*TPU's Gaming Headphone/Headset Thread*

[Kursah]

This thread starts and stops whenever it likes, and people head over to Head-fi for better news, reviews and stuff.

Yep this thread was inspired by my experiences at Head-Fi and my willingness to share it here on TPU seeing as noone else had done anything close to what this thread started as or has become. Thanks to all those that have donated their experiences, and I plan to add some more in the future. This is thread starts and stops when someone needs help finding headphones/headsets, though at the end of the day this is a hard topic because of so many variables from source, ears, listening preference, driving power, etc...it may be a humble effort, but I figured it would be better than nothing at all.

 

[n-ster]

better this way than scattered threads about headphones once every 2 months

 

[Frederik S]

Please remember that we actually have one headphone related review per two weeks on average: Review section - Headphones filter on

 

[Kursah]

Please remember that we actually have one headphone related review per two weeks on average: Review section - Headphones filter on

Please remember, that I have also linked TPU's headphone reviews by our very own Frederik S in at the top spot in my review listings detailed on the OP review grid: *TPU's Headphone/Headset Thread ORIGINAL POST*

 

[motasim]

... firstly; thank you Kursah, and all the guys for the nice effort ...

... I have a question for the experts; I'm building an HTPC gaming rig and I'm not sure which sound card to get. Main use is gaming ( in which case it'll be paired with Sennheiser PC 360 G4ME headset) and watching Blu-ray movies (in which case it'll be paired with a surround sound-bar type speakers [Yamaha YSP-2200 Digital Sound Projector]), I'm considering many sound cards but quite inclined to go with Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD, what do you think guys? ...

 

[Count Shagula]

Has anyone tried a ASUS Xonar Essence STX + Shure SRH840 Combo? If so what was/is it like price to performance wise?

I dont have any Shure cans. I do have many Senns 555/595/650/598 coming in the mail, some AT's and BeyerD's. All sound absolutely stunning when connected to the STX. Love this soundcard

 

[-1nf1n1ty-]

dont forget to try out your headphones in the virtual barber shop!

http://www.noob.us/entertainment/amazing-digital-surround-sound-virtual-barbershop/

 

[raptori]

dont forget to try out your headphones in the virtual barber shop!

http://www.noob.us/entertainment/amazing-digital-surround-sound-virtual-barbershop/

epic, amazing, perfect

 

[motasim]

... firstly; thank you Kursah, and all the guys for the nice effort ...

... I have a question for the experts; I'm building an HTPC gaming rig and I'm not sure which sound card to get. Main use is gaming ( in which case it'll be paired with Sennheiser PC 360 G4ME headset) and watching Blu-ray movies (in which case it'll be paired with a surround sound-bar type speakers [Yamaha YSP-2200 Digital Sound Projector]), I'm considering many sound cards but quite inclined to go with Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD, what do you think guys? ...

... ehmmmm ... guys? ...

 

[Fourstaff]

... ehmmmm ... guys? ...

Eh, you missed my earlier post? (about how this thread is slow)

While I don't have much experience on recommending sound cards, I would stay away from Creative unless you are fine with frustration, something along the lines of Claro XT? or Asus Xonar Essence/D2x?

 

[Kursah]

Meh...many people say they're frustrated with Creative cards...I honestly haven't had that much frustration with lower to mid-end creative cards, but had heard about a ton of bad about the first gen PCI-e Creative cards. Not so much now-a-days with people I know and work with on builds. There is plenty to search for here on the forums motasim, along with your own thread. This thread is more about headphones as the primary topic more than anything (hence the title ), not really set towards speakers or sound cards.

But I do highly recommend the Auzen X-Fi Forte for it's solid use of Creative's X-Fi chip and drivers, and adding a dedicated and moddable headphone amplifier. It's a solid performer, solid drivers and fairly spendy if you can find one...but worth every penny for someone like me that uses it on a daily basis, be it music, movies or games. Auzen, Asus and Creative all make good cards, but I will say it seems Auzen and Asus provide more bang for the buck. It also seems Asus is more towards the Music listeners and Auzen is more towards the gamers. There are actually quite a few good options out there, but even getting a used Creative X-Fi Xtreme Music (read my reviews in the OP), it'll make a HUGE difference between onboard audio...though with speakers..that I cannot answer as I rarely use my Logitech X-230 2.1 speakers...and the sub has the speaker amp...so it's a pretty simple unit, but sounds pretty good with eq tuning and get's the job done when I need more than headphones.

Hope that helps man! But please next time, keep in mind this thread is for headphones, that's what I dedicated it to...and yes it is slow for that reason as Fourstaff pointed out..hopefully we'll start seeing more TPU user headphone reviews submitted, but if not the OP has plenty of links to getcha going if you decide to take the headphone route.

 

[majestic12]

... ehmmmm ... guys? ...

