5.1 Headphone Confusion.

[AndyCalvert]

Hi, I could do with some help, noting seems simple anymore. I am after some 5.1 headphones rather than normal headphones as I like the sound of them. At present I still live at home and have stared working continentals and its becoming annoying having be be quite all night when I am up and not tired. At present I have my PS3, Sky+ HD and a 1080p 42" Tv going though my Cambridge Audio A1 amp which I got for my 14th Birthday. As well as been due for replacement it also does not have a headphone socket likewise the Sky HD and PS3 or TV don't. I have had a good look around for a few hours and I am confused as what to get. I want the headphones to work the both the Sky and PS3 but they don't have headphone sockets, I have seen these gaming headphones with the mics on which I don't really want gaming headphones and although I can see they work with the PS3 can they be connected straight to the Sky box and which are the best headphones to get for normal TV and films? The gaming ones would be ok if the mic comes off. If the answer is that I am unable to connect 5.1 headphones to both the Sky and PS3 with the optical cables I see they use I will upgrade my amp to one with a headphone socket. (I am after either a Cambridge Audio 640/840 amp but would prefer to wait till I have the funds to upgrade the whole systems at ones instead of just getting the amp first) Now I notice using a normal headphone socket you need some type of Dolby 5.1 converted to plug in between your amp and headphones. What do you people suggest I do as i am lost. Which route combination is best and what costs an I looking at for each option? Thanks in advance Andy.

[24 P]

I have 2 options for you, you can get from an amp, via headphone surround, which I have found to be effective. This is via your normal stereo headphones
Or you can get some Tritton headphones (not cheap) but they do offer optic in and do have a decoder. A lot of wires and 2 power packs involved.
Are they effective? Yes, are they cheap, no, can you adjust time delays and volume, yes, great for gaming and movies, yes, but at a cost, you will have to get used to them, and they can be awkward, ie a bit uncomfortable.
I paid nigh on $400 AUD for them delivered.
I don't know how in the UK stock them, and you will need a fibre optic switcher should you need more than 1 optic connected at any one time.. Here's the link.. TRITTON Technologies, Inc. - TRIGA611 AXPRO
They also allow analog 5.1 from a pc...
Good value for money? well depends on what you consider 5.1 head phones importance to you....
I am sure you wll get them cheaper from a UK stockist, tell me how you go...

1 more thing, they do not do DTS, whoch is a bit of a bummer, but for Xbox 360, they work well, also for Movies....

[Drubbing]

If you 'prefer' the sound of 5.1 phnoes, then you haven't heard a good set of stereo phones.

Go with option 1 above. Get some decent stereo headphones (they'll be far better than "5.1" phones anyway, because better drivers create the spatial effect, not more drivers) and either an amp - or a DAC with an optical.

Although a good DAC is wasted for PS3 and TV use, so a cheap amp, just for the headphone out, would be better, even though your PS3 as an audio source will not be that good.

The upside of this is the decent phones will also be good for music, which something 5.1 headsets also suck at.

[24 P]

I own both HD 600 Sennys and the Tritton PRO, the diff between them is, well 2 diff things, stereo and 5.1
For gaming, I crap myself playing with the 5.1, I am not after Audiophile quality when plugged into the PS3 or Xbox360, I want 5.1 surround sound, which the Trittons do achieve, as I do wonder how "They did It".
As for stereo reproduction, the Sennies win hands down, no contest... The Trittons do give me fatigue, but the cost of $400 AUD with delivery, they do beat a HTIB for the same $..
All comes down to how much money you have, and how important precise gaming is...

[Drubbing]

Originally Posted by 24 P

I own both HD 600 Sennys and the Tritton PRO, the diff between them is, well 2 diff things, stereo and 5.1
For gaming, I crap myself playing with the 5.1, I am not after Audiophile quality when plugged into the PS3 or Xbox360, I want 5.1 surround sound, which the Trittons do achieve, as I do wonder how "They did It".
All comes down to how much money you have, and how important precise gaming is...

You won't get audiophile quality from those sources anyway, but that's not what they're for.

No matter how much money you throw at it, you don't get real 5.1 from headphones of any description. They are all overpriced bling and techno babble.

Your 650s need a very good amp to deliver their potential in SQ and soundstage. If you were to amp them well, and play games through a PC on them, they would be equal or better to the 5.1 jobbies, plus do music far better than any of them.

There is little that is 'precise' about gaming. The SFX files are simple and the soundtracks often highly compressed. It doesn't take a high end stereo phone like the 650 to get the best positional audio out of gaming, in fact 650 would probably be overkill. If you 'crap yourself' on the headset it's far morel ikely the bass is over boosted to beef up the noises.

The guy I've bought all my gear form has been a competitive gamer for 15 years and has never bought a 5.1 headset in his life, as he knows the limitations of games files, the sources used, and where the returns in positional audio max out.

It's not a fair call to suggest that gaming requires oodles of cash and = higher returns.

[24 P]

600s, not 650s, have them teamed up with a valve headphone amp, delivers 1 watt @ 150 ohm, cans are 300 ohm, I get then 500 mw, and I can turn up the vol all the way with no loss of quality other than my ears getting very loud music...
As for me crapping myself, its more to do with the 5.1 cans being able to properly psycho-acoustically deliver the goods.. Pin point placement, not the Bass too loud as you mentioned...
Either way I have best of both worlds, being able to listen to Audiophile gear, and being able to run amok on 5.1 land on the gaming consoles...
You must hear them to imagine the spatial delivery they produce, quite good for gaming, as you are turning your head to see where that scream came from behind you...
All in all, both cans do deliver, but on different abilities...

[Uriel]

You could get a stanalone dolby headphone encoder and plug any set of headphones into it. The A40 mixamp or JVC/Victor SU-DH1 spring to mind. Have a look in the various Dolby Heaphone threads for info.