Gaming headphones

[Triton-00]

hey all. i was JUST about to buy a 5.1 gaming headset when i stumbled on here for some research through google.you guys saved me from a terrible purchase and i thank this community for that.

so with that being said i still need a good pair of gaming headphones. my budget is ~$50 - ~$150. i'm looking for a good solid recommendation.

i've seen people recommend the audio-technica ATH-AD700 which looks good but is the closed version ear better than the open ear? why\why not? and how do these compare to the SENNHEISER HD555?

i read the headphones forum on here but i'm just not sure which one to pick i would like some experienced, logical opinions on why i should buy the ones you recommend.
also what would be a good clip on microphone.

i'd prefer to order this stuff at newegg.com but if the price is alot cheaper somewhere else let me know too.

THANKS AGAIN!!

[Aynjell]

hey all. i was JUST about to buy a 5.1 gaming headset when i stumbled on here for some research through google.you guys saved me from a terrible purchase and i thank this community for that.

so with that being said i still need a good pair of gaming headphones. my budget is ~$50 - ~$150. i'm looking for a good solid recommendation.

i've seen people recommend the audio-technica ATH-AD700 which looks good but is the closed version ear better than the open ear? why\why not? and how do these compare to the SENNHEISER HD555?

i read the headphones forum on here but i'm just not sure which one to pick i would like some experienced, logical opinions on why i should buy the ones you recommend.
also what would be a good clip on microphone.

i'd prefer to order this stuff at newegg.com but if the price is alot cheaper somewhere else let me know too.

THANKS AGAIN!!

The default recommendation around here and mirrored by myself is the Audio Technica ATH-AD700. Some may recommend 5.1 still, but if you want the best of the best and want a good headphone for music AND gaming that'll beat what any 5.1 headset can do... To order these headphones, I'd recomend ordering off of amazon, as they are cheapest there.

http://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATH-AD700-Audiophile-Headphones-Neodymium/dp/B000CMS0XU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1257975657&sr=8-1

As an addition to the purchase, amazon will give you 5$ worth of audio downloads, that's 5 mp3's in most cases. Plus you get free shipping. Some of teh best headphones for 85$, free shipping and mp3's for free to boot? That's a steal.

I also found I enjoyed Grado SR80i's for gaming. They're a bit more, and lack a bit of headstage, but seemed to be more fun and engaging, more imminent and more demanding of my attention. It's easy to get lost in the ATH's, the Grado's, I seem to have more fun with.

http://www.amazon.com/Grado-Prestige-SR80i-Stereo-Headphone/dp/B000G3LCQC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1257975761&sr=1-1

A step down is the SR60i, with seemingly no real downside to saving the 20$, they are lower end, but they should sound about the same for the uninitiated. I'd go with either.

http://www.amazon.com/Grado-Prestige-SR-60i-Padded-Headphones/dp/B0006DPMU4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1257975761&sr=1-2

What type of headphone are you looking for?

Also, if you want a mic, look no further:

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1768

This here is the last mic you need.

BTW, the AT's are here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826402014&Tpk=ATH-AD700


Closed usually means more front row sound, and beefier bass. Also they don't have to drive the drivers as hard to get the same amount of sound. More Private.
Open usually means more open and spacious sound, and flatter response. Also they have to drive it a bit harder due to the sound leakage. Less private.

[jingiko]

im in the same boat as you. I just recieved my Tritton ax pro 5.1 headphones at newegg for $155 and they're garbage.

I sent them back for RMA.
I ordered the Astro A40 with separate mixer

www.astrogaming.com

kinda pricey but hopefully its well worth the money.

Before that im using the Technics RP-DJ1200 which has incredible bass, which helps add to the realism of cod and l4d rounds. but the drawback was no 5.1.
A lot of DJs use them so they get bumped around a lot and still no flaws for an entire year.

[chrome-187]

those astrogaming headphones look cool as hell...too bad i dont have the $$$ for them =/ ...maybe i'll ask for them for xmas... let me know how they work out for you jing...pm me or somethin..im interested

[Aynjell]

im in the same boat as you. I just recieved my Tritton ax pro 5.1 headphones at newegg for $155 and they're garbage.

I sent them back for RMA.
I ordered the Astro A40 with separate mixer

www.astrogaming.com (http://www.astrogaming.com)

kinda pricey but hopefully its well worth the money.

Before that im using the Technics RP-DJ1200 which has incredible bass, which helps add to the realism of cod and l4d rounds. but the drawback was no 5.1.
A lot of DJs use them so they get bumped around a lot and still no flaws for an entire year.

If those fail you, try the ath's.

[tweakboy]

Look @ my sig. It's all about Razer ... decision made!

[AngelicPenguin]

I've really liked these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104281&cm_re=g35-_-26-104-281-_-Product

Best Buy has them for $99 right now

Since it's USB, I use those for gaming, and can leave these plugged in for music:
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-V6-Monitor-Headphones-Voice/dp/B00001WRSJ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1258571561&sr=8-1

[Aynjell]

Look @ my sig. It's all about Razer ... decision made!

Razer headphones are terrible. Uncomfortable to wear and terrible sound, and the "5.1" doesn't help anything anyway.

[nightelph]

I'm using a Razer Carcharias headset, very comfy.

[four4875]

I'd love to hear some 5.1 headphones with the 'bumble bee' test that some onboards (is it realtek) have. I know that with speakers behind me it sounds pretty awesome how you can hear the sound moving around your head. I'd like to see (hear) how the 5.1 headphones sound trying to reproduce that.

I find it rather humorous when someone repeatedly suggests a product line in every discussion on the topic that comes up, and everyone else with experience and familiarity with reputable, well known products say that the recommended product is junk. When the person continually suggests the same product line time and time again, I think 'Hmm.. this guy either has a financial interest in the success of these products, or he has bought them and either doesnt know any better and thinks they're great, or is trying to convince himself that he made a good purchase by hoping someone else will buy the product against the advice of the majority and be satisfied with it'

either way, It gets a little old seeing someone keep it up like that. I can't personally comment on who's right and who's wrong when I've never used the product in question, but I have pay more attention to the advice of the group of many rather than the single guy who's in disagreeance with them

sorry to the OP for my off topic ramblings, I know it does almost no good towards the questions asked, aside from maybe someone commenting on the bumble bee test on surround phones.

[deed]

Razer headphones are terrible. Uncomfortable to wear and terrible sound, and the "5.1" doesn't help anything anyway.

I tried tons of headphones and found the steel series 5h v2 to be the best for the price.... I have used 4 of the same kind but only 2 of them sounded good almost like 1/2 of all made have sound issues... if you get a good one there great.

[jhanby]

I tried tons of headphones and found the steel series 5h v2 to be the best for the price.... I have used 4 of the same kind but only 2 of them sounded good almost like 1/2 of all made have sound issues... if you get a good one there great.

Tons of headphones ?

Any decent Stereo ones ?

[fldrice]

The ATH-AD700 is your best option at < $100 range. "Surround" headphones try to use algorithms to enhance soundstage and positioning. However, any stereo headphone with a large soundstage and decent positioning will achieve similar, if not better (less artificial), results as "surround" headphones. At the end of the day, you have to remember that "surround" sound originally implies the use of multiple speakers to reproduce positional audio within a room; headphones are by nature stereo (two speakers strapped to your head).