Simulated 5.1-channel sound over a pair of headphones!
Dolby Headphone Technology - (2)
Equipment Needed, Limitations & Further Reading

We continue with our Dolby Headphone technology guide by taking a look at what is needed to enjoy this fantastic headphone technology. We also examine its limitations and then present to you a short list of links for further reading. 

Pioneer SE-DIR800C Wireless Dolby Digital 5.1  Headphones

An Introduction:

In the first part of this Headphone guide, we looked at the technology - or rather the acoustic principles applied in order to make this headphone listening technology possible.

In particular, we have seen how the Dolby algorithm for headphone listening generates what are referred to as 'virtual speakers'. These virtual sound sources make it possible to play a 5.1-channel sound over an ordinary pair of stereo headphones. 

The resultant headphone listening experience is practically the same immersing experience one enjoys when listening to sound from a multi-channel speaker setup.

The good news for headphone users is - you do not need much to enjoy this headphone listening technology!

In this second part, we take a look at what are your available options to enjoy this headphone technology.

Our discussion on Dolby digital headphone technology does not stop there - nothing is perfect in life! We also examine the technical limitations associated with this technology vis-à-vis a speaker setup.

Dolby Headphone - What do you need to enjoy this headphone technology?

Dolby virtual surround headphone technology works well for all listeners and with any multi-channel audio program source - no custom adjustments are needed.

The beauty is that you do not need much to enjoy a great sound experience using Dolby digital headphone technology - even an ordinary pair of headphones will do. But as with all home theater equipment, audio quality improves with the quality of your gear.

So what do you actually need to enjoy this great technology? There are two basic approaches:

• Built-in Decoder:

The easiest way is to buy it as part of an A/V receiver, DVD-Video or DVD-Audio player, laptop PC, game console, TV, etc.  In reality, it can be included as part of any product that normally provides a stereo headphone jack.

Though the possibilities of incorporating Dolby Digital Headphone in system hardware are endless, yet today, there are still only a few products that offer build-in Dolby Headphone decoders even though the technology have been around since 2001.

In our opinion, a great AV receiver featuring Dolby Headphone support is the Harman Kardon AVR 645 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver. The AVR645 decodes all popular digital and matrix surround sound formats, and includes both Dolby Virtual Speaker processing (for use when less than a full 5.1 or 7.1 speaker complement is available), and Dolby Headphone for a more spacious, open sound when using headphones. Complete with two HDMI inputs, this Harman Kardon is surely worth considering when replacing or purchasing a new AV receiver.

An alternative option to the AV receiver is a headphone pair with a built-in Dolby Surround Headphone decoder. Again, as with the case of the complete AV receiver, available options are still very much limited. This does not mean however that there aren't a few great products worth considering.

Interesting options here include the Pioneer SE-DIR800C Wireless Dolby Digital 5.1  Headphones featured at the top of this page and the AKG Fully Digital wireless Surround Headphone System with Dolby Digital Decoder. Both systems come with a comprehensive set of interesting features to deliver a stunning surround listening experience.

An excellent inexpensive alternative is the Sennheiser RS 130 Wireless Surround Sound Headphones. The RS130 feels comfortable in use - partly as a result of the lightweight design, employs re-chargeable batteries, and have an operating range of up to 150-meters.

• Encoding Software

The situation is somewhat different when it comes to software applications for your desktop or lap-top PC.

A search on any search engine using the term 'downloadable Dolby encoding headphone software' would soon reveal a number of readily available applications - mostly shareware - for immediate use. 

• Dolby Headphone Pre-encoded Soundtrack

As already expressed earlier on, it is possible to enjoy this fantastic technology that lets you experience your home theater to the full without bothering your neighbors, using an ordinary pair of stereo headphones - without the need of any special decoders.

BUT in this case, you would need a Dolby Headphone pre-encoded soundtrack.  Some DVDs come with a pre-encoded headphone soundtrack - all you have to do is plug in your favorite pair of headphones into the headphone jack of your DVD player or A/V receiver and select the Dolby Headphone soundtrack from the DVD menu; and it's all done!

No special hardware or decoder is required because Dolby Headphone processing was already applied and the resulting signals are pre-encoded as a special Dolby Headphone soundtrack.

Unfortunately, there are still only a few titles available that support a Dolby pre-encoded headphone soundtrack; these include:

 

Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor (Vista Series Director's Cut) T2 - Extreme DVD

 

If you are making use of a pre-encoded Dolby surround headphone soundtrack, make sure that any digital signal processing (DSP) modes often referred to as simulated soundfield modes e.g. Cinema, Hall, Live, are disabled. Any such processing will severely degrade the Dolby Headphone soundtrack.

Dolby Headphone Limitation

The Dolby Headphone algorithm is designed to simulate the soundfield created by a 5.1 home theater speaker system. This means that it is not able to virtually produce the surround sound stage created by the surround back channels in extended surround sound formats such as THX Surround EX and DTS Extended Surround (DTS-ES).

To be fair though, Dolby Digital Headphone technology was never meant to virtually re-create extended surround sound formats.

Is Dolby Headphone a replacement to a Home Theater Speaker setup?

Not quite. But then it all depends on whether you want to enjoy your home theater with your family and friends, or whether you are bound to use your home theater with the volume almost completely turned down because maybe a family member is sleeping in an adjacent room.

From a pure sound perspective, Dolby Surround Headphone technology is capable of virtually re-creating in an amazingly faithful manner, the imaging and soundfield created by a 5.1 multi-channel speaker system.

In other words, it is capable of creating that same immersing soundstage of a surround sound system, even though it doesn't quite match the same detailed imaging as produced by a real five speaker setup.

This is because through correct speaker placement in a 5.1 channel system, it is possible to impart a level of sound detail not possible with even the best quality headphones.

But... If you ever need to make use of a pair of headphones, ensure that you will be making use of Dolby Headphone technology - not only you wouldn't be subject to any listener's fatigue, it is also the only headphone technology that can provide you with the best possible immersing sound experience.

Additional Dolby Headphone Related Info:

More information on Dolby Headphone Technology is available at the Dolby Headphone official website by Dolby Laboratories. 

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