Gamers, What's Your Audio Set Up?

I might have to eat my words....Apple music do sound different....is it better?

Well, I was listening to Gracie Abrams still and I thought I would use Apple Music today, walking home with Apple dongle and Hexa....One of the songs I have listened to a lot of times in the past 2 months playing and the bass, the low low end part is stronger. I also notice there are more going on, instruments going off at different places.

I have the CD at home but I think what is doing it isn't so much there is more but it is the Dolby Atmos doing its thing. I think?

As a result, and nevertheless, i can hear "more" but however, I wouldn't be paying like £16.99 a month for it when I have access to YT Music.
 
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The dolby processing can amplify the details in the music yeah, you'd get the same result from any streaming platform that used the same master source and you were enabling the same processing feature.
 
The difference is quite obvious in some songs, less so in others, but when it's there, I was thinking "this is so cool".
 
mrk said:
FiiO has responded to the questions about the USB streaming option and driver for older models:
Click to expand...

Thank you for that. That's a detailed response to be fair.

Their response on point 1 & 2 ignores why it can't be added to the menus of models that have the capability, even if only as a feature suggestion moving forward. But maybe there are technical limitations, they don't care about non-Windows users (i.e. most buyers are Windows users), or they just don't see it as a big issue. But it means these devices become software/driver dependent.

Although since we last discussed this I've moved all of my DAC/AMPs to the Windows 11 PC and the latest drivers from Topping, iFi and Fiio all have the exact same option in the driver. Interestingly nether the Topping or the iFi would let you select 16-bit, and one of them (I forget) wouldn't let you even change bit-rates on the stock Microsoft driver.
 
I think what I gathered form it is that they go by what gets the most requests/complaints, they hint at this with the other answer there for example. And I guess non Windows users aren't their target market or they get no feedback from them so focus on those OSes the least.
 
mrk said:
I think what I gathered form it is that they go by what gets the most requests/complaints, they hint at this with the other answer there for example. And I guess non Windows users aren't their target market or they get no feedback from them so focus on those OSes the least.
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100% makes sense. I wouldn't be surprised if one day they do work it out as a lot of their devices seem to be leaning more and more on the software side.
 
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into hibernation it goes, I feel I’ve exhausted everything with the K13 R2R now so will await the next firmware update and release of the linear PSU.

An excellent release at a great price, and unless something specific to the DX5 II is required, then this IMO sounds nicer for outright musical enjoyment, the FiiO PEQ management system is a nicer experience too through the web browser than Topping Tune for those using EQ.
 
One for gamers and HD 5x0 owners; Sennheiser HD 500 boom arm mic

Works with any of their HD 5x0 series and the HD 620. I'm not sure it's doing anything special over the existing third-party microphones, but saw this last night on reddit. Given the HD 560S is currently £95 this makes for a bargain.
 
Timber said:
One for gamers and HD 5x0 owners; Sennheiser HD 500 boom arm mic

Works with any of their HD 5x0 series and the HD 620. I'm not sure it's doing anything special over the existing third-party microphones, but saw this last night on reddit. Given the HD 560S is currently £95 this makes for a bargain.
Click to expand...

Interesting, Sennheiser mics are usually pretty good so there may be that and a lot of the third-party ones don't quite fit securely in the socket on the headphone side - though they don't drop out they will come loose and start turning a bit in the socket which the original and better made replacement cables don't do.

Link for the mic https://www.sennheiser-hearing.com/en-UK/p/hd-500-bam/ - £39.99 but looks like you get a decent quality product for the money, though twice what the third-party ones go for.

EDIT: For those who aren't aware - the consumer side of a lot of Sennheiser products has been taken over by Sonova though I believe they have access to Sennheiser's R&D and production, so far they seem to be putting some effort into community relationships, support and maintaining high quality for things like the headphone drivers, etc. but a more no frills approach for everything else with less fancy packaging and less in the way of accessories, some parts have been replaced with cheaper alternatives i.e. some metal parts are now plastic (but good quality plastic so far). and so on, they've merged a lot of spare parts where there is overlap so you may find replacement parts aren't quite 100% the same as the original.
 
