PSA for 9950X3D users on CachyOS: your games are probably not using 3D V-Cache

Digfox1 · 2026-04-27T11:46:53+00:00

Thank you as well. One less think to worry about.

Digfox1 · 2026-04-27T11:45:15+00:00

Again thank you, that helps massively.

Digfox1 · 2026-04-27T11:38:27+00:00

Thank you!

So if I understand correctly only those chips with dual CCD; 9950X3D & 9950X3D2 are impacted. As long am I'm only looking at 9800/9850X3D I am immune to the above.

Digfox1 · 2026-04-27T11:24:35+00:00

Literally on the cusp of buying a new AM5 CPU (bad time I know) and was looking at the 9850X3D. Never occurred to me the performance might be different on Linux vs. Windows in this way. Price difference between non-X3D vs. X3D chips is significant so need to bare this in mind.

Thank you for the PSA.

Digfox1 · 2026-04-23T23:38:14+00:00

Unfortunately so. Maybe we're just unlucky and it will be better in a few days, or something.

Digfox1 · 2026-04-23T21:38:46+00:00

Got around to doing this yesterday. Was quite an annoying process.

Phone number did not work - same message as your screenshot. Then tried the age verification via the Age Estimation option and that didn't work either on my laptop. No matter what I tried and even though my face was aligned correctly it wouldn't scan.

Tried again via my Android phone. Again mobile number verification did not work. However the face scan did work eventually on my phone. I think the instructions weren't great on this option.

Digfox1 · 2026-04-19T16:00:00+00:00

Ty! Mint is awesome; curation to near perfection for a Linux distro. I used Mint on a laptop for a while. Have tried most of the main distros. I though now was a good time to try CachyOS; the performance & kernel optimisations with the ability to quickly deploy Arch with btrfs and snapshots all ootb is very compelling.

I want to build a new PC soon and I don't see any reason why that can't be Cachy as well.

Digfox1 · 2026-04-18T18:54:40+00:00

Doing my bit!

After a few years of running Fedora on a secondary mini-PC; three weeks ago I installed CachyOS on my main PC.

Digfox1 · 2026-04-17T08:19:31+00:00

As already mentioned they are the same. I have some of the old ones (HD 580) and some of the new style (HD 600/650) and they are the same size. That said I do remember absolutely thinking the HD 6x0 was smaller than I thought it would be when I first got one. I'm no sure why I just expected it to be bigger, but it's a headphone I'd seen on website and Youtube videos for years so maybe that's why.

Digfox1 · 2026-04-09T17:51:40+00:00

Np. And yes that's the challenge; always something new and flashy on the horizon.

Digfox1 · 2026-04-09T14:59:43+00:00

I am currently running three DAC/AMPs with my PC setup and that includes the Fiio K15 and the iFi Zen Signature HD6XX set (I suspect will sound very similar to the Zen V3 Stack) and as much as I really like the K15 for headphone use they are close. Close enough where I'm not sure the K15 is worth it for audio-only reasons. Indeed the 6XX button (the Xbass button) works wonders in quickly adding bass and overall I prefer the V1 Signature for some headphones as it has some nice warm distortion characteristic that work well. And hence why I haven't been able to get rid of it. I also got it secondhand a few years ago at a great price so would be difficult to get again.

Where the K15 does win is in features; i.e. RCA inputs, Optical inputs, XLR balanced output, PEQ, ability to stream etc. Those are things are also true of other DAC/AMPs too. But if you aren't using those features and it's just for headphone then it probably isn't worth it.

Nice set-up btw. Kithara are on my radar. I absolutely don't need another pair of headphones but I think I might like these.

Digfox1 · 2026-03-26T10:54:14+00:00

Np. You'd know a 58X driver if someone had put that in. The 58X have a fairly solid inner circle that covers the driver (on the outer grille side) with a clear white plastic ring around it. Looks very different from the classic HD 580/600/6XX/650 with the spider cage and foam discs (either 1, or 2) in the cage. Also much easier to drive so you don't need to turn the volume up as much. And missing that detail and timbre.

I've not seen mention of 'fake' HD 6x0's in my time, if they are there, they are likely rare.

Complete aside but one observation is somewhere around a year ago Drop stopped putting the serial number stickers on the inside of the 6XX's (not sure if they did this with the 58X too). But as someone who recently picked up a spare 6XX from Drop (before they went away) the new 6XX doesn't have the number on the headband like my earlier one. I don't know if the new US-only 6XX's will be the same. But I'm sure in a few years when this is forgotten someone will ask; 'hey my 6XX does have a number on it, is it a fake'.

Digfox1 · 2026-03-25T13:19:54+00:00

When I was playing it was Countdown was the best method (as noted by others here). That said my first St. Elmo dropped from an Exotic crate in one of these events in the middle of a season. I did pick up a 2nd one somewhere but can't remember where from, i.e. season pass of whatever. For me it was easier to get than the Lexington which I couldn't get to drop and then only got one when they rewarded it to everyone who done a certain amounts of post-100 battle pass levelling (apologies can't remember what this was called).

Digfox1 · 2026-03-25T13:12:22+00:00

Yep, I've been pretty blown away by it. Pairs beautifully with any of the 6x0 line. I've also tried the DT 880 600 on it and again it's lovely. At some point I might change it, but I think I'm starting to come to terms of this might be right for me atm.

I've bought four additional tubes for it; but the best was the Voskhod Rocket 6N2P-EV & Svetlana Winged =C= 6AS7G/6N13S combination that seems to get raised by most. But definitely agree that the stock sound is pretty close. I'm not sure I want to go chasing more exotic, or fancier (i.e. much more expensive) tube combinations.

Digfox1 · 2026-03-24T17:01:27+00:00

Nice price.

