Plantronics Launches Its Dolby Atmos Gaming Headsets

#5494109

Tripkebab

2017-11-20 17:41

MS account to use Dolby Atmos 🙁

#5494123

alanm

2017-11-20 18:31

Dolby Atmos is the most ridiculous gimmick ever when its virtualized thru a 2 speaker system let alone a headphone.

#5494145

Toss3

2017-11-20 19:51

alanm:

Dolby Atmos is the most ridiculous gimmick ever when its virtualized thru a 2 speaker system let alone a headphone.

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.

#5494156

alanm

2017-11-20 20:32

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.

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.

#5494162

vbetts

Moderator

2017-11-20 20:52

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.

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.

#5494177

GroinShooter

2017-11-20 21:51

konta:

"Dolby Atmos requires an Xbox One or Windows 10 compatible device, and a Microsoft account and login. Activation for one device only." so if i actually go and buy their atmos licence i can only use it on one device total?! what if i change the device, the licence goes away? what happened with paying a license with your hardware, like that and that product supports that and everything is included in the price? i have dolby atmos capable receiver, just waiting for the day when its gonna ask for $$$ to play anything 😀 god damn capitalism is getting really cruel (like it wasnt cruel enough already)

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.

#5494184

alanm

2017-11-20 22:13

vbetts:

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.

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.

#5494185

RealNC

2017-11-20 22:21

Directional sound has nothing to do with chair rattling.

#5494189

alanm

2017-11-20 22:35

RealNC:

Directional sound has nothing to do with chair rattling.

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*.

#5494194

MorganX

2017-11-20 23:00

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*.

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.

#5494214

RealNC

2017-11-21 00:41

MorganX:

Without a doubt you are correct, physical multi-ch speakers are superior to virtual. That's a no-brainer.

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.)

#5494241

uKER

2017-11-21 03:36

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.

#5494263

Wrinkly

2017-11-21 07:13

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.

#5494291

Snorgrind

2017-11-21 09:41

And what about that windows sonic thing in win10 ? Seen ppl claim it is better than atmos for gaming with headphones.

#5494317

RealNC

2017-11-21 12:08

uKER:

I do wonder what's keeping them from making headphones that take digital multichannel and apply realtime HRTF. Now that would be something.

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.

#5494335

Toss3

2017-11-21 13:23

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.

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.

#5494456

GroinShooter

2017-11-21 18:09

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.

#5494481

alanm

2017-11-21 19:31

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.

This is what I said... "Dolby Atmos is the most ridiculous gimmick ever when its virtualized thru a 2 speaker system let alone a headphone." Its funny when the technology was actually designed to make use of multiple speakers (incl additional 2 or 4 over-heads with the regular 5.1 or 7.1) to function the way it was intended.

Dolby Atmos technology allows up to 128 audio tracks plus associated spatial audio description metadata (most notably, location or pan automation data) to be distributed to theaters for optimal, dynamic rendering to loudspeakers based on the theater capabilities. Each audio track can be assigned to an audio channel, the traditional format for distribution, or to an audio "object." Dolby Atmos by default, has a 10-channel 7.1.2 bed for ambience stems or center dialogue, leaving 118 tracks for objects.[5] Dolby Atmos home theaters can be built upon traditional 5.1 and 7.1 layouts. For Dolby Atmos, the nomenclature differs slightly: a 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos system is a traditional 7.1 layout with four overhead or Dolby Atmos enabled speakers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolby_Atmos

Sorry, but to me Atmos on headphones will remain a gimmick. It may provide pleasant results to some, but its main purpose is marketing over substance imo. Virtual surround sound might be preferable to some under certain circumstances, just saying that its a shadow vs the real thing. Spatial cues, effects, depth from multiple sound sources/speakers in rooms with boundaries and reflections will always do better at recreating the ambience, scale (and thunderous impact) of movie or game scenes than any virtual alternative (unless using piss poor computer speakers).

#5494804

sayem57

2017-11-22 22:42

A little out of topic question, can someone plz tell me what will be a good av receiver for JBL arena 180 speakers? I am planning on buying this speakers but i am new to av receivers so not sure what i should buy.