Quote:
Originally Posted by [RSX-S]
Care to explain? I thought this is all done by software and soundcard, and the headset only reproduces the signal it is given?
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Yes, what you said is true. The signal from the computer determines what the headphones put out to the user's ears. However, not all headphones are made equal.
For example, in CS or MW or what-have-you, they have positional sounds built into the game for 'realism' and to let you figure out where the enemy is in relation to your character. Now, with regular headphones, you get footsteps either in your right ear or left ear, depending on which side of the character's body the enemy is. With good headphones, you get a sense of WHERE on the right or left of you your enemy is, and you can tell the fine differences in the distance between you and your enemy. Basically, if you close your eyes, with good headphones you should be able to point to exactly where the enemy is with your eyes closed.
Another example is in music. With a good pair of stereo speakers, you can close your eyes and pinpoint where instruments are located in relation with the microphone(s) that recorded that instrument (provided they are not electronic instruments) in terms of positioning and distance. Same thing with a good pair of headphones. Listening to classical for example, or jazz, you should be able to point out the violin, the piano, the saxophone, the percussion, the vocalist etc. with accuracy. And, the headphones should provide enough detail to be able to pick out each instrument without it getting muddled by the other instruments playing alongside it.
Surround sound tries to do better by splitting the signal into quadrants and then feeding appropriate speakers/drivers. In headphones, compromises are made to fit the appropriate number of drivers into the earcups which are of a limited size, compared to a regular stereo headphone with one driver per side. I don't like that approach, and find stereo headphones to give me a more natural/easily listenable soundscape, and good ones will equal or better 5.1 headphones, especially with good soundcards (which do not really go "out of date").