We understand virtual 7.1 for example HyperX Cloud Revolver S
Last year, HyperX rolled out a whole clip of new headsets in a variety of price and custom segments: from eSports Drone and mainstream Stinger to a true flagship that combines excellent sound and one of the best microphones: HyperX Cloud Revolver . During this time, the company managed to collect enough feedback on the latest model to re-release it, adding a chip with virtual 7.1, while simultaneously improving it on all fronts.
What is it all about, virtual surround sound? How can you even argue about the volume of sound, if the stereo headset hardware is almost no different from models with virtual surround sound? We will try to answer all these questions in order, and at the same time see what has changed in Revolver, which received letter S at the end.
You can infinitely delve into the physical process of radiation and perception of sound waves, and write a great article like this, but we analyze a specific case, so we confine ourselves to a simple and rather rude description: it is enough to recall the essence of the processes taking place.
')
In the case of sound reproduction equipment, in the center of the speaker is a powerful magnet. His field can be used to repel and attract him by passing a current through a coil of wire that is attached to a sound-emitting membrane. The sound source produces certain electrical oscillations, they pass through the coil, excite a magnetic field, it interacts with the corresponding field of the magnet and the coil starts to move, dragging the membrane along with it. The movements of this structure back and forth affect the layers of air bordering on it.
The result is diverging waves in all directions: low pressure, high pressure, low pressure, high pressure. Further, these waves penetrate into our ear, interact with the eardrum, and there the reverse process - the brain "decodes" the vibrations into what we mean by sound, and the many years of learning of the neuron system allows us to understand speech, to distinguish music from the sound of falling rubble and so Further.
The same thing happens when you strike, say, with a stick on an empty barrel: the kinetic energy of an impact causes the surface to oscillate, it shakes the air, and further along the same principle.
The speed of sound in space is conventionally constant, depends on the density of the medium, but for habitual brain conditions, there is almost no difference in the speed of sound at high and low atmospheric pressure. Again, in the process of evolution and maturation, the brain learned to find patterns between the direction from which the sound came and the difference in signals between the right and left ear. In the case of nature, the difference in the arrival of sound to the left and right ear is provided by the source itself. In movies, sound sources are attached at the creation stage, in games - they are calculated in real time, relative to the camera position and the surrounding space, and if someone approaches you from behind, a signal is given to the corresponding sound channels, it goes to the speakers, they will oscillate the air. Waves interfere with those reflected from walls emitted by other columns, are added and subtracted, depending on the phase, and eventually reach the ears. Further, the brain, taught by life experience and centuries of evolution, understands that now it is necessary to give the legs the command “Run away”, or at least turn around and identify the source by a visual method.
The human body carries several unique patterns. All people have different fingerprints, iris and ear shape, which practically does not change in the process of maturation: the size of individual parts of the ear may change, but its topography and internal structure are more likely to scale and change slightly. From about two months of life, the brain begins to learn to use its ears for its intended purpose: hearing abilities develop, and throughout his life he hones the skill of determining the direction of sound not only by the difference in sound vibrations coming in time, but also by how the sound is reflected / absorbed by various parts auricle before it reaches the eardrum. The mechanism is complex, but quite effective: it is not easy for most developed mammals to have complex-shaped ears - reptiles, (in particular, snakes), are almost deaf and perceive a limited frequency range.
A special dummy that imitates the structure of the head and its behavior in terms of absorption, reflection and propagation of sound waves, a bunch of high-precision microphones, a room with a sound-absorbing coating, a car of teraflops, a dozen pundits and a lot of time spent on calculations made it possible to create general patterns of sound wave change, coming to the ears. The difference between the outgoing signal, the microphone next to the dummy and the microphones in the ears made it possible to determine how the human body influences the sound propagation.
