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[EatChildren]

I've got some dollars saved up and work is going well, so into the new year I figured I'd treat myself to a nice set of 5.1 or 7.1 headphones for gaming. Originally I was going to buy a sweet amp and surround sound system, but given my living conditions (housemates who aren't always fond of loud bangs and booms) and the fact I game a lot on both PC and consoles, I figure a headset would get greater use and easier to move between my two setups.

Problem is I know nothing about these kinds of things, nor have I ever owned a set of gaming headphones. I've always stuck with my audio-technica set, which owns, but is quite old and taken a bit of a beating over the years, so an upgraded is in order.

Please, educate me GAF. Here's some pointers.

- I don't care if they're corded or wireless. If corded = better, more reliable audio signal, then corded all the way.
- I don't care about chatting to people, so I don't care about mic quality or if they even have one.
- Audio fidelity and quality is paramount.
- I have no idea how good headset 5.1/7.1 one actually is, and which I should chose.
- I don't want to spend AU$1000 on a fucking pair of headphones.

 

[autobzooty]

I use Logitech G35s

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O5CCQK/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Awesome sound quality, easy switch to turn on surround vs. stereo, and the microphone can be muted by raising the boom or by pressing a button the left ear piece. it also has some buttons on the ear piece which can be used to control other programs, like for music playback and stuff.

highly recommend em!

 

[Vanillalite]

Does it HAVE to have a mic, and is it going to be used with your consoles or just your PC?

 

[GraveRobberX]

I have the Turtle Beach DPX21's for my PS3, I'm enjoying them immensely

I mean GAF will come with other better suggestions, but I'm enjoying these

They cost me $129.99, MSRP is $149.99 for 7.1 Surround Sound

In Battlefield 3 they really do fucking help, almost semi-cheating, I can hear from a mile away when someone is arming the MCOM, no joke

They can be used for PC and iPods, etc too, XBOX360 also

 

[Moaradin]

I use Logitech G35s

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O5CCQK/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Awesome sound quality, easy switch to turn on surround vs. stereo, and the microphone can be muted by raising the boom or by pressing a button the left ear piece. it also has some buttons on the ear piece which can be used to control other programs, like for music playback and stuff.

highly recommend em!

I second this. I use the wireless version (G930) and the quality is great. Got mine reasonably priced in a sale too.

 

[Raitosaito]

Does it HAVE to have a mic, and is it going to be used with your consoles or just your PC?

Yeah, we need to know this.

 

[The Xtortionist]

1. Get an Astro Mixamp (astrogaming.com). This will enable any pair of headphones with Dolby Headphone 5.1 (virtual surround sound).

2. If you don't want to bother with a clip-on mic, go with Sennheiser PC360s. Great sound quality and soundstage. Good mic too.

3. If you go for the clip on mic, I'd recommend either AD700s (cheaper, immense soundstage, poor bass) or DT990s (more expensive, very slightly less soundstage than AD700s, far better bass without losing positioning).

 

[EatChildren]

Does it HAVE to have a mic, and is it going to be used with your consoles or just your PC?

As said, I don't care about mic quality or if the set even has one. I'm quite happy to buy a set with no mic at all if to save money, or because audio quality is simply better in that particular pair.

I'd mostly use it on my PC as that is where I do majority of my gaming, but would like the option of using it with my consoles to, as gaming on them at night while my housemates are asleep is easier and more enjoyable with a pair of cans. Those G35s are USB powered, so I assume they wouldn't work with my PS3? That is the console I'd be using it on, and the Wii U when it arrives next year.

 

[Woo-Fu]

If you want outboard 5.1/7.1 processing you don't want it in the headphones themselves. Get a mixamp or similar and then pair it with a good set of headphones. There is already a pretty big thread on GAF covering this, FYI.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=223562

 

[Vanillalite]

Follow the advice above then.

Grab the Astro Mix AMP for $100 which the Mix AMP itself does Dolby Headphone to give you surround through any pair of regular headphones hooked up. Plus the Mixamp works with your PC and your consoles.

Then just pick up whatever kind of headphones you want. Check out the GAF thread on headphones over in OT. For entry level cans I'd suggest Audio Technica AD-700s still (though they seem to have a higher asking price on Amazon than they use to). Decent set of cans + the mix amp would set you back somewhere between $200-$300 depending upon how much you want to spend on the headphones.

