Solid Gaming Headphones?

damage-_-inc · **Solid Gaming Headphones? -** 10-30-2009, 10:52 | posts: 109 | User is Offline

I'm looking for a high end headphone for those late night gaming sessions and for music as well.

Some things to note:
I have onboard sound
I'm a n00bie
I would like a mic attached to the headphones

A lot of people in the game I play recommend SteelSeries 5h and I'm not sure if they are worth the price tag. On that note, I don't have a price tag, but I want to get what I paid for.

Julepalme · 10-30-2009, 11:00 | posts: 205 | Location: Denmark | User is Offline

Sennheiser PC350

Sure they are costly.. but they are in my opinion the best quality headphones/mic on the market today..

They do work best if you have a setup with a headphone preamplifier.. 350ohm speakers.

If you dont have this.. you could always buy a PC161 setup.. more cost efficient and still very good for gaming.. decent for music

damage-_-inc · 10-30-2009, 11:05 | posts: 109 | User is Offline

Thanks for the fast reply! I should have mentioned that my computer is stock with the sound. Meaning, I don't have speakers, no soundcard, nothing fantasy at all. I actually have some Boss Speakers that I can hook up that has a subwoofer, but I don't have a clue when it comes to sound stuff.

But what I'm really looking for is a high end set. The best build quality and awesome for music and gaming.

Black_ice_Spain · **Memory**: 4gb Kingston 900 5-5-5-10

If you want best quality go senheiser

Im using zalman "5.1" ones (they were 40€ shipping included), they are working well during 1year (and still working

) and im happy, since im not very good at hearing sounds. and they include a nice microphone (its one like those in tv which you put in your shirt)

i would buy a sound card. integrated ones are

Or USB headphones, but nothing as sound card + good headphones.

Good headphones with integranted sound card = almost crap.
Good sound card with crap headphones = crap.
Usb headphones = pse.... normal
Good headphones+good card =

GenClaymore · 10-30-2009, 11:49 | posts: 3,007 | Location: Michigan,usa | User is Offline

I would suggest these http://www.amazon.com/Ultrasone-HFI-...6931668&sr=8-1 no there natural surround meaning the send the sound into the ears in the way you hear in real life.

Then I will also suggest the AD700 which are also under 100. Then use a clip on mic like a zalman mic or some other clip on mic.

Both of these headphones will work with your onboard audio.But I also suggest you grab a cheap sound card like a Auzentech X-radier which is 50ish or a asus D1 which i seeing on newegg openbox as 57 if its still there.

I have used the AD700 for gaming my self in the past it has a huge sound stage and it will work very well for gaming.

damage-_-inc · 10-30-2009, 14:31 | posts: 109 | User is Offline

I never owned a soundcard before.... do they really make THAT much of a big difference?

How often do new soundcards come out? If it is slower then the rate of new graphic cards then I might just decide to get a high end soundcard and a good pair of headphones.

And if I don't get a sound card and just get some headphones, do I have to make sure they work well without a sound card?

Sorry for the noob questions and thanks in advance.

GenClaymore · *Last edited by GenClaymore; 10-30-2009 at 14:48.*

Yes it does, most people think it doesn't til they go and buy one and go "why didn't i do this sooner" Yea Sound card tech is slower then graphics card tech.

If you do I suggest the Asus Xonar STX if you can afford it , it does have a headphone amp on the card, But it does cost 199,I think Zipzoomfly is selling it for 170ish, I forgot.

But if you cant afford it then I also Suggest the Auzentech Forte since it has a headphone amp to. but some people are having mic issues with the forte since you mention to want to use a mic but there are people that isnt so i cant tell you if you will have the mic issue or not, the forte is $139. The Xonar D1 is $89 dollars,but the STX/ST is a step put up in sound quailty and has a headphone amp.

if you prefer to have a creative chip set card the Forte, if you dont then the Asus Xonars.X-FI chipset cards gives you eax3-4 and real eax5, while Xonars can emulate eax5. Some games the emu isnt perfect while others it is. I only had one game where it wasn't.

Ultrasone HFI-550 is 90ish on amazon,Sennisher HD555 is like 90ish also, the AD700 should be 80 but lacks as much bass as the other two headphones i mention but makes up for it with its huge sound stage.

SolidBladez

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julepalme

Sennheiser PC350

Sure they are costly.. but they are in my opinion the best quality headphones/mic on the market today..

