Wow, you're really selling it there. I wonder how this headphones based 3d sound on next gen consoles is going to compare to surround sound speakers.
I presume there's no good solution for small rooms?
-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
Did you feel 5.1/7.1 for gaming was a good investment for your gaming experience
- Thread starter Avenger
- Start date
Wow, you're really selling it there. I wonder how this headphones based 3d sound on next gen consoles is going to compare to surround sound speakers.
I presume there's no good solution for small rooms?
I went with a 5.1 sound bar (not simulated 5.1, actual rear speakers + a sub) and I think it was worth it. It always sticks out when I play somewhere with just stereo speakers now.
That said, with the PS5 pushing for better 3D audio, I'll probably switch to using headphones more often next-gen. If it universally works as well as those HRTF demos then it could be a game changer.
That said, with the PS5 pushing for better 3D audio, I'll probably switch to using headphones more often next-gen. If it universally works as well as those HRTF demos then it could be a game changer.
5.1? Yes.
5.1.2? Nope.
That being said. I'm getting old, lazy, and now considering a soundbar since I use headphones for anything serious.
5.1.2? Nope.
That being said. I'm getting old, lazy, and now considering a soundbar since I use headphones for anything serious.
My best gaming audio experiences have always been with headphones. I find myself making adjustments to avoid abrasive sounds or keep from annoying other people with surround systems. Surround systems are really nice for movies. They're generally around 2 hours long and people watch them together. Playing a game at high volume for hours on end will make the people you live with hate you.
For movies, absolutely. For gaming... I think headphones are a good bet. Some games really make good use of the surround sound (the doom 2016 soundtrack is wild in 5.1), but it's largely not as well utilized as in film/tv yet.
For games? Eh, not really, sometimes I will use mine but generally I just opt for headphones. Movies and other things? Absolutely using my 7.1.
I'm still using the speakers from this 1997 or 1998 Kenwood stereo, now hooked up to a modern receiver. I think they sound great.
The only thing that bothers me about using a 2.0 setup is when dialogue gets drowned out in movies, but I've never been annoyed enough to upgrade.
The only thing that bothers me about using a 2.0 setup is when dialogue gets drowned out in movies, but I've never been annoyed enough to upgrade.
Alot of it also about speaker placement and where exactly your sitting it's not always easy to work it out but if you can get slap bang in the middle of the room with every speaker at ear level it's amazing some of the best iv experienced this gen is shadow of the tomb raider and resident evil 2
I would love to use headphones but for some strange reason I always get headaches and can't cope with it being directly Fed into my ear sucks for me but what can ya do
I would love to use headphones but for some strange reason I always get headaches and can't cope with it being directly Fed into my ear sucks for me but what can ya do
Several games, at least on One X and One S, and Series X will support Atmos day 1.
Sorry but not, headphones is not the same at all as a 7.2.4
EDIT:
- Assassin's Creed Origins
- Borderlands 3
- Call of Duty Modern Warfare
- Call of Duty: Warzone
- Crackdown 3
- Final Fantasy XV
- For Honor
- Forza Horizon 4
- Gears of War 4
- Gears 5
- Metro Exodus
- Ori and the Will of the Wisps
- Resident Evil 2
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider
- Super Lucky's Tale
- The Division 2
Last edited:
I'm really surprised at how many people are saying that movies are better than games at surround sound. I feel like it's clearly the opposite, as movies are, as far as I can tell, nearly universally front channel experiences with the surround speakers used to sprinkle some ambiance on top, with maybe the occasional gimmicky effect. Anything important to the story though always comes out through the front.
A well made game, on the other hand, will make full and equal use of every speaker. It's much more immersive. It's of course expensive and will take up space. And if you live in an apartment, your neighbors might end up hating you. I love my setup, though. It's nothing special but it adds a lot to the experience.
A well made game, on the other hand, will make full and equal use of every speaker. It's much more immersive. It's of course expensive and will take up space. And if you live in an apartment, your neighbors might end up hating you. I love my setup, though. It's nothing special but it adds a lot to the experience.
We got 5.1 not specifically for gaming but yeah, it's awesome to have surround. Jormangandr's speech in God of War alone had me thankful for the 5.1 we've had for years.
i dont like wearing headphones. a decent set of speakers is a huge difference over something like tv built speakers imo. at a minimum i would buy some kind of speaker set with a sub, you dont necessarily have to go super high end.
i had a 7.1 system, but just replaced it with a 5.1.2. I could not place speakers for a 7.1 system properly in my room so 5.1.2 made more sense.
i had a 7.1 system, but just replaced it with a 5.1.2. I could not place speakers for a 7.1 system properly in my room so 5.1.2 made more sense.
My whole setup is inside 16cm². Admittedly, it is chaotic and not perfect, basically no harmony in the placement of the speakers, an audiophile would probably burn the room down but I still love it and would never go back, even though it makes moving in my room a pain. But look at it this way, is discomfort in one area not worth improving the experiences that you love?
I cannot overstate how much better dedicated speakers are. 3D audio can be amazing on headphones: Listen to this if you want to have sneak peak into what is possible with 3D audio on regular headphones (you need headphones for this video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUDTlvagjJA
I have expensive noise-canceling headphones and they are not at all comparable to real speakers. I wonder if open back headphones are better for games. But I definitely cannot agree with anyone here who claims that 5.1 is not that impressive for games or that headphones are better. I just wonder what games people play. AAA (Uncharted, God of War, Gears 5...) stuff is definitely better on speakers, CSGO and Rocket League, yeah maybe those are fine with headphones.
