# How do you listen?



## hgoed (Mar 22, 2010)

I'm wondering how others listen to their games. I'm compelled to make a surround system for my PC rig, but I often find that I play games while listening to headphones. Other times I use full sized speakers, which seem to create pretty good imaging.

How do you listen to the games? Is 4/5/6 channel sound good on games? Does it actually position well so you know where to look in a game? 

I'd characterize myself as a first generation computer gamer--since the punch card days--so I'd like to keep my passion subtle, but also want to create the best experience possible.


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## Ares (Nov 23, 2009)

I play with the surround going, I know that some games put to much emphasis on the rear speakers and that can be annoying but there are a few games that have the right balance and those are the one I truly enjoy.


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## nholmes1 (Oct 7, 2010)

I have at different times used headphones, 2.1 pc setup and full 5.1 and 7.1 systems. When done correctly the full surround systems are much better, when not done properly it is still a decent experience. FPS or Action/Adventure games do well usually with the additional sound points to use in reference to the gaming experience.


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## SinCron (Dec 20, 2010)

Fallout 3 and New Vegas make good use of it, same with the Call Of Duty games (except for World At War which was terribly coded). Bioshock was good too. Something odd in regards to surround sound is Starcraft 2. When you hear something from a unit, to the lower right, you'll hear something from the rear right. It's really neat. You can use surround sound during the day and use headphones at night. 

There are some sound cards on the market that allow you to have surround sound in stereo headphones. It allows you to bypass the Windows mixer which is uniquie. You set the Windows mixer to 5.1 or 7.1 and then go into the control panel for the sound card and enable headphones and another option and bam, you're set.


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## hgoed (Mar 22, 2010)

I think I can do that (surround headphone effect) with my current setup, and I've got New Vegas installed ('though I haven't played it in a while). Maybe I'll try that out to see how things sound. I tried headphone surround a few years back and wasn't really that impressed, but maybe things have progressed, or maybe I just tried it on something that was poorly coded. Nevertheless, I haven't tried it since.

I'm having a little difficulty sourcing the surround analog out board for my Xonar soundcard, so I may have to try 4.1 from my motherboard outputs first. I suspect that, even though I wouldn't likely be able to hear the sonic differences between the analog outputs of the motherboard and the Xonar board with the cheap computer speakers I have laying around in my garage, it would still bother me to know that I'm using onboard audio when I have a $240 soundcard installed. Oh well, the headphone amp on that card is still useful.


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## gorb (Sep 5, 2010)

I use a pair of stereo headphones for FPS like counterstrike where sound and positioning is of super importance...you'll die in 2 seconds if you don't know where the enemy is D:

For other types of games like RPGs or strategy games I just stick to a 2.1 speaker system.


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## Infrasonic (Sep 28, 2010)

I usually use a pair of around ear headphones from Sony when I'm gaming on my monitor. When I game on the TV or play music I have 3 minijack to RCA cables run to the Denon to supply 5.1 via the Ext. (analog) in.

Most newer games now support 5.1 surround. BFBC2 sounds great!


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## TypeA (Aug 14, 2010)

At home I use the 7.2 processed with dsx height. While on the move I use the sennheiser HD650 headphones driven with the fiio E7/E9 combo. Both rigs work great but each has their own strengths and weaknesses.


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## RTS100x5 (Sep 12, 2009)

Hope this pic answers that question. If not ask my next door neighbors


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## DaRoza (Oct 20, 2010)

Wow that looks like a bit of fun. What type of games do you play with that.


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## RTS100x5 (Sep 12, 2009)

DaRoza said:


> Wow that looks like a bit of fun. What type of games do you play with that.


right now only BF3 :boxer:


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