Audio Era: Because Sound Matters

BetterCallSauls · Jun 18, 2020

Gents/Ladies, I'm new to the thread but have been building my system for a few years. Currently using Def Tech LCR and most recently upgraded my sub to a SB4000 when they had their outlet sale.

Since I can't create a thread in the gaming forum, I'll ask here.

What modern games have a really good (more low end) audio track?

Edit: Guess I should read the first page.

Ignore my question.

Kalik · Jun 22, 2020

I'm new to external DAC's etc so I'm confused about how to proceed...I've always used internal sound cards with my gaming PC or more recently onboard audio...I'm looking to build a new PC in the coming weeks (AMD build) and I was looking into whether to buy a new internal sound card (Sound Blaster X AE-5) or go with onboard again...but someone recommended the Schiit Hel...after doing some research it gets great reviews but I'm confused as to whether it will make sense for me

I'm currently using budget 5.1 gaming speakers connected to the speaker inputs on the IO shield on the back of my case (yellow, green, black wires)...how would I connect those speakers to this Schiit Hel?...and is it worth it?...will it make a noticeable improvement over onboard audio?...for the record I think the speakers sound fine when gaming or listening to music over my PC

my current speakers spec sheet- Creative Inspire P5800

Creative Inspire P5800 - speaker system - For PC - wired Series Specs

Creative Inspire P5800 - speaker system - for PC overview and full product specs on CNET.

www.cnet.com

Bumrush · Jun 25, 2020

Ended up going with the Q Acoustics 3030i to do 2.0 in an open concept living room and I'm thrilled so far (an hour with them). My biggest concern was whether or not they could create a phantom center and they do so perfectly.

Mozendo · Jul 8, 2020

Hi everyone, I've been meaning to upgrade my PC audio setup and was wondering about something.

So I want to get some Massdrop THX-789 as my amp and I am wondering if I can use the Fluance SX6WH with the amp when my headphones aren't connected? I don't plan to buy the amp just for the speakers, I want to grab some Ether CX or an LCD-X later down the line.

GearDraxon · Jul 8, 2020

Mozendo said:
Hi everyone, I've been meaning to upgrade my PC audio setup and was wondering about something.

So I want to get some Massdrop THX-789 as my amp and I am wondering if I can use the Fluance SX6WH with the amp when my headphones aren't connected? I don't plan to buy the amp just for the speakers, I want to grab some Ether CX or an LCD-X later down the line.

Sadly, no. That amp is designed to drive headphones, and doesn't appear to have the power necessary to drive those speakers.

Firebrand · Jul 9, 2020

ara said:
Thanks a lot for the detailed response! Looks like I managed to squeeze in the edit right when you were writing this - I got all antsy and ordered the Edifiers already, figured they're so cheap that even if returning them was a pain, I can just give them to the GF or my parents or someone if they're disappointing.

Still, I immediately recognized the JBLs, I think I've heard/read quite a lot of good stuff about them. 200 pounds (or euros actually for me) is definitely still fine, I think my upper limit would be somewhere around the 300 euro mark. So if the Edifiers disappoint, I'll definitely look into the JBLs.

Interesting note about the noise floor/hissing. Hadn't even thought of that. Interesting to see how the Edifiers perform there. I guess a bit of a hiss wouldn't be a problem since I've got some tinnitus going on and suffer from constant hiss already lol.

How did the 1280T work out for you? I'm in a similar boat, having just ordered the 1280DB with a 2 month delivery wait and second-guessing that purchase, whether the alternative is something else in the same price range or splurge on those JBL 305 MKIIs at once.

ara · Jul 10, 2020

Firebrand said:
How did the 1280T work out for you? I'm in a similar boat, having just ordered the 1280DB with a 2 month delivery wait and second-guessing that purchase, whether the alternative is something else in the same price range or splurge on those JBL 305 MKIIs at once.

Disclaimer: I'm much more of a headphones guy and don't have a TON of experience with speakers.

Truth be told, super happy with them! I'm getting a bit of blooming in the bass range most likely due to the fact that I unfortunately have to keep the speakers pretty close to a wall (and the left one is in a corner, even) but it curiously only bothers me when I'm watching some male Youtubers and only with some of their videos (James Hoffman comes to mind), so I haven't cared enough to look into EQing or rearranging the room.

Other than that, I've been very impressed with them. I think they sound absolutely wonderful for their price, a pleasantly warm and fairly detailed sound that manages to sound shockingly full even without back-ported elements or a separate subwoofer. I like the fact that the right one (the one with the amp) has tiny little knobs for bass and treble (which go between -6db and 6db, I believe), and that they come with a small remote, even though I haven't needed these features myself since I already EQ on the PC and I use my Magni 3 as a pre-amp, and do all volume adjustments there. They do hiss a bit when they're on, but it's not audible until your head is like 20 cm from the speakers.

