Home Threatre System or Headphones?

[rycky1321]

I am building a LGA 2011 system for gaming but I do not know where to go for the sound. Motherboard sound plus HTS, dedicated card plus headphones or dedicated card plus a HTS? Please Help!

[iCon]

These are quite different solutions that I don't really think are that comparable and it is certainly not a choice someone else can make for you. You just have to see to your own personal needs and see what would benefit you the most right now, a Home Theatre system or a pair of headphones. Look at you do most, gaming or watching movies?(just one example of a variable that you have to consider)

If you do go with a HTS system you don't really need a dedicated sound card as long as your HTS has an optical input(and your motherboard has an optical output ofcourse).

If you decide to go with headphones, you will most likely need a dedicated soundcard with a built in amp, at least if you get a decent analog pair for $100 or above. If you get a pair with a USB connection then there is no need for a dedicated soundcard.

[Lyons]

Headphones vs speakers comes down to personal preference, it's very difficult to tell something to get one or the other. Do you have room for 5 speakers and a sub? Is your room shaped in a suitable manner to position the speakers? How much do you want to spend? Do you want to be able to hear anything other than your music/games/etc. When you listen to them? There's a lot of questions to answer in order to figure out what's best. In my experience to get genuinely good sound, it's less expensive to go with headphones than speakers, ESPECIALLY in surround. Even the $700 Panasonic surround system my parents have at their house really isn't any good for anything other than action movies. They sound crap for any kind of music, the same goes for anything similar I've heard. This begs the question, do you really what surround sound if you go with speakers? You can certainly do a 2.0 or 2.1 set up for cheaper, but it's still likely to underperform in comparison to headphones of the same price.

[NewKID]

you wont get the same quality with headphones and speakers with the same price. speakers cost so much more than headphones. if you're willing to spend around $1000, go get speakers with an AVR. headphones have more bang for your buck. if you're just gaming, i suggest getting headphones first.

[knight_40k]

I agree with all the posts above, this is a choice of personal preference. I am a HT guy myself but generally people prefer headphones for gaming or music on their pc because...

1) they cannot afford a HTS

or

2) volume constraints are an issue (ie; neighbors, time of day, kids sleeping, etc)

It all depends what you are going for and how much you are willing to spend.

[Huntsman]

If you could afford a LGA2011 system, why not get both? LOL jk.

For me I'm a headphone guy. I don't consider home theater to be any good since in order to really make them sound well you would have to redo the walls ans ceiliing of that room. On the other hand, headphones will sound great no matter where you are.

[SirKeaton]

Since you are building gaming system, I would definitely go for headphones and separate sound card. I have Sennheiser HD-429 and Xonar DG and I can tell you its pretty awesome in gaming. I know Xonar DG is cheap but it wins any integrated sound card I think. The software that comes with DG is very good too. And headphone + soundcard set is always much cheaper than HTS.

[knight_40k]

If you could afford a LGA2011 system, why not get both? LOL jk.

For me I'm a headphone guy. I don't consider home theater to be any good since in order to really make them sound well you would have to redo the walls ans ceiliing of that room. On the other hand, headphones will sound great no matter where you are.

I don't think you understand how home theater works. The only reason to redo the walls and ceiling if you are trying to sound proof the room which doesn't improve SQ, it just helps to avoid noise from leaking out of a particular room at any given volume.

[Cocoabytes]

I have a headset vengeance 2000s (no card) and a surround sound with integrated audio. Surround is nice and has a certain unique "feel" to it that headphones just can't replicate, and maybe that changes with a better headset or headphone and card combo I don't know. But outside noise, and an uneven speaker setup can really kill the experience, which is why I went for the headset and use it pretty much exclusively. To do over again I'd just buy a really nice sound card, with a really really nice pair of headphones and call it a day.

