[juul]

Ok i've read quiet a few posts and reviews on this forum concerning surround headphone solutions. I'm used to watch movies from my computer with dolby headphone in powerdvd. The surround effect with the dolby headphone filter turned on works really wel for me with my (cheap) sennheiser hd 457 headphones, but i want to have this effect with my media player as well and i guess the sound could be so much better...

So here are the options i consider.

1. The Creative HQ2300D was my first choice, but i can't find it anywhere and the things i read go from super to really bad
2. JVC SU-DH1 with my current or another headphone. The decoder looks kinda cheap, for which i don't really trust it delivering the same sound quality of the other options.
3. Pioneer SE-DIR800CII. It looks very nice, is wireless and has good reviews but much more expensive than the SU-DH1 (about 300$ including shipping costs). Pioneer SE-DIR2000 would be fine too, but doesn't seem available anywhere.
4. Philips SBC HP1500. The wired version, for max 150$ i guess on an auction site. They are supposed to be even better than the pioneer ones for movie viewing, but they're wired, look worse than the pioneers and i'm not sure if the difference for movie viewing is that great (i'm not such a big audiofil)
5. Philips SBC HD1500U. The wireless, newer version. Hard (or impossible?) to find, but i found one link that still has it: Philips SBC HD1500U - Kopfhörer ( Ohrenschale ) - drahtlos bei voelkner - direkt günstiger
But a price of about 400$ is a bit much, unless they are really soooo much better than the pioneers.

It will probably bee option 2, 3 or 4, unless... Any advice appreciated. Living in europe btw, if this should be important for the availability of some models.

[Uriel]

What soundcard are you currently using? Most of the Asus Xonar series (apart from DS, I think) does dolby headphone natively - so you can use it for anything.

Great implementation too. A lot cleaner than the PowerDVD version.

[juul]

I'm on a laptop with cheap onboard sound. The asus seems nice indeed, but i'm not going for a soundcard. I want something that connects to dvd player, network player (xtreamer probably) or any other device.

Nice to hear that there's a real quality difference between dolby headphone implementations, that it can be (even) better than what powerdvd does with it.

[Uriel]

OK. Just a note to say I edited the earlier post. It's the Xonar DS that doesn't have Dolby Headphone.

The Xonar U1 is a USB version with Dolby Headphone so you could use it with your laptop. I haven't heard it and not sure if or how well it works as a standalone device though.

ASUSTeK Computer Inc.

[socrates1]

The JVC is battery operated I believe.

Based on comparative reviews there is not much difference between the Philips and the Pioneer. Most give the edge to the Philips but not by much. If you're importing the Pioneer from outside the EU you might get hit with customs charges which would bring the cost closer to the Philips.

I have the Philips wireless version myself and love it. I had the wired before and it's great to be free of the hassle of the cable. I can also go around/outside the house to the garden and listen to music anywhere. (Philips is RF while I belive the Pioneer may be IR)

I'd say go for three or five if you can afford it, otherwise go for four. Ebay Germany occasionally has the HD1500U so you might get a good deal if you can wait a while.

[juul]

I got a reply from the german shop that still sold it (i thought), it's not available anymore... I will check german ebay for the HD1500U, otherwise i guess i'll just go with the pioneer. From what i've read, the pioneer is amazing untill you hear the philips, which i haven't, so no problem for me . Thanks!