC350 is designed for PC use, so has separate 3.5mm jacks. One for the headphone, one for the microphone, as PCs don't use 'four pole' connections. This Y adaptor on Astro's site, is what you need. Doesn't necessarily have to be that one that though.
 
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I have the y adapter got mine from sennheiser. so I just plug the y adapter in the mixamp and that does chat and audio like it does for my controller?. I still need a chat cable from mixamp to controller then?.
 
Marsman said:
Microphone audio is sent via the USB connection, so headset is just connected to the Mixamp. Just had a quick look on their site to confirm that. :p
Click to expand...

hmm how am I going to get from 3.5mm chat to usb? my chat is as you say a pc connection pink 3.5mm :eek:
 
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