VR headset off-ear headphones

Slam · 29 Apr 2020 at 10:16

VR Ears, funded on Kickstarter
http://kck.st/2XYfU3x

I've gone for it, will be good to have a built in audio solution and its less expensive than the deluxe audio strat or modicap alternatives.

reasonably future proof; universal clamp mounts, 3.5mm audio jack (seems that VR will stick with wires to avoid latency issues)

something daft already!! · 29 Apr 2020 at 10:20

There's nothing wrong with the rift speakers or using my PC's speakers. I don't think people will want another huge clunky thing strapped to their head.

varkanoid · 29 Apr 2020 at 11:05

$89 for the funding round and $149 retail. They would have to sound pretty special.

lokiss · 29 Apr 2020 at 12:14

One of the best features of the Index, little wonder this has sprung up.

Valve dug deep and documented the magic that happens with the off ear speakers. For the sake of people pitching in, I hope he's replicating that, and not just putting an earphone an inch away.

Ravenger · 29 Apr 2020 at 12:30

One of the problems with the Rift S is that it's entirely USB powered - all the electronics, cameras, and audio runs off USB power of a single connection, so they had problems driving the speakers, which is one of the reasons for the poor sound. The Index has a separate PSU, so has no problem driving the speakers, and they are very loud.

This solution looks like you could get really decent audio, and part of that will be because it's self powered and not reliant on the power going to the headset.

ArmitageShanks · 29 Apr 2020 at 14:53

If they sound better than the Vive Pro's headphones, I may bite.

I'm now used to the Pro's audio deficiencies, but the DAS on the OG Vive sounds noticeably better.

eclap · 30 Apr 2020 at 14:02

I honestly don't see the issue with sound on VR headsets. On my CV1, the first thing I did was to take off the rift headphones. On Rift S, manual sound output set to my DAC that goes into my HD 650. Using those cheap built in headphones on most headsets is a big no no. Apparently the Index has decent headphones but still, far from what most of us are using already.

Slam · 5 May 2020 at 09:41

Fair enough - you have a nice setup with your dac

I haven't got anything at the moment and I prefer the idea of an audio solution mounted to the headset for ease of use.

bazzabear · 5 May 2020 at 10:23

eclap said:
I honestly don't see the issue with sound on VR headsets. On my CV1, the first thing I did was to take off the rift headphones. On Rift S, manual sound output set to my DAC that goes into my HD 650. Using those cheap built in headphones on most headsets is a big no no. Apparently the Index has decent headphones but still, far from what most of us are using already.

Wait... so the reason you don't see the issue with sound on VR headsets is because you never use the sound on VR headsets?

That sounds more like "I agree with the issue with sound on VR headsets, and therefore I avoid it."

eclap · 5 May 2020 at 22:44

bazzabear said:
Wait... so the reason you don't see the issue with sound on VR headsets is because you never use the sound on VR headsets?

That sounds more like "I agree with the issue with sound on VR headsets, and therefore I avoid it."

Of course it's a non issue. They mostly sound appropriate for what you pay. I'm not going to use built in speakers in a £400 VR headset when I have a far better audio setup I bought for the purpose of listening to better quality audio.

bazzabear · 5 May 2020 at 22:57

OK. So you're saying the sound isn't good enough. Which is what people are saying the issue is.

I dunno why I'm arguing this. It's clear what you mean. It was just a really weird way of describing it to claim there's no issue when you are clearly recognising and overcoming the very issue you're denying exists.