Audio Concerns. Give your advice on Cheap and Expensive Headphones

[Streaks]

1. Give me your advice on:
a. The cheapest but good headphones/earphones/earbuds for gaming.
b. The most expensive, top-of-the-line, bleeding-edge technology, money is no object, headphones/earphones/earbuds for gaming.

c. Do mention the headphones/earphones/earbuds that you do own AND use.


"a." is more challenging. Pls. don't give me advice that this so-and-so is cheap and is a piece of cr**. Its got to still be good despite the cheap price. Case in point: the Logitech H150.

"b." should be a piece of cake. Of course I won't be able to afford most (if not all) of what you guys will say.


2. I have an Altec Lanseng speakers, 2:1 (left and right high-quality speakers and 1 subwoofer), but I cannot for the love of me configure the PC that the audio has a subwoofer. What gives? Was not like this when I was still with WinXP. I mean, the equalizer was very detailed back then during my WinXP days.

Present OS is Win7 Premium

[fezlopez]

These are great for the price, hands down:

http://www.amazon.com/Plantronics-Ga....1+plantronics

People can bash them all they want. But for $60 bucks, you get 7.1, USB plug, mic, comfy headset and big. I use them for gaming and Skype and they are clear as crystal.

[geronimo789]

Cheap: senheiser HD201

Those things are cheaper than iPhone earbuds and have excellent sound quality for the price.

Money not an object: why on earth spend a lot on headphones ? Get a good receiver and pair of speakers. I'm talking harman kardon, bose and the likes. Those silly PC speakers are nothing compared to a setup like that.

[imeem]

Originally Posted by geronimo789

Money not an object: why on earth spend a lot on headphones ? Get a good receiver and pair of speakers. I'm talking harman kardon, bose and the likes. Those silly PC speakers are nothing compared to a setup like that.

OP said for gaming

[geronimo789]

Originally Posted by imeem

OP said for gaming

So you're saying a good quality receiver/speaker set coupled with a on the fly DTS encoding sound card is bad for gaming ?

What you have is an amazing quality surround set. Sure, it won't be 'certified' by [insert random gamer name here] or have 20 flashing leds. I never understood those 'gaming' gear categories. Most of the logitech G* keyboards are meh. Some of those 'gamer' headsets are ridiculous, 500 different buttons and modes yet terrible sound quality. It's marketing at it's finest.

[Drann]

Originally Posted by geronimo789

Cheap: senheiser HD201

Those things are cheaper than iPhone earbuds and have excellent sound quality for the price.

Money not an object: why on earth spend a lot on headphones ? Get a good receiver and pair of speakers. I'm talking harman kardon, bose and the likes. Those silly PC speakers are nothing compared to a setup like that.

Quick point number 1: Bose do not make good audio equipment, at least not for the price. People tend to think it's good because they've never heard better and they've auditioned a properly setup system in a conditioned room. Things they will never have at home. There's simply better for your money out there.

As for headphones? I favour headphones over speakers for a number of reasons. One of the obvious is that I don't want to disturb neighbours. I'd also have to spend a hell of a lot more money to get speakers which sound as good as my current headphone collection. When people say "money is no object" in regard to audio, they generally have no idea of how much it can cost. I highly doubt they'd be inclined to putting together a $10,000 + speaker system. When listening to music I prefer a more intimate experience where I can relax, I don't see it as a social event. I go to see live bands for that. Go take a look at Head-Fi for more in depth reasoning behind why people use headphones over speakers in some cases. There are more articulate views than mine.

I do agree on the sound quality statement, however. If something sounds awful for music, it's going to sound awful for gaming. I've tested many 'gaming headsets' and I've yet to find a single one which doesn't sound terrible compared to comparable stereo headphones. Add a cheap Xonar DG to the mix for Dolby Headphone and you've emulated surround that's just as good (if not better) as most of the 'Gaming Headsets' people buy.

[Streaks]

Originally Posted by Drann

Quick point number 1: Bose do not make good audio equipment, at least not for the price. People tend to think it's good because they've never heard better and they've auditioned a properly setup system in a conditioned room. Things they will never have at home. There's simply better for your money out there.

As for headphones? I favour headphones over speakers for a number of reasons. One of the obvious is that I don't want to disturb neighbours. I'd also have to spend a hell of a lot more money to get speakers which sound as good as my current headphone collection. When people say "money is no object" in regard to audio, they generally have no idea of how much it can cost. I highly doubt they'd be inclined to putting together a $10,000 + speaker system. When listening to music I prefer a more intimate experience where I can relax, I don't see it as a social event. I go to see live bands for that. Go take a look at Head-Fi for more in depth reasoning behind why people use headphones over speakers in some cases. There are more articulate views than mine.

