Headphones for Surround

HatMan

HatMan

HatMan

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Cardiff
Can anyone suggest some Headphones that support an optical input and decode DD and DTS. Multiple speakers in headphones a must. Most seem to be PC use with 6 or 8 channel analogue in.

Thanks
 
I use the Tritton Ax pro, fairly expensive, but they work on the ps3 and 360 ( with voice comms) and also the pc, as for margarets comment, each to his own, i used to use the old medusa sets but when they got broking i switched to 7.1 surrond sound speakers on the PC, i personaly didnt like them for gaming, to get the same kind of experience i had to have the volume higher which in turn annoyed everyone else.

heres the ign review of them. http://uk.gear.ign.com/articles/935/935036p1.html
 
Margaret said:
A "5.1" headset then?

They are all rubbish, don't bother.
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They aren't "rubbish", per say, they work perfectly fine, they just lack sound quality like you'd get in an equally priced 2 speaker pair of headphones.

And due to the better fidelity in 2 driver headphones, it could be argued you'd get a better surround experience with those instead. After all, you only have two ears right? One good speaker emulating the differences in directional sound created by the ear is better than 3 speakers that just output straight sound.

So there's nothing wrong with 5.1 headsets, but don't get dragged into the "gaming market" and "fatal1ty", and all that crap. Personally, I would go with a 2.1 set. The surround experience in games probably won't be much different, but the sound quality will be better, which will definitely be better for movies.
 
Never been a big headphone user when playing games, but my pooey ipod headphones died on me the other day, and decided to invest in some decent new skull candy ear buds, gave them a quick go with the 360 and the sound quality was brilliant.

I dont see why you would want surround sound headphones?? I would have thought you would be better of with just the normal 2 speakers.
 
Again its all down to personal preference, i prefer 5.1 surround sound as i can hear ppl comming up behind me in games better than 2 speaker headsets, so it may be similar to the op, in the 1s i mentioned you can set each 'speaker' to out put at a different lvl so at the moment i have rear and center set higher than front and sub, you can also set up time delay.
 
JoeRiches said:
Never been a big headphone user when playing games, but my pooey ipod headphones died on me the other day, and decided to invest in some decent new skull candy ear buds, gave them a quick go with the 360 and the sound quality was brilliant.

I dont see why you would want surround sound headphones?? I would have thought you would be better of with just the normal 2 speakers.
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The only reason why the Skullcandy sounded good, was because you were used to two Heinz baked bean cans at the end of a string for earphones.

The skullcandy is only base heavy and impresses the cool kids with the funky styling and suggestive naming convention. I still don't get why people spend hundreds of pounds on portable music players and use those god-awful earphones that come with it, when something that is quite decent - like Sennheiser CX-300 earphones - can be had for under £20.
 
Margaret said:
A "5.1" headset then?

They are all rubbish, don't bother.
Click to expand...

My X-4's were far from rubbish, sold them on to buy the X-41's when they come out at the end of this month.

Sure they weren't perfect and I'm no audiophile but I thought they were great, I only used them for late at night when the kids are asleep.

Keen to get the X-41's as they fix the most annoying problems with the X-4's.
 
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Don't get a 5.1 headset they don't work. I can explain why they don't work if you really want to get down to the nity grity of it, but basically your ears don't work like that. (3 speakers per ear, won't give you a surround experience).

Get a good Stereo set if you want high quality, or if you want something that will actually sound surround, make sure you put them through something that will mix it into Dolby Headphone.



Probably out your price range, but other may be interested, Astro Gaming now have a UK warehouse.

http://www.astrogaming.co.uk/

Supercow said:
The only reason why the Skullcandy sounded good, was because you were used to two Heinz baked bean cans at the end of a string for earphones.

The skullcandy is only base heavy and impresses the cool kids with the funky styling and suggestive naming convention. I still don't get why people spend hundreds of pounds on portable music players and use those god-awful earphones that come with it, when something that is quite decent - like Sennheiser CX-300 earphones - can be had for under £20.
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Got to agree. They're dreadful.
 