All this was necessary to maximize data cleaning from polluting effects. Further, these data were used as a filter to the original data, and the main measurements were made with different models of auricles. The study looked for patterns between the shape of the external ear and how the signal coming from different directions is distorted - and they were found. It is these changes in the waveform (averaged, of course) that are used to transform a “normal” sound into a “surround” sound when using stereo headphones without additional speakers.
The audio card in the console can work in two modes: stereo and 7.1. The system doesn't care how many speakers you actually have, it will provide seven channels of sound. The game engine or multimedia player will read this information and issue the appropriate sound system by sending the desired audio stream to each channel. Next, the built-in chip comes into play: it adds the difference in the arrival of the signal for the left and right ears and applies the averaged changes obtained in the studies. If you are not the owner of very prominent ears, this process to some extent allows you to fool the brain and force it to determine the direction, even if not as good as it happens in a real environment.
The main difference between the S-version and its predecessor is, of course, the new console with integrated audio, the ability to connect via USB and support for virtual 7.1, but in addition to these changes in the headset something has been updated.
The design of the case remains the same, but the materials have changed, no more “game” black and red coloring. Many users liked the strict design of the CloudX headset from the middle ruler, and the reissue of the flagship received the corresponding colors: classic black with gray / silver elements. The new model with a disconnected microphone looks like an average audiophile headphones in techno-style.
The elastic characteristics of the headband have been revised: the steel brace has become softer, and the new Revolver S does not squeeze the head so hard. Similarly, the parameters for the self-adjusting headband were re-selected. Taking into account all the changes, the headset is much softer on the head and less pressure on the brain.
The rest of the design was left unchanged. The loudspeaker cups have two degrees of freedom and adapt to the head of any shape, the ear cushions and the supporting arc are filled with memory foam polyurethane foam, which is covered with high-quality micro-perforated kozhzamom - the design breathes and removes moisture.
The headset sits perfectly on almost any head, automatically adjusts to the owner and allows you to comfortably communicate, play or listen to music for several hours to a row.
The microphone migrated without any changes. The same detachable flexible rod is used, the connection is made through the classic 3.5 mm connector. Holds the form, it is easily straightened, reliable and moderately bending body will not allow you to damage the internal wire.
The element itself is the same: electret, capacitor, narrowly targeted. Excellent sensitivity, noise reduction "beam", directed exactly to your mouth, built-in protection against blowing, and now the built-in microphone volume control in the USB-console.
The sound card is combined with a sound control panel. Minimalistic design: three buttons (switching Dolby 7.1 mode, equalizer preset and microphone off), three indicator LEDs, two large and comfortable wheels for adjusting the volume of the incoming and outgoing audio signal. There is a clip on the back side, you can hang the console on a sleeve or collar, or you can attach it to the same USB wire and thereby shorten its almost infinite (2+ meters) length.
The mode is activated by pressing a single button (without it, the headphones mix the set 7.1 in stereo). Will work when connected to a PC or PS4 / PS4 Pro. He does not ask for any drivers, is determined by the system out of the box, there is no need to install additional software. In films with multi-channel audio, the technology works well: the sense of the direction of the special effect is enhanced, though not as radically as with an “honest” surround sound.
In games, the effect is highly dependent on many factors. In racing simulators, I was able to hear the enemy "behind my back", to feel which side they were trying to get around me. In some shooters, it was possible to more accurately determine the position of the enemy by ear, but not in all. It was not always possible to understand the direction of the "diagonal" sounds: an opponent is in front-left or behind-left. In any case, the direction of movement itself is felt better than with ordinary stereo, and well. Opinions of friends who managed to listen to the headset were divided.
Someone clearly heard the direction of the sound, someone could determine the direction is very conditional: in front, left, right, sometimes behind. In the case of listening to regular content (for example, music), Dolby 7.1 will simply stretch the stereo base. There will be some feeling of being in a large room with speakers, and not the sound from the headphones.
