Improving my Beyerdynamics DT770 Pro 250 ohm for gaming/footsteps.

[Denothir909]

Hi there everyone, thank you for joining and trying to help me out!

 

I've been using this combo for almost a year. The sound quality of the DT770 Pro is truly impressive, combined with the oratory1990's equalising settings.

My main use is in gaming scenarios and the immersion has been awesome.

 

What I've been struggling, lately, is in First Person Shooters. I can't clearly locate the footsteps sounds in most games: Battlefield, Call of Duty, R6 Siege. Only CS:GO goes slightly better, but still: audio seems really "muffled". I can hear the footsteps, but the direction is not really precise and my guess usually isn't that close to the location.

 

I haven't messed with the Acoustic Engine of the Sound Blaster GC7 (surround, crystalizer, etc), but I want to give it a try. What could help me achieve a more directional sound, giving me a chance to hear those footsteps more clearly and precisely?

 

Thank you for trying to help me. Love you!

[Psittac]

To the best of my knowledge, footsteps are determined purely in stereo.  This leaves a headphone showing these thing's the best it can, that is imaging soundstage and stereo separation.  I have almost zero experience with an added layer between myself and the game engine, which would be the filters you speak of, but I know that headphones with the forementioned qualities will give you the best chance at distinguishing footsteps.

 

Disclaimer: I rarely play position sensitive games so I haven't tested out different headphones in the genre, but it is agreed in general that quality stereo headphones trump an abstraction layer.

 

What I'm wondering, is why after a year is this becoming an issue?  I haven't listened to dt770 in a few years and don't put on my 880 very often but a headphones capabilities shouldn't degrade, if anything people say they get better.

[saintlouisbagels]

You're coping. Professional CS:GO players wear IEMs during tournaments - headphone soundstaging doesn't matter. You need to acclimate yourself to the nuances of the game's sound engine.

[Psittac]

37 minutes ago, saintlouisbagels said:

You're coping. Professional CS:GO players wear IEMs during tournaments - headphone soundstaging doesn't matter. You need to acclimate yourself to the nuances of the game's sound engine.

I would agree that soundstage doesn't matter, it's a physical makeup of the headphones and not the audio signal

[Denothir909]

Thank you everyone for replying.

 

The issue came after a year because, as mentioned, I have just started playing fps games and then noticed this kind of problem.

 

Considering that the EQ can probably enhance my experience, you advice me to switch from virtual surround to stereo?

[Psittac]

40 minutes ago, Denothir909 said:

Thank you everyone for replying.

 

The issue came after a year because, as mentioned, I have just started playing fps games and then noticed this kind of problem.

 

Considering that the EQ can probably enhance my experience, you advice me to switch from virtual surround to stereo?

If I'm honest..... I don't even know what virtual surround does because I'm an old man by nature.  If it's a setting I have to make that will disappear when I do a format or because of some random glitch I don't like it.  But the only way to tell is to A/B test it.

 

Still I stick to my guns because others in the hobby agree with my preconceived notion.

 

I prefer the simplest and truest solution

[Denothir909]

8 minutes ago, Psittac said:

If I'm honest..... I don't even know what virtual surround does because I'm an old man by nature.  If it's a setting I have to make that will disappear when I do a format or because of some random glitch I don't like it.  But the only way to tell is to A/B test it.

 

Still I stick to my guns because others in the hobby agree with my preconceived notion.

 

I prefer the simplest and truest solution

I see. I am trying a/b but I'm not finding a sweet spot. I think that I will reset everything, start from scratch. 

 

Gradually, I will first see the difference between stereo and virtual surround.

Then, with and without EQ with the Harmann curve.

 

After, I will consider the enhancements of the Creative App of the Sound Blaster GC7.

 

My post was made to see if someone familiar with the devices had my same issue.

 

I appreciate so much your help!

[Cocococo]

The easiest way to get great soundstage and imaging is to get better headphones, you can switch up EQ and sound types in game (i'd boost around 3khz-4khz for footsteps, but it is being limited by poor equipment in the DT770) Pros tend to use IEM's but they're also extremely skilled, practice i guess. Most games don't have amazingly accurate audio so i guess the real answer is to get good. 

[Tigerleon]

1 hour ago, Psittac said:

If I'm honest..... I don't even know what virtual surround does because I'm an old man by nature.

Virtual surround is a DSP thing and works kind of as a real-time EQ. It tries to mimic surround sound breaking down the source and blending the channels a bit. Causing sound quality loss, echoey effects, and possibly even worse imaging if it doesn't pair well with everything, the game, headphones, EQ or even the DSP itself.