Last edited:
I bought a refurbished 7.1 home theater in a box (Onkyo HT-S5400) back in May 2012 for around ~$206 USD after tax. One of the best purchases I've ever made. After experiencing surround sound, I can't ever go back to playing on headphones except on PC; I have not looked into getting a discrete multi-channel sound system for my PC yet. Also, I've not experienced virtual surround on headphones so I don't know what I'm missing out on (if applicable).
It's more that a film's sound mixing, sound design and just overall quality on average is far superior to that of a video game. Listen to any half decent Atmos/DTS:X mix on a blu ray and the quality to what you hear in a game is night and day. In a game you have camera control which is why there's more "surround" action going on. If all you want to do is pinpoint exactly where something or someone is then again you're probably better off buying a pair of high end headphones with good soundstage/imaging for that purpose.
I have a 7.1 setup but still usually prefer headphones for gaming. There's just a directness and precision to having the sound fed directly into your ear that I really miss when not using headphones, and which is way more important for games than other media.
I do enjoy my setup for movies though (TV shows rarely make good use of it).
I do enjoy my setup for movies though (TV shows rarely make good use of it).
Absolutely
I will never go back to using tv speakers or headsets again
This applies to tv show/movie watching, streaming, console gaming and PC gaming
I found tv speakers to be too low and not as defined and headsets are so annoying to me - I want to be fully immersed - gear sounds coming from my left and right along in the front
Planning to go 7.1 in the future
I will never go back to using tv speakers or headsets again
This applies to tv show/movie watching, streaming, console gaming and PC gaming
I found tv speakers to be too low and not as defined and headsets are so annoying to me - I want to be fully immersed - gear sounds coming from my left and right along in the front
Planning to go 7.1 in the future
Headphones are just a more intimate experience that no speaker setup can ever replicate which is more immersive in a way. It's a preference thing even though high end speakers are technically better at everything besides detail retrieval.
Love my Atmosphere setup for single player experiences. I only use headphones for competitive play mainly because my teammates cannot hear me well over my booming system.
5.1 surround sound here.
I have felt not great need for 7.1 or atmos 11.1 speakers. Nor a need for a second subwoofer.
But I would never go back to 2.1 or headphones.
Headphones are a great solution for people who can't use 5.1+ for one reason or another (space, noise, cost, etc).
I have felt not great need for 7.1 or atmos 11.1 speakers. Nor a need for a second subwoofer.
But I would never go back to 2.1 or headphones.
Headphones are a great solution for people who can't use 5.1+ for one reason or another (space, noise, cost, etc).
OP
OP
I wasn't expecting such a mix of reactions to be honest. Maybe i'll give a try and see
I was gifted an entry level 5.1 setup from my uncle and aunt. It was absolutely fantastic for my Last of Us 2 experience, and made RE2 so much scarier.
For like the vast majority of people headphones are the better choice.
Not only do you get way better sound quality for each $ spent, they take away variables like speaker placement, room geometry and a lot of factors that can make (and regularly do) even good speaker setups sound suboptimal.
Personally at some point I switched from 5.1 to stereo headphones and will never look back.
Not only do you get way better sound quality for each $ spent, they take away variables like speaker placement, room geometry and a lot of factors that can make (and regularly do) even good speaker setups sound suboptimal.
Personally at some point I switched from 5.1 to stereo headphones and will never look back.
Last edited:
This is my experience too, I would have been arguing the other way 5 years ago, I never thought headphones could possibly come close to a true surround sound setup until I bought a nice pair with a DAC+AMP to power them, compared to a phyical surround sound setup I can hear so much more detail, tiny little sounds that I would never have heard without headphones and it's a huge advantage if you play any competitive games. I can also turn headphones way louder than a set of speakers, even if I didn't have to consider neighbors I still have to be able to communicate with team mates who don't want to hear my game audio blasting down the mic.
I have both the Sony golds and a atmos surround system and I prefer the atmos surround. I like the sound to literally fill the room, including when height speakers get engaged. There are some really amazing results with Atmos games on Xbox, particularly Gears 5 which has a ton of height speakers engagement. My head eventually starts hurting after about an hour of wearing the headphones as well.
Headphones are terrific though when me and my wife have different things going like when she needs to work while I'm playing a game. In normal conditions though ill stick to my sound system. Not to mention how amazing atmos movies sound....
Headphones are terrific though when me and my wife have different things going like when she needs to work while I'm playing a game. In normal conditions though ill stick to my sound system. Not to mention how amazing atmos movies sound....
Comfortable, open back headphones will solve both those problems you have with using headphones.
I have a 5.1 setup in my basement.
Sadly no room in my house will adequately accommodate a 7.1 let alone anything greater.
I love it with movies. Makes a world of a difference but I must admit, I can totally take it or leave it when it comes to gaming. Maybe I'm weird with that.
Sadly no room in my house will adequately accommodate a 7.1 let alone anything greater.
I love it with movies. Makes a world of a difference but I must admit, I can totally take it or leave it when it comes to gaming. Maybe I'm weird with that.
Very much so, I love my 5.1 system. I have very good headphones and there's something with my ears that makes 3D audio sound like shit, even when the implementation is praised like Half Life Alyx, so hopefully Cerny's ear photos can solve that for me. But until then, the 5.1 speakers are brilliant when the sound mix is good.
Atmos.
Never going back.
Yes, hell yes, it is a good investment. I been gaming with 5.1 since 1996.
Never going back.
Yes, hell yes, it is a good investment. I been gaming with 5.1 since 1996.