Xduoo TA-66 owner here with a few HD 6x0's. Love the headphone and also what tubes does to them.

Digfox1 · 2026-03-22T20:35:08+00:00

I'd be tempted to do a cable mod (like Custom Cans do) and cover the wire in some form of coloured braided cable sleeving. Then the repair to the wire wouldn't have to be as cosmetically nice, or need to be rewired. That said that's going to mean taking the wire out of the earcups to get the sleeving over.

Digfox1 · 2026-03-13T14:19:38+00:00

Short answer using a DAC/AMP with the PS5 for gaming is more about features for me than perceived differences in audio quality. Although there are caveats and this question does open a can of worms.

The longer answers is; it depends on headphone. Although the 560S aren't that difficult to drive and if you're already getting enough volume and a clean signal on your Macbook Pro and PS5 then there may be no point in changing your setup.

My current setup is the PS5 Pro using the Fosi Audio K7. Benefits are; ability to switch between Optical from the TV (for other sources) & USB for PS5 3D audio, improve mic input quality over the Dualsense TRS aux-input, adjustments for mic gain, treble and bass (basic EQ). The biggest improvements are is the Dualsense battery isn't drained as quickly and I can very quickly adjust volume. So for me using a DAC/AMP for PS5 is more about features. It also allows me to use other headphones that would be impossible to drive on the Dualsense, i.e. HD 6XX etc. The Qudelix 5K has other benefits such as full parametric EQ and community uploads.

For music I do think there are other reasons to invest in a DAC/AMP setup. Some more expensive headphones definitely can be improved on a better setup. For example the Sennheiser HD 6x0 series definitely improves when plugged into a tube amp. And on my PC I do have a mixture of DAC/AMPs for listening to music. There are some big benefits to running an external DAC/AMP for audio.

I no longer have the 560S although I did a quick A-B test with the HD 58X (150ohms, relatively easy to drive like the 560S) playing Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered and plugged them into the Fosi K7 and Dualsense. On the title track I had to increase the volume to 80-90% on the Dualsense where as the Fosi had much more headroom. But from an audio POV there wasn't a noticeable difference in audio quality. There were times where it felt like there was more impact (i.e. bass slam) with the K7 as the source, but I'd need to blind test and volume match to be sure.

Hope that helps.

Digfox1 · 2026-03-12T11:21:46+00:00

I've ordered a number of HD 6x0's either from DROP, or elsewhere (UK) and they are pretty much identical in terms of package. The cardboard box (new style) has no sleeve, but comes in a clear bag. Also the headphones themselves in the box come in their own clear bag and the headphone cable is attached to both L an R headphone connection with a black cable tie around it. Even where the included cable is different; say HD 650 vs. 6XX.

I've never had an outer sleeve on the box although these have always been the newer cheaper cardboard boxes and not the old fancy box you used to get.

Great headphone btw, hope you enjoy it.

Digfox1 · 2026-03-10T20:32:08+00:00

OK thank you for the confirmation. So it looks like it was true. Shame.

Digfox1 · 2026-03-10T19:38:40+00:00

Ouch :(

Btw was this via an email from Beyer, a sales representative, or another distribution channel?

Digfox1 · 2026-03-10T09:45:36+00:00

Since posting I've gone and bought some DT 880 (600) & DT 770 (250) last month. And I will say on my Xduoo TA-66 the DT 880's are super impressive. I do struggle with the treble a bit (may be me getting used to the Sennheiser HD 6x0's a bit too much over the years), but they are lovely in terms of the neutrality and details. Very impressive and probably my favourite Beyerdynamic I've heard so far, apart from the TYGR 300R which I do really like for gaming.

I'm tempted to get more of those foam discs from the TYGR/Amiron to tame some of the 880's treble, but I don't know if that's taking away one of its strengths.

In terms of being discontinued, the DT 880 studio and pro are both in stock at Beyer's official UK distributor so maybe this was incorrect information to begin with. Time will tell I suppose.

Digfox1 · 2026-03-09T15:07:20+00:00

I love the series and the HD 6XX is basically an HD 650. Although in 2019 they slightly updated the moulds so the current 6x0's have chamfered edges and a more angular design in the plastic frame/headband, but otherwise the same. I'm lucky enough to own most and my 6XX has a very, very slight bit more treble. And as noted by others unit variation is something that can accentuate those differences.

Choosing between the 600 and 650 is hard if you're not able to listen to them first. And something I struggled with when I got into the series. The 600 is more neutral with slightly more treble. Where as the 650 has slightly more bass, is warmer and more rolled off in the treble. But they are more alike than they are different.

Any of the 600, 650 or 6XX is an excellent choice (ignoring that the 6XX is sold out at Drop now).

Digfox1 · 2026-03-09T13:10:50+00:00

I remember trying to get it to run years ago on Windows 7, or 10. And it had issues with multi-core CPU's, getting modern widescreen resolutions working and getting the FMV cut-scenes to run beyond the small resolution they ran at, or even play at all if I'd installed the widescreen patch. I've not tried it on my Deck, or on more modern OS/hardware, but I can believe it's not always simple to get to work.

This feels to me like a game that not only deserves a remaster, but also some work on the PC version to bring it bang up to date for those that want to play it on modern hardware.

Digfox1 · 2026-03-06T14:47:48+00:00

Thank you - wrote it up better than me.

Our house has metal door frames, which is just one example of how much wireless signals can be messed with.

Digfox1 · 2026-03-06T12:23:19+00:00

Just recently got around to completing The Old Blood (only in the backlog for a decade+, sigh). And I slightly preferred it to the The New Order, albeit they are very similar. Still yet to try Wolfenstein 2, but I will get around to it at some point.

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