May I sound you out?

[nigel richards]

Gentlemen, May I sound you out?

It finally happened...my beloved Denon headphones seem to have given up the ghost!

Funnily, I've recently had no end of sound card and speaker issues; I'd fire up my desktop; no sound, fire up again; high pitched squeeking sound. Restart after an hour or so, then finally have sound.

Then yesterday; suddenly, with everything working normally; lost sound from the left side of my headphones. On disconnecting, I discovered I'd also lost the lefthand speaker from my desktop speakers as well.

My first thought was the sound card.

But checking both speakers and headphones on my laptop produced exactly the same result.
I then tested an extra old BU set of speakers on my computer and they worked fine.

Soooo...something must have sizzzzzled, flied bally lice!

I've had it with internal sound cards, ditto; external sound output jacks.



Still here?

If you haven't Martin Bakered yourself off this thread by now, I beg you...yes plead; please, stay around; I need your feedback!

For those of you who regularly use headphones in sim;

1. Which brand/model headphones do you prefer in sim?

2. Does anyone use any of the new USB external sound cards (particularly 'Creative Sound Blaster')?

3. Does anyone have experience with USB connection Headphones?

We'd love to hear your own HU and sound-related thoughts.

 

[srgalahad]

It finally happened...my beloved Denon headphones seem to have given up the ghost!



If you haven't Martin Bakered yourself off this thread by now, I beg you...yes plead; please, stay around; I need your feedback!

For those of you who regularly use headphones in sim;

1. Which brand/model headphones do you prefer in sim?

I don't use headphones for the sim audio as my comp. is far enough away to not bother SWMBO but occasionally will use them when travelling so sound quality is not critical. However I use headphones for TeamSpeak while simming. Two choices here: 1) Logitech G800 cordless (USB dongle) 2-ear & boom mike; 2) Creative Labs single-ear & mike (USB) smaller and lighter for travelling. I prefer the single ear type as it keeps one ear free for women to whisper in my ear, hear "last call" and they are quite compact for travel.

2. Does anyone use any of the new USB external sound cards (particularly 'Creative Sound Blaster')?

No, but it seems experience may differ for different folks so 'returnable' may be a consideration.

3. Does anyone have experience with USB connection Headphones?

Both my wireless G800 and the Creative Labs are USB (the Logitech uses a USB wifi dongle) but note: it will require a separate port as it cannot be "unified" with other Logitech devices as you can with mice, etc.
The value of USB is that within Windoze and some programs you can segregate the input/output so (in my case) the sim audio goes to speakers and Teamspeak goes to the headset.

Part of my preference is that I used a headset at work for 25 years (single earbud type) as I HAD to be able to hear other communications at the same time so "muff" type 'phones were never an option. If you mostly just want to hear your great sound sets without scaring the neighbours then obviously that is a primary concern

 

[Naismith]

I use a Microsoft LX-3000 http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/en-ca/p/lifechat-lx-3000 which I picked in a WalMart for $10 6 months ago in a sale. They seem fine. I was amazed to find them as WalMart seem not to stock MS products in my local store. I would not use them for HiFi music listening as there is a bit of creaking sound when you move your head due to plastic components but it seems fine for Skype and Vatsim. The microphone seems OK (never had a complaint from the "other side").
I also have a pair of Sony (no mike) which I paid $99 for at Best Buy and they creak even worse.

 

[AndyG43]

I use the Creative X-Fi USB sound card Nigel, with Creative 5.1 speakers and Sennheiser headphones. I've been very happy with the results to date.

 

[Hurricane91]

Hi Nigel, sorry to hear that you are having problems with you sound set-up. I like my Sony MBR-XB500
headphones. The ear pads are comfortable and block out some of the ambient chaotic racket of my
unruly passengers. Good luck and let us know what you end up with.

 

[kikas]

Hi, my 2 cents:
You may had accidently plugged both of them into mic socket, then your speakers and headphones are lost. Or, if its just broken wire, you can rewire them yourself, or take them to closest electronics repair shop, it still would be much cheaper than buying new ones

 

[vonernsk]

Hi Nigel,

Cannot think of anything more worrying than 'our' beloved sound guru being in a world of silence.

I do not have a separate sound card, I bought one when building my present rig, but the built in sound system on my ASUS mother board was really good enough to reproduce faithfully anything FS9 could throw at it. Do not use spkrs as wife is an opera singer and piano player, so Pratt & Whitney or Roll-Royce do not blend with her vocal or keyboard output. Headphones only for me (which I prefer and find more immersive anyway).

Currently still using a set made by Technics (RP-F880) purchased over half a decade ago and still producing the goods for me in excellent stereo.

Still loving the amazing sound sets you have produced over the last few years and unashamedly mix and match them with suitable a/c.

Buying a whistle and bells sound card and top end headphones in my opinion is a waste of resources as the average person today has hearing so degraded my modern living that most of the 'twiddly' ultra high freq bits cannot be heard anyway.

Hope to hear you back in the spectrum soon.

Rgds
Mal

 

[nigel richards]

Thanks for the HU, Gentlemen...

srgalahad;
Great idea of separating sim sound from teamspeak - be nice to do that with atc, too.

(Seriously contemplating your approach to the fairer sex, also - might even try passing myself off as Sir Galahad himself...incognito?)


Naismith;
I did some followup on your Microsoft LX-3000 HU - they do have some good write-ups.

How do you rate their handling of bass sounds?

