first of all I'm a tek syndicate fan and a long time follower of Logan since his early tigerdirect days. and I'm also a head-fi member. but after watching that video, I also believe someone needs to correct some false misinformation specially regarding DSP processing.. here is the respond from senior head-fi member chicolom.. I'd gladly like to quote his well written respond instead of writing the same thing in another way....
That Teksyndicate video was a bit dissapointing.
First off though, there were a some good things mentioned, such as:
- Avoid using the audio headers on the front of the case.
- Using an external DAC/amp is preferable to an internal one (for noise reasons).
- Try to find yourself a good pair of headphones instead of opting for an inexpensive gaming headset.
- Use the optical out from the motherboard if you have it.
Unfortunately, most of the rest of the video was a bit misleading.
Soundcards
In order to automatically disqualify most soundcards they focus on WAY over exaggerating the effects of output impedance. He actually said that with a 10 ohm ouput impedance "1/3 of the signal is going to be GONE" and "1/3 of the music is being dropped".
He cites output impedance like it's the determing factor in how good an amp is. I'd like to see them compare theE09K and O2 in a blind test. It should be incredibly easy to spot the E09K as it's dropping 1/3 of the music, right?
You guys said your going to be "busting as many audiophile myths as possible", but are you sure these statements on output impedance effects aren't just reinforcing or even creating new myths?
Next he says, YES soundcards have amps but why would you even need a dedicated amp when most headphones are only 32 ohms? Even the Hifiman HE500s are only 38 ohms! So these days you don't really need an amp, and your onboard audio will be just fine - even for the Hifimans. "These days most heapdhones are under 80ohms. That means they're efficient and they don't need extra power. Unless your nuts you don't need more power than that."
Hmm..are you sure your not neglecting to mention some things, like why low impedance ≠ easy to drive with headphoneslike Hifimans (and other Planars), Beyerdynamics, AKGs, etc?
Oh BTW, you should buy an O2 though! (please disregard everything just mentioned about NOT needing an amp).
DSPs
Throughout the video they basically skip over the WHOLE POINT of why you would use a gaming soundcard, which is for their DSP processing (such as CMSS, Dolby Headphone, SBX pro, etc). They say that your motherboard audio can do everything agaming soundcard can do, and that using optical from a soundcard like a Xonar "is the same exact digital signal you'll get from your motherboard's optical out". Yeah - except one has has a surround DSP and the other doesn't.
Then he says "I guess the only benefit from using the soundcard is they can use the software that came with it. But that's all in Windows anyways, so..." O RLY? Windows already comes with Dolby Headphone, CMSS, and SBX Pro built in? Good to know.
They say it doesn't make any sense to use surround DSPs anyways if you have a good pair of headphones. Just use regular stereo and your brain will put everything into place!
Sorry, I don't believe you. A quick 5 second testshows that a good surround DSP > basic stereo for 3D positioning. The vast majority of people who've tried both would agree.
Don't believe use? Just watch this binaural recording video. If you go to your game options and set the sound to "headphones" it will "take the signal and make it so it's binaural".
I know they meant well with the video, but I think they created just as many myths as they busted.
The obvious irony of the whole video is that they start off saying that they're tired of the "audiophile snobbery" and that they're going to be getting rid of some of the snobbery in the audiophile world - but then they basically spout audiophile snobbery for the rest of the video.
He says that he only wants to get the most pure experience for gaming as the developers intended it, so NO surround sound DSPS, NO EQing, NO gaming headsets, and NO amps with ~10 ohm ouput impedance. They all color the sound, so all of them be damned. Ironically, those are exactly the sort of things an audiphile snob would say, and his "only pure and uncolored sound" viewpoint is about as snobbish as you can get.
He only want's the most pure experience, which is why he's getting an ODAC...for gaming.
Enjoy your "pure" gaming experience in basic stereo, and I'll enjoy my "colored" gaming experience in surround sound. I might even EQ in some bass!
Logan seems to be a little too gullible and easily influenced by what he's told regarding audio. While I'm glad that he's no longer brainwashed by the gaming companies, he's now simply brainwashed in the other direction by an audiophile company.
"I will never use another soundcard. I just want to be happy with my audio setup." He's left "ignorant gamer land" and has entered ignorant audiophile land instead.If ignorance is bliss though, he'll be happy either way.