[genkifd]

headphones are great however you will never get true speaker surround experience or sound stage of good speaker system. Headphones are either in high or low frequencies not both due to the a single driver limitation.

for me HT all the way. if you have the budget and space why not.

[Jamdude]

I use Corsair Vengeance 2000 headphones for gaming and youtube but use Sony BDV-E380 theatre system for music and movies - unless it's late then I'll use my 2000s. The speakers are great for music and give that feel that you just can't get through a headset which is why I prefer the theatre system for music especially.

[Huntsman]

If you could afford a LGA2011 system, why not get both? LOL jk.

For me I'm a headphone guy. I don't consider home theater to be any good since in order to really make them sound well you would have to redo the walls ans ceiliing of that room. On the other hand, headphones will sound great no matter where you are.

No, actually i do. Try putting a sub in a normal room. everything would vibrate and crash together like crazy. Walls and ceillings might be different at your place but in my country walls are made of solid brick with rough concrete surfaces while ceilling are mostly asbestos like those in offices. These makes for a very headache inducing echo and they ruin the sound by vibrating annoyingly when you turn your home theater up till a given volume. I've tried.

I do agree that a proper home theater system does sound better but that will cost alot more than most would be comfortable to spend. So I would just recommend getting a nice sound card and headset.

[NapalmX]

I hate HTS most of them are over priced and did not sound so well, if you really want good sound get a couple of monitor speakers and a good dedicated sound card.

Headphones is an awesome alternative.

[Jamdude]

I hate HTS most of them are over priced and did not sound so well, if you really want good sound get a couple of monitor speakers and a good dedicated sound card.

Headphones is an awesome alternative.

Here in the UK they are a pretty good price.

[t0wer]

I say make your wallet cry and go both.

[knight_40k]

I hate HTS most of them are over priced and did not sound so well, if you really want good sound get a couple of monitor speakers and a good dedicated sound card.

Headphones is an awesome alternative.

When you say HTS, are you talking about those dinky little home theater in a box systems aka HTIB (bose, sony, etc)? If so then I completely agree, headphones are a better alternative.

[knight_40k]

If you could afford a LGA2011 system, why not get both? LOL jk.

For me I'm a headphone guy. I don't consider home theater to be any good since in order to really make them sound well you would have to redo the walls ans ceiliing of that room. On the other hand, headphones will sound great no matter where you are.

Valid point. Ones country may be a factor in this depending how living space is constructed.

I also agree that sub placement is tricky in most homes because they can sound boomy and cause vibration depending on room acoustics.

[h264]

If you have a:

-really big room

-no annoying neighbors

-don't live with anybody without auditory problems

The stereo/surround loudspeaker system wins every time. You can feel the symbols crash. You can feel the bass waves hit you. And so can the rest of the immediate surrounding area. A great idea for a family event like watching a movie, but for games, most people aren't interesting in listening to your explosions and gunshots.

If you want a HTS, just use an on-board digital out and connect it to your HTS receiver, and let it mix the sound. Digital is digital, no matter what Head-Fi says. And it probably has a headphone amp on it too.

[NapalmX]

I hate HTS most of them are over priced and did not sound so well, if you really want good sound get a couple of monitor speakers and a good dedicated sound card.

Headphones is an awesome alternative.

Yes, I am talking of those! :D

Of course there are other Brands that deliver really good sound, but most of them are really high end and highly priced.

[rycky1321]

Thank you to all of you for the help. I do have a Samsung HTD6500W 5.1 CH 3D Blu-Ray Home Theater System in my living room. I also have a Cerwin Vega HTS in progress for my new gaming place and I was wondering if I was going to keep the Samsung or finishing the Cerwin system or get headphones.

[LDX]

for me active monitors...

 

I really enjoy music thru those

[lions240]

I would say that if you have the audiofile grade equipment it is 100% worth it. I am running 7.1 with Klipsch speakers and a Denon receiver and it sounds great. As long as you are running a toslink from your sound card to your reciever you will get great returns.