In the basic mode (all indicator LEDs are turned off), the headset does not interfere with the audio stream in any way: it reproduces what you are listening to in the form in which the audio signal came from the PC. The first mode is an increase in the low frequencies, the second is the stretching of averages and a general “flattening” of the frequency response, the third is a rise in the vocal range and sharpness of the sound.
One can be used for the respective musical genres, the other - for fine tuning of the sound using the player's software equalizer, and the last one - in games, in order to better hear the ringing sounds such as steps and the voices of party members.
Revolver S has retained the atmosphere of its predecessor in sound. Uniform filling of low, mid and high frequencies, a small peak at 3 KHz, giving a sense of "purity" of sound. For relatively low-impedance headphones, the sound is remarkably balanced. Rock compositions sound neat, guitars, vocals, drums - everything can be heard very clearly, there is no feeling of being pulled out of context or the obvious dominance of one of the sounds over the other (at least on tracks that are normally recorded by the sound engineer and balanced on the stage). Jazz and blues with brass blasts assertively burst into consciousness, fills it with overtones and hoarse vocals, in which the “black” manner of performance is recognized. Classical works and the play of a modern orchestra are full-sounding and voluminous, while listening you can literally feel that subtle resonance of a mass of similar instruments playing in unison.
It is pleasant to listen to music, and individual preferences in most low or mid frequencies can always be compensated by an equalizer. Playing the game requires a wide stereo panorama of the headphones and a clear sense of the direction of the sound, with this the headset is fine.
The frequency response curve was measured by PCgames at the booth, whose price is comparable to a good car. Mannequin of the head and torso, the appropriate level of equipment for recording and analyzing the signal, compliance with all techniques and several repeated measurements to average the values ​​obtained and search for deviations.
AFC:
Distortion:
Balance:
Kingston HyperX gaming unit is not the first time to listen to user feedback, carefully examines, analyzes and makes the right conclusions from the experience of consumers of their products. The headset was pumped on all fronts, without “cutting off” any of the existing advantages.
Would you like a more adult, strict design? Here he is. The body is still the same, but no more bright red accents. A barely noticeable stitching with light threads, a silvery logo and white sectors that do not show the gaming origin of the game.
Complained that competitors have surround sound for the money? Universal audio card that works with PC and PlayStation is included. This piece of hardware does not need special drivers and any software that consumes the resources of your computer, everything will work out of the box. And for owners of expensive audio cards and music lovers from mobile gadgets, the headset still knows how to connect via the classic 3.5 mm jacks, an extension cord included.
Does the headset cling too tightly to the head and didn’t want to get off, slowly zombing the carrier and forcing the HyperX products to be distributed among friends? They coped with the first one, and the second one, I'm sorry, not a bug, but a feature. It is a sin not to recommend good gadgets to your party members, you will have to defeat another world evil with them, but they will not hear anything again.
The stunning sound and one of the best microphones in the headset industry has not gone away. Is it time to take stock?
Full specifications and equipment HyperX Cloud Revolver S:
Headphones
Cable length and connectors
Microphone
Asking for the updated model is about the same as asking for the old one: 12,990 rubles. And in early April, you will be able to personally touch, try on and listen to the headset in the entire HyperX partner network. Well, in order not to miss the start of sales, you can subscribe to notifications on the promo page in Eldorado.
But it's better to hear once than read a hundred times, so the owner of our flagship headset with a roof-top surround sound will be the subscriber Kingston. Therefore, if you are not yet signed, you need to fix the situation soon. :) We will choose the winner at random and announce thename of the lucky nickname on April 7th. Do not miss the opportunity to get the cinema-level sound for your computer!
What is it all about, virtual surround sound? How can you even argue about the volume of sound, if the stereo headset hardware is almost no different from models with virtual surround sound? We will try to answer all these questions in order, and at the same time see what has changed in Revolver, which received letter S at the end.
How does sound work?