Damn that headset is very sexy. Might upgrade my Steelsound 4H to that.

oatey4519 · 10-30-2009, 15:05 | posts: 128 | Location: Cambs, Uk | User is Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julepalme

Sennheiser PC350

Sure they are costly.. but they are in my opinion the best quality headphones/mic on the market today..

They do work best if you have a setup with a headphone preamplifier.. 350ohm speakers.

If you dont have this.. you could always buy a PC161 setup.. more cost efficient and still very good for gaming.. decent for music

+1 for these!! PC350
Awesome
So comfortable and sound great in gaming and music

Got mine from Amazon £119

damage-_-inc · 10-30-2009, 16:46 | posts: 109 | User is Offline

I think I'm going to get a sound card and see what it's like. My only gripe is that it must be simple to install and all that. I'm such a noob I freak out when something doesn't work out of the box. If I have to play around on settings for hours then that item isn't for me. Again, I'm a huge noob. Is the installation process as simple as installing a graphics card? Any opinions, thoughts, suggestions would do a ton for a first time sound card buyer. Thanks again.

Seketh · *Last edited by Seketh; 10-30-2009 at 17:08.*

Quote:

Originally Posted by damage-_-inc

I think I'm going to get a sound card and see what it's like. My only gripe is that it must be simple to install and all that. I'm such a noob I freak out when something doesn't work out of the box. If I have to play around on settings for hours then that item isn't for me. Again, I'm a huge noob. Is the installation process as simple as installing a graphics card? Any opinions, thoughts, suggestions would do a ton for a first time sound card buyer. Thanks again.

Be sure to do lot's of research. Sound cards have pretty much peaked in terms of audio quality, so you're buying one for the long run.

Hell, audio technology pretty much peaked in the analogue times. Believe in me, digital is not better. It's just more convenient.

Headphones with the best quality? Pioneer HDJ2000. They are also very comfortable. They're very expensive though.

Just have this in mind, you will not need a new sound card, if you don't also invest in proper speakers or headphones.

Why? It's simple, the quality gained by a new sound card will be supressed by low-quality headphones or speakers.

Postalisback

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seketh

Just have this in mind, you will not need a new sound card, if you don't also invest in proper speakers or headphones.

Why? It's simple, the quality gained by a new sound card will be supressed by low-quality headphones or speakers.

Yup, although sound is such a subjective thing that I wouldn't be willing to say there is a headphone with the "best quality".

I use Beyerdynamic DT 150 headphones running straight out of my X-Fi Prelude and am looking forward to the day when I can upgrade my source.

GenClaymore · *Last edited by GenClaymore; 10-30-2009 at 17:46.*

The thing with that is, you cant say theres a best headphone. Theres no best headphone, but there are better headphones. or headphones with diffent sound sig then this headphone. Because people will perfer headphones with a diffent sound sig then one that another person prefer.

TeX_UK · 10-30-2009, 18:34 | posts: 1,277 | Location: Geordie Land | User is Offline

If you want real high end & dont mind spending a bit more then beyerdynamic is what you need.I own 3 sets the old DT 411 open studio cans & the old DT 990 closed studio cans & MMX 2 gaming headset with a broadcast quality mic as used buy the likes of sky tv.When I use them with my Yamaha DSP-A3090 playing music even at max volume theres no distortion at all just crystal clear

.

http://shop.beyerdynamic.de/oxid.php...t/tpl/-/lang/1

terente0081 · 10-31-2009, 06:25 | posts: 43 | Location: romania | User is Offline

I suggest a good sound card first. There's no point in getting high end headphones if your sound card is not good. Get the Asus Essence ST/STX and don't look back. EAX is almost dead since Vista, so you don't need to look for EAX compatible cards.

Dual Core

Sound cards do make a massive difference in sound, but its no good listening to it through some old bean cans.
Asus D2X is ok for music/movies.
If its for gaming use a Creative extreme gamer x-fi, it has different modes game/movies/creation modes.
In games i turn all the base off and turn the treble up makes it easier to hear footsteps etc when playing fps shooters. theres loads of headsets to choose from to. ive got a pair of Fatal1ty headsets.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...coffeeuk114-21

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/127553...FUtp4wodcmm3MA
If you are going to get a soundcard and trust me they are by far better than onboard sound or cheap sound cards, and you need a nice set of headphone. dont get the ones with base reverve it will only give you a headache.
Cheap set Fatal1ty designed for gaming and there are plenty more out there and probely are better but its all about personal opion.
About £100 should get you a good set up card and headset.