Headphone surround virtualization, yay or ney?

[ixelion]

I am not talking about basic surround emulation like in on-board audio and most USB gaming headphones, I have listened to those and am convinced that they are just elaborate EQ, and completely fuck with the sound image, I don't like them even for gaming.

I am more specifically talking about Dolby Headphone, THX TrueStudio Pro, and CMSS3D. My understanding is these are not just EQ? With a descent pair of headphones like HD558, is it worth while upgrading sound cards primarily for any of these technologies, and mainly to use in gaming?

 

[mfenn]

You're correct that Dolby Headphone and its clones are not just equalization. They use an HRTF to simulate the effects of your outer ear on sound waves as well as the timing differences due to the finite speed of sound. They work best with IEMs, but can give good results with any reasonably high-fidelity headphones.