You can infinitely delve into the physical process of radiation and perception of sound waves, and write a great article like this, but we analyze a specific case, so we confine ourselves to a simple and rather rude description: it is enough to recall the essence of the processes taking place.
')
In the case of sound reproduction equipment, in the center of the speaker is a powerful magnet. His field can be used to repel and attract him by passing a current through a coil of wire that is attached to a sound-emitting membrane. The sound source produces certain electrical oscillations, they pass through the coil, excite a magnetic field, it interacts with the corresponding field of the magnet and the coil starts to move, dragging the membrane along with it. The movements of this structure back and forth affect the layers of air bordering on it.
The result is diverging waves in all directions: low pressure, high pressure, low pressure, high pressure. Further, these waves penetrate into our ear, interact with the eardrum, and there the reverse process - the brain "decodes" the vibrations into what we mean by sound, and the many years of learning of the neuron system allows us to understand speech, to distinguish music from the sound of falling rubble and so Further.
The same thing happens when you strike, say, with a stick on an empty barrel: the kinetic energy of an impact causes the surface to oscillate, it shakes the air, and further along the same principle.
Surround sound
The speed of sound in space is conventionally constant, depends on the density of the medium, but for habitual brain conditions, there is almost no difference in the speed of sound at high and low atmospheric pressure. Again, in the process of evolution and maturation, the brain learned to find patterns between the direction from which the sound came and the difference in signals between the right and left ear. In the case of nature, the difference in the arrival of sound to the left and right ear is provided by the source itself. In movies, sound sources are attached at the creation stage, in games - they are calculated in real time, relative to the camera position and the surrounding space, and if someone approaches you from behind, a signal is given to the corresponding sound channels, it goes to the speakers, they will oscillate the air. Waves interfere with those reflected from walls emitted by other columns, are added and subtracted, depending on the phase, and eventually reach the ears. Further, the brain, taught by life experience and centuries of evolution, understands that now it is necessary to give the legs the command “Run away”, or at least turn around and identify the source by a visual method.
Nuances of surround sound
The human body carries several unique patterns. All people have different fingerprints, iris and ear shape, which practically does not change in the process of maturation: the size of individual parts of the ear may change, but its topography and internal structure are more likely to scale and change slightly. From about two months of life, the brain begins to learn to use its ears for its intended purpose: hearing abilities develop, and throughout his life he hones the skill of determining the direction of sound not only by the difference in sound vibrations coming in time, but also by how the sound is reflected / absorbed by various parts auricle before it reaches the eardrum. The mechanism is complex, but quite effective: it is not easy for most developed mammals to have complex-shaped ears - reptiles, (in particular, snakes), are almost deaf and perceive a limited frequency range.
Ear research
A special dummy that imitates the structure of the head and its behavior in terms of absorption, reflection and propagation of sound waves, a bunch of high-precision microphones, a room with a sound-absorbing coating, a car of teraflops, a dozen pundits and a lot of time spent on calculations made it possible to create general patterns of sound wave change, coming to the ears. The difference between the outgoing signal, the microphone next to the dummy and the microphones in the ears made it possible to determine how the human body influences the sound propagation.
All this was necessary to maximize data cleaning from polluting effects. Further, these data were used as a filter to the original data, and the main measurements were made with different models of auricles. The study looked for patterns between the shape of the external ear and how the signal coming from different directions is distorted - and they were found. It is these changes in the waveform (averaged, of course) that are used to transform a “normal” sound into a “surround” sound when using stereo headphones without additional speakers.
Works, but not perfect
The audio card in the console can work in two modes: stereo and 7.1. The system doesn't care how many speakers you actually have, it will provide seven channels of sound. The game engine or multimedia player will read this information and issue the appropriate sound system by sending the desired audio stream to each channel. Next, the built-in chip comes into play: it adds the difference in the arrival of the signal for the left and right ears and applies the averaged changes obtained in the studies. If you are not the owner of very prominent ears, this process to some extent allows you to fool the brain and force it to determine the direction, even if not as good as it happens in a real environment.