Your micless this way, but eh you said you didn't care. You could get an extra cheap mic for your PC or just use something you might already have for that.

 

[LowEndTorque]

Wireless: Astro A40's with mixamp

Wired: Sennheiser HD 550/650 with mixamp.

Do you game in a small room, bedroom or at a desk? If you game in a large room you will probably want the ease and convenience of wireless.

Wired will always give you the better overall sound quality, but that doesn't mean that wireless are bad. There are wireless options that sound fucking fantastic. Another advantage with wireless is that high end wireless headphones connect via optical cable, so you can have them simultaneously connected to several devices at once through your TV if your TV has optical out.

For example, you can have a PC, hd receiver and 3 consoles all connected to your TV at once via HDMI. All you have to do is plug the headphone receiver into your TV's optical out and the headphones will work with whatever device you happen to be using. With high quality wired headphones you will always need a standard headphone jack to plug them into. It makes the wireless ones much more versatile

 

[goodfella]

- Audio fidelity and quality is paramount.

Then stick to stereo!

Surround sound headphones are all terrible in my experience, and all really expensive for that bad quality.

 

[prettyvacant77]

My other half got me a set of Tritton AX Pro's for Christmas, pretty impressed with them so far.

Full 5.1 via separate decoder box.
4 speakers in each earpiece
Works on PC/PSN/XBL
Removable mic
In-line controls


Sound quality is surprisingly decent, I normally use Grado SR90's.

£130 in the UK, not sure about stateside prices.

 

[EatChildren]

Oh yeah, I'm an Australian.

Astro don't seem to ship to Australia.

Cuuuunuuuuuunts.

EDIT: Oh wait, they do. Cooooooool.

 

[Chittagong]

I'm super tempted by the Ear Force MW3 headset, my only hesitation is whether I can use it next gen since it has only optical in...?

Also, how does it work if my audio goes normally over HDMI to my amp? Do I just mute the amp and still hear via the headset? Can I plug it to both PS3 and 360 or just one?

So many questions

 

[Everdred]

I use Logitech G35s

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O5CCQK/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Awesome sound quality, easy switch to turn on surround vs. stereo, and the microphone can be muted by raising the boom or by pressing a button the left ear piece. it also has some buttons on the ear piece which can be used to control other programs, like for music playback and stuff.

highly recommend em!

I also have the wireless version (G930) and recommend them. I was skeptical that the surround sound would work correctly since it's simulated with 2 speakers but it really does work. You can always tell if something is behind you or the direction it's coming from.

 

[crimzonflame]

The G35s dont work on the PS3. Only the voice chat works.

 

[Tambini]

I use Logitech G35s

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O5CCQK/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Awesome sound quality, easy switch to turn on surround vs. stereo, and the microphone can be muted by raising the boom or by pressing a button the left ear piece. it also has some buttons on the ear piece which can be used to control other programs, like for music playback and stuff.

highly recommend em!

I recommend these aswell!

edit: Oh yes, they don't work with a ps3 unfortunately

 

[CoachKevin]

I am in a similar Position. I wanted to go with some wireless headphones for my new apartment. Obviously 5.1 or 7.1 would be nice. I bought some sennheiser r120s but get a noticeable hiss when there is low in game volume. Even played with my router settings.

So what does GAF recommend for wireless headphones for tv/ps3/360? Would like to stay under $200. Been looking at the turtle beach x41 headsets, but hear mixed reviews. Also I do not care about a mic.

I guess I might just have to run a 3.5mm mic extension and use my agh-50s.

 

[Sanjay]

Which Audio-Technica did you have? if you never had the ATH AD700 then get them, they are great.

 

[BeauRoger]

Was in the same situation just a few months ago. I lurked some audiophile forums and read read up on all this. What i learned is that you dont really need 5.1 headphones to get surround sound/directional sound. Everybody said to get a pair of nice stereo headphones and a soundcard with a amp built in. Its the sound card that actually makes it surround, not the headphones themselves. These "gaming" headphones rarely perform as well as stereo headphones when it comes to sound quality, and you can always just buy a mic on the side.