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Looks similar to the Meze one but some how the Sennheiser one looks more complicated?

mezeaudio.com

BOOM MIC

Turn your headphones into a premium gaming headset with the Meze Audio omnidirectional boom microphone. This detachable microphone offers clear sound and easy in-line controls for gaming and remote work.
mezeaudio.com mezeaudio.com
 
Rroff said:
Interesting, Sennheiser mics are usually pretty good so there may be that and a lot of the third-party ones don't quite fit securely in the socket on the headphone side - though they don't drop out they will come loose and start turning a bit in the socket which the original and better made replacement cables don't do.

Link for the mic https://www.sennheiser-hearing.com/en-UK/p/hd-500-bam/ - £39.99 but looks like you get a decent quality product for the money, though twice what the third-party ones go for.

EDIT: For those who aren't aware - the consumer side of a lot of Sennheiser products has been taken over by Sonova though I believe they have access to Sennheiser's R&D and production, so far they seem to be putting some effort into community relationships, support and maintaining high quality for things like the headphone drivers, etc. but a more no frills approach for everything else with less fancy packaging and less in the way of accessories, some parts have been replaced with cheaper alternatives i.e. some metal parts are now plastic (but good quality plastic so far). and so on, they've merged a lot of spare parts where there is overlap so you may find replacement parts aren't quite 100% the same as the original.
Click to expand...

My sense is probably like the Game One/Zero, PC38X etc. A solid mic for the money, maybe not quite as good quality as an Antlion Modmic, but that major benefit of having only one cable.

Regarding the Sonova stuff, one thing I think would have happened anyway (i.e. if Sennheiser structure had remained unchanged) is they would still have reduced packaging. I think that producing cheaper, easy to recycle packaging in seen more of a must these days. Even if it has an added benefit of also reducing their costs.
 
Timber said:
Regarding the Sonova stuff, one thing I think would have happened anyway (i.e. if Sennheiser structure had remained unchanged) is they would still have reduced packaging. I think that producing cheaper, easy to recycle packaging in seen more of a must these days. Even if it has an added benefit of also reducing their costs.
Click to expand...

I have mixed emotions about it as my older Sennheisers came in nice glossy black box, etc. and I've tended to keep them - but they are a bit of a pain for taking up space, since Sonova they are just plain brown cardboard boxes I tend to just chuck.
 
Raymond Lin said:
Looks similar to the Meze one but some how the Sennheiser one looks more complicated?

mezeaudio.com

BOOM MIC

Turn your headphones into a premium gaming headset with the Meze Audio omnidirectional boom microphone. This detachable microphone offers clear sound and easy in-line controls for gaming and remote work.
mezeaudio.com mezeaudio.com
Click to expand...

I don't think so. It looks like the existing third-party offerings, just maybe with a slightly bigger control box. So still one cable which is a benefit of running a headset normally. Where as the Meze version has to run the dual cable setup for the headphones, which might be more irratating.

Still obviously money in this 'gaming' section of the market in these for both to be offering them. Which fits with the NPD showing gaming headsets as being on the up previously.
 
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Rroff said:
I have mixed emotions about it as my older Sennheisers came in nice glossy black box, etc. and I've tended to keep them - but they are a bit of a pain for taking up space, since Sonova they are just plain brown cardboard boxes I tend to just chuck.
Click to expand...

I know. Maybe one time the HD 600/650 were more top of the line too which is why the packaging was so premium.

I'm just seeing it more and more where the packaging is getting simpler and simpler. The Drop PC38X's even came in a brown, unpainted box with very little printing on them. You feel compelled to recycle that pretty much.
 
Thats a good thing I think really. Cheaper, easily recyclable card packaging is much better for the environment. Anyone who wants a nice box for storage or display can still just spend a bit and get one that matches their requirements.
 
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FiiO got back about the driver vs non Windows OSes, basically saying that those other OSes are "driver-less" so yeah lose all hope of ever getting the streaming option on anything but Windows lol.
 
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