- The sound card
- Software CD (PC Only)
- USB cable
- Optical Cable
- Audio extension cable for consoles
- 2.5mm stereo cable for Xbox 360 Controller (Possibly as a subwoofer?)
== == Processing and Design
The processing quality can be called good or very good. Particularly precious the unit does not act.
To the sides light strips are attached, the solid blue light during operation, the Mute / Mute mode Blue blinking.
There is a switch for setting the target platform (PC / Xbox360 / PS3) and to adjust the microphone gain (3 levels).
With an optional wireless card, apparently Extra headsets can connect wirelessly (untested).
A micro USB port and an optical input represent the connection to the target platform.
When the PC USB connection is only required both at the consoles.
Where port is likely to be used only for supplying power in the consoles USB. An external power supply is not needed.
It is ever a 3,5mm jack for headphones and microphone installed and on top of the following keys are available:
- Volume up, quietly and silently.
- THX TruStudio Pro on / off.
- Scout Mode on / off
What stands out after a few minutes of operation is the complete absence of a volume level.
So it can easily happen that one's ears are blown free.
== == Size
My first expectation from the pictures was a device the size of a MP3 player.
However, this device it far exceeds it's almost as big as my entire palm (and I have pretty big hands).
So who should operate the unit on Plant laptop and transport plan with plenty of room in the bag.
I wonder if the size is really necessary, as the cabinet sounds plenty hollow / empty at.
== == 3D Sound
Let's talk about the sales pitch of the sound card. 3D sound experience with stereo headphones
The first test: THX TruStudio Pro off.
The first impression tells it sounds like with normal headphones, but looks can be deceiving.
As soon as you are attempting to locate where a sound is coming from disappointed.
Noise will come from left to right and superimposed on the reverse.
Thus you can hear what you hear and right left. This makes the places of positions completely impossible.
For normal stereo I can not distinguish front and back, but at least left and right. Not here!
Next in the program: THX TruStudio Pro on.
Finally we hear out left and right. In addition, all sounds a bit different: It was added lighter Hall.
With a little effort, you can even slightly front and back out to hear, but maybe that's just my imagination.
"Unless it's almost usable" I think to myself and try a few games out.
In some games it is running smoothly, but in others I get quick pain in the ears.
I look at the differences in the games and notice that the games no effects such as Hall are easy to use,
but games that use Hall pain in the ears. I suppose it is because that here the reverb effects of THX mode, and the game are mixed
and the ear at 2 information that do not fit together just do not want to join.
Since occur in almost all shooters nowadays reverbs I would say these are not recommended with the sound card.
== The Scout Mode ==
The Scout mode to facilitate the spotting of the enemy. For this faint sounds seem to be louder.
This works quite well so far, but here the THX mode is turned off, and as I said earlier is without THX mode no tracking possible.
Thus, one hears that an enemy is coming, but not from where, neither front / rear still left / right can be heard out.
This makes the whole rather pointlessly in my eyes.
== Software == Features
These options are available only with the software that is not available for consoles,
therefore, it is questionable whether they can be used in conjunction with a console.
(THX TruStudio Pro)
Here you can fine-tune various to the strength of bass, sound enhancement, etc.
This distorts sound at good shots but in my opinion more. It may help in poor shots.
- One can strengthen or weaken the surround effect.
- Smart Volume: Here you can automatically adjust the volume to be adjusted if certain passages are louder than others.
This is especially for movie nights and sensitive neighbors well ... eh wait, we are talking about a sound card that is for headphones.
Well maybe there are films that a blow freely ears in such passages ..
After some tests I am rather taken aback by the poor fine tuning, because even in the demo video of the software the loud passages are suddenly very much quieter than the iron.
(Microphone)
- It can be placed various skewing effects on one's own voice, but it delays the output by about 1-2 seconds and half the effects are useless bad.
- The volume can be automatically adjusted so that would explain why whisper good.
- Noise Reduction appears to make no difference to me.
- Accoustic Echo Cancelation makes at least in test mode just the opposite, it creates echoes. especially if Smart Volume is on.
== Conclusion ==
+ Good workmanship
+ Sufficient Accessories
+ Automatic volume adjustment at the microphone works fine
+ Excellent recording quality
- Without THX mode either front / back localization, still left / right positioning possible
- As a result of the Scout Mode is sinnfrei.
- The extra Hall of THX mode produces when playing your own reverb effects have pain in the ears after a short time.
- No volume level on the device, you can not see is how loud it set.
Neutral:
* Legal clunky if it is to go on trips.
I also have a little concerned me during my studies with the theme Surround on stereo headphones and am therefore aware
that it is highly dependent on the person, or the pinna shape. Therefore, it may be that I am one of the people with whom it does not work well.
I invite the Court with strong interest the device just once to try and return it if not satisfied.
Should the tracking problem is not present, the remaining blemish negligible.
Nevertheless, since there are no settings for different ear shapes and the unit is thus set good only for a limited group of people I forgive only 3 stars.
Less I do not want to forgive, because it may seem like words work well for some people.