They also look absolutely amazing! I LOVE the retro-ish wooden look. Janked the front meshes out the moment I got the speakers and never put them back on.

Definitely going to be sticking with these until I move, at least.

Polyh3dron · Jul 10, 2020

cake said:
Posting this here since it's more of a general audio setup/hardware thing vs specifically headphones.

I'm looking at getting a Schiit Modius + Asgard and was hoping anyone might help with the preamp on the Asgard. I am trying to figure out if there would be any issues with using RCA to XLR cables to connect with a pair of JBL 305P mk2's; since the Asgard output would be unbalanced and the XLR inputs on the JBL are balanced I want to know if that would cause any problems or if I'm just overthinking things.

I want a setup that will output to speakers at my desk, but will mute them when headphones are plugged in. I was looking at the Jotunheim before but those don't mute the speakers when a headset is in.

I did something similar with my KRK VXT8 studio monitors for years. Shouldn't be an issue, but the KRKs had a ground lift switch to help eliminate noise for this type of scenario.

I've got super high end JBL LSR708p speakers on the way soon and plan to do the same type of thing.

Firebrand · Jul 10, 2020

ara said:
Disclaimer: I'm much more of a headphones guy and don't have a TON of experience with speakers.

Truth be told, super happy with them! I'm getting a bit of blooming in the bass range most likely due to the fact that I unfortunately have to keep the speakers pretty close to a wall (and the left one is in a corner, even) but it curiously only bothers me when I'm watching some male Youtubers and only with some of their videos (James Hoffman comes to mind), so I haven't cared enough to look into EQing or rearranging the room.

Other than that, I've been very impressed with them. I think they sound absolutely wonderful for their price, a pleasantly warm and fairly detailed sound that manages to sound shockingly full even without back-ported elements or a separate subwoofer. I like the fact that the right one (the one with the amp) has tiny little knobs for bass and treble (which go between -6db and 6db, I believe), and that they come with a small remote, even though I haven't needed these features myself since I already EQ on the PC and I use my Magni 3 as a pre-amp, and do all volume adjustments there. They do hiss a bit when they're on, but it's not audible until your head is like 20 cm from the speakers.

They also look absolutely amazing! I LOVE the retro-ish wooden look. Janked the front meshes out the moment I got the speakers and never put them back on.

Definitely going to be sticking with these until I move, at least.

Thanks a bunch for the impressions, appreciated! Sounds like I won't be disappointed if I do keep them.

Ravelle · Jul 10, 2020

I'm planning on getting the edifier r1700bt shelf speakers and did some research and comparisons of the other ones with the sub woofer but those seem to only flatten the sound clarity and the R1280T seemed like a step down even though it's a newer model.

Anyone got any experience with the 1700bt or the R1280T and can give some pointers in diffference?

Firebrand · Jul 10, 2020

And oh, apparantely they released new versions of 1280T, DB and 1700BT in the US with an "s" at the end of the model names, indicating the addition of a sub output. Remote has a sifferent layout too. Not available in Europe from the looks of it.

GamePnoy74 · Jul 10, 2020

I never heard of Edifier until this week when shopping for a cheap pair of powered speakers for my PC/PS4/NSW...their R980Ts arrived from Amazon yesterday and I'm surprised how good they are for $70. They get audio source from the preamp output of my Schiit Magni 3 headphone amp which I use for master volume. Far from perfect but this setup gets the job done (and then some!) for what I need from them for the price.

kafiend · Jul 12, 2020

Does Era know of some reasonable priced speakers that would run from my PC that also have headphone output built in?
I can have speaker sound most of the day but must only be Headphones in the evening. My old solution is gradually dying.
Budget is anything up to round £500 if that helps.

Blayde · Jul 19, 2020

Hey guys, I am considering getting a denon AVR-S960H. I am a bit confused about how atmos works though. It seems to do atmos you can set this up in a 5.2 set up + 2 atmos speakers. I see something about height virtualization as well, but does this mean you can do a typical 7.1 setup and it will do a sort of virtual atmos thing?

Ryan_09 · Jul 31, 2020

Hi ya'll! I'm finally ready to upgrade from my built-in TV audio to some good speakers. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. :)

Our media room (carpeted) is 13' 11" x 10' 8" in a a small (1083 sq ft) apartment. I'm strictly looking for a 2 channel setup with the option to build a 7.1, 7.2, or Atmos setup when we move in a few years. A subwoofer may come later if I feel like I need more bass. This will primarily be used for gaming, but good quality sound for movies, TV, and music would be appreciated. Sound quality is the most important factor for me, as I can't have the speakers get too loud.

My budget is flexible, but I'd like to keep it around or under $1,500 if possible.

