Got a new headset...what next?

ShaithEatery · November 12, 2014

So I recently purchased the Audio Technica ATH-AG1 headset and have been loving them (big head so the 3d wing support works perfectly, mic works great, etc.) and I've been running them with the included USB DAC. Things sound clear, and I like the sound signature, however I'm wanting to see what I could upgrade to get the most out of these as far as sound quality as well as gaming (3d positioning specifically, from what I can tell so far that is lacking due to the very basic DAC).

A little background for my current setup... I do already have a separate sound card; a Creative X-FI Titanium that's been getting me through for a very long time. I tested the AG1's with the included 4-pole to dual 3.5mm jack adapter cable going into the sound card, and I wasn't impressed compared to the included USB DAC (much more of the low end present, but the mids and highs were very much muted). I haven't ditched the sound card because I've got it currently setup with a TOSLINK cable to my Logitech Z5500's which, due to Dolby DTS and THX support, sounds amazing for movies and music and such. I've played around with the eq sliders and haven't been able to get a sound that I like for both the speakers and headset. Also, if I were to leave my headphones plugged into the sound card, there is no way to disable the headset while using the speakers and vice versa due to how the Creative drivers push sound through the TOSLINK cable and audio jacks so if I just want to use my speakers there is the noticeable echo with sound also coming out of my headset (Silverstone FT02 case, so not the most convenient thing to undo the top lid and unplug the headset each time I want to disable them). Also, due to how the Creative drivers handles the optical TOSLINK output, I cannot adjust things as simple as volume via software as it just gives a checkbox to push the same audio from the normal jacks through that as well (Windows volume could be completely muted but audio levels through the speakers are unchanged).

So as far as my perceived options from here go, I could replace the sound card with another sound card that solves my issues, though I don't know a lot of the specific details about how the software side of the drivers for the main new ones from brands like Creative and Asus. Here's what the requirements would be for a new internal sound card:

1.) Better handling of inputs where I can have full and separate control of TOSLINK and 3.5mm headphone jack.

2.) Better, more level sound signature for the headset while not affecting the audio coming out of the TOSLINK connection.

3.) Better 3d positional audio translation for a stereo headset.

4.) Prefer to keep support for TOSLINK to carry Dolby/THX signal to my Z5500s

The other option would be to get a combo DAC/Amp like the Objective2 + ODAC that I've heard so many good things about, and keep my current internal sound card strictly for my speakers. This is more of what I'm thinking of doing but here are a few concerns of mine:

1.) I will have to use the 4-pole to dual 3.5mm cable adapter to have the headset plugged into the DAC/Amp, which wold be sitting on my desk but would need yet another extension going from the mic connection to my pc (unless there is a good DAC/Amp that might actually support the native 4-pole connector on my headset and handle the mic as well like the included USB DAC does, though I'd be surprised to see that).

2.) Price wise, this would be much more expensive than a new sound card, and I don't know of a way to see if I like how the sound signature is and assumingly won't have any control of the global eq levels (I can adjust in things like my music player and such, but I would rather be able to change the global eq levels so that games also get the benefit of my controlling that).

3.) I'm not sure what to look for as far as 3d positional support goes with these and don't know where to start. I could be completely wrong about a lot of my understanding for how that side of things works in general.

I guess a 3rd option would be for someone who knows a bit about the X-FI Titanium to help resolve the issues I've had with them if it's possible to do so. For example, getting the audio to sound as good as I'd think it should from the headset without effecting the audio coming to the speakers. But I know I've kind of rambled on in this post and I very much appreciate anyone who reads it and gives me some advice on the matter.