In the end i bought Sennheisers HD598 with a cheaper soundcard to start with, the asus xonar DG, which has a built in amp and works marvelously with headphones. You can buy a better sound card or an external amp if you plan to use it much on consoles, its really all about how much you want to spend on it.

 

[EatChildren]

Sounds like a bitchin' stereo pair and an amp are the way to go, if it perfectly emulates the surround sound effect anyway.

Which Audio-Technica did you have? if you never had the ATH AD700 then get them, they are great.

ATH-PRO5 MS. Older model, got them for a ludicrously good price, and in need of an upgrade. I'll probably keep these for when I'm out of the house, and use my new pair exclusively at home.

 

[DenogginizerOS]

The problem with using an amp is the lack of microphone. As someone who games on both PC and console and has a full 7.1 surround system, I am perfectly content with Sony's new wireless headset. When I don't need a mic, I use my Sennheiser 555s.

 

[EatChildren]

Not fussed with that. I don't do much voice chat as it is. I prefer audio quality over anything.

Pretty sure I'm going to bite the bullet on the Astro MixAmp Pro, given how good the AU$ is to the US$.

Now I just need to find myself a sick pair of cans.

 

[darkwing]

for PC/PS3, I'd say the Sony Wireless Stereo Headset

 

[CoachKevin]

for PC/PS3, I'd say the Sony Wireless Stereo Headset

I really want to get those, but I do 50% of my gaming on the 360. I guess there is no workaround to get those to work?

 

[DenogginizerOS]

I really want to get those, but I do 50% of my gaming on the 360. I guess there is no workaround to get those to work?

Unfortunately, no workaround for X360.

 

[pilonv1]

Which Audio-Technica did you have? if you never had the ATH AD700 then get them, they are great.

Can vouch for these, they're the best set of headphones I've ever used, and really comfortable if you have a larger than average head.

http://headphones.com.au/psingle?productID=178

Add them with a clip on zalman mic for $10 and it's a fantastic set.

 

[Durante]

I second (third?) the suggestion of getting a mixamp and the ATH AD700. Great soundstage, perfect for surround gaming. And pretty damn good for music as well.

 

[EatChildren]

AD700s are right on track for my budget. I'm a bit worried about the apparent poor bass though. Explosions better sound good!

Hows the sound leakage?

 

[Unai]

for PC/PS3, I'd say the Sony Wireless Stereo Headset

I just bought one of these last week. They are great, indeed. I love that it is plug and play with either PC or PS3. Unfortunately, the virtual 7.1 does not work on PC. They are also very confortable.

I also have a steelseries h5 v2 with 7.1 virtual and while it is very good too, it doesn't work with the PS3.

 

[Iztli]

I highly recommend Roccat Kave 5.1 excellent build quality and sound.


http://www.roccat.org/Products/Gaming-Sound/ROCCAT-Kave-5-1/#crb_1

 

[darkwing]

I just bought one of these last week. They are great, indeed. I love that it is plug and play with either PC or PS3. Unfortunately, the virtual 7.1 does not work on PC. They are also very confortable.

I also have a steelseries h5 v2 com 7.1 virtual and while it is very good too, it doesn't work with the PS3.

yup, the mobility and comfort is why I bought them, nothing beats taking a piss while gaming and pressing the mute button, feels gooood, it has a good range and I can take a short snack from the fridge while wearing them

 

[Ken Masters]

for PC/PS3, I'd say the Sony Wireless Stereo Headset

Got them for Christmas, love them

 

[Durante]

AD700s are right on track for my budget. I'm a bit worried about the apparent poor bass though. Explosions better sound good!

I wouldn't say the bass is "poor", but it's not up to the very high level of pretty much everything else in the 700s. But with a bit of software adjustment it's absolutely fine IMO.

Hows the sound leakage?

It's not so much "leakage" os just being completely open. So if you don't want everyone to hear exactly what you're listening to they are the wrong choice. There's a closed version, but that comes with a loss in clarity and soundstage.

One thing about the AD700s, in addition to the fantastic soundstage, is that they are the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn. I have a pretty big head, and my ears always start to hurt with in-ear and supra-aural headphones, and even some circumaural ones. But I can wear the AD700s for 10 hours without any problems.

 

[EatChildren]

It's not so much "leakage" os just being completely open. So if you don't want everyone to hear exactly what you're listening to they are the wrong choice. There's a closed version, but that comes with a loss in clarity and soundstage.

