SoundblasterX G6 vs Schiit Modi 3 & Heresy

[Jordanvt45]

I have been using the SoundblasterX G6 for a little over a month now and I can honestly say that the 7.1 has really made a huge difference when playing Call of duty warzone. I am able to hear exactly where an enemy is all thanks to the 7.1. I know many people hate on surround sound but it is pretty amazing. I must say that music is important so I  wanted to try something new and see what all the talk was about regarding schiit products. I recently purchased the Modi 3 and Heresy from Schiit and let me say, while gaming, the audio does not even compare to that of the soundblaster. The witcher 3 audio seems dull and warzone is a pain to even try due to it being stereo only. When listening to music, I honestly preferred the Soundblaster as well. I think the Schiit stack is just a bunch of hype while the soundblaster is superb..I honestly am not able to game with out it. I was debating on just returning the Schiit stack completely. Let me know what you guys think if you have tried either. 

[Tigerleon]

4 hours ago, Jordanvt45 said:

I have been using the SoundblasterX G6 for a little over a month now and I can honestly say that the 7.1 has really made a huge difference when playing Call of duty warzone. I am able to hear exactly where an enemy is all thanks to the 7.1. I know many people hate on surround sound but it is pretty amazing. I must say that music is important so I  wanted to try something new and see what all the talk was about regarding schiit products. I recently purchased the Modi 3 and Heresy from Schiit and let me say, while gaming, the audio does not even compare to that of the soundblaster. The witcher 3 audio seems dull and warzone is a pain to even try due to it being stereo only. When listening to music, I honestly preferred the Soundblaster as well. I think the Schiit stack is just a bunch of hype while the soundblaster is superb..I honestly am not able to game with out it. I was debating on just returning the Schiit stack completely. Let me know what you guys think if you have tried either. 

It could be that the Schiit ones are more neutral sounding and not as warm and bassy as the soundblaster one? Not entirely sure tho.

[Volbet]

Without knowing more about your setup it's kinda difficult for us to compare experiences here. 

 

I have heard both options, but my experience was apparently quite a bit different. The Soundblaster G6 sounds very good for a modern Soundblaster product, but it hardly compared to anything I've heard from an actual hi-fi manufacture. I can agree that SBX is a pretty decent implementation of virtual 7.1, but it's a bit too aggressive on the reverb for my taste. Just makes my games sound bland. 

 

The Schiit Magni 3 Heresy and Modi 3 combo is far more detailed and airy than the G6.

I have slowly been falling out of love with Schiit's in-house, compressed sound, but it's hardly any worse than the compression I experienced on the G6.   

[Aneurotic]

I just got the Heresy to pair with my G6, the extra power for my DT990 600 Ohms is great, there is a definitely noticible change in dynamics of the headset with the amp.  I would say try your G6 paired to the Heresy before returning.  I don't think their is a huge difference in the quality of the DAC in the G6 vs the Modi.  So you can try the 7.1 surround with the greater power from the Heresy.

[rice guru]

7 hours ago, Jordanvt45 said:

I have been using the SoundblasterX G6 for a little over a month now and I can honestly say that the 7.1 has really made a huge difference when playing Call of duty warzone. I am able to hear exactly where an enemy is all thanks to the 7.1. I know many people hate on surround sound but it is pretty amazing. I must say that music is important so I  wanted to try something new and see what all the talk was about regarding schiit products. I recently purchased the Modi 3 and Heresy from Schiit and let me say, while gaming, the audio does not even compare to that of the soundblaster. The witcher 3 audio seems dull and warzone is a pain to even try due to it being stereo only. When listening to music, I honestly preferred the Soundblaster as well. I think the Schiit stack is just a bunch of hype while the soundblaster is superb..I honestly am not able to game with out it. I was debating on just returning the Schiit stack completely. Let me know what you guys think if you have tried either. 

That schiit stack aims for absolute accuracy doesn't try to add or remove everything. While the g6 sounds a decent but more colored out of curiosity what headphones do you use?

[an actual squirrel]

I'm an advocate for technologies like sbx surround. They are still somewhat niche at this time, but I think a lot of people don't comprehend the limitations of standard stereo audio for gaming and don't understand that these technologies are a way for the game to convey more audio information to headphone users.

 

The g6 is interesting because it was reviewed on audiosciencereview. It has a level of performance that really would have warranted $500+ a decade ago. Considering that headphones like the hd650 is almost two decades old, it is actually pretty humbling to think that with an hd6xx from massdrop and a g6, you can match end game setups from the mid/late 2000s for so little money.

[Jordanvt45]

4 hours ago, Aneurotic said:

I just got the Heresy to pair with my G6, the extra power for my DT990 600 Ohms is great, there is a definitely noticible change in dynamics of the headset with the amp.  I would say try your G6 paired to the Heresy before returning.  I don't think their is a huge difference in the quality of the DAC in the G6 vs the Modi.  So you can try the 7.1 surround with the greater power from the Heresy.