Current speakers for consideration are: Klipsch floor speakers

R620F ($399.99/400 watts peak/100 watts continuous) as a balanced option.
R820F ($499.99/600 watts peak/150 watts continuous) if the improved sound quality over the R620F justifies the price.
R610F ($289.99/340 watts peak/85 watts continuous) if I want to go cheap and appreciate the sound quality.
RP8000F ($689.98/600 watts peak/150 watts continuous) if I really want to treat myself.

I also need a receiver. I'm currently using a Sony XBR-49X900E TV (will likely upgrade in a few years when I add to the sound system), and would like a receiver that can do 4K, HDR, component video input (for Wii and PS2), and has a headphone jack at minimum. I'm not entirely sure which brand to go for; I hear Denon, Yamaha, and Sony are all good. Would I be safe in matching the continuous WPC and total power handling of my speakers? The Yamaha RX-A780BL seems like it would do the job at 110 continuous WPC for the R620F and R610F, but I'm not entirely sure if the component input would be compatible for my Wii or PS2's audio. I also wouldn't completely rule out a good quality soundbar for a decent price if only to get me through until we move into a place that can accomodate surround sound.

SecondNature · Aug 19, 2020

Please advise:

Looking for Noise Cancelling Headphones that I can also use for gaming (and mostly gaming). Preferably Id like to connect a mod mic from the headphones to the PC/Dualshock.

Thanks.

Can I use these https://en-ca.sennheiser.com/rs-175 for gaming?

Noema · Aug 20, 2020

So this might sound like a dumb newbie question, but I'm looking for some decent on-ear headphones. My budget I guess would be around $250. There are so many options for so many different people and use cases. In my particular case, I'd be using them for:

Listening to music / watching videos on my laptop - smartphone
Gaming on PS4 and later this year, PS5. I currently don't own a TV with a headphone jack, though I might get a new one by the end of the year as well.
Zoom calls (I do 10-15 hours of Zoom a week, for work)
Listening to podcasts music at the gym (once it's safe to go back)

I've basically narrowed down my choices to the WH-1000XM3, which are on sale at Amazon for about $210, and the Sennheiser HD 599, which I could get for $180ish.

I'm torn, because on the one hand as a tech enthusiast I'm salivating at all the cool features on the Sony's, as well as the Active Noise Cancellation which would be very useful at the gym, or when riding the subway.

On the other hand, I'm not a big fan of Bluetooth, so I guess that I'd only be using the Sony's wirelessly when at the gym. So a lot of the tech in the Sony's would go to waste. And the Sehnheisers probably sound much better right? I'm no Audiophile, but I do like listening to many genres of music, and I'd like to have some nice headphones for once, since I've always used very cheap earbuds. But on the other hand I'm kinda intimidated by the open back nature of the Sennheisers, and I don't even know if they are worth using without an amp?

I guess I sort of answered my own question while typing this, but what do you guys think? Is the sound quality difference really big between the Sonys and the Sehnheisers? It's probably a question of audio quality vs. versatility.

Schlomo · Aug 30, 2020

Servbot24 said:
SVS SB-2000 Subwoofer is ordered! This will be in addition to two SVS Prime Towers. I've never owned a subwoofer before, so a little nervous if I'll be able to find good placement for it.

How was your experience with the new sub?

I've been using a ~500$ Jamo 5.0 system for the past 10 years and have recently caught the upgrade bug. Now I'm wondering if I should replace it with a better one, or just get a subwoofer and maybe height speakers for my existing system.

Servbot24 · Aug 30, 2020

Schlomo said:
How was your experience with the new sub?

I've been using a ~500$ Jamo 5.0 system for the past 10 years and have recently caught the upgrade bug. Now I'm wondering if I should replace it with a better one, or just get a subwoofer and maybe height speakers for my existing system.

So far so good. I don't know if I placed it right but it is a noticeable improvement. Can't say what your choice should be though since I have limited experience to compare.

Duxxy3 · Aug 30, 2020

Noema said:
So this might sound like a dumb newbie question, but I'm looking for some decent on-ear headphones. My budget I guess would be around $250. There are so many options for so many different people and use cases. In my particular case, I'd be using them for:

Listening to music / watching videos on my laptop - smartphone

Gaming on PS4 and later this year, PS5. I currently don't own a TV with a headphone jack, though I might get a new one by the end of the year as well.

Zoom calls (I do 10-15 hours of Zoom a week, for work)

Listening to podcasts music at the gym (once it's safe to go back)

I've basically narrowed down my choices to the WH-1000XM3, which are on sale at Amazon for about $210, and the Sennheiser HD 599, which I could get for $180ish.

I'm torn, because on the one hand as a tech enthusiast I'm salivating at all the cool features on the Sony's, as well as the Active Noise Cancellation which would be very useful at the gym, or when riding the subway.