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Ok I have a pair of Sennheisser HD600's and an audiophile headphone amp with seperate multi rail PSU, I guess £600 in total. It sounds very very good indeed by I get sense of surround per say at all. I would expect it as there is no processing going on at all. The PS3 outputs stereo with DPL mixed in on analogue but as there is no processing down the headphones can never hope to recreate it. I have tried a pair of Sony DD headphones and the effects are there and it works. Sure it sounds vastly inferior to my cans but I do get a sense of surround. People creeping up behind me in COD 6 for example are not heard directionally through my cans but are totally predicatable using the Sony's. I am more than happy to fore go quality for effect when using my console (PS3). I have the can and amp for music and music only.

I have seen one or two write ups that say the new Tritton AX5.1's are very good indeed at placing effects. The Astro cans look well sorted but I don't believe for one second they can trick me into sensing surround.
 
orderoftheflame said:
or if you want something that will actually sound surround, make sure you put them through something that will mix it into Dolby Headphone.
Click to expand...

The new X-41's do too :) Also slightly cheaper than the Astros.

Also just came across the Tritton AX 720 and Logitech G35 - hadn't heard of these before.
 
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Sennheiser HD555's are awesome. I was looking for the same thing as you months back but in the end most of the advice pointed to these and they really are at good. They are very comfy.
 
orderoftheflame said:
Aye, they're supposed to be quite good. I just love the sense of quality that oozes from the Astro set though. :p
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I must admit, they do look bloody nice but I still think I'd prefer the wireless of the X41 - Astro are rumoured to be releasing a wireless set though.
 
Wyrdo said:
I must admit, they do look bloody nice but I still think I'd prefer the wireless of the X41 - Astro are rumoured to be releasing a wireless set though.
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They've had one in the pipeline for a while, but they're not releasing it until it's perfect they say. :)

It would be a nice addition, but I use mine sat at the desk usually, so wires trailing everywhere isn't such a big deal.
 
D D Danneh said:
They aren't "rubbish", per say, they work perfectly fine, they just lack sound quality like you'd get in an equally priced 2 speaker pair of headphones.

And due to the better fidelity in 2 driver headphones, it could be argued you'd get a better surround experience with those instead. After all, you only have two ears right? One good speaker emulating the differences in directional sound created by the ear is better than 3 speakers that just output straight sound.

So there's nothing wrong with 5.1 headsets, but don't get dragged into the "gaming market" and "fatal1ty", and all that crap. Personally, I would go with a 2.1 set. The surround experience in games probably won't be much different, but the sound quality will be better, which will definitely be better for movies.
Click to expand...

I've got some senns hd555's and they are better then any turtle beach or astro by a long long way. (turtle beach and astro feel and sound cheap to me)

Got it hooked up to my xbox with a project headphone amp.
 
Zensuji said:
I've got some senns hd555's and they are better then any turtle beach or astro by a long long way. (turtle beach and astro feel and sound cheap to me)

Got it hooked up to my xbox with a project headphone amp.
Click to expand...

So which Turtle Beach did you use out of curiosity?
 
Some interesting feedback. HD555's are good cheap phones but I have said I am not satisfied by my HD600's for gaming. I think I will buy a pair of Tritton AX5.1's and see what they are like. I like the fact the mic can be removed. I hate features I cannot use being in the way, folded or otherwise.

Thanks everyone. I will post comments when I get them.

Cheers
 
Zensuji said:
I've got some senns hd555's and they are better then any turtle beach or astro by a long long way. (turtle beach and astro feel and sound cheap to me)
Click to expand...

Hate to ask, but have you actually used an Astro headset for more than a few minutes?

I'm not really sure how you could claim that they feel cheap the build quality is fantastic, and the sound in them is as good as any pair of HD555's I've ever had on my head. :confused:
 
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