How did you connect them? 

[Jordanvt45]

2 hours ago, rice guru said:

That schiit stack aims for absolute accuracy doesn't try to add or remove everything. While the g6 sounds a decent but more colored out of curiosity what headphones do you use?

Beyerdynamic Dt 990 pro 

[rice guru]

1 hour ago, Jordanvt45 said:

Beyerdynamic Dt 990 pro 

Ah ok personally the heresy pairing isn't my favorite. When I was looking for a DAC amp pairing for my 990s I tried the jds labs atom which basically sounds exactly the same as the heresy and felt the same way about the pairing. I then found the monoprice liquid spark I feel is probably the best $100 amp pairing is a coloured amp adds warmth to the low end and mids and has a bit of a treble roll off helping smooth out that harsh treble. I don't really like the modi personally it's not a great dac it's outdated was the best at it's price point for a time but these days easily beaten. Don't force yourself to like what other people like if you can return them and enjoy what you enjoy. I would try to get a liquid spark and d10 from Amazon though just to try out the pairing.and if you don't like it it's a easy return

[Jordanvt45]

19 minutes ago, rice guru said:

Ah ok personally the heresy pairing isn't my favorite. When I was looking for a DAC amp pairing for my 990s I tried the jds labs atom which basically sounds exactly the same as the heresy and felt the same way about the pairing. I then found the monoprice liquid spark I feel is probably the best $100 amp pairing is a coloured amp adds warmth to the low end and mids and has a bit of a treble roll off helping smooth out that harsh treble. I don't really like the modi personally it's not a great dac it's outdated was the best at it's price point for a time but these days easily beaten. Don't force yourself to like what other people like if you can return them and enjoy what you enjoy. I would try to get a liquid spark and d10 from Amazon though just to try out the pairing.and if you don't like it it's a easy return

You’re saying the modi 3 is outdated? 

[rice guru]

35 minutes ago, Jordanvt45 said:

You’re saying the modi 3 is outdated? 

A bit. Only came out a few years ago but better stuff for cheaper or the same price has come out

[Jordanvt45]

16 hours ago, Aneurotic said:

I just got the Heresy to pair with my G6, the extra power for my DT990 600 Ohms is great, there is a definitely noticible change in dynamics of the headset with the amp.  I would say try your G6 paired to the Heresy before returning.  I don't think their is a huge difference in the quality of the DAC in the G6 vs the Modi.  So you can try the 7.1 surround with the greater power from the Heresy.

That is interesting because the soundblaster does not need any extra pairings even for 600 ohms it is more than capable. I will definitely try it out. What cable did you use to connect the two?

[rice guru]

6 minutes ago, Jordanvt45 said:

That is interesting because the soundblaster does not need any extra pairings even for 600 ohms it is more than capable. I will definitely try it out. What cable did you use to connect the two?

You would need a 3.5 mm cable to rca adapter. 

[LeadQ]

On 5/21/2020 at 1:36 PM, Jordanvt45 said:

I have been using the SoundblasterX G6 for a little over a month now and I can honestly say that the 7.1 has really made a huge difference when playing Call of duty warzone. I am able to hear exactly where an enemy is all thanks to the 7.1. I know many people hate on surround sound but it is pretty amazing. I must say that music is important so I  wanted to try something new and see what all the talk was about regarding schiit products. I recently purchased the Modi 3 and Heresy from Schiit and let me say, while gaming, the audio does not even compare to that of the soundblaster. The witcher 3 audio seems dull and warzone is a pain to even try due to it being stereo only. When listening to music, I honestly preferred the Soundblaster as well. I think the Schiit stack is just a bunch of hype while the soundblaster is superb..I honestly am not able to game with out it. I was debating on just returning the Schiit stack completely. Let me know what you guys think if you have tried either. 

I did not buy full schiit stack, but I bought a few Heresy`s AMP (as presents for my relatives), pretty good AMP and even increase sound quality for onboard audio.

 

I have G6 for 1.5 years, upgraded from previous Omni Sound card from creative, I like G6, but read many articles about schiit stack how it is cool... Also, I have read post from Aneurotic here and was trying to connect G6 to Heresy (from PC to G6 - USB cable, then from G6 to Heresy  2RCA-3.5mm jack), and yes - sound is better  than just from G6, more rich I would say, no such treble, more smoother (I do not like all these audiophiles terms), I can increase volume without any pain, more details about this were describe here https://www.headphones.com/blogs/news/schiit-magni-3-magni-heresy-headphone-amplifier-review-comparison 

Quote

Distortion, even at distinctly non-obvious (subconscious) levels, tends to result in the brain perceiving things being louder than they actually are. A dead give-away for this in extended listening sessions is a progressive desire to lower the volume over time combined with faster onset of listening fatigue.

There is none of that with the Magni Heresy.