On the other hand, I'm not a big fan of Bluetooth, so I guess that I'd only be using the Sony's wirelessly when at the gym. So a lot of the tech in the Sony's would go to waste. And the Sehnheisers probably sound much better right? I'm no Audiophile, but I do like listening to many genres of music, and I'd like to have some nice headphones for once, since I've always used very cheap earbuds. But on the other hand I'm kinda intimidated by the open back nature of the Sennheisers, and I don't even know if they are worth using without an amp?

I guess I sort of answered my own question while typing this, but what do you guys think? Is the sound quality difference really big between the Sonys and the Sehnheisers? It's probably a question of audio quality vs. versatility.

HD58x are considerably better than either, and cheaper.

SecondNature · Aug 30, 2020

Noema said:
So this might sound like a dumb newbie question, but I'm looking for some decent on-ear headphones. My budget I guess would be around $250. There are so many options for so many different people and use cases. In my particular case, I'd be using them for:

Listening to music / watching videos on my laptop - smartphone

Gaming on PS4 and later this year, PS5. I currently don't own a TV with a headphone jack, though I might get a new one by the end of the year as well.

Zoom calls (I do 10-15 hours of Zoom a week, for work)

Listening to podcasts music at the gym (once it's safe to go back)

I've basically narrowed down my choices to the WH-1000XM3, which are on sale at Amazon for about $210, and the Sennheiser HD 599, which I could get for $180ish.

I'm torn, because on the one hand as a tech enthusiast I'm salivating at all the cool features on the Sony's, as well as the Active Noise Cancellation which would be very useful at the gym, or when riding the subway.

On the other hand, I'm not a big fan of Bluetooth, so I guess that I'd only be using the Sony's wirelessly when at the gym. So a lot of the tech in the Sony's would go to waste. And the Sehnheisers probably sound much better right? I'm no Audiophile, but I do like listening to many genres of music, and I'd like to have some nice headphones for once, since I've always used very cheap earbuds. But on the other hand I'm kinda intimidated by the open back nature of the Sennheisers, and I don't even know if they are worth using without an amp?

I guess I sort of answered my own question while typing this, but what do you guys think? Is the sound quality difference really big between the Sonys and the Sehnheisers? It's probably a question of audio quality vs. versatility.

In the same boat and gaming is my bigger focus

remember that the hd 599 doesnt have a mic unless you buy a modmic which means an extra wire has to be stickered to ur headphone

wireless is not good for gaming.

I went with the fidelio x2hr and i think itd be best for you.

its supposed to be great for music and single player games because of its bass.

if u buy the v moda boom mic u can replace the stock cable and have a single input without having two wires like the hd599.

the shp9500 is its cousin and is supposed to be better for gaming because it lacks the same base and has better treble.

All of this should cost well below your budget.

tomorrow, the fidelio x3 and shp9600 releases

Xiofire · Aug 30, 2020

SecondNature said:
tomorrow, the fidelio x3 and shp9600 releases

Holy shit really?! I feel like I've been waiting for the X3's for ages. Hope the reviews are good

SecondNature · Aug 30, 2020

Xiofire said:
Holy shit really?! I feel like I've been waiting for the X3's for ages. Hope the reviews are good

Supposedly very premium build materials and super expensive

but the shp9600 is still budget

Xiofire · Aug 30, 2020

SecondNature said:
Supposedly very premium build materials and super expensive

but the shp9600 is still budget

Damn it, just saw a review saying that it has split cables for the left and right, killing my VModa Boom Mic set up.

Maybe it's time for me to get a desk mounted microphone after all 😂

SecondNature · Aug 30, 2020

Xiofire said:
Damn it, just saw a review saying that it has split cables for the left and right, killing my VModa Boom Mic set up.

Maybe it's time for me to get a desk mounted microphone after all 😂

Thats best for sure

since im gaming on console too, i need that v moda

but ps5 has a built in mic. I wonder how good it will be lol. Id have so many more options if the dualshock mic is good enough

catboy · Sep 2, 2020

anyone have experience with the sony STRDH790? looking to get it as it has 4K + hdr pass through at 4:4:4 (i guess not full RGB but eh)

Huntersknoll · Sep 4, 2020

Hey audio era! I know my stuff when it comes to headphones but if we talk speakers.. boy I am lost. I'm looking to put together a nice 'lil 2.1 system for gaming in my attic. I think I have it narrowed down to the Kanto Tuks + Sub 8 or Klipsch The Fives + Sub 8. Just wondering if anyone had experience with either of these speakers or perhaps has another suggestion. I am open to anything.

Noema · Sep 4, 2020

So I got the Sony XM3s. I know they don't have the best sound, but I wanted the best possible noise cancellation I could get and they were heavily discounted.

I got the one month trial for Tidal because I wanted to try out the Sony 360 Audio thingy and I assumed that, because these are not audiophile headphones, I wouldn't be able to hear the difference between Tidal and Spotify, but I totally do. And it's kinda driving me nuts. Maybe someone can help me out with this.

