xbox gamer needing help on pc sound

[mellow yellow]

So myself and my son used to play fortnite on xbox with some samsung earbuds, with i then upgraded to a pair of arctis 3 console edition, which did the job for us better sound and a decent mic.
i also have a pair of oldish sennheiser hd228 which i use on the xbox when i dont need a mic.

Anyway we now have a budget gaming pc and mainly have an issue with surround sound on fortnite. I use the arctis 3's with a mic splitter but dont seem to get any directional sound from them. would a Creative Sound Blaster E1 USB Sound Card give me what i need? the windows 10 sonic and dolby dont seem to work on my pc. Should i be looking at a new headset?

I also need a bit of advice on some speakers, i currently have a very cheap set of 2.1's so looking to upgrade them with something that will connect to the pc but also by bluetooth so we can stream music to them with alexa. budget £75ish.

 

[Marsman]

From what I can gather, the Arctis 3 has analogue connections, which means the headset relies on whatever it is connected to, to provide surround sound.

USB headsets, such as the Arctis 5, have their own built in sound processing electronics, which allow for surround sound without the need of anything external, such as a sound card.

No need to look at getting a new headset though; Creative E1 or G1 should do what you need.

Both have SBX prostudio (Creative's 7.1 surround sound algorithm), which is what you need; but I'd probably go for the G1 as it is a newer product and like the bigger more expensive G5, carries the SoundblasterX name, just as the internal AE-5 card does. Creative may have improved the hardware in all their newer products that carry the SoundblasterX name.

As for the speakers; I'm not sure there is much if any choice at this budget worth bothering with that has Bluetooth built in.

One idea would be to get a separate Bluetooth receiver, to which you can connect any powered stereo/2.1 speakers you like. You'd either need speakers with 2 inputs, or you could use a splitter cable to connect both PC and Bluetooth receiver to the one input.

 

[mellow yellow]

Thanks marsman, I'll look into them both. I also like the fact I could mount the e1 or g1 under my desk. Although I think the g1 would need a USB extension.

 

[EsaT]

the windows 10 sonic and dolby dont seem to work on my pc.

Have heard that Windows Sonic for Headphones PC implementation is broken.
Which wouldn't be surprise considering how badly MS has treated PC gaming sound aspect after XP.
Though basing on this Windows Sonic for Headphones sucks also in Xbox.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C0G96-g34w

but I'd probably go for the G1 as it is a newer product and like the bigger more expensive G5, carries the SoundblasterX name, just as the internal AE-5 card does. Creative may have improved the hardware in all their newer products that carry the SoundblasterX name.

G1 is clear step below Audigy Fx with its bottom quality level components.

E1 is at level of Audigy Fx, but I suspect it can't actually represent itself as 5.1/7.1 device toWindows for getting surround sound input from games.
So really no good for headphone gaming.
(expensive E5 has mention of 7.1 capability)

 

[mellow yellow]

Have heard that Windows Sonic for Headphones PC implementation is broken.
Which wouldn't be surprise considering how badly MS has treated PC gaming sound aspect after XP.
Though basing on this Windows Sonic for Headphones sucks also in Xbox.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C0G96-g34w


G1 is clear step below Audigy Fx with its bottom quality level components.

E1 is at level of Audigy Fx, but I suspect it can't actually represent itself as 5.1/7.1 device toWindows for getting surround sound input from games.
So really no good for headphone gaming.
(expensive E5 has mention of 7.1 capability)

So in simpler terms for a newbie, which is the cheapest way to get some directional sounds from my headphones for fortnite / CS:GO etc?

 

[EsaT]

So in simpler terms for a newbie, which is the cheapest way to get some directional sounds from my headphones for fortnite / CS:GO etc?

CS:GO is actually one of those extremely few games itself capable to producing proper signal for headphones.
HRTF is now apparently under Advanced 3D sound processing setting.
(marketroids clearly can't allow using proper terms)
But nearly all games rely on something else to do binaural sound simulation.

There really aren't more affordable USB sound cards with hardware and features comparable to just Audigy Fx.
And then SB Z isn't that far higher up compared to above bottom level USB sound cards:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/search/index/sSearch/sound+blaster+z
While external Sound Blaster Omni Surround 5.1 and Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 are still playing catch up with Audigy Fx.

As one option Creative is actually selling software with their algorithms for use with any sound card.
Though with it you're counting on motherboard's integrated sound card to be decent in analog signal quality.

 

[mellow yellow]

CS:GO is actually one of those extremely few games itself capable to producing proper signal for headphones.
HRTF is now apparently under Advanced 3D sound processing setting.
(marketroids clearly can't allow using proper terms)
But nearly all games rely on something else to do binaural sound simulation.

There really aren't more affordable USB sound cards with hardware and features comparable to just Audigy Fx.
And then SB Z isn't that far higher up compared to above bottom level USB sound cards:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/search/index/sSearch/sound+blaster+z
While external Sound Blaster Omni Surround 5.1 and Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 are still playing catch up with Audigy Fx.

As one option Creative is actually selling software with their algorithms for use with any sound card.
Though with it you're counting on motherboard's integrated sound card to be decent in analog signal quality.

sorry mate you've really just confused me even more there!

i'm just after something that will help with directional sounds for fortnite without breaking the bank.

