Advice: Dolby Headphone experts - I could use your help

I figure this may be the best place to make this thread, if there are other locations that would be better please suggest.

Goal: Surround Sound via head phones for PC, Console, and Movies

Options I am considering / need advice on

1. Get an all-purpose Headphone set. This is the easy route, but in general probably not the 'best' solution since there are really only 2 decent headphones that fit the bill. Turtle Beach X41 and Astro X40s.

2. I was advised to look into DACs. My understanding is, it is a small device that converts a 5.1 signal via optical, processes it with Dolby Headphone tech, then outputs the signal in analogue for the headphone.

3. Buy a new receiver to replace my crappy one that supports Dolby Headphone technology.

4. Use my PC to get optical-in. Process the sound on the PC. Then output to headphones normally. ie: the PC becomes the receiver. ( This especially I wouldn't know where to begin ). From the little I know, I could use a X-Fi Titanium, and route my optical-in through the card.

However, I don't know how Dolby Digital rates against X-Fi



For anyone who is experienced in this subject, can you please give me some advice as to what you think would be the best route to take. I am looking to spend up to $300 if need be, and am looking for the most practical and quality-ridden solution. Thanks!

I wanted to really avoid build in mixing / amps, because this cases two problems

(a) More chance of failure. If one component breaks, the entire unit must be replaced

(b) It doesn't allow me to get a upgrade the headphones and amp separately.


In either case, I just picked up a Like New Astro MixAmp. It is absolutely out of this world! The surround sound virtualization via dolby digital is pretty darn close to a legit 5.1 setup. Not to mention, this improve is soley through using Senheisser 260 Pros!

So, I'm been looking into a bunch of headsets, and luckily my local guitar center has a 100% return policy. As such, I'm going to audition 4 different headsets... DT-880, DT-770, and 595. I may add more to the list. I am pretty much convinced that the DT-770 is the best though, as it has been referred to as the best "all around headphones", though some people feel it has too much base for gaming.