[Conti027]

I'm going to be getting a surround sound system for my computer. Even tho I'll be getting a surround sound system for my computer I'll still use my headphones a lot. My sound card has Dolby Headphones and I think it sounds amazing. Since I'll be getting a receiver I wont need my sound card anymore because I'll go from graphic card HDMI to receiver but I'm finding it hard to find a receiver with Dolby Headphones. I noticed most manufacturers have there own "Headphone surround sound" tech like Denon and Harman Kardon.

So now that I got what I'm doing out of the way my question is how does other manufacturers "Headphone surround sound" tech stack up to Dolby Headphone? I mostly want to know about Denon's Headphone surround sound and how it stacks up to Dolby Headphone because I'll most likely get a Denon but still not 100% what receiver I'll get.

Should I only go with a receiver with Dolby Headphone since surround sound for headphones is important to me or do other surround sound headphone tech work just as well?

Thank you.

 

[walbert]

For starters, these features are usually only useful if you're dealing with a 5.1 signal, and even then, a stereo signal into a stereo device is probably the most consistent bet.


The HTRF features available from other designers are probably entirely suitable, and you could always hook the headphones up to your computer and retain Dolby Headphone. You could also probably output the signal to the receiver, and the receiver will treat it as a stereo signal to be passed right along to the headphones.

 

[Conti027]

Well I was going to be getting rid of my sound card.

I would think the games and movies I watch are 5.1 and my ATI video card (5870) would be able to move 5.1 over HDMI to the receiver.

I knew I wouldn't get much help on this cause doesn't seem like people would use be using headphones on a receiver a lot.

A few other questions I had where would the receiver amp my headphones that have higher impedance?

When I have headphones plug in will it only play out the headphones or can I leave them plug in and switch over to the speakers? I don't want to be plugging and un-plugging the headphones a lot.

 

[walbert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conti027 Well I was going to be getting rid of my sound card.

That's pure preference.

Quote:

I would think the games and movies I watch are 5.1 and my ATI video card (5870) would be able to move 5.1 over HDMI to the receiver.

Games are not mixed as anything, they render audio in real-time. Many support 5.1. If the movies have 5.1 tracks, those can be bitstreamed (your soundcard would do the same thing here).


Quote:

A few other questions I had where would the receiver amp my headphones that have higher impedance? When I have headphones plug in will it only play out the headphones or can I leave them plug in and switch over to the speakers? I don't want to be plugging and un-plugging the headphones a lot.

This is variable depending on the receiver and the headphones. How high of an impedance are we talking about? Realize that ~120ohms is supposed to be standard, in terms of outputs, but usually isn't. Most receivers will at least try to approach this though, and higher quality receivers usually have no trouble with *most* headphones (there are always exceptions).


As far as speakers turning on and off, depends on the receiver entirely - some don't do a thing and just drive the headphones as well, others switch all the speakers off and change what processing modes you're allowed, others fall in between those extremes.

 

[Conti027]

Okay. Sorry I know nothing about this. Thanks for the help. Seems like I'm going to have to get a receiver and play with it.

Maybe get a astro mixamp if I don't like the surround sound headphones on the receiver and want Dolby Headphone.

I'm going to need to think about this a little more and how I want to set up the receiver and how I'm going to hook it up to my computer.

 

[walbert]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Conti027 /forum/post/20903915


Okay. Sorry I know nothing about this. Thanks for the help. Seems like I'm going to have to get a receiver and play with it.

Maybe get a astro mixamp if I don't like the surround sound headphones on the receiver and want Dolby Headphone.

I'm going to need to think about this a little more and how I want to set up the receiver and how I'm going to hook it up to my computer.

I would suggest checking the user manuals of a few receivers you're interested in, they should answer most if not all of your questions about the device's functionality, and may include specifications for headphone driving as well. If you're looking at relatively high end components, it probably won't be a problem at all.

 

[Conti027]

I was thinking about the Denon 2112CI or the older Denon 991.