I’m looking to get a new gaming headset to replace the one that recently broke on me. I’m looking to use the headset for gaming and general audio on occasion.
The best price would be right around $50 but I’m willing to spend up to $70 for a really exceptional set.
Key features I need would be a clear strong mic and great build quality, I don’t want to have this set break on me after a year and a half. Great speakers are a plus but all I need there is that the speakers not be muddy.
Headset
Superlux HMD-660E
Beyerdynamic MMX 2
Sennheiser PC 310
If you have a good headphone already:
Attachable microphone
Wanna use it for other things too? (on the way to work, vacation…)
Headphone
Superlux HD-681 Evo WH + Modmic
Superlux HD-668 B + Modmic
If you wonder why I’m not posting any gaming equipment. Well those gaming equipment guys usually buy their hardware from these guys (or the same third party producers) but sell for higher prices and usually fail dramatically on tests compared to the professionals (in terms of being long within the business, having research facilities and enterprise customers).
Me and a few friends use the Skullcandy Slyr, its built fairly sturdy, has great sound quality, and has a decent mic. So far I’ve been very happy with it.
An added benefit of the Slyr is you can use it for PS3+/Xbox/PC. It also has a pretty long cord giving you some freedom of movement.
Alright so I’m getting the feeling that a headphone and microphone pairing is a better setup. So now I’d like some suggestions for a good microphone and headphone setup that is within the target price range. The combined price must be in the range. Thanks for the suggestions so far.
I am currently using the Sennheiser HD428 which is $35. They sound great, and overall, I am very pleased with Sennheiser and would definitely recommend that you buy from them.
Unfortunately the modmic is quite expensive and I’m not aware of a good alternative. So this won’t be possible within your price range. But as all those small microphones tend to be of similar sound quality this is how a friend of mine is doing it:
Superlux HD-681 Evo WH + a cheap Chinese headset for 3-5 bucks from ebay. It might not be the most comfortable way but it is well beyond your budget and from the sound quality more or less the best you can get for this price. (also if the mic breaks, well those 3-5 bucks didn’t hurt much) (If you don’t like those cheap Chinese products - be aware some of them have shipping times of 2-3 months, container ship - look around for headsets where the headphone is broken but the mic working fine)
If you wanna read some customer reviews (that’s a music equip. store so the reviews can be a little technical):
You seem fairly knowledgeable about this. I’ve had some experience with Sennheisers in the past, can you help explain why the cans you recommend are so good?
Also if I hadn’t focused on the headphone component as much would you normally favor a microphone focused setup with low grade cans?
I only know as much as I did research on. But if i do research I often spent a few days and dig into professional and do-it-your-self forums. Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, AKG, Shure… are all great headphone producers, but they spend a lot of money on marketing, research and have quite some amount of support and design in “expensive labor countries”, not to talk about profit margin. Superlux is a Taiwan company, they have a lot less expenses - in comprehension - and their marketing strategy involves super low prices. If you read some of the reviews you will see people compare a 30 bucks superlux headphone with a 200-300 bucks akg, beyerdynamic, sennheiser. I wouldn’t prefer a superlux above my DT 880 as I can afford it (you should know that I love great sound and spend it on a new headphone, headphone amplifier before upgrading the computer or other stuff - nr. 1 hobby) but if my budget would be limit to 100 bucks I would go with a 30 bucks superlux as the headphones you can get for 100 from beyerdynamic, akg, shure… are not really better.
If you have the luxus of being able to pay twice as much up front, why don’t you order 2-3, try them out for at least two days each and keep the one you like the most (send the others back - ofc you should make sure that the retail store allows this, my country has laws about this so I don’t need to worry )
I used headsets in the past (even the mmx 300 - better not google it :D), but those were the fast moving parts in my entire equipment next to mice’s. I prefer to put the money into a single “better” headphone which I use at home and on the run, instead of a headset for home and a headphone/in-ear for the run. But this is really a personal opinion and you should figure it out for your self. (well, since I have a large diaphragm microphone and a good external sound card, everything is set in stone towards headphones, but to make a worth upgrade from