Tidal has their own 'master' recording quality setting, which supposedly is taken directly from studio master recording and has super high bitrate. But most music is actually streamed at the 'HiFi' lossless setting. I assumed that that setting would be equivalent to Spotify's highest streaming setting. But I was listening to Chaka Khan's 'Like Sugar' last night, going back and forth between Spotify and Tidal. Same version, same album, same relative volume, and the difference was enormous. As in night and day, even with these non-audiophile headphones on my non-audiophile ears. Instruments were super clear on the Tidal version. I could hear the separation, and the percussions were crystal clear. The Spotify version sounded tiny. I turned off volume normalization on both apps and it didn't make much of a difference.

Here's my question. Why? Is Spotify's highest quality setting not lossless? If it is, shouldn't it be the same file for both platforms? Is there a difference in how they digitize the music they get? Could it be some sort of EQ setting that Tidal has? (I was listening on Windows, and Spotify doesn't have EQ settings on desktop) I really honestly don't want to pay for Tidal, and I don't want to leave 10 years of Spotify playlists behind.

Zophop · Sep 4, 2020

Noema said:
So I got the Sony XM3s. I know they don't have the best sound, but I wanted the best possible noise cancellation I could get and they were heavily discounted.

I got the one month trial for Tidal because I wanted to try out the Sony 360 Audio thingy and I assumed that, because these are not audiophile headphones, I wouldn't be able to hear the difference between Tidal and Spotify, but I totally do. And it's kinda driving me nuts. Maybe someone can help me out with this.

Tidal has their own 'master' recording quality setting, which supposedly is taken directly from studio master recording and has super high bitrate. But most music is actually streamed at the 'HiFi' lossless setting. I assumed that that setting would be equivalent to Spotify's highest streaming setting. But I was listening to Chaka Khan's 'Like Sugar' last night, going back and forth between Spotify and Tidal. Same version, same album, same relative volume, and the difference was enormous. As in night and day, even with these non-audiophile headphones on my non-audiophile ears. Instruments were super clear on the Tidal version. I could hear the separation, and the percussions were crystal clear. The Spotify version sounded tiny. I turned off volume normalization on both apps and it didn't make much of a difference.

Here's my question. Why? Is Spotify's highest quality setting not lossless? If it is, shouldn't it be the same file for both platforms? Is there a difference in how they digitize the music they get? Could it be some sort of EQ setting that Tidal has? (I was listening on Windows, and Spotify doesn't have EQ settings on desktop) I really honestly don't want to pay for Tidal, and I don't want to leave 10 years of Spotify playlists behind.

Spotify Premium tops out at a max bitrate of 320 kbps for the highest quality meanwhile Tidal HiFi tracks are 1411kbps. I switched to Tidal as my main streaming service over a year ago but was reluctant to do so as there isn't really a foolproof way for moving over playlists. I ended up using SongShift which has been mostly successful in porting over my playlists to Tidal.

Noema · Sep 4, 2020

Zophop said:
Spotify Premium tops out at a max bitrate of 320 kbps for the highest quality meanwhile Tidal HiFi tracks are 1411kbps. I switched to Tidal as my main streaming service over a year ago but was reluctant to do so as there isn't really a foolproof way for moving over playlists. I ended up using SongShift which has been mostly successful in porting over my playlists to Tidal.

Holy smokes. I didn't expect the difference to be that huge. Thanks for the reply.

So if I may, another question, which might seem dumb: I'm listening through Bluetooth. On my phone, I can use LDAC which, according to the settings on my phone's developer options, should top out at 990kbps. But on my laptop, I'm stuck with SBC, which barely pushes 320kbps. I can still hear a big difference in terms of quality. Why is that? Could Tidal have some sort of EQ hidden sauce, besides the higher bitrate?

Pargon · Sep 4, 2020

Noema said:
Holy smokes. I didn't expect the difference to be that huge. Thanks for the reply.

So if I may, another question, which might seem dumb: I'm listening through Bluetooth. On my phone, I can use LDAC which, according to the settings on my phone's developer options, should top out at 990kbps. But on my laptop, I'm stuck with SBC, which barely pushes 320kbps. I can still hear a big difference in terms of quality. Why is that? Could Tidal have some sort of EQ hidden sauce, besides the higher bitrate?

It could be that it's a different release/master of the same album.
The best way to compare would probably be to select a recent album, rather than one which may have had different releases over the years.

GearDraxon · Sep 4, 2020

Huntersknoll said:
Hey audio era! I know my stuff when it comes to headphones but if we talk speakers.. boy I am lost. I'm looking to put together a nice 'lil 2.1 system for gaming in my attic. I think I have it narrowed down to the Kanto Tuks + Sub 8 or Klipsch The Fives + Sub 8. Just wondering if anyone had experience with either of these speakers or perhaps has another suggestion. I am open to anything.

