2.0 or 7.1 for mp3 files?

[john930331]

Hello,

Im trying to buy Razer Megalodon onboard sound headset - http/www.razerzone.com/gaming-audio/razer-megalodon

I have a few questions. (Im more worried about music sound than game sound)

- Which will be better for music sound? (320k mp3 files) 2.0 or 7.1 ? (razer megalodon has onboard that supports both.)

- Regular music headphones (ex. beats by dre) use 2.0 sound? or 2.1? 7.1?

- My mobo has Realtek ALC898. Will i get better music sound on Realtek ALC898 or Razer Megalodon? much differnece?

- Will i be better if i get analogue headset and use Realtek ALC898 to listen to music?

Please help me with all 4 questions! Thank you so much!

 

[batuchka]

Stick to stereo, wired headphones and try out ALC898 but remember to get half decent ones? U can't take awful el cheapo cans much higher with the godliest dac/soundcard but starting with half decent cans perhaps an amp/dac combo would take it to the next level.

For it's $130++ price tag and for music going with Razer would be a death sentence so check out this thread
http/www.head-fi.org/t/573826/the-basshead-club

Audio Technica PRO500MKII, PRO700 (Allen & Heath XD-53, Denon HP1000), PRO700 MKII (~$160), ES7 (~$150), Solid Bass series
Beyerdynamic DT770 (~$180)
Pioneer HDJ-500 ($90), HDJ-1000 (~$130), HDJ-1500 (~$160)
Ultrasone PRO2900, HFI 580 (DJ1) (~$140) , HFI 780
V-moda Crossfade LP ($100-150), LP2 (~$180), V80 (~$180), M80 (~$180)

 

[john930331]

Stick to stereo, wired headphones and try out ALC898 but remember to get half decent ones? U can't take awful el cheapo cans much higher with the godliest dac/soundcard but starting with half decent cans perhaps an amp/dac combo would take it to the next level.

For it's $130++ price tag and for music going with Razer would be a death sentence so check out this thread
http/www.head-fi.org/t/573826/the-basshead-club

Audio Technica PRO500MKII, PRO700 (Allen & Heath XD-53, Denon HP1000), PRO700 MKII (~$160), ES7 (~$150), Solid Bass series
Beyerdynamic DT770 (~$180)
Pioneer HDJ-500 ($90), HDJ-1000 (~$130), HDJ-1500 (~$160)
Ultrasone PRO2900, HFI 580 (DJ1) (~$140) , HFI 780
V-moda Crossfade LP ($100-150), LP2 (~$180), V80 (~$180), M80 (~$180)

I need a gaming headset because I will be mostly gaming. I dont like having a separate mic even though headphones you showed me are way better for music. So Im set on buying a gaming headset, but should i get analogue or onboard sound for better music quality? (I know they both suck).

Razer megalodon onboard 2.0+7.1 audio vs Realtek ALC898 which is less crap?

Also, I reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaally want to know which sound channel is best for 320k mp3 files. 2.0? 2.1? 7.1? does it matter?

Please answer!! TY!

 

[cgner]

Forget headsets. Get a proper 7.1 surround sound and a mic. Way more realistic.

 

[azeemtahir]

Oh hey there dude... Saw ur post pretty late. Anyhow, ur question, I will address.

Of course music is more enjoyable on a 5.1, and even better, on a 7.1 audio surround environment. In older days, you would stick with 2 or 2.1, since 'up-scaling' the stereo stream to more channels was hard. But now (and I need to specially thank Realtek, since I haven't found similar offerings by ASUS or Creative or any other vendor, despite their X-Fis and Xonars), you can stream your music better with more channels. There really is no limit, with the Realtek on-board audio.

When you plug in your 5.1 or 7.1 or whatever, access your Realtek HD Audio Manager Control Panel. Enable SOUND FILLING or SPEAKER FILLING. Immediately, you will notice that your otherwise stereo music is now also being heard from the center channel speaker (satellite), as well as the rear and side channel speakers. Viola! Your stereo music is now heard from all 5 speakers (and the sub, which receives bass stream from only the front left and right. Thank God for that, you wont be overpowering it or blowing it up. And anyways, bass is omnidirectional, so no problem there!). This way, you will have an excellent sound stage, with the rear speakers with somewhat delayed and reverbed sound, and it will sound like you are in stadium or something. Listening experience: multiplied!

What Realtek offers FURTHER, is the option to manually assign channels. This way, you can change your rear or side speaker output and map it to output the FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT. This way, you will have all 5 or 7 (except the centre one, mind you) giving you the same stereo sound from all directions. Viola! Now you are playing all speakers, and this is so better than stereo sound!

So, yes, your surround speakers sound better than your headphones or 2.1. You could have headphones for private play (in the night or something), and for free-play, follow the guidelines above. Yes, X-Fi has speaker filling options too, but Realtek is better here, really. I have both. But that's just me...