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| ndaher Member Joined: May 31, 2002 |  Message [#1] posted on: 03-20-2004 07:47 PM CST (US).   |  |  I'm in the market for a pair of TRUE surround 5.1 headphones for movies, and I came across these. Has anybody tried them, or know of a review of them? A vast and time consuming search on the net has come up with nothing, the only thing I could find were some buyer reviews on Newegg.com, but those aren't very solid. And for those of you who may have tried them, is there any way to connect them to your 5.1 sound card without going through the amp (which requires a power supply), while still getting 5.1? Thanks for any information anyone might have. And by the way, I know alot of people will say to just buy a pair of nice Sennheisers and then use Dolby Headphone, Spatialization, EAX, etc. But I am an extreme audiophile and want true 5.1 for Dolby 5.1 encoded DVDs, not virtual surround, regardless of how real it is (which by the way it isn't to me). I already have a pair of fairly high end headphones, the Sony MDR-V6 (not V600) and am totally happy with them for Stereo music and games. Oh, and if anyone has any recommendations on other true 5.1 headphones for under $70, I would definitely appreciate the input. [Edited by ndaher on 03-20-2004 at 06:53 PM.] |
| dWillTen Member Joined: Mar. 21, 2004 | Message [#2] posted on: 03-21-2004 04:13 PM CST (US). | | Like you I'm too looking for new headphone technologies, but had encountered lack of information about headphones that support Dolby 5.1 or what they call REAL surround headphones. Not even the buyer's guide at headphones.com have an article about it. This is a list of actual 5.1 headphones available (low-end): 1. Kinyo 5.1 KY-100 (http://www.kinyo.com) (high-end): 1. Sony MDR-DS8000 Except for the Sony and Midiland all the others require a DTS/Dolby 5.1 decoder. The only one available right know that supports the 3 mini jacks output (as a PC sound card) is the Creative Labs DDTS-100. Do they really sound as good or nearly as good as a 6 speaker home theater system? DT |
| MagusG Member Joined: Jun. 22, 2003 | Message [#3] posted on: 03-22-2004 09:14 PM CST (US). | | If you are indeed an "extreme" audiophile as you say, then there shouldnt be a 5.1 headphone that you'd settle for. 5.1 headphones is nothing more than a gimmick, the drivers are cheap and small. Simulated surround from a good pair of headphones is 10x better. BTW, I have heard the Zalman, they blow. I can't imagine any others being much better. Oh, and V6's while being decent, would be considered low end, yet well above stock. -Mag |
| ndaher Member Joined: May 31, 2002 | Message [#4] posted on: 03-22-2004 10:49 PM CST (US). | | Well notice I said "fairly" high end, meaning compared to the average joe's pair of Philips, Aiwa, Koss, etc. mine are a few notches above. However that wasn't really the issue. I should have clarified my "extreme audiophile" status. I don't look at frequencies and graphs to see how high and low a headphone drivers ranges can go, unlike most people on this board. I simply see if something has enough bass and non-distortion to my liking, and the V6's do just that. Having said that, I may not think so bad about the Zalmans or any other 5.1 set out there. My "extreme audiophelia" comes not from ultra high-quality $500 headphones that everyone raves about on these boards, but from experiencing movies the way they were meant to be: in 5.1. Unfortunetly I have neighbors and also a family that likes to sleep at night, which is why I must have headphones. So if anyone still has any info on the Kinyos or other TRUE 5.1 headphones I would appreciate it. |
| dWillTen Member Joined: Mar. 21, 2004 | Message [#5] posted on: 03-24-2004 08:33 AM CST (US). | | I think it will be better to wait for the Sony MDR-DS3000. If you buy the Kinyo and the Creative Decoder you'll be paying more than the MDR-DS3000 which is wireless too! We are not looking for audiophile quality headphones but a good TRUE VIRTUAL 5.1 experience (my wife doesn't like LOUD sounds either) not virtual 3D sound. I know that with the Kinyo and Zalman people can find the direction where bullets are coming from in PC games. |
| ndaher Member Joined: May 31, 2002 | Message [#6] posted on: 03-25-2004 09:19 PM CST (US). | | The Sony MDR-DS3000 headphones use "VIRTUAL" surround though, from what I can gather. Or am I missing something? |
| fyrfytrhoges Member Joined: N/A | Message [#7] posted on: 03-29-2004 05:58 PM CST (US). | | no need to be an "extreme audiophile" or "headphile" to enjoy the awesome sound of a truely great 5.1 system like the pioneer dir1000 system that i have, reproduces the film watching experience with great accuracy, i wouldn't give them up for anything. |