The Klipsches use a horn-loaded tweeter, which, in my experience, has been very love-it-or-hate-it. If at all possible, try to audition either of these options in person - both seem to review well, but they are likely to sound very different.

Zophop · Sep 4, 2020

Noema said:
Holy smokes. I didn't expect the difference to be that huge. Thanks for the reply.

So if I may, another question, which might seem dumb: I'm listening through Bluetooth. On my phone, I can use LDAC which, according to the settings on my phone's developer options, should top out at 990kbps. But on my laptop, I'm stuck with SBC, which barely pushes 320kbps. I can still hear a big difference in terms of quality. Why is that? Could Tidal have some sort of EQ hidden sauce, besides the higher bitrate?

It might be worthwhile playing with the Audio Normalization in Spotify under Playback in the settings as this can sometimes compress the dynamics of a song that could account for the difference you're seeing (or rather, hearing).

Fawz · Sep 5, 2020

I currently have a LG C9 55" in my living room set-up to my Gaming Consoles and Gaming PC and for Audio I use a simple LG Sound bar with Sub that connects to the TV with Optical

I'm looking to upgrade my Audio set-up to support 5.1 and Dolby/Atmos/DTS. Ideally I want to avoid wire management or putting speakers on the wall/ceilings since I'll be moving next year. I've looked at a bunch of review sites (Rtings) and list recomendations, but I'm still a little lost on what's a good set-up for gaming specifically especially while trying to stay under 1000$ by doing HDMI eARC connection

Any recomendations for where to start looking and what kind of features are important to keep an eye out for?
I'm eying the JBL Bar 9.1 and very tempted to get it but also saw good things about the Vizio SB36512-F6, LG SN9YG and the Samsung HW-Q80R/90R

LegendX48 · Sep 11, 2020

Not sure if this is the correct place to as but...

Quick question for anyone with a Denon Reciever and a 5.1 setup:

What should the "Amp Assign" setting be set to? By default its Zone 2 and idk if that's correct. (For reference I have the Denon X1400h)

Also, a secondary question as I recently went full 5.1 (used to only have 2 front + 2 back), could the amp assign setting be responsible for absent sounds? Ever since I got a subwoofer and center channel, certain sounds are just absent completely in both games and movies that were never absent before in my 2 front + 2 back setup. To kinda help illustrate what I mean, *Potential early game Marvel's Avengers spoilers*

In case the video doesn't start at the right time, go to 4:38 when Hulk starts to hit Abomination with that huge object

Each impact makes an audible sound, right? On my set up, that impact sound was completely absent. Similar things also happened in Ghost of Tsushima for me where a cutscene just had zero sword impact sound effects. Any idea what could be the culprit?

Edit: I think I figured out what's happening with regards to my second question.

GearDraxon · Sep 11, 2020

LegendX48 said:
What should the "Amp Assign" setting be set to? By default its Zone 2 and idk if that's correct. (For reference I have the Denon X1400h)

Amp Assign allows you to dictate what the 6th and 7th channels of amplification are used for: a second zone of audio, the last two in a 7.1 setup, etc. Since you're doing 5.1 (and presumably no second zone), it doesn't really matter what it's set to.

Midnight_Chomper · Sep 18, 2020

Hi Everyone, looking for some advice and help here.
I had a receiver and some speakers that I purchased last year, but never got around to setting up. Just set them up last night and already overwhelmed with all of the options.

The receiver I have is a Marantz SR5011. I only have 3 front speakers (L/C/R), no subwoofer yet, and no rear speakers. I have a vanilla PS4, and an LG C7.

1. In terms of connection order, I'm hearing that the best is to have the PS4 go directly to the receiver first through an HDMI connection, not optical? Input lag is not drastically affected and sound is then given to the receiver unprocessed? Is this correct or are there other considerations. Or should I have the PS4 go to the TV, then use the ARC channel to go back to the receiver?

2. In the PS4 audio settings, should I use Linear PCM, Bitstream (Dolby), or Bitstream (DTS)? I am assuming this depends on the answer to question 1?

3. On the receiver itself, which sound mode should I select? There is Auto, Virtual, Multi Ch surround, Multi Ch In, Stereo, DTS Neural:X, Dolby Digital, Dolby Surround. Maybe some other ones too I am missing. I am so confused about this part. Are they all the same as long as I get sound from each speaker?

4. For the TV apps that I use (Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime), I am guessing it is best to use the HDMI ARC?

5. Finally, back to the Ps4, what if I use it as a Blu-ray player? Is whatever I set up for games going to apply, or do I need to make changes everytime I watch a movie?

Thanks for all the help. Who knew audio setup could be so confusing?

Dankir · Sep 18, 2020

Midnight_Chomper said:
Hi Everyone, looking for some advice and help here.
I had a receiver and some speakers that I purchased last year, but never got around to setting up. Just set them up last night and already overwhelmed with all of the options.

