All you with headphones but no Dolby Headphone Processing

[Gordon Moore]

Okay so the wife constantly tells you to put on the "cans" so as not to wake her or the kids. I like my headphones but I got a taste of the Dolby Headphone track on Perl Harbour and began my quest for a receiver that incorporated this algorithm. Well I settled on a Panny Digital Amp...but no Dolby Headphone. Damn .

Still looking....I hunted around for a stand alone processor that might offer Dolby Headphone....they're out there but too expensive for my budget.

Thrustmaster to the rescue
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Thrustmaaster????? The PC game controller guys :scratchhead:

Yup, you got it. Enter the Thrustermaster 510. DD and Dolby Headphone processing on the cheap...like $120 US :thud:

Read many reviews and it seems to work just fine. It holds the one technology I need and bridges between the Player/or receiver to the headphone. It has some downsides in that it's battery operated and a little cheap looking (and I can't find it in Canada yet).... but I thought I'd pass this on for anyone in the same situation and on budget.

http://us.thrustmaster.com/products/d_prd.php?p=T176

# Dolby® Digital / Dolby® Pro Logic II / Dolby® Headphone decoder / amplifier box: the first portable unit ! Direct connection to “Optical/S/PDIF
# 1 High quality, ergonomic Thrustmaster headphones
# Dual Headphones connectors (to connect a second set of headphones-0.5m)
# 2 AAA rechargeable batteries + AC adapter for unlimited use
# RCA to stereo cable (2.5 m)
# 2 optical cables (2.5m and 0.5m)
# Optical /S / PDIF adapter
# Female RCA to female 3.5mm Jack cable
# Xbox to SCART cable with optical input (1.9m)
# Pouch and belt clip to safely transport the decoder: enjoy surround sound anytime, anywhere.

Review
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http://gear.ign.com/articles/583/583114p1.html

[Gordon Moore]

Update to this....

Creative has demonstrated a competiting product....no details to be found yet other than it will offer a similar feature set and no price announced....

Keep an eye out for the HQ-2300D coming soon :T

[GregoriusM]

Hmmmm.... I'd love to have DH on my receiver.

[Gordon Moore]

As a side note, it looks like reports say that these little processors don't tie you to the headphones that come with the unit....though I can make use of a second set, since I want to keep the kids away from the Senns :T

I have to figure this will come in for around $150 CDN though it'd be nice if they offered the processor without the headphones....but I'm sure it'll be part and parcel. I can live with that....it beats buying a dedicated processor....which usually run $700 or more, but offer wireless.... could care less about that anymore. :T

[Chris D]

Hmmm.... wonder if these introduce any sound degradation to the signal, though?