In fact, the opposite is the case, with my having a general tendency to be slowly tweaking the volume higher as listening continued. And my best explanation for that is that I’m seeking more involvement or excitement in my listening. Which is not to say that I didn’t find the Heresy to be an engaging listen. It is; still over the course of an evening I found myself nudging the volume up here and there (even within the same album, so not related to different recording levels you’d find with playlists of mixed content).
Resolution and detail are extremely good here and make it easy to hear very small details in a recording, be it the punch-in/out edit-points in some early Prince work, as well as to discern changes in impact-points with percussion, make out the low background thrum of the AC in open-venue acoustic recordings or hear the muted, but impassioned, breathing of a violin soloist as the emotion in their performance peaks.

If I translated it correctly (english is my third language, sorry).

 

So, after a few weeks of using G6 + Heresy or one by one, I do not want to buy full schiit stack at all. I decided to sell Heresy and leave G6 due to many reasons:

1. G6 has enough power to work with HD58X, DT770, Custom Studio or HE4XX Planars from Drop, never used High Gain, Low is enough

2. I do not need one more power supply (which is huge on Schiit), one more socket will be used and one more cable on the desk.

3. G6 costs 130$ new or 90 refurbished, why should I spent 200$ for schiit + 30$ shipping in USA + shipping to my country?! 

4. G6 is small box on your desk and give you good sound, enough power and many effects such as 7.1 or SBX.

5. G6 + Heresy is great, but this differences you can hear if you going to compare both in the same time.

 

Maybe will try something else as sound card, but the same form-factor as G6: only 1 USB in and headphones out.

 

PS No, I do not work in Creative (I am programmer from Europe)

[rice guru]

5 minutes ago, LeadQ said:

I did not buy full schiit stack, but I bought a few Heresy`s AMP (as presents for my relatives), pretty good AMP and even increase sound quality for onboard audio.

 

I have G6 for 1.5 years, upgraded from previous Omni Sound card from creative, I like G6, but read many articles about schiit stack how it is cool... Also, I have read post from Aneurotic here and was trying to connect G6 to Heresy (from PC to G6 - USB cable, then from G6 to Heresy  2RCA-3.5mm jack), and yes - sound is better  than just from G6, more rich I would say, no such treble, more smoother (I do not like all these audiophiles terms), I can increase volume without any pain, more details about this were describe here https://www.headphones.com/blogs/news/schiit-magni-3-magni-heresy-headphone-amplifier-review-comparison 

If I translated it correctly (english is my third language, sorry).

 

So, after a few weeks of using G6 + Heresy or one by one, I do not want to buy full schiit stack at all. I decided to sell Heresy and leave G6 due to many reasons:

1. G6 has enough power to work with HD58X, DT770, Custom Studio or HE4XX Planars from Drop, never used High Gain, Low is enough

2. I do not need one more power supply (which is huge on Schiit), one more socket will be used and one more cable on the desk.

3. G6 costs 130$ new or 90 refurbished, why should I spent 200$ for schiit + 30$ shipping in USA + shipping to my country?! 

4. G6 is small box on your desk and give you good sound, enough power and many effects such as 7.1 or SBX.

5. G6 + Heresy is great, but this differences you can hear if you going to compare both in the same time.

 

Maybe will try something else as sound card, but the same form-factor as G6: only 1 USB in and headphones out.

 

PS No, I do not work in Creative (I am programmer from Europe)

As I like to repeat once in a while the biggest upgrade on can make to the signal chain are the drivers. The g6 is a pretty capable unit just get better headphones that can be driven by them

[LeadQ]

2 minutes ago, rice guru said:

As I like to repeat once in a while the biggest upgrade on can make to the signal chain are the drivers. The g6 is a pretty capable unit just get better headphones that can be driven by them

Agree

[HumdrumPenguin]

On 5/21/2020 at 6:36 AM, Jordanvt45 said:

I have been using the SoundblasterX G6 for a little over a month now and I can honestly say that the 7.1 has really made a huge difference when playing Call of duty warzone. I am able to hear exactly where an enemy is all thanks to the 7.1. I know many people hate on surround sound but it is pretty amazing. I must say that music is important so I  wanted to try something new and see what all the talk was about regarding schiit products. I recently purchased the Modi 3 and Heresy from Schiit and let me say, while gaming, the audio does not even compare to that of the soundblaster. The witcher 3 audio seems dull and warzone is a pain to even try due to it being stereo only. When listening to music, I honestly preferred the Soundblaster as well. I think the Schiit stack is just a bunch of hype while the soundblaster is superb..I honestly am not able to game with out it. I was debating on just returning the Schiit stack completely. Let me know what you guys think if you have tried either. 

Cheap stacks are a very good step up from onboard garbage, that's for sure, but that's not what you are using. If you are having a blast with your Soundblaster, my advice is to trust your ears and to stick to what you like the most. One thing is to ask for opinions on gear that you want to purchase and have no access to, another is to ask for opinions on gear that you already possess and can A/B test on your own.