AndyG43:
I reckon I'm heading very much in your direction, Andy - I've had eyes on the Sennheisers for quite some time!
Would Amazon be the way to go?

Hurricane91;
Thanks for the good words, John - same problems here with noisy passengers - so over ear noise reduction a must!
The reviews on Sony MBR-XB500 headphones make them very tempting.

Kikas;
Your 2 cents worth sounds more like a fistfull of dollars - I might have made that very (costly) mistake!
Thanks for shedding the light.

vonernsk;
Hi Mal, you're too kind my friend...I'll settle for kanguru!

Lucky man to have such a talented wife.

Thoroughly agree on headphones versus speakers - currently have 3 sets of fairly high end speakers but can't work on sounds using any of them, as you say; headphones are the way to go - both for immersivity and dimension.

I'm chuffed your getting good service from the soundsets.
Hopefully, I'll soon be throwing more noise at you all very soon.



Nigel

 

[Willy]

I just use a Plantronics Gamecom headset with boom mike. Not USB, just a couple of the 1/8" phone jacks that go into the onboard sound card. Pretty good sound for FS and listening to my music. But I've got some hearing loss from years of listening to diesels in Navy engine rooms so your mileage might vary.

 

[kikas]

Im not sure how to call it, i guess its audio coupler, its a thingy with one 3,5 mm plug which splits into two wires with 3,5 mm jacks, you can use one for speakers and other for heaphones, this way you can be sure you wont accidently move your soundcard when changing cables back and forth, or make mistake with the holes

 

[Willy]

Kikas, sounds like what I use on my setup. I'm thinking it's called an audio splitter cable. I use one on my main speaker out on the sound card to separate the head phones and my regular speakers. Think I gave about $5 for it several years ago at WalMart.

 

[AndyG43]

AndyG43:
I reckon I'm heading very much in your direction, Andy - I've had eyes on the Sennheisers for quite some time!
Would Amazon be the way to go?


Nigel

Only if you have no other option, I avoid using the tax-dodging wotsits as much as possible. But given your location it may be best for you; ask that nice Mr Tsipras to pay for it! ;-)

 

[nigel richards]

Kikas, Willy; after deep frying 2 year old headphones and speakers by the possible misplacement described by Kikas - I'm certainly going to look out for the audio splitter cable/audio coupler you guys are using.

Kikas; you mention "accidently moving the sound card" - Hmmm...so are you saying each time yours truly here wiggles the sound plug into the sound card jack, I could be doing even further damage?

Should I replace the sound card do you think?

 

[nigel richards]

Only if you have no other option, I avoid using the tax-dodging wotsits as much as possible. But given your location it may be best for you; ask that nice Mr Tsipras to pay for it! ;-)

LOL. You mean Bad boy Alexis?
Watch out Europe, Heh,heh!

Seriously, the reason I mention Amazon is availability and the prospect of probably paying double here in good ol'GR.
I simply can't afford it.

Is it a reliable method of purchase?

 

[AndyG43]

LOL. You mean Bad boy Alexis?
Watch out Europe, Heh,heh!

Seriously, the reason I mention Amazon is availability and the prospect of probably paying double here in good ol'GR.
I simply can't afford it.

Is it a reliable method of purchase?

Reliable, yes, ethical, who knows ......

I know we don't 'do' politics on here, but I'm looking forward to Alexis rattling a few cages.

 

[kikas]

Kikas, Willy; after deep frying 2 year old headphones and speakers by the possible misplacement described by Kikas - I'm certainly going to look out for the audio splitter cable/audio coupler you guys are using.

Kikas; you mention "accidently moving the sound card" - Hmmm...so are you saying each time yours truly here wiggles the sound plug into the sound card jack, I could be doing even further damage?

Should I replace the sound card do you think?

Im not specialist, but i doubt it, your old speakers work fine after all. Accidental moving of soundcard caused loss of sound, or frozen windows at worst for me. Also, before throwing broken gadgets i would try to check if dead speaker is really dead and try to plug it to some source of sound, for example working speaker, it still could be that wire got broken on both speakers and headphones

 

[awj112]

<snip>

1. Which brand/model headphones do you prefer in sim?

2. Does anyone use any of the new USB external sound cards (particularly 'Creative Sound Blaster')?

3. Does anyone have experience with USB connection Headphones?

We'd love to hear your own HU and sound-related thoughts.

1) I don't use head phones either. I am currently using a SB Recon PCI sound card.

2) I use a sound blaster USB sound device on my laptop. I like its quality in comparison to the default sound system installed.

3) I have like others, used USB headsets mostly for outside chat (Ventrilo). I am currently trying to figure out if it is possible to pass ATC voices to headphones in FS 2004 (any input anyone?).

 

[nigel richards]

1) I don't use head phones either. I am currently using a SB Recon PCI sound card.

2) I use a sound blaster USB sound device on my laptop. I like its quality in comparison to the default sound system installed.

3) I have like others, used USB headsets mostly for outside chat (Ventrilo). I am currently trying to figure out if it is possible to pass ATC voices to headphones in FS 2004 (any input anyone?).

awj112;
Thanks for the Sound Blaster USB device feedback.

My first internal sound card was Realtek, I then changed this for Creative Sound Blaster - amazing difference in depth and fidelity.
Sound, as with many other items of hardware, always comes down to personal preference, so of course I'm just stating what works for me.

I'm now pretty sold on that Sound Blaster USB device.