The receiver I have is a Marantz SR5011. I only have 3 front speakers (L/C/R), no subwoofer yet, and no rear speakers. I have a vanilla PS4, and an LG C7.

1. In terms of connection order, I'm hearing that the best is to have the PS4 go directly to the receiver first through an HDMI connection, not optical? Input lag is not drastically affected and sound is then given to the receiver unprocessed? Is this correct or are there other considerations. Or should I have the PS4 go to the TV, then use the ARC channel to go back to the receiver?

Just plug in your HDMI cable into an input on your receiver. That's how you get LPCM i.e. lossless sound which is much higher quality that Optical. You should only have one connection to make and that's an HDMI cable from your PS4 to your receiver. The receiver will have 1 HDMI output to your TV. And that's it.

2. In the PS4 audio settings, should I use Linear PCM, Bitstream (Dolby), or Bitstream (DTS)? I am assuming this depends on the answer to question 1?

I would select Linear PCM, you'll still get lossless audio. Seeing you only have a 3 channel setup. Had you had more speakers or Dolby Atmos setup you could have chosen Bitstream which would be a Dolby Digital + Dolby Surround output which simulates Dolby Atmos (PS4 can't do Dolby Atmos) In any case just choose Linear PCM.

3. On the receiver itself, which sound mode should I select? There is Auto, Virtual, Multi Ch surround, Multi Ch In, Stereo, DTS Neural:X, Dolby Digital, Dolby Surround. Maybe some other ones too I am missing. I am so confused about this part. Are they all the same as long as I get sound from each speaker?

For your particular setup I'm not entirely sure which is the best because you have a 3 channel setup, so you'll get surround sound but just in front o you. Play a few games, movies and see. But I would set it up Dolby Digital or Dolby Surround.

4. For the TV apps that I use (Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime), I am guessing it is best to use the HDMI ARC?

You can select the audio output type, but if you're play those apps through your PS4, then leave the setting you had selected above. Or change it when you have a movie going.

5. Finally, back to the Ps4, what if I use it as a Blu-ray player? Is whatever I set up for games going to apply, or do I need to make changes everytime I watch a movie?
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You can leave it the same, or from your reciever remote select the audio output type to match (movie, game, music) and select what you prefer. The options will be things like (virtual, direct, dolby digital, DTS, etc. etc.) But because everything is coming out of your PS4 you'l have to change the setting everytime you let's say play game vs. watch a movie. Unless you find the sound great and leave the settings as it.

Thanks for all the help. Who knew audio setup could be so confusing?

Midnight_Chomper · Sep 18, 2020

Thanks for taking the time to respond!

Deleted member 9241 · Sep 18, 2020

Found my answer

Sparks · Sep 22, 2020

Is there any decent place to find a receiver right now? Seems like they are sold out everywhere...

rebelcrusader · Sep 22, 2020

So don't know if it's the right place but...

I bought a Astro mix amp pro tr for my hyperx's so I would be set for Xbox next gen and pc...turns out to be a pretty decent sounding headphone amp too

Polyh3dron · Oct 5, 2020

Sparks said:
Is there any decent place to find a receiver right now? Seems like they are sold out everywhere...

Better question to ask is if there is any decent receiver in existence right now, and the answer is no, not until we see one with all HDMI 2.1 ports.

OmegaDL50 · Oct 12, 2020

I have a set of Sennheiser Game Zero headphones. I prefer the personal listening experience as opposed to a wide acoustics of a soundbar filling up sound in my living room.

So with that being said I typically have my headphones plugged into my Motherboard audio jack on my PC which produces good results. Only problem is I can only take advantage of this while listening to audio directly from my PC.

So I get my new LG CX tv and it has a headphone port in the back, I think, okay great I can use that and then I can use my headphones on everything. My PC, my PS4, my Xbox, and so forth. Only problem is it's evidently clear the built in DAC on my PC motherboard is clearly better because I am getting much a much clearer / crisp audio on it as opposed to outputting through my TV's headphone jack.

It comes down to the fact that my TV's audio chip simply cannot properly drive my headphones. So getting to my point.

I want to get a DAC / AMP for universal usage that acts as a go between my headphones and my PC and game consoles. I've been looking at options like the EPOS GSX 1000 and the Soundblaster X G6.

I haven't messed around with Sound Cards on a PC in years. The last time I was serious was when I had an Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum and messed around with soundfonts and did audio editing. I strictly want something that will improve the the quality of listening to music and playing games that will properly drive my headset without getting a muffled or filter effect. I just want crystal clear and high quality sound.

I have $100 Amazon Credit and Prime Day is right around the corner so if there anything worth checking out or you recommend picking up, I'd greatly appreciate it, thanks.

OmegaDL50 · Oct 13, 2020

I did some searching online. It seems the best solution for me to use would be a Schiit Stack 3.