HyperX Cloud Revolver S
The main difference between the S-version and its predecessor is, of course, the new console with integrated audio, the ability to connect via USB and support for virtual 7.1, but in addition to these changes in the headset something has been updated.
The design of the case remains the same, but the materials have changed, no more “game” black and red coloring. Many users liked the strict design of the CloudX headset from the middle ruler, and the reissue of the flagship received the corresponding colors: classic black with gray / silver elements. The new model with a disconnected microphone looks like an average audiophile headphones in techno-style.
Improvements
The elastic characteristics of the headband have been revised: the steel brace has become softer, and the new Revolver S does not squeeze the head so hard. Similarly, the parameters for the self-adjusting headband were re-selected. Taking into account all the changes, the headset is much softer on the head and less pressure on the brain.
The rest of the design was left unchanged. The loudspeaker cups have two degrees of freedom and adapt to the head of any shape, the ear cushions and the supporting arc are filled with memory foam polyurethane foam, which is covered with high-quality micro-perforated kozhzamom - the design breathes and removes moisture.
The headset sits perfectly on almost any head, automatically adjusts to the owner and allows you to comfortably communicate, play or listen to music for several hours to a row.
Communication
The microphone migrated without any changes. The same detachable flexible rod is used, the connection is made through the classic 3.5 mm connector. Holds the form, it is easily straightened, reliable and moderately bending body will not allow you to damage the internal wire.
The element itself is the same: electret, capacitor, narrowly targeted. Excellent sensitivity, noise reduction "beam", directed exactly to your mouth, built-in protection against blowing, and now the built-in microphone volume control in the USB-console.
USB sound
The sound card is combined with a sound control panel. Minimalistic design: three buttons (switching Dolby 7.1 mode, equalizer preset and microphone off), three indicator LEDs, two large and comfortable wheels for adjusting the volume of the incoming and outgoing audio signal. There is a clip on the back side, you can hang the console on a sleeve or collar, or you can attach it to the same USB wire and thereby shorten its almost infinite (2+ meters) length.
Dolby 7.1
The mode is activated by pressing a single button (without it, the headphones mix the set 7.1 in stereo). Will work when connected to a PC or PS4 / PS4 Pro. He does not ask for any drivers, is determined by the system out of the box, there is no need to install additional software. In films with multi-channel audio, the technology works well: the sense of the direction of the special effect is enhanced, though not as radically as with an “honest” surround sound.
In games, the effect is highly dependent on many factors. In racing simulators, I was able to hear the enemy "behind my back", to feel which side they were trying to get around me. In some shooters, it was possible to more accurately determine the position of the enemy by ear, but not in all. It was not always possible to understand the direction of the "diagonal" sounds: an opponent is in front-left or behind-left. In any case, the direction of movement itself is felt better than with ordinary stereo, and well. Opinions of friends who managed to listen to the headset were divided.
Someone clearly heard the direction of the sound, someone could determine the direction is very conditional: in front, left, right, sometimes behind. In the case of listening to regular content (for example, music), Dolby 7.1 will simply stretch the stereo base. There will be some feeling of being in a large room with speakers, and not the sound from the headphones.
EQ Presets
In the basic mode (all indicator LEDs are turned off), the headset does not interfere with the audio stream in any way: it reproduces what you are listening to in the form in which the audio signal came from the PC. The first mode is an increase in the low frequencies, the second is the stretching of averages and a general “flattening” of the frequency response, the third is a rise in the vocal range and sharpness of the sound.
One can be used for the respective musical genres, the other - for fine tuning of the sound using the player's software equalizer, and the last one - in games, in order to better hear the ringing sounds such as steps and the voices of party members.