| ndaher Member Joined: May 31, 2002 | Message [#8] posted on: 04-19-2004 12:45 AM CST (US). | | It looks like I/O MAGIC has come out with a similar set as the Kinyos, only the receiver is redesigned. Has anyone listened to these or have any information? They're called I/O Magic Sound Assault, here's the link http://www.iomag...sp?ProdID=IHD51 They're almost twice the price as the Kinyos, but if they're using the same components than I see no reason to get them |
cmoy  Administrator Joined: Apr. 13, 1999 | Message [#9] posted on: 04-19-2004 01:16 PM CST (US). | | Hi guys, this thread is very informative. I think I will have to contact some of these mfrs and try to get some of these products for a review. Sadly, I cannot do this at the moment. I am still trying to finish my review of PowerDVD 5. |
| ndaher Member Joined: May 31, 2002 | Message [#10] posted on: 04-22-2004 11:18 PM CST (US). | | Hi cmoy, I and I'm sure alot of other people would totally appreciate it if you would review either and/or all of the sets we've mentioned in this forum (except the Sony wireless as those are extremely common). I have found not one review of any of them, at least in English. Please do keep us informed! :) |
| Chinja Member Joined: N/A | Message [#11] posted on: 05-03-2004 07:01 PM CST (US). | | Hey, I just bought a pair of the Kinyo 5.1 Headphones so I thought i'd give my personal opinion on them.... First off, the 5.1 works. You really can distinguish between the different channels. The Sub Channel is nice and powerfull for headphones as well. When turned up, the bass will actually make the phones vibrate. So overall I give it thumbs up for sound. I have only used these phones with games so far though. I have yet to try it out while watching a DVD. I may write a little update once I get a chance to do that. The one big issue I have with these phones is that they are very uncomfortable. There isn't a whole lot of adjustability in them, so they initially didn't fit my head very well. I had to open them up and modify the ear pieces so it would swivel enough to fit my head properly. Even after that adjustment though, the band is still so tight I get slight headaches when wearing them for too long. Maybe I just need to get used to them, but I'm still undecided as to whether the sound quality is worth the discomfort. If you go to Newegg.com they have a lot of users that have posted reviews and seem to like the headphones, so maybe i'm the only one that has the fitting issues. They also mention a slight hiss from the Amp, which I hear, but doesn't bother me once sound is pumped through it. Another plus is that the Amp has a plug in power supply, unlike the battery powered mini-amps in most headphones in this price range. Another note, the first pair I bought came out of the box completely broken. The internals of the amp jiggled around like a bouncing ball. I returned it and the next set was fine. So make sure you buy from a place with a good return policy. I guess i'm writing more on the negatives, but I am pretty happy with the sound quality so far. And for the price, I don't know if you can get any 5.1 headphones that work or sound as well. I've only had them for a week so far, so we'll see how i like them as I get more use out of them. DVD performance will make or break it for me though. |
| dr3 Member Joined: N/A | Message [#12] posted on: 05-19-2004 11:59 PM CST (US). | | Chinja what kind of computer set up do you have? What kind of sound card are you using? I plan on getting the same headphones as you (or similar) but for my laptop. I'm pretty sure I'll need an external sound card hooked up to the Kinyo amp. I've seen pictures of the wires that are included so I'm trying to figure out what kind of mess it would look like sprawled all across the desk. |
| nuke4 Member Joined: N/A | Message [#13] posted on: 05-25-2004 05:14 PM CST (US). | | MidiLand IRS-F1 looks pretty much like Sony MDrS5000 series. headphones and amp/decoder reflect Sony design. I own SOny MDRS and not very happy for virtual sound they produce. Being an vivid gamer and 5.1 video fun, i constantly fight with my wife for place under the sun, mean ability to feel and enjoy sound. Still can't decide on what to buy Kinyo or Zalman, or Pioneer dir1000. Please keep this thread alive, this is only place i've found so far devoted to headphones. |
| cmoy Administrator Joined: Apr. 13, 1999 | Message [#14] posted on: 05-25-2004 08:27 PM CST (US). | | Not trying to oust you, nuke4, but there is also head-fi.org.  Personally, I can only vouch for systems using Dolby Headphone, but these other systems show promise. Please let us know what you decide and post reviews of any equipment you audition/buy. [Edited by cmoy on 05-25-2004 at 08:29 PM.] |