I just bought a Modi 3 and Magni 3+, an RCA cable, a Toslink Optical Cable, and USC-A to B Cable.

My plan is to have the Schiit Stack connect to my PC via USB and the Optical to my TV. Probably gonna upgrade my Headphones with that Amazon gift card instead. Hopefully I get a good deal on Prime Day.

I think this is the most reasonably affordable solution to improve my sound quality in prep for next gen since I prefer to game using headphones as opposed to using a traditional speaker setup or soundbar.

TiltedParadoxes · Oct 13, 2020

Fawz said:
I currently have a LG C9 55" in my living room set-up to my Gaming Consoles and Gaming PC and for Audio I use a simple LG Sound bar with Sub that connects to the TV with Optical

I'm looking to upgrade my Audio set-up to support 5.1 and Dolby/Atmos/DTS. Ideally I want to avoid wire management or putting speakers on the wall/ceilings since I'll be moving next year. I've looked at a bunch of review sites (Rtings) and list recomendations, but I'm still a little lost on what's a good set-up for gaming specifically especially while trying to stay under 1000$ by doing HDMI eARC connection

Any recomendations for where to start looking and what kind of features are important to keep an eye out for?
I'm eying the JBL Bar 9.1 and very tempted to get it but also saw good things about the Vizio SB36512-F6, LG SN9YG and the Samsung HW-Q80R/90R

I can only speak for the lg sn9yg. I want to give you a heads up that it broke on me after 3 months. Luckily I bought it from Costco and was able to return it. But that's not the worse problem. The worse problem is that no matter what I did I was never satisfied with being able to hear dialogue clearly. Everything was just off slightly. And increasing volume too much increased distortion. I'm going to go with the Sonos arc this time because a lot of people are raving about it and it's dialogue reproduction. It's $999 in Canada for just the bar but a lot of people say depending on your room size that may be all you need.
I didn't know finding a decent affordable soundbar was going to be this difficult.

Midnight_Chomper · Oct 15, 2020

Can anyone who has gone from a receiver+speakers setup to a Soundbar be able to share their experience? What made you do so, was it convenience? Cost? Better performance?

The reason I am asking is this: I have always dreamed of having a home theater system. It was on my list of to-dos once I was able to afford all the components. So now I have a Marantz receiver and 3 B&W M1s in a Left/Right/Center configuration. And sadly, I would say that it doesn't really seem much better than my TV speakers. Only advantage is now I can crank up the volume without running into distortion, but otherwise, I haven't been blown away by anything I've heard. And its kind of a hassle because I have to turn on the TV, then the receiver, then my game console, then make sure I select the input on the receiver, etc.

So now I feel like I'm in a quandary. I feel like bass is really lacking (even though the M1s have a bassport, I don't feel any bass at all), but do I spend more money on a subwoofer? Do I buy two more M1s and do all the wiring to set them up as rears? Do I upgrade my speakers - maybe the M1s are not good enough and I should go larger?

On the other hand, I hear many people raving about the Sonos Arc. Should I just give up on my home theater dreams and go to that option? I mean, it would be cheaper and easier, but how can it be better than my M1s, which are like $250 each?

Anyways, would love to hear anyone's experiences who have gone from soundbar to 3.1/5.1 setups, or vice versa. Which one did you end up happier with?

woo · Oct 16, 2020

May I ask a question about headphone amps ITT, please? I have an LG C8 tv and am generally happy with the sound output from it so am not looking to invest in a surround system. However, I often game late into the evening so sometimes use headphones when I want to consider my immediate neighbours since I live in a flat. I have been using a small headphone amp that I bought when I bought my MP3 player. The battery on this only lasts a few hours though and it's a pain when its charge runs out mid-session. Thus I would like to upgrade to a mains wired headphone amp. What would you suggest? I asked this question previously in another thread and was recommended a Schitt but these are very expensive in the UK.

Zampano · Oct 16, 2020

woo said:
May I ask a question about headphone amps ITT, please? I have an LG C8 tv and am generally happy with the sound output from it so am not looking to invest in a surround system. However, I often game late into the evening so sometimes use headphones when I want to consider my immediate neighbours since I live in a flat. I have been using a small headphone amp that I bought when I bought my MP3 player. The battery on this only lasts a few hours though and it's a pain when its charge runs out mid-session. Thus I would like to upgrade to a mains wired headphone amp. What would you suggest? I asked this question previously in another thread and was recommended a Schitt but these are very expensive in the UK.

Schiit's UK store is back with stock. You can get the Fulla combined DAC/Amp with mic in for £105 which is great value. Their other entry level stuff is not expensive at all.

KaiPow · Oct 16, 2020

Any of you use the turtle beach stealth 700 gen 2's? Wondering if I should tweak around with any of the (limited) settings or just use signature sound for everything.

Audio Era: Because Sound Matters

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