The sound of music response
Revolver S has retained the atmosphere of its predecessor in sound. Uniform filling of low, mid and high frequencies, a small peak at 3 KHz, giving a sense of "purity" of sound. For relatively low-impedance headphones, the sound is remarkably balanced. Rock compositions sound neat, guitars, vocals, drums - everything can be heard very clearly, there is no feeling of being pulled out of context or the obvious dominance of one of the sounds over the other (at least on tracks that are normally recorded by the sound engineer and balanced on the stage). Jazz and blues with brass blasts assertively burst into consciousness, fills it with overtones and hoarse vocals, in which the “black” manner of performance is recognized. Classical works and the play of a modern orchestra are full-sounding and voluminous, while listening you can literally feel that subtle resonance of a mass of similar instruments playing in unison.
It is pleasant to listen to music, and individual preferences in most low or mid frequencies can always be compensated by an equalizer. Playing the game requires a wide stereo panorama of the headphones and a clear sense of the direction of the sound, with this the headset is fine.
The frequency response curve was measured by PCgames at the booth, whose price is comparable to a good car. Mannequin of the head and torso, the appropriate level of equipment for recording and analyzing the signal, compliance with all techniques and several repeated measurements to average the values ​​obtained and search for deviations.
AFC:
Distortion:
Balance:
TL; DR: HyperX Revolver S - fully charged
Kingston HyperX gaming unit is not the first time to listen to user feedback, carefully examines, analyzes and makes the right conclusions from the experience of consumers of their products. The headset was pumped on all fronts, without “cutting off” any of the existing advantages.
Would you like a more adult, strict design? Here he is. The body is still the same, but no more bright red accents. A barely noticeable stitching with light threads, a silvery logo and white sectors that do not show the gaming origin of the game.
Complained that competitors have surround sound for the money? Universal audio card that works with PC and PlayStation is included. This piece of hardware does not need special drivers and any software that consumes the resources of your computer, everything will work out of the box. And for owners of expensive audio cards and music lovers from mobile gadgets, the headset still knows how to connect via the classic 3.5 mm jacks, an extension cord included.
Does the headset cling too tightly to the head and didn’t want to get off, slowly zombing the carrier and forcing the HyperX products to be distributed among friends? They coped with the first one, and the second one, I'm sorry, not a bug, but a feature. It is a sin not to recommend good gadgets to your party members, you will have to defeat another world evil with them, but they will not hear anything again.
The stunning sound and one of the best microphones in the headset industry has not gone away. Is it time to take stock?
Components, price, where to buy
Full specifications and equipment HyperX Cloud Revolver S:
Headphones
- Type: Closed, with self-adjusting headband;
- Weight: 360 g + microphone 16 g;
- Speaker: diaphragm diameter 50 mm, neodymium magnet core;
- Frequency range: 12 Hz - 28 KHz;
- Impedance: 30 Ω;
- Sound pressure level: 100.5dBSPL / mW at 1 KHz
- Harmonic Distortion: <2%;
- Power consumption: standby - 30 mW, maximum - 500 mW;
Cable length and connectors
- Headset (4-pole 3.5 mm connector): 1 m;
- Sound card (USB): 2.2 m;
- Extension cord (2x3.5 mm connector): 2 m.
Microphone
- Sensitive element: electret, capacitor;
- Directional pattern: bidirectional, with noise reduction;
- Frequency range: 50 Hz - 18 KHz;
- Sensitivity: -44 dBV (0dB = 1V / Pa, 1kHz).
Asking for the updated model is about the same as asking for the old one: 12,990 rubles. And in early April, you will be able to personally touch, try on and listen to the headset in the entire HyperX partner network. Well, in order not to miss the start of sales, you can subscribe to notifications on the promo page in Eldorado.
But it's better to hear once than read a hundred times, so the owner of our flagship headset with a roof-top surround sound will be the subscriber Kingston. Therefore, if you are not yet signed, you need to fix the situation soon. :) We will choose the winner at random and announce the
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/402043/
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