The PC360 doesn't have the toughest of requirements to get a lot out of it. It's a combination of low-impedance (50ohms?) and high sensitivity (112dB+/-) which should be fine with most any sound card, but the standard for higher quality usually leads one to the Xonar Essence line. I think I recommended the used X-fi that was offered for cheap, because if it doesn't work well, you can always sell it for what you paid and get something better.

 

[MT Alex]

How do all of you keep your cans when not in use? I just leave them lying on my desk, but I can see how that may eventually make them misshapen. I have seen pics of people that have mannequin heads to keep them on, but that seems a little bit much.

 

[Kursah]

I use those 3m wall hooks with the command removable strips to hang them. Works out very well..some guys on Head Fi use bananna hangers, etc. It's just nice to keep the headphones off my desk and outta the way when I don't use them, granted I also have a lot of other crap on my desk lol so it's just one more layer that needs cleared off.

 

[MT Alex]

Thanks for the good idea, the command hook works great. Plus I hung my wife's broom in the closet with one of the others

 

[Mussels]

Thanks for the good idea, the command hook works great. Plus I hung my wife's broom in the closet with one of the others


http://img.techpowerup.org/101202/003.jpg

i tend to just have my hanging like this

 

[n-ster]

i tend to just have my hanging like this

http://img.techpowerup.org/101202/Capture122.jpg

I am now using this method thanks to you Never thought of it... you'd think they'd fall but they don't at all

 

[MT Alex]

That just blew my mind. Works smashingly.

 

[-1nf1n1ty-]

Im going to put you guys to work lol. My friend wants a headset for gaming, but he mainly wants it for music he listens to a LOT of music thats actually how his first headset died he turns it up really loud and listens to music. I showed him a couple of headphones and gaming headsets and he still doesnt know I'd name you all what I showed him but I dont remember most of them. price range is about 150 nothing more than that good luck guys! And thanks for the huge help.

Headphones I've showed him:
AD700
HD555
Astro Gaming Headset
Tritton 5.1
This is all I can remember

 

[xBruce88x]

here's another pair to show him... http://store.razerzone.com/store/ra...parentCategoryID.35096300/categoryId.40856100

what's his budget...

as for where i put my cans... i usually have my comp "wear" them when not in use lol. They're a set of White-Westinghouse WHP-2024. They have pretty good sound and great bass.

 

[majestic12]

I'm waiting on the Mrs. to make me some headphone stands out of stained glass. Until then, I'm keeping the headphones I use the most on the top level of my desk.

 

[Crap Daddy]

This is my first post here. It's a great forum and I visit daily, since I quit drinking three years ago I developed a strage interest in al things PC plus my son is an avid gamer (he's 15 now). That a very short intro and now on to this topic. We have a pair of Roccat Kave (headset with detachable mic) which are 5.1 "real" which means they are fed by 4 jacks analogue straight from the soundcard (Asus Xonar D1, the one which is PCI compared to Xonar DX which is PCI- E otherwise they are the same soundcards). Since we live in Europe and Roccat is a company from Germany it is easier to find these here. High quality product, leather and aluminium, solid, great design and finish but most of all they sound great in 5.1 games and movies. Very good reviews out there, if you want to check others more specialised than me. For music they are just good and not exceptional mainly because the sound you will hear comes only through front speakers - stereo -(every can has three speakers incorporated). I'm not much of a headset fan, my son is in charge as I prefer the amplifier and speakers, exclusive stereo - I listen to lots of music. So, if you are into gaming and movies and real 5.1 through headphones then with a Kave and a good soundcard you can't go wrong. If your main target is music then go for Senns, AKG, Beyer Dynamic or whatever you consider OK. I might add that those would cost more.

 

[MT Alex]

I have wondered about the performance of those Roccats, they have a wonderful styling. With a multiple channelled headphone, do you select 5.1 in your soundcard control panel, or stick with the headphone setting?
Thanks for the info. Also, welcome

 

[Crap Daddy]

You do select from the soundcard panel to output to 5.1. Our Xonar has also Dolbys galore but what Dolby does is to emulate surround on stereo headphones. We do not use this because with Kave they have separate channels and also you have a desk remote control on the cord with which you can adjust levels - with nice sliders - on four separate channels front, center, sub and rear plus a general volume control and mic mute. So you output directly the sound that is processed by the soundcard. You have to pass through your soundcard's control panel or through onboard sound but remember also to tell Windows about that. If you have set the output through Kave to be 5.1 and you have only stereo - as in music - then you will hear only the front speakers regardless of the settings in the controls panel. But believe me, music also sounds good. Did I mention that they also vibrate at some low frequencies - great for some gamers.

 

[-1nf1n1ty-]

here's another pair to show him... http://store.razerzone.com/store/ra...parentCategoryID.35096300/categoryId.40856100

what's his budget...

his budget is 150(not including tax and crap)