 

[EsaT]

sorry mate you've really just confused me even more there!

i'm just after something that will help with directional sounds for fortnite without breaking the bank.

We humans don't have stereo hearing.
We have binaural hearing, with shape of head causing direction dependant changes to signal received by both ears from sound source.
Mathematical algorithm simulating those binaural cues is called Head Related Transfer Function.
(which obviously needs surround sound with spatial data as input)

Without those binaural cues in signal there's no directionality, or even proper left-right positioning in sound with headphones.
Just very artificial "sound in left ear-in center of head-in right ear" immersion.

So Sound Blaster E1 isn't good for gaming.
Sound BlasterX G1 has necessary features for headphone gaming, but D/A converter is of low quality.
Internal Audigy Fx would have step better signal quality.

Though quality of headphones is another thing.
Stereo music forgives even badly inaccurate reproduction without sounding instantly bad, but binaural cues suffer very fast.
~£30-40 Superluxes would likely run circles around those Arctis gaming trinkets.

 

[mellow yellow]

Thanks for taking the time to explain, really appreciate it. Certainly gives me something to think about.

 

[Marsman]

If an internal sound card is not problem, an Audigy FX is the best choice taking into consideration of quality, features and price.

If you would really rather an external device, then the G1 will get the job done. Judging by what Esat has said previously, to get the quality of the FX or better in an external unit, sounds like you'd be paying double that at least.

 

[mellow yellow]

If an internal sound card is not problem, an Audigy FX is the best choice taking into consideration of quality, features and price.

If you would really rather an external device, then the G1 will get the job done. Judging by what Esat has said previously, to get the quality of the FX or better in an external unit, sounds like you'd be paying double that at least.

sorry just coming back this now as an xmas gift for my son.

I'm looking at an audigy fx low profile, we have some speakers for music or gaming without headphones, i see there is one green output for the headphones and speakers on the sound card, plus rear output and sub output, could i keep the headphones in the green and use the rear out put for the speakers i have (2.1). or could i still use the motherboard green output for the speakers?
The aim is to have both plugged in at all times so i dont have to keep swapping the plugs between headphones and speakers.
Hopefully it will fit as its very tight for space in there already, so i will have to check the dimensions 1st too.

also i presume the drivers can be downloaded as i dont have a cd drive.

 

[EsaT]

could i keep the headphones in the green and use the rear out put for the speakers i have (2.1). or could i still use the motherboard green output for the speakers?
The aim is to have both plugged in at all times so i dont have to keep swapping the plugs between headphones and speakers.

You can't use rear channel output for stereo speakers.
You need to route sound through speakers if they have headphone connector and selection switch for that.
(possibly at cost of some sound quality from very cheap wiring etc)
Using splitter could be other option.
Unless there's something weird in line input of speakers, that won't cause any different situation for sound card's output than having headphones connected.

Audigy Fx has also front panel audio header, so headphones could be connected to front connectors of case.
But wiring inside case might be sensitive to interference and it likely mutes rear output.

Separate outputs for headphones and line outs with selection between them done in control software is feature of next card up, Sound Blaster Z.

Device called audio switch could be also used to route one input signal to one of two or more devices.

 

[mellow yellow]

Audigy Fx has also front panel audio header, so headphones could be connected to front connectors of case.
But wiring inside case might be sensitive to interference and it likely mutes rear output.
/QUOTE]
OK so if I understand this right? I can have speakers permanently plugged into the sound card at the rear, and if I want to use the headphones I can plug them into the standard front jack which will override the rear output. Both of which will utilise the sbx 5.1?

Or would the front jack revert back to the motherboard sound?

 

[EsaT]

I can have speakers permanently plugged into the sound card at the rear, and if I want to use the headphones I can plug them into the standard front jack which will override the rear output. Both of which will utilise the sbx 5.1?

Or would the front jack revert back to the motherboard sound?

Front jack of case gives signal from sound card it's connected into.
It could be attached to motherboard's integrated sound card.

But that just wouldn't make any sense, because Realteks lack HRTF/binaural sound simulation.
Better would be attaching headphones to Audigy Fx and speakers to integrated.
Which again needs switching default playback device of Windows to change output between them.
Even if you automated that to hotkeys (using NirCMD etc) some softwares might not like such on the fly change.
Unlike SB Z doing switching between headphone and speaker outputs invisibly for sound source software.

If you have headphones disable effects/processing and first listen from this before going to start:
https://youtu.be/d1_20T8x_OI?t=12m57s
Assuming headphones are actually good, binaural sound is like playing different game.

 

[brakeinup]

Worth a look/listen for HRTF: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6SDKfHCDm8

 

[mellow yellow]

Worth a look/listen for HRTF: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6SDKfHCDm8

interesting video that, my son was amazed by it

its strange though as the effects worked very well on my arctis 3 headset, i'm now confused how it works on these headphones? is the binaural wizardary contained in the video rather than the computers effect processing?

Either way i have ordered an audigy fx card and will see if that helps our current setup, if not i will look into some new earphones also, but as always on a budget, the superlux hd668b get great reviews.

 

[brakeinup]

The only processing is done in your head. The source is recorded with 2 mics and your brain picks up the subtle frequency changes and calculates where the sound is coming from. Try these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNia7r41cCw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd5i7TlpzCk