I do agree on the sound quality statement, however. If something sounds awful for music, it's going to sound awful for gaming. I've tested many 'gaming headsets' and I've yet to find a single one which doesn't sound terrible compared to comparable stereo headphones. Add a cheap Xonar DG to the mix for Dolby Headphone and you've emulated surround that's just as good (if not better) as most of the 'Gaming Headsets' people buy.

I actually have an idea how expensive good audio headphones are. And yes, I am aware that the "gaming" tagline for audio equipment is marketing at best. It's like those "high-tech" protein and food supplements marketed for bodybuilders. Those costs a ton. I could actually just go for a good nutritionally balanced home-cooked meal whose ingredients you get during grocery-time. More good food for less money.

I should have left out the word "gaming". But what I meant by that is headphones/earphones/earbuds that will be used for gaming. I don't care if its the kind that is marketed for audio-engineers or casual music-lovers.

Originally Posted by geronimo789

So you're saying a good quality receiver/speaker set coupled with a on the fly DTS encoding sound card is bad for gaming ?

What you have is an amazing quality surround set. Sure, it won't be 'certified' by [insert random gamer name here] or have 20 flashing leds. I never understood those 'gaming' gear categories. Most of the logitech G* keyboards are meh. Some of those 'gamer' headsets are ridiculous, 500 different buttons and modes yet terrible sound quality. It's marketing at it's finest.

20 flashing leds. Ha! Yeah, that's so true.

Originally Posted by imeem

OP said for gaming

Its ok if it is not "gaming". Audio is audio.

[Vonje]

Originally Posted by Streaks

Its ok if it is not "gaming". Audio is audio.

Headphone audio is not the same as speaker audio.

[Streaks]

Originally Posted by Vonje

Headphone audio is not the same as speaker audio.

Yes. But you are missing the point. Audio is audio, meaning one's sense of hearing. Why on earth would I want a pair of good head/earphones when I have an old but great-sounding Altec Lanseng speakers FOR FREE?

Why? Because for games like F.E.A.R. where atmospherics play a big role, like ghostly whispers and such that you cannot hear well through speakers, you would probably want a good pair of head/earphones too.

Speakers and head/earphones are not the same, true. For one speakers are safer than headphones. The human ear is just not build to be cusped where the air surrounding the head does not "cushion the soundwaves" at all, etc. But then I am going beyond the point.

[Drann]

Assuming you don't have a soundcard, you could pick up a Xonar DG for certain benefits (such as dolby headphone and an entry/low end headphone amp, but don't expect it to power the cans I mention 'needing' an amp after this point) for as little as 20 bucks. For a decent pair of headphones which don't require a headphone amp, you could look at the DT770 Pro 80ohm. A lot of people I know speak highly of them for music and games. I couldn't get away with them personally, but that's not to say you wouldn't like them. The DT880 250 ohm are a step up from these, but will require amplification.

Personally speaking I prefer the Sennheiser sound, and currently use a pair of HD650's. They sound fantastic, although they don't blow your head off with bass the way some headphones do - but are a good deal more expensive and will require a headphone amp. That said, the Rog Phoebus and the Xonar Essence are soundcards with built in amps that can power them. You can also get a Filo E9 for under the 100 mark which will power them.

Another option for a similar (albeit not as refined or detailed) sound to the HD650's without breaking the bank would be the HD558 or HD598, neither of which require an amp.

Yet another option would be the D2000's - but again you're looking at needing an amp. Great sounding headphones from my limited experience of them, as closed back go they're hard to beat. I tend to prefer open, so I've not much experience with them outside of auditioning a pair for a week or so.

You could also look at some AD700's, more of an entry level headphone cost-wise, but with a great soundstage. Brilliant for gaming, but I found them a little boring to listen too. For the 20-30 bucks more I'd probably splash out on the ATH-M50 by the same company (Audio Technica).

It really depends on what you're after and just how much you are willing to spend. There's a fair list above, I'd suggest looking some reviews up to see what appeals. Maybe go to head-fi.org and ask this question, as they're better equipped than most here (including myself) to answer.

I've other headphones, such as Grado's - but I wouldn't really recommend them for gaming personally. They're also like marmite (Love / Hate) so I wont list too much here, but you can get the Alessandro MS1i for an entry level price. Which is essentially a tweaked Grado 125i (Only a good deal cheaper). The Alessandro's aren't as fatiguing as the straight up Grado's, so I find it's a good introduction to the Grado sound. Don't get me wrong, some people like them for gaming. They're worth a look.

