Plantronics Launches Its Dolby Atmos Gaming Headsets
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Tripkebab
MS account to use Dolby Atmos 🙁
alanm
Dolby Atmos is the most ridiculous gimmick ever when its virtualized thru a 2 speaker system let alone a headphone.
Toss3
Why? I often see people claim that virtual 5.1/7.1 is somehow bad without giving any real reason for hating it. I find microsoft's own virtual 7.1 to be a lot better than dolby atmos (this is specifically meant for headphones), and would definitely recommend it for movies and games. Pretty sure most people that claim it isn't great don't actually know how to set it up properly.
alanm
Why? Didnt think anyone had a need to ask. Dedicated multi-channel speaker setups are SUPERIOR to virtual surround sound period! Are you basically suggesting that virtual multi-ch or dolby atmos can be virtualized to an acceptable level vs dedicated multi-ch speaker setups? I can only imagine you havent experienced the latter if you have to argue otherwise. Virtual thru headphones (or 2 speaker setups) sucks ballz in comparison.
nhlkoho
True...but not everybody has the desk space for a full 5.1/7.1 setup.
vbetts
Moderator
I've got 7.1 virtual through my Logitech G230 using the Software equalizer in the SupremeFX audio codec and DAC, which considering it's a 2 channel headset I notice a huge difference not having it on. There are 7.1 headsets, basically they have great frequency rates from the low end to the high end. Makes it easy for full virtual 7.1 audio.
Basically, to each their own.
GroinShooter
As far as I know it's usable on as many devices as you've got as long as you use the same account you purchased Atmos on for each device.
alanm
Compare it to dedicated multi-ch speaker setup (not computer speakers) with 7.1ch AV receiver. Sorry, I just dont think there is a comparison. I can understand many peoples preference for virtualized due to space constraints, not audio wise. Virtualized headphones just cant deliver the scale, impact and immersion of a full multi-ch speakers/sub setup. Especially with explosions, jets, trains you can feel and rattle your chair. Each to their own if you say so.
RealNC
Directional sound has nothing to do with chair rattling.
alanm
Neither does your comment in the fuller context (of virtual vs multi-ch speakers). Directional sound is still superior with dedicated speaker systems than virtualized psychological trickery. The impact, rattling and huge scale of it all is just a MASSIVE bonus that pisses all over virtual *in comparison*.
MorganX
Without a doubt you are correct, physical multi-ch speakers are superior to virtual. That's a no-brainer. However, I must say, I'm running the Atmos trial on Windows 10 and it actually sounds pretty awesome. For $15 for Windows and the X1X, I'll probably buy it. Hellblade and Horizon 3 sound awesome. Def not the same as a physical setup.
RealNC
That's not actually true. The best surround audio is achieved through stereo headphones with binaural encoding. We just haven't found out a really good algorithm yet to do real-time binaural audio generation (as opposed to pre-recorded binaural audio.)
uKER
I was about to kill myself when I thought they were making headphones that claimed to reproduce a 5.1.2 or 7.1.2 setup, but these headphones only add a third "height cue" channel, for a "2.0.1" setup (I just made that up, meaning stereo + no subwoofer + 1 height speaker).
Could be worse, I guess.
And yes, 5.1 and 7.1 headphones are stupid and a lie. Get over it.
I do wonder what's keeping them from making headphones that take digital multichannel and apply realtime HRTF.
Now that would be something.
Wrinkly
Sounds more miss than hit.
I have been using the old Plantronics Gamecom 780/788 (simulated 7.1 Dolby over USB) for years and see no reason to change. Friends and family also enjoying this old timer which can be had for as little as £30 now.
Snorgrind
And what about that windows sonic thing in win10 ? Seen ppl claim it is better than atmos for gaming with headphones.
RealNC
You can use a sound card that does that. I'm using a Xonar which encodes 5.1/7.1 into HRTF. It's called "Dolby Headphone."
In contrast to Atmos Headhones, like you see in Overwatch or the thing you can buy from the Windows store, it produces sound that is not muffled and does not sound like it comes from inside your head. I actually use this to play even CS:GO and OW. You lose the height information from Atmos, but in return you get a wide surround stage that isn't muffled.
Another bonus of having the sound card do this, is that there's no audio delay. With software HRTF, when you turn fast in a game, you can hear the sound lagging behind in-game. With the sound card doing this, there's no delay.
warlord
Don't be a pirate then. Everybody crying for MS account is a hater or a pirate. No other option here.
Toss3
Okay you were comparing it to a real multi-channel setup, and of course it isn't comparable. This is for headphones though, and in that case virtualization is imho better for movies and games with 5.1/7.1 support. So when your only options is headphones, virtualization makes a lot of sense.
GroinShooter
Whoa, who would have thought that a fully dedicated surround speaker setup which costs 10+ times more would be better than a piece of virtual surround software.
omnimodis78
Toss3 wasn't proposing that real spatial sound is equal to virtual spatial sound, he was merely asking why the hate on virtual surround sound solutions. I have both. They both meet my needs and I enjoy them both equally. Virtual surround sound is not a gimmick, and if you think it is then you either don't have the right set-up for it, or your settings are off, or you're just too arrogant to accept it for what it is: an option.