| KCE Administrator Joined: N/A | Message [#15] posted on: 07-02-2004 07:34 PM CST (US). | | I was looking for headphones mostly for gaming and an external 5.1 sound card. I use a laptop for gaming. At first, I was going to get the Zalman's but then I read a lot of reviews on them. From what I've read about Zalman's, they are not good quality. They have surround sound but the sound quality is so poor that it's just not worth it. But this is Zalman's first headphone product so these won't be their best nor last. They've never made headphones before so hopefully their next ones will be better. They've also made an external 5.1 sound card, which so far I've read from reviews, is not as bad as the headphones. Bit-tech has a review on it or search on google for the reviews. Now, the Kinyo's I'm thinking of purchasing. I noticed the specifications are a little different. Their frequency response seems to be the same as the plantronics DSP-500, which are great for gaming. So they might be pretty good. I found them at SAM's Club for $42, which is pretty cheap. Although I have not found any reviews on them except for Chinja's opinion. Once I get them I will tell you my opinion of them. I'm not a total audiophille but I do know quality when I hear it. Hopefully I won't be wasting my money...luckily they are cheaper. I FOUND A REVIEW ON THE KINYO's 2. (TRANSLATED FROM JAPANESE) [Edited by KCE on 07-02-2004 at 07:44 PM.] |
| KCE Administrator Joined: N/A | Message [#16] posted on: 07-14-2004 05:07 PM CST (US). | | SOUNDCARD USED: External USB Sound Blaster Audigy 2 NX COMPUTER USED: (LAPTOP) SONY VAIO PCG-GRV550 2.4 GHZ 512 MB I have the kinyo's now. I ordered them from circuit city. Like Chinja said, these things have nice strong bass. They actually do vibrate if you turn the bass up high enough. It produces a nice surround effect. You can distinguish between all the channels especially the bass. The sound quality is excellent. The sounds are all clear. It comes with tons of cables and converters but simple enough to use. You can pretty much plug it into anything. The headphones themselves are pretty heavy but very comfortable, but what do you expect from headphones with 8 speakers : ). The padding on the ear has lots of cushions so they feel soft. Though there is a slight hiss from the AMP not the headphones. But once you turn up the volume you won't hear it. The headphones are a little tight for me but I'm sure they just need to be broken in. The cable that comes with it very very long. So you can move everywhere with it. [Edited by KCE on 08-02-2004 at 01:51 AM.] |
| MERTON Headphone Council Joined: Aug. 12, 2003 | Message [#17] posted on: 07-15-2004 12:10 PM CST (US). | | the ultrasone hfi 700 are made for dvd's. they're supposed to feature a natural surround sound but i've heard some people say it doesn surround them at all. they come in a proline and regualr model. meier-audio.de |
| KCE Headphone Council Joined: N/A | Message [#18] posted on: 07-21-2004 07:25 PM CST (US). | | Just my two cents. |
| PorkFu Headphone Council Joined: N/A | Message [#19] posted on: 07-21-2004 11:33 PM CST (US). | | Hi All, I just got my KINYO KY-100 5.1 Channel Headphone from newegg.com. I have a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS. I can't get the digital out to work (http://dmzweb3.europe.creative.com/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBCGI.EXE/,/?St=886,E=0000000000018523417,K=2654,Sxi=0,Case=obj(13779),Kb=creative_cli_us). I connect the headphones directly to the digital out with the cable provided but can only hear bad hissing, distortion, and the music very far away in the backgroud. I've looked around the web and this is my last resort before returning them. The headphones do work with my Sony TV and sound really great and rich. Can anyone help? Thank you! |
| WillFC Headphone Council Joined: N/A | Message [#20] posted on: 07-26-2004 11:22 PM CST (US). | | I bought the Kinyo KY-100's a few days ago, and they have some really great 5.1 sound. I watched Twister last night, and it freaked me out when the headphones started to vibrate. It was awesome. You have to have the headphone amp volume about half way up to really feel it, especially in the beginning of the movie, during the first tornado. This may be too loud for most. BTW, I'm using a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz set up for 6 speakers, and PowerDVD 5.0 also set up for 6 speakers. I know my sound card is an antique, but these headphones breathed a little life back into it. The other thing about these headphones that impressed me was just how loud they get. It becomes painfully loud at about 75% of the volume. Very cool. PorkFu, the amp box is not a Dolby Digital or DTS decoder. It's just an amp. What you should try is to set up your soundcard for 6 speakers using analog out, not digital. Then you will get some pretty impressive sound out of them. |
| KCE Headphone Council Joined: N/A | Message [#21] posted on: 08-09-2004 05:00 PM CST (US). | | PorkFu, I don't think they work with digital cables. You have to use the regular 3.5 mm plugs. You should have 3 cables; one for center/sub, rear, and front. |
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