Dolby Headphone questions

banja · 13 Sep 2010 at 18:28

How does this technology work?

Does it take 5.1 / 7.1 data etc and then convert it into a stereo sound stage, creating a pseudo surround sound effect? Or does it take a stereo signal and create a pseudo surround sound effect? Or both?

Do you have to buy a sound card which supports it? Or do some onboard audio chips support it? Or can you download a driver / software and run it on any PC?

Thanks

djkav · 13 Sep 2010 at 18:35

Dolby Headphone is a technology developed by Dolby Laboratories, sometimes referred to as Mobile Surround, which creates a virtual surround sound environment in real-time using any set of two channel stereo headphones. It takes as input either a 5.1 channel signal, a Dolby Pro Logic II encoded 2 channel signal (from which 5 channels can be derived) or a stereo 2 channel signal. It sends as output a 2 channel stereo signal that includes audio cues intended to place the input channels in a simulated virtual soundstage.

Dolby Headphone is incorporated into the audio decoders packaged with surround headphones including the Astro Gaming A40 System, Logitech G35, Plantronics Gamecon 777 Headset, Turtle Beach Systems Ear Force X41 Xbox Live Gaming Headset, and the Tritton Technologies AX720 Gaming Headset. Dolby Headphone is supported by various netbooks, including the Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2 and the Acer Aspire One. PowerDVD Ultra 9 also supports Dolby Headphone when certain options are set in the "Settings" menu but PowerDVD is not marketed as an official product of Dolby Headphone.

It needs a compatible chipset, don't know of any onboard sound chipsets that have it.

You can get the Xonar DG which is very cheap. That has Dolby Headphone and also a headphone amp as well as the famous Xonar engine.

Uriel · 13 Sep 2010 at 19:01

Think of it as a speaker and listening room simulator for stereo headphones. It essentially models a 5.0 surround layout, with the low frequency effects '.1' channel mapped to the front left and right speakers. The virtual speakers are all full range. When combined with ProLogic II, Dolby claim it can simulate 7.1.

That is added to one of 3 different simulated rooms, modelled on a well damped recording studio with near-field monitor speakers, a living room and a cinema. Some equipment only offers the living room option. I prefer the first option, as it can sound odd to have acoustic cues modelled that don't match your perceived environment, plus the reflections in the other room types add ambience that isn't in the original source material. I'm not entirely convinced that the other rooms.are particularly realistic simulations either.

Dolby Headphone uses generic Head Related Transfer Function (HRTF) to simulate sound direction. This is modelled on the way that sound is received by human ears. It is optimised to give a convincing experience to as many users as possible; however, all such technology is somewhat reliant on the individual. It's a very good match for me and no other generic HRTF I've tried comes close. Even so, it's very equipment dependent and relies on certain headphone characteristics to be convincing.

To use it in games, suitable hardware is required: either a soundcard or capable external receiver. For movies and music (just the front left and right virtual speakers are fine for stereo listening with no upmixing) suitable playback software can be used. The software used to be rather lacking but I've found the current PowerDVD implementation to be very good.

Participant · 13 Sep 2010 at 19:09

The explanation that made it clear for me was - all sounds in real life hit either your left ear or your right ear. They travel down a tiny canal. Your brain interprets the source of this sound based on the features of the sound hitting it, not by working out 'as such' where the sound came from.

"Dolby Headphone electronically imparts the sonic signature of a corresponding speaker properly placed in a carefully defined acoustic environment to each audio channel (two on stereo programs, and up to five on surround programs)."

subbass · 13 Sep 2010 at 19:59

djkav said:
It needs a compatible chipset, don't know of any onboard sound chipsets that have it.

You can get the Xonar DG which is very cheap. That has Dolby Headphone and also a headphone amp as well as the famous Xonar engine.

That looks quite good for £25. Worth changing from a Xfi Xtremegamer?

Marsman · 13 Sep 2010 at 20:25

djkav said:
It needs a compatible chipset, don't know of any onboard sound chipsets that have it.

Yes, there are motherboards that have DH, but they are more the top of line models. Gigabyte UD5's have it for eg, but the UD3 models don't.

subbass said:
Worth changing from a Xfi Xtremegamer?

Depends on 2 things really. 1, having headphones that would benefit from the headphone amp. 2, preferring DH to CMSS 3D for gaming.

