AMP and DAC Combo Vs. Sound Card for competitive gaming

[megaant4]

Hey all!

 

I was wondering what would be better for a competitive gaming setup, audio wise of course. I'm talking about directional hearing. I.e. 7.1 surround sound and what not. Would an Amp and DAC combo with a high quality headphone be good at directional audio? Or will a sound card with virtual 7.1, while using a high quality headphones be better for gaming?

 

Thanks in advance!

[EmoRarity]

Well onboard works with Razer Surround, and most games that support multichannel have a headphone setting which also does virtual surround.

[helping]

Well onboard works with Razer Surround, and most games that support multichannel have a headphone setting which also does virtual surround.

does this really do as much as people says it does?

I don't want to infect my PC with the razers, stereo or headphone mode has always worked 10/10 for me in FPS.

[Askew]

In my opinion virtual surround is crap, you can achieve quality positional sound (imaging) using regular stereo headphones because the imaging (location) of sounds you'd hear in a game works in the exact same way that the placement of instruments in a piece of music works, it's just audio.

 

Certain headphones have a wide soundstage (how big the percieved area the overall sound is coming from) and accurate imaging (where in the soundstage a particular sound is coming from).

 

I expect someone will come along and recommend some, I haven't tried any myself for actual gaming with headphones yet, but I've been recommended ATH-AD5/700X for this purpose.

[EmoRarity]

does this really do as much as people says it does?

I don't want to infect my PC with the razers, stereo or headphone mode has always worked 10/10 for me in FPS.

Don't ask me, I play my games muted and still do just fine. 

(When I actually game that is) 

[megaant4]

Well onboard works with Razer Surround, and most games that support multichannel have a headphone setting which also does virtual surround.

 

Yeah I'm currently using surround, but it has a bunch of EQ settings and I'm afraid that it will degrade my audio quality. Also, if I was to turn 7.1 in a game, will it turn on virtual surround or will it assume I'm using surround?

[EmoRarity]

Yeah I'm currently using surround, but it has a bunch of EQ settings and I'm afraid that it will degrade my audio quality. Also, if I was to turn 7.1 in a game, will it turn on virtual surround or will it assume I'm using surround?

All VS will "Degrade sound" but there is no way to get around that

To your second question, it will be virtual on all stereo headphones. 

[helping]

Yeah I'm currently using surround, but it has a bunch of EQ settings and I'm afraid that it will degrade my audio quality. Also, if I was to turn 7.1 in a game, will it turn on virtual surround or will it assume I'm using surround?

as long as you know what you're doing and read up on it, if you set the EQ properly it won't degrade it.

though that's not really what you should be looking for in this situation anyway. What you want seems to be processing beyond EQ.

If you turned 7.1 on in a game either nothing would happen or it might sound kinda weird.

[megaant4]

Don't ask me, I play my games muted and still do just fine. 

 

I'm wondering because I would like better audio direction, so I can improve my competitive gaming.

[Askew]

If you turned 7.1 on in a game either nothing would happen or it might sound kinda weird.

 

I've always thought more than 2 channels were designed for having actual speakers on the end of them, doesn't really compute for headphones unless ones exist with tons of tiny drivers in, but I know nothing of such witchcraft.

[EmoRarity]

I'm wondering because I would like better audio direction, so I can improve my competitive gaming.

My friend rocks stereo and does just fine, a higher quality headphone will make the difference over software changes. 

 

I've always thought more than 2 channels were designed for having actual speakers on the end of them, doesn't really compute for headphones unless ones exist with tons of tiny drivers in, but I know nothing of such witchcraft.

 

In a perfect world, proper multichannel would be better, but the problem stands with the price of entry for a quality solution. 

[helping]

I've always thought more than 2 channels were designed for having actual speakers on the end of them, doesn't really compute for headphones unless ones exist with tons of tiny drivers in, but I know nothing of such witchcraft.

pretty sure it is.

probably just easier to leave it in there for the sake of porting and if people want to play it on a theater system where the speakers are there.

