So I have looked around for a few topics on this and not found alot. I am atm setting up my room for my DK2 arrival. I have a few kickstarters on order regarding haptic feedback etc. I have a new and installed Buttkicker tactile sound transducer attached to my gaming chair. I have purchased a new Hotas, etc etc. All these devices will greatly help me get more involved in my gaming world.
But I was wondering what you guys think regarding using a headset or a surround sound system with the Rift. In your oppinion would a headset be more immersive? Or a good quality 5.1 set to a natural volume with bass etc? What are your thoughts, and im not 100 % clued up on this, but should the sound not track with you head, would we need speakers on the ceiling? Would headphones help with this issue, if its an issue at all?
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Hi djack, have you tried this yourself??? i just think that it really all depends on what you think yourself 😉 i don't have any of the DK's at the moment (though i have bought the DK2 ;)) then i have seen many people almost always use a headset on youtube when playing with the rift 🙂 Also to notice if you didn't knew this already, but you can buy headsets which have 5.1 surround sound integrated 😉 it may not sound as realistic as a true 5.1 SSS but it's good enough for me 😉
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Hey this sounds silly but I have 5.1 headset and 5.1 surround speakers, its really hard for me to make a decision tbh. Im after other peoples thoughts really. I know for a fact that I can feel more dissorientated using a headset. Im not sure if thats a good thing or not lol!
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I think you really need a headset for the sound to be properly positioned.
In games with 3D sound, the location of sound sources is relative to the direction the camera is facing (as you turn your avatar/the camera, a fixed source moves from the center speaker to the side, then to the back...). With a 5.1 speaker set-up, this works fine when your screen is in a fixed position relative to the speakers and you're not actually turning your head. With a HMD however, you are physically turning your head with the camera, relative to your room speakers.
For instance, you turn toward a sound source to your left. as you face it, the sound will move to the center speaker, but that speaker will actually be to your right, since you have physically turned left. You want a headset that is turning with your head, so the sound will move with you and not stay still in the room.
I plan to use a good 5.1 headset (multiple speakers in each can to give better directional sound than a stereo signal).
I've been wondering this myself. I have a 7.1 set-up that would either run in 5.1 for games, or a deencoder would be used to utilize all the speakers. On the other hand my wife has a pretty sweet pair of Sennheiser headphones (though I don't think they're 5.1 oriented).
Both options sound fantastic with the SSS having an obvious advantage. But does having such a broader sound stage that is my living room reduce any sense of immersion versus a set of speakers directly over ear which is also cancelling sound?
Wouldn't having a SSS with stationary speakers also help games/experiences where sound does not relocate itself when the user turns their head? i.e. You hear a sound from your rear-left (RL), you turn your head L, and now the sound is to your L, where as with headphones you'd hear a sound from your RL, turn your head L, and the sound is still RL.
I've been using DK1 for a while (and lurked on these forums for a bit) and haven't actually seen this question asked. So, good one!
In my experience, I'd think headphones would be the better bet. I haven't used 7.1 surround because I don't have the speakers, but as far as true positional accuracy and effect volume I'd stick with headphones. You're still limited to 7 different points of sound of possibly varying distances. PLUS, if you move around a bit (tends to happen, I always find myself a little bit further to the side or something then I thought I was), sounds coming from one speaker may be louder than the other. With headphones, you simply turn your head, the head-tracking adjusts the camera orientation, the camera adjusts the audio orientation, and you are always 'correct'.
As far as immersability though, I don't know. If headphones bugs you enough to 'pull you out of the world', then speakers. But I'd still stick with headphones.