Edit: For an idea of top-tier no expenses barred equipment, take a look at this article: http://gizmodo.com/5925746/the-best-...ium=socialflow

Also remember that almost everything there will need the right equipment to run it. You couldn't just plug it into the back of your onboard sound.

[skippy72294]

I'm personally running a pair of Sennheiser HD 280 pro's on my laptop's standard soundcard. These things are ♥♥♥♥♥♥ic to listen too.... they're not like "BASS!!!!" but they don't lack it either, if you crank the bass up in the EQ you can rattle your brain in your head. If money were no problem, I'd get a pair of HD 800's by Sennheiser.

[mmstick]

Originally Posted by Drann

Assuming you don't have a soundcard, you could pick up a Xonar DG for certain benefits (such as dolby headphone) for as little as 20 bucks. For a decent pair of headphones which don't require a headphone amp, you could look at the DT770 Pro 80ohm. A lot of people I know speak highly of them for music and games. I couldn't get away with them personally, but that's not to say you wouldn't like them. The DT880 250 ohm are a step up from these, but will require amplification.

Personally speaking I prefer the Sennheiser sound, and currently use a pair of HD650's. They sound fantastic, although they don't blow your head off with bass the way some headphones do - but are a good deal more expensive and will require a headphone amp. That said, the Rog Phoebus and the Xonar Essence are soundcards with built in amps that can power them. You can also get a Filo E9 for under the 100 mark which will power them.

Another option for a similar (albeit not as refined or detailed) sound to the HD650's without breaking the bank would be the HD558 or HD598, neither of which require an amp.

Yet another option would be the D2000's - but again you're looking at needing an amp. Great sounding headphones from my limited experience of them, as closed back go they're hard to beat. I tend to prefer open, so I've not much experience with them outside of auditioning a pair for a week or so.

You could also look at some AD700's, more of an entry level headphone cost-wise, but with a great soundstage. Brilliant for gaming, but I found them a little boring to listen too. For the 20-30 bucks more I'd probably splash out on the ATH-M50 by the same company (Audio Technica).

It really depends on what you're after and just how much you are willing to spend. There's a fair list above, I'd suggest looking some reviews up to see what appeals. Maybe go to head-fi.org and ask this question, as they're better equipped than most here (including myself) to answer.

AD700 arent very good, I use a Creative Recon3D PCIE sound card with an Audio Technica ATH-A700X and a zalman clip on microphone, sound quality is far superior to an AD700. As for gaming headsets, why bother? All gaming headsets sound like crap, I've used tons of them, G35, G930, Creative SB Sigma, Creative Fatal1ty, etc, nothing beats a sound card with a good pair of headphones and a zalman clip. If you buy cheap, you might as well be buying garbage, and I don't advise buying garbage, garbage tends to fall apart fast.

[Drann]

Originally Posted by mmstick

AD700 arent very good, I use a Creative Recon3D PCIE sound card with an Audio Technica ATH-A700X and a zalman clip on microphone, sound quality is far superior to an AD700. As for gaming headsets, why bother? All gaming headsets sound like crap, I've used tons of them, G35, G930, Creative SB Sigma, Creative Fatal1ty, etc, nothing beats a sound card with a good pair of headphones and a zalman clip. If you buy cheap, you might as well be buying garbage, and I don't advise buying garbage, garbage tends to fall apart fast.

They're not my cup of tea either, but some people seem to like them. You can get them for under the 100 mark if you shop around a little, being as why I suggested them. I'd rate them higher than any of the 'gaming headsets' advertised, as you said nothing beats a good pair of stereo headphones.

There are 'some' headsets (headphone/mic) which aren't terrible. Senni PC350/360's for exmple. Or the Beyerdynamic MMX 300, which is essentially a pair of DT770's with a mic attatched. Cheaper to buy the headphones and mic seperate really, but still - they don't sound terrible. The issue is more cost for what you get in those cases.

That said, I don't know why you're addressing me in the same paragraph you talk about entry level headphones in regard to cheap headsets - not a single item mentioned was anything other than quality stereo headphones.

[imeem]

Originally Posted by geronimo789

So you're saying a good quality receiver/speaker set coupled with a on the fly DTS encoding sound card is bad for gaming ?

What you have is an amazing quality surround set. Sure, it won't be 'certified' by [insert random gamer name here] or have 20 flashing leds. I never understood those 'gaming' gear categories. Most of the logitech G* keyboards are meh. Some of those 'gamer' headsets are ridiculous, 500 different buttons and modes yet terrible sound quality. It's marketing at it's finest.

The reason i said that because some people prefer gaming with headphones over speakers.

[cereal3]

Grado Sr80i