5.1 Headsets

[Duncan_Mon]

Rite, im planning to buy a 5.1 headset, probably these. But before i go buying i need to make sure i wont have any problems with the 5.1 sound and my soundcard etc.

I currently have problems with my 5.1 setup (see here).
Shud any of this affect 5.1 headphones?

Also, if youve seen any problems with this headset and want to recomend me a better one for my money just say

[ajbrun]

Wow - that's pretty cheap! If you get those, or some other cheap ones, tell us when they're like. I'm thinking on getting something like that, but the price has always put me off.

Thanks .

[vincent]

The 5.1 Surround Sound Headset i have is SpeedLink Medusa Link

Had for around 8 months now- these are pretty Loud - my mate says he can hear him in his room next 2 mine LOL these are that powerful

and these aint just for the pc either- got a lil Audio hub with them -so that u can plug them into a DVD player, Xbox PS2 etc

[RavenNight]

Yep Another Vote for the Medusas mine are superb, never read anything about the Shakoon ones though...

[Duncan_Mon]

I had a look at the medusas and liked em but wanted everything from scan, so gonna buy the sharkoons.

If someone can confirm that the 5.1 speaker problem wont affect my usuability of these headphones ill buy em asap

[Duncan_Mon]

Bump guys

[5lab]

i'm sorry, but how on earth can 5.1 headphones actually work? the idea of sending signals to speakers just infront/behind your ear is bumpf - you tell the direction of the sound by estimating the differences in delay etc between 2 ears. the only way a pseudo 5.1 headphone could actually work is if there were 2 speakers (one for each ear) and a sensor to monitor head position - the correct audio could be mapped from the relative head position to the screen. but 4 speakers per ear? just a waste of money.

[vincent]

the idea is simple.......

in each of these headphones there are speakers representing 5.1 surround sound setup
Front L and R,Rear L and R and Subwoofer/Centre speakers,if you configure the Windows Speaker settings- and select your Sound driver to 5.1 - you hear sounds in 5.1 surround sound.... although i've found a couple of things that reset it to 2.1 speaker because they dont support 5.1 codecs yet......

-TeamSpeak
-Msn Voice Chat

Also Since i use Winamp -they released a special 5.1 Surround Sound Edition

[5lab]

yes but your ear CANT ACTUALLY TELL the difference between a speaker just in front of the ear, and one just behind - your directional sence is only provided by having both ears hearing the same source. you may as well just have a single, better quality driver for each ear driven by a pair of software upmixed channels

[vincent]

LOL... take it u havent heard of Directional Sound then

-If that was true then How is it that the Cinemas are setup for 5.1 surround sound,as well as Home Theatre entertainment systems

[5lab]

because your brain accepts the difference in delay and volume between the sound signals heard by both your ears, and uses that, along with slight movements of your head, to let you know where sounds are coming from. if you completely blocked sound going into one ear, you wouldnt be able to tell from the other one where sound is coming from..

i suggest you read up on it before suggesting i'm wrong

[RavenNight]

Yes but you do have it coming from two sources, its exactly like a 5.1 surround system but miniaturized. I can definiatley hear exactly where people are, when I play computer games with them. Not just a rough region, even if you feel the theory doesn't work I can promise you the practice does.