I think I slightly prefer DH, having used both, but I do like both, and would take either for gaming. DH however, is far superior when it comes to movies. CMSS 3D, I find lame in comparison, when it comes to films.

If you use headphones when watching films, that could be a factor in deciding whether or not to change from your Xtreme Gamer.

Edit: I should add, that my headphones are supposed to have a better synergy with DH than CMSS 3D. So that probably is one reason why I slightly prefer DH.

subbass · 13 Sep 2010 at 20:41

Marsman said:
Depends on 2 things really. 1, having headphones that would benefit from the headphone amp. 2, preferring DH to CMSS 3D for gaming.

I think I slightly prefer DH, having used both, but I do like both, and would take either for gaming. DH however, is far superior when it comes to movies. CMSS 3D, I find lame in comparison, when it comes to films.

If you use headphones when watching films, that could be a factor in deciding whether or not to change from your Xtreme Gamer.

Edit: I should add, that my headphones are supposed to have a better synergy with DH than CMSS 3D. So that probably is one reason why I slightly prefer DH.

I don't watch films on the pc so that should be ok. Just gaming with headphones is what I'll be doing. How are the Xonar drivers and software/control panel type app compared to Creative ones?

Angel_Rex · 13 Sep 2010 at 21:33

Has anyone used an astro mix amp with any of the goldring range? (DR50 / DR150 or NS1000).

I'm especially interested in the NS1000 and how it drives them (as uriel has said the ns1000's are picky with what drives them).

My bro is looking at getting the astro mix amp and is unsure whether to buy the astro A40 headphones or the NS1000's (or of course the cheaper DR50/DR150's).

It will be mainly used for the xbox360 for DH & some DVD's on the xbox360.

banja · 14 Sep 2010 at 01:03

Good info. Thanks chaps.

I'm a little confused though. If you use PowerDVD, do you still need the hardware which supports it? Or will PowerDVD allow any PC / headphone set up to use it?

Uriel · 14 Sep 2010 at 07:10

PowerDVD just needs stereo output to headphones. The OEM versions that come with optical drives usually don't have it. You have to pay extra to upgrade to a version with DH.

Marsman · 14 Sep 2010 at 11:04

subbass said:
I don't watch films on the pc so that should be ok. Just gaming with headphones is what I'll be doing. How are the Xonar drivers and software/control panel type app compared to Creative ones?

Can I ask what headphones you have? as there may not be a benefit from the DG's headphone amp. For easy to drive headphones, it wont make a lot of difference if any, other than increasing the volume. However, some easy to driver headphones do benefit from the extra juice a headphone amp can provide. Reason I ask that is, if your headphones wont benefit from the headphone amp, you will be buying the DG solely for DH for gaming, which is fine, if you prefer DH to CMSS 3D on your current X-Fi. If however you end up preferring CMSS 3D, then the DG would be a pointless purchase.

The DG does look like a very good card, and it's an excellent choice for people not wanting to spend a lot. However, when you have a decent card already, it may or may not be a worthy exchange.

Edit: Asus seem to be as clueless as Creative when it comes to the drivers for their cards. People do get problems. There are modified Uni drivers for Xonar's, which have cured problems for quite a few with issues, similar to what Daniel K and PAX drivers did for X-Fi issues.

subbass · 14 Sep 2010 at 17:23

Marsman said:
Can I ask what headphones you have? as there may not be a benefit from the DG's headphone amp. For easy to drive headphones, it wont make a lot of difference if any, other than increasing the volume. However, some easy to driver headphones do benefit from the extra juice a headphone amp can provide. Reason I ask that is, if your headphones wont benefit from the headphone amp, you will be buying the DG solely for DH for gaming, which is fine, if you prefer DH to CMSS 3D on your current X-Fi. If however you end up preferring CMSS 3D, then the DG would be a pointless purchase.

The DG does look like a very good card, and it's an excellent choice for people not wanting to spend a lot. However, when you have a decent card already, it may or may not be a worthy exchange.

Edit: Asus seem to be as clueless as Creative when it comes to the drivers for their cards. People do get problems. There are modified Uni drivers for Xonar's, which have cured problems for quite a few with issues, similar to what Daniel K and PAX drivers did for X-Fi issues.

I'm using the Sony MDR-V6.