Focusrite Solo Gen2/3 For Gaming with Headphones

[brakeinup]

I'm currently using AKG 712 Pro with a ModMic. AKG's are connected to a Yamaha AVR, the AVR gets its signal from the PC via HDMI. The mic is plugged into a USB device. I game in stereo so I have no need for surround sound, etc.

If I want to hear my own voice ingame I have to enable Listen in the record settings. But this introduces latency that really confuses my brain when talking in game. I've tried a few soundcards but they tend to have poor mic support and result in too much background noise or not enough volume.

So I am looking at the Focusrite Solo Gen 2 or Gen 3. This seems to be more for music, but it can be used as a headphone amp and has a mic input. From what I have read it can play the mic into the headphones with no latency.

Is anyone using one for gaming with a mic and can you hear yourself without any issues? Is the headphone output good? As its USB can it record your voice in game with something like Shadowplay?

 

[EsaT]

I game in stereo so I have no need for surround sound, etc.

Never tried binaural sound simulation or only Dolby overhype Headphone?
K712 is very capable for binaural sound gaming.
https://youtu.be/UE-NorSeH68?t=3m20s
https://youtu.be/B8xZp0WPwxs?t=19m50s

Sure some RTS games don't care much about sound for immersion, but for fps games playing with stereo sound would be now like going back to Wolfenstein 3D graphics for me.

Of course if your head shape is far from average, that's big complication for all average head shape based HRTFs.
Sound Blaster X3 finally brings Super X-Fi tech with head shape customizable HRTF into sound cards and is sure to be big improvement in accuracy of sound positioning for many people.

 

[brakeinup]

I'm finding positional audio is perfect for gaming with what I am using. I have tried cards like the AE5 and Z, but mic support was poor and on first impressions was not happy with the surround processing, although I didn't spend much time tweaking settings.