I wont be taking them out and about, so use at home means sound leakage wont be a problem for most of my gaming, but I'm worried about audio volume when late night gaming while my housemates slumber. Their bedroom is right next to the lounge room, and if the volume produced from the open set is seriously loud they'll probably hear it through their door (the chick is a super light sleeper, annoyingly so) and thus the set will defeat it's purpose.

I'm leaning towards them though. A pair of AD700 cans and Astro Mixamp Pro is smack bang in the middle of my budget and seems good value for money, given the dollar and audio quality.

 

[Kyaw]

Have you looked at the Beyerdynamic DT990 600ohm version?

Apparently they have great bass and a really open sound stage like the AD700.
You just need an amp that can power the 600ohm.

 

[Chittagong]

Do you guys think I would be better of with my current headphones and a MixAmp for 7.1 audio than one of those 7.1 headsets? Here's what I have currently:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000NDGNCS/

 

[EatChildren]

Have you looked at the Beyerdynamic DT990 600ohm version?

Apparently they have great bass and a really open sound stage like the AD700.
You just need an amp that can power the 600ohm.

I have, but it's a ~$200 price hike over the AD700, which throws my budget out.

 

[WHOAguitarninja]

Do you guys think I would be better of with my current headphones and a MixAmp for 7.1 audio than one of those 7.1 headsets? Here's what I have currently:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000NDGNCS/

Yes. Just get the mixamp and avoid the multi speaker driver headphones.

 

[intheinbetween]

well I got these Sony MDR-DS6500 headphones as a christmas present

http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/st...&storeId=10151&langId=-1&partNumber=MDRDS6500

so far I'm very pleased with them

 

[Kyaw]

I have, but it's a ~$200 price hike over the AD700, which throws my budget out.

Ah, I see then. I have the AD700s too. They are fantastic for the price and that soundstage is amazing.

 

[RazzleDazzleRB]

We JUST had thread on this with all the info you need

 

[Lostconfused]

I don't think other people hearing what you are listening to is an issue with open air headphones. A bigger concern would be you hearing all the noise around you because they don't provide sound isolation.


Also I would not recommend anyone the A700 as an alternative to the the AD700. The two pairs of headphones are very different and even in terms of comfort the closed pair loses to the open air ones by a significant margin.

 

[Sho Nuff]

Get an amp or a small box that takes optical and spits it out into Dolby Headphone. Buy the best pair of Sennheisers you can afford, I have the 555's. Your face will be rocked.

 

[Infamous Chris]

I wont be taking them out and about, so use at home means sound leakage wont be a problem for most of my gaming, but I'm worried about audio volume when late night gaming while my housemates slumber. Their bedroom is right next to the lounge room, and if the volume produced from the open set is seriously loud they'll probably hear it through their door (the chick is a super light sleeper, annoyingly so) and thus the set will defeat it's purpose.

I'm leaning towards them though. A pair of AD700 cans and Astro Mixamp Pro is smack bang in the middle of my budget and seems good value for money, given the dollar and audio quality.

AD700s and an astro mixamp are the best advice in this thread. I've used this setup for years and not only does it have an amazing soundstage, but it is like pillows are on your ears!

Buy an optical cable (doesn't come with the new mixamps) and this setup, for it's price, stomps on everything else.

Sennhiesers are an option if you're willing to spend more, however.

 

[RedNumberFive]

Got them for Christmas, love them

Same here, I absolutely love them, although they're useless with my 360.

 

[CoachKevin]

Same here, I absolutely love them, although they're useless with my 360.

Damn, I guess I could just get these and buy most of my games on the PS3, the only 360 exclusive I need to play next year is Halo 4 anyways...

I am guessing the headset works with Netflix and blu ray on the PS3 as well?

 

[Arnie]

I have the Astro A40's with the wireless mixamp and use them with my 360 and PS3. They work flawlessly. My situation is basically the same as the OP's, ie: housemates not fond of overly loud noise yet I want to get a decent enough surround sound output.

 

[SapientWolf]

I have, but it's a ~$200 price hike over the AD700, which throws my budget out.

You can get DT990s on eBay for under $200. I'm pretty sure I didn't pay more than that for my pair. It's worth the upgrade for the bass.