7.1 Dolby Surround Sound **READ Before Posting**

[PreFLecT]

Q: Why do all the other headset brands have 7.1 Dolby digital sorround soung why doesnt astro?
A: First let me get off by saying theres only 1 game on the 360 that supports 7.1 and that game is PROTOTYPE other then that no game on the XBOX 360 Supports 7.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound

Q: I Bought the astro a40 how come i dont get 5.1 Surround Sound
A: You Will only get 5.1 surround sound if u purchase the TOSLINK cable which can be purchased here
http://tiny.cc/XbyKE

Q: Wait you say i need the Optical cable what kind of sound am i using if i dont use/get one?
A: You will be using stereo surround sound

Q: Can i get 5.1 without a mixamp?
A: No, you cannot you need a mixamp to support the 5.1 surround sound on the Astro A40

Q: Will any TOSLink/Optical cable?
A: Yes, any cable will work but keep in mind Astros cable was deisgned for the Astro A40

[PreFLecT]

^^Also bigger numbers are not alwayes better

[Nevermind]

Good FAQ thread :)

[AllTimeMitch]

Good thread but I will add to your first Question.

Q: Why do all the other headset brands use Dolby Digital 7.1 Technology and Astro doesn't?
The Xbox 360 is only capable of outputting Dolby Digital 5.1. There is one game on the Xbox 360 which is Prototype, this game will output at Dolby Digital 7.1 although the Xbox 360 will convert this to a Dolby Digital 5.1 signal.

Until the Xbox 360 actually outputs at Dolby Digital 5.1 there is no reason for Astro to make a 7.1 Dolby Digital Headphone.

-Edited-

[ASTRO Warblade]

Q: I Bought the astro a40 how come i dont get 5.1 Surround Sound
A: You Will only get 5.1 surround sound if u purchase the TOSLINK cable which can be purchased here
http://tiny.cc/XbyKE

Q: Wait you say i need the Optical cable what kind of sound am i using if i dont use/get one?
A: You will be using stereo surround sound


Ummm, this is actually incorrect. You can also get 5.1 surround sound by using a digital coaxial connection that is on the mixamp.

[FattyMcFatFatFatty]

Q: Why do all the other headset brands have 7.1 Dolby digital sorround soung why doesnt astro?
A: First let me get off by saying theres only 1 game on the 360 that supports 7.1 and that game is PROTOTYPE other then that no game on the XBOX 360 Supports 7.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound

Q: I Bought the astro a40 how come i dont get 5.1 Surround Sound
A: You Will only get 5.1 surround sound if u purchase the TOSLINK cable which can be purchased here
http://tiny.cc/XbyKE

Q: Wait you say i need the Optical cable what kind of sound am i using if i dont use/get one?
A: You will be using stereo surround sound

Q: Can i get 5.1 without a mixamp?
A: No, you cannot you need a mixamp to support the 5.1 surround sound on the Astro A40

Q: Will any TOSLink/Optical cable?
A: Yes, any cable will work but keep in mind Astros cable was deisgned for the Astro A40

Sorry to bring up an old thread but... for the first Q/A the mixamp isn't solely used for XBOX360, so why cant it support 7.1? PC games utilize 7.1.

[AllTimeMitch]

Sorry to bring up an old thread but... for the first Q/A the mixamp isn't solely used for XBOX360, so why cant it support 7.1? PC games utilize 7.1.

As far as I know, 7.1 Surround Sound can only be utilized over HDMI Connections. But if your computer can produce 7.1 Surround Sound over Optical then the MixAmp will accept it.

- TheHyperVertigo

[FattyMcFatFatFatty]

As far as I know, 7.1 Surround Sound can only be utilized over HDMI Connections. But if your computer can produce 7.1 Surround Sound over Optical then the MixAmp will accept it.

- TheHyperVertigo

It doesn't necessarily have to be HDMI, USB supports it too. Look at all the 7.1 virtual USB sound cards out there.

[ASTRO Warblade]

To date, none of the current consoles have been able to use sound over USB though.

[SocksWthSandals]

Until the Xbox 360 actually outputs at Dolby Digital 5.1 there is no reason for Astro to make a 7.1 Dolby Digital Headphone.

-Edited-

that answers all questions right there. game..set..match.

[HolaPlaneta]

I have a question about Blu ray TrueHD on PS3 and the Mixamp.

Hi there, I´m using my astro mixamp on a ps3 "slim" with the tonslink (optical) connection and usb cable to power it, I´m pairing it with the Sony´s MDR-F1 headphones. I have the output configured as optical on the PS3 and the DTS mix option deactivated.

When I watch a blu ray (in this case Batman: The Dark Knight or Indiana Jones: KCS) I notice that I can activate the Dolby TrueHD audio option and still hear the movie track. It sounds really nice.

Since TrueHD is not compatible with the Mixamp, is there any loss in sound channels or frequencies when I watch my blu rays with Dolby TrueHD?

I´m really clueless since you stated that the Mixamp is not compatible neither with DTS or TrueHD and here I am listening to the TrueHD... and sounds really good!, whereas with the DTS has never been the case: you hear nothing.

So when you say that both are "incompatible" how´s that with one I can listen to the audio track and the other not? and since I´m listening to the TrueHD, what I´m missing in sound quality/mix?

Thanks.

[ASTRO Warblade]

Hola Planeta! ;)

This is what I've found via google: (from this page (http://www.john-michaeldelvalle.com/2008/12/18/how-to-get-truehd-dts-ma-without-using-a-hdmi-cable/))

If you have an old receiver and do NOT have HDMI inputs or have HDMI inputs but it’s a pass through (only carries video NOT audio) you’re stuck. Chances are you’re either using optical/digital coax or stereo inputs (red & white). The problem with this is that since you’re not using an HDMI cable you won’t be able to get TrueHD, DTS-MA, or Multi Channel LPCM tracks from your optical/digital coax or stereo cables. The reason is because the optical cable doesn’t support such high bandwidths (not completely accurate but worth mentioning) & because of copyright protections. The optical/digital coax cables only push out 2 channels of uncompressed audio LPCM 2.0. If you have a PS3 this is why in your audio settings you can only check off 2 channels. If you are getting 5.1 audio from your blu-ray player using an optical cable it’s because TrueHD, DTS-MA, and other codecs are being down sampled to the standard dolby digital 5.1. The audio gets sent to the receiver and then the receiver decodes it as Standard 5.1 audio.

[korky]

Sorry to bring up such an old thread, but i had a questions since im aboutto be purchasing a headset.


Q: Why do all the other headset brands have 7.1 Dolby digital sorround soung why doesnt astro?

Q: Can i get 5.1 without a mixamp?
A: No, you cannot you need a mixamp to support the 5.1 surround sound on the Astro A40


Aren't we able to get 5.1 surround just by using the 'dolby headphones' codec that comes with some sound cards (eg. asus xonar d2x). in which case would the mixamp be redundant or would i still get superior sound if i connect my headset to the mixamp and connect that to the soundcard via toslink?

thanks :)

[SocksWthSandals]

Well the mixamp has had an upgrade. So you can now get simulated 7.1 with the mixamps on consoles or when paired with Dolby digital live. You can use Dolby headphones which gives you the 5.1 but not 7.1. So essentially if that doesn't bother you to get 5.1, it would replace the mixamp

[korky]

thanks for the reply :)

i've heard that either way you will end up using dolby headphone (with or without the mixamp), and since you say dolby headphones gives only 5.1 does that mean that even though the mixamp can simulate 7.1, its not use with dolby headphone?