Query about Realtek HD Audio Manager

[ithehappy]

I recently bought a Beyer DT770 (32) headphone, and I just want to get the best out of it. So creating this thread before finalising my decision.

You see my motherboard is Sabertooth X58, and the default audio app it uses is the Realtek HD Audio Manager (6.0.1.7023). Now I watch a lot of movies, tv shows with 5.1/7.1 audio and games are there too. Now I was using the default Stereo option (under Speaker config) for as long as I can remember, but one day I thought about testing the other modes just to see what they are about, and I tested the 5.1 and 7.1 options in the app while a movie was being played on background (with 7.1 audio feed) and I was shocked, the sound became more clear, the loudness was increased a lot! And since then I never moved back to Stereo option.

Now I am creating this topic because of one reason only. I am buying DAC. Now most of them come with stereo support only, only Asus and Creative ones come with 7.1 support. So I need to know this once and for all, that sound improvement I notice when moving to 7.1 from Stereo, is that loudness only? Or do I actually hear extra 3/5 channels, with my stereo headphones? I know that the software uses some sort of virtual surround sound and present me with 7.1 setup even with 2.0 headphones, but I need to know whether I am actually listening to any extra audio feeds, or is it loudness only?

I won't go for those 7.1 compatible DACs if loudness is the only factor being at play here, but if there are actually extra audio feed I hear going to 7.1 from 2.0 then I will consider those 7.1 compatible DACs only.

Thanks in advance.

PS: Just adding a screenshot in case the above sounds like gibberish

 

[postmortemIA]

If you are listening to audio source that is 5.1, then yes both Asus and Creative audio solutions can push these extra channels into stereo output. See the comparison how Creative CMSS 3D works on stereo headphones vs. onboard Realtek
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BxO9cd-sYA

 

[TheRyuu]

I wouldn't worry about whether it can support 5.1/7.1 and just get a good one[1] especially if you're limited to stereo headphones. You can still downmix the 5.1/7.1 sources to stereo even with stereo DAC's. In fact I'm pretty sure Windows will do it for you if you feed it with a 5.1 or 7.1 source. Either that or your playback software will do it for you (e.g. mpc-hc[2] w/LAVFilters or mpv[3]).

If the end result is always going to be stereo headphones then don't worry about such options. I would say that it's very likely to just be marketing and extra fluff that really isn't worth wasting time/money on. Pairing good headphones such as HD558's[4] or HD598's[5] with a good DAC like the E10k[1] will probably give a much better sounding experience without breaking the bank. Both the headphones and DAC I linked to give very good bang for your buck depending on your budget.

[1] http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-E10K-Headphone-Amplifier-Black/dp/B00LP3AMC2
[2] https://mpc-hc.org/
[3] https://mpv.io/
[4] http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-558-Headphones/dp/B004FEEY9A
[5] http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0126HISOO

 

[ithehappy]

Thanks both members, appreciate the replies.

Even after a long thought and testing I am confused. Because I know that them Fiio DACs will be better than what I was planing to purchase, the Xonar U7, but at the same time I feel like stereo is still no go for me for movies and games, because I just tested both stereo and 7.1 option for a 7.1 channel movie, and the difference is night and day!

Damn it, I wish I never had found that 7.1 option.

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