Surround sound tests

[Chalenge]

You can do the same thing with a standard pair of headphones and a 5.1 sound card. Since youmust have a 5.1 sound card to use those headphones anyway its not doing much except providing for better audio quality for each ear. You can do much better with a 5.1 speaker setup and it will save you a few bucks. You can also spend a lot more for just the headphones.

[The Fugitive]

You can do the same thing with a standard pair of headphones and a 5.1 sound card. Since youmust have a 5.1 sound card to use those headphones anyway its not doing much except providing for better audio quality for each ear. You can do much better with a 5.1 speaker setup and it will save you a few bucks. You can also spend a lot more for just the headphones.

I have a 7.1 sound card, and I got the headset on Ebay for $50. Such a deal !

[Chalenge]

That is a deal! I spent $50 on my vox mic. $100 on the mic boom arm ($10 dead cat). $150 on the firewire interface for mic alone. $150 on the Fatality card. $750 on the studio grade headphones. $700 on 5.1 surround speakers.

Thats just what I use. I bought much more and then just gave things away when I found them to be not quite up to my expectations which is why I have experience beyond what I am actually using now.

[Tigger29]

I won't argue that a pair of 5.1 headphones are no where near as good as true 5.1 speakers but you're comparing $100 or less headphones to  $2000+ worth of audio equipment.  And yes the "surround" part of them DOES work and it IS better than plain stereo speakers of the same price range.

This reminds me of the numerous Kindle Fire vs. Apple iPad reviews I've read.  All they do is talk about how much better the iPad is at this, and how much faster the iPad is that.  And it's true.. the iPad is superior to the Kindle
Fire in many ways BUT what the reviews almost always fail to mention is that the Kindle Fire is MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE.

Now I'm happy that your $2000+ worth of audio equipment works out well for you.  That's all fine and dandy but get with it.  I bet that 99+% of the AH population either could not or simply would not spend that kind of coin on audio equipment.  It just isn't going to happen with me that's for sure!

My HPA2 headset on the other hand cost me $90 and has lasted me several years.  I find the sound quality to be extremely good and much, MUCH better than I require it to be.  I couldn't be more happy.  It's funny how you say that it is no different than a normal stereo headset yet I can pin point a GV's location relative to me - including both behind me and in front of me with these headphones.  Even a demo that plays the sound of a helicopter flying circles overhead can distinctly be heard as being in front or behind me.  This tells me that the 5.1 part of the headset does work and that this is not just a gimmick.

Are there better headsets out there?  Sure there are!  There's no doubt in my mind that there are hundreds if not thousands of stereo headsets that provide a much better sound than my HPA2 headset does and I wouldn't even begin to argue this, but how many of those cost under $100 and will give me the same kind of longevity I've come to expect from my hardware?

$300+ on a microphone.. please... we all know the saying, "A fool and his money..." I don't need to finish it.

[Chalenge]

No Im comparing a $100 pair of 5.1 headphones to a 100 pair of stereo headphones which work just as good. Like I said... gimmick.

I guess you missed the part where I said I have bought other stuff and then given it away? Case in point this Turtle Beach gimmick. At least I can admit when I make the mistake of buying something that isnt what its supposed to be.

And of course it cant compare to the sound equipment I have. Even $65 5.1 speakers would beat it!

Equipment can have more uses than AH you know. "Fool and his money..." indeed!

[guncrasher]

challenge I have a set of 5.1 speakers.  a 7.1 set of g35 surround sound headset and a $40 stereo headset.

the 40 stereo headset are very good.  I can hear the game sounds really good.  it's a really good headset.  but it doestn compare to the 5.1 speakers or the g35 7.1 surround sound.  I can hear the airplanes as they move around me just like if it was in RL.  with he stereo headset I hear some really good sound but cant tell if the airplane is in front, behind or on the side.  with he 5.1 or the 7.1 headset I can.

I guess I am a fool as I am about to spend another 100 bucks on another surround sound headset that has the same sound as the 40 dollar one with one difference.  the new headset will tell me which direction the sound is coming from  .


semp

[Chalenge]

You can do the same thing with a good stereo headset. Thats all Im saying. The problem is that most of the general "PC headsets" sold are junk. They dont have the dynamic range or the range they claim isnt really accurate. The headphones you are buying have a better sound quality than the typical equipment on the market. The G35 does not actually provide 7.1 and the bass quality is lacking severely. Its a nice headphone for chatting or Skype but when I do anything like that for school or talking to family in the Philippines I prefer to use speakers.

The problem that most people run into with 5.1 sound is that the onboard chip as in the X58 or the older 780i and 790i will not allow the speaker output to be set to 5.1 Surround with just the single headphone plugged in. X-Fi will and with that you can get 3D positioning that surpasses the headset you are using. Now someone that uses your headset or the turtle beach set with the X-Fi can match a good headset. Again... thats all Im saying.

[NOT]

See Rule #4

[wiskyfog]

I bought THESE instead.

does the game come across in 5:1 with these?

[Chalenge]

You guys haven't figured out yet, Challenge is the audio god.............

Probably NOT... but I can probably have one look at the way your system is configured and get you an average of an extra 5fps based on audio alone. NOT significant... right? 

[Bino]

...
Believe what you will, but what I hear, as stated before, is Incredible!

I have a pair of the older HPA's, and I agree completely!   

[Krusty]

For those that still wish it, the Razer Tiamat is shipping sometime this month, and sports a number of features that interest me as well as a price tag that does not. Around $170 gets you 3.5mm connectors, with an in-line control to lower sound or mic via round dial depending on what you need. I can't vouch for the comfort or the quality of the mic, but they are 7.1 speakers and overall look impressive.

This is just for those still looking for surround headsets. I'll be watching the reviews of these with great interest, myself.

[The Fugitive]

does the game come across in 5:1 with these?

I have the older HPA2 set myself. From a quick look at the specs it looks pretty much like the old ones. I have heard that the new ones aren't as good as the old ones, but if you are interested in them I suggest you spend some time hunting around the net for reviews and other information on them.

[NOT]

Probably NOT... but I can probably have one look at the way your system is configured and get you an average of an extra 5fps based on audio alone. NOT significant... right? 

Hard to get an extra 5 from a steady 60 FPS.......................... .......




NOT

[olds442]

challenge is correct on the headphones i can make a pair of ipod ear buds sound like your 100$ turtle beaches or Triton's or shock 1's reason? because even with on board sound there is a thing called "3d sound" not surround buts its better IMHO than 5.1 headsets (good proper 5.1 wins anyday) it is able to do infinite amount of channels because it basically using knowledge of how human hearing works and recreates it. again this can be dont with 99cent ipod ear buds.

headphones are all the same if your using 3d surround. be it 200$ to 99cents.