USB headsets soundcard requirements

Nitrams64 · 28 Dec 2020 at 16:35

Hi i have a soundblaster Z and use an old pair of speedlink 5.1 headphones which are connected by 3 x 3.5 mm jacks. I want something newer as they are falling to bits but most new headsets are usb will they still work with the SB Z even though the usb wouldn't be physically connected to the soundcard.

zola25 · 28 Dec 2020 at 16:42

USB headsets use their own soundcard, which is often actually just software/drivers but are unable to use any exising soundcard. If you want to make use of the SBZ you'll once again need a headset with 3.5mm jacks.

Nitrams64 · 28 Dec 2020 at 17:54

I presume using the soundcard will be better than using software built into headsets.

zola25 · 28 Dec 2020 at 21:26

That depends on the headset, but in general the soundcard is likely to give you much more control and has better surround capability than built into most headsets.

Nitrams64 · 29 Dec 2020 at 10:58

Thanks for your help now the hard part is finding none usb headphones. Not seen any 5.1 headphones with 3 jacks on them.

EsaT · 30 Dec 2020 at 22:40

Nitrams64 said:
Thanks for your help now the hard part is finding none usb headphones. Not seen any 5.1 headphones with 3 jacks on them.

Those 5.1/7.1 multi driver headphones are marketing quackery.
Sure they sound different and no doubt better than headphone driven by pure stereo speaker mix.
But because of physics they can never create surround sound.

We hear in 3D because shape of the head causes direction dependant differences to signal received by both ears from source.
Brain has simply learned to decode those phase/time, overall amplitude and frequency response differences between signals.
And no matter how big garbage dump truck load of drivers you cram into headphones you can't ever get those binaural cues.

But those binaural cues can be simulated by mathematical algorithms usually known as HRTF.
If algorithm's head shape model is fully matching to listeners head shape and headphones are accurate enough, you would basically have completely real feeling sound positioning.
Naturally such algorithms always use some chosen average head shape based model and accuracy is personal.
But if your head shape is close to that Creative has one of the best such general algorithms capable to giving even sense of distance besides good directionality with good headphones.

And compared to prices of graphics cards good stereo headphones from actual audio makers are semi-free.