I doubt most PC games are played on 5.1 (wild speculation), let alone 7.1 (high confidence)

[megaant4]

I've always thought more than 2 channels were designed for having actual speakers on the end of them, doesn't really compute for headphones unless ones exist with tons of tiny drivers in, but I know nothing of such witchcraft.

 

I thought the same thing. If I turn on 7.1 in a game, will it expect 7 speakers? and only using a stereo headphone, I thought it might ONLY play left and right sounds..

 

and also.. look at this witchcraft: http://www.razerzone.com/au-en/gaming-audio/razer-tiamat-71

[EmoRarity]

I thought the same thing. If I turn on 7.1 in a game, will it expect 7 speakers? and only using a stereo headphone, I thought it might ONLY play left and right sounds..

 

and also.. look at this witchcraft: http://www.razerzone.com/au-en/gaming-audio/razer-tiamat-71

First line, what if I told you that playing multichannel through stereo speakers still equates to stereo sound :3

Second line, too bad its beyond ass in ever imaginable way. 

[Askew]

pretty sure it is.

probably just easier to leave it in there for the sake of porting and if people want to play it on a theater system where the speakers are there.

I doubt most PC games are played on 5.1 (wild speculation), let alone 7.1 (high confidence)

 

As far as I'm concerned, this is the silver bullet to shoot people with who talk about emulated 5.1/7.1 being beneficial using headphones, it is not required for imaging and this is sufficient evidence for me.

 

[EmoRarity]

Potassium, I have to bed now, so I leave this to helping, and sooner or later ShearMe. 

[megaant4]

First line, what if I told you that playing multichannel through stereo speakers still equates to stereo sound :3

Second line, too bad its beyond ass in ever imaginable way. 

 

So it would equate to stereo sound and not virtual surround?

[Stagea]

Try a true multi-channel setup, if possible.

[SSL]

As far as I'm concerned, this is the silver bullet to shoot people with who talk about emulated 5.1/7.1 being beneficial using headphones, it is not required for imaging and this is sufficient evidence for me.

 

Of course the game needs to have a proper headphone mode. Stereo is not equal to binaural.

[megaant4]

SO back to my original point.. Shall I invest in a "gaming" sound card, or just go with a Amp and DAC combo (Objective 2 Amp + ODAC) and probably some high quality audiophile headphones?

[megaant4]

Try a true multi-channel setup, if possible.

 

I also record live game play, so a real speaker multi-channel setup would not be optimal..

[helping]

SO back to my original point.. Shall I invest in a "gaming" sound card, or just go with a Amp and DAC combo (Objective 2 Amp + ODAC) and probably some high quality audiophile headphones?

option 2 because option one sounds like you'd end up going full circle anyway

whether or not an O2ODAC or something lesser is warranted will depend on your choice.

i sleep now, will check later.

[Askew]

Of course the game needs to have a proper headphone mode. Stereo is not equal to binaural.

 

Yes, I was cleaning my teeth just now thinking about what I'd written and how poorly worded it was.

 

I was meaning the purchase of headphones/sound devices for use with headphones, that are marketed as having more than 2 channels (virtual or otherwise) being unnecessary to produce the directional sound in a pair of stereo headphones.

 

The source requires more than one 'mic' as you say, if a game can produce this in a headphone mode as some can then it will work with any stereo headphone AFAIK.

[megaant4]

Yes, I was cleaning my teeth just now thinking about what I'd written and how poorly worded it was.

 

I was meaning the purchase of headphones/sound devices for use with headphones that are marketed as having more than 2 channels (virtual or otherwise) being unnecessary to produce the directional sound in a pair of stereo headphones.

 

Ahh I understand now. After all, we only have two ears.

[ShearMe]

The audio settings in games vary regarding what they do, but pretty much all modern games have some kind of binaural audio. Just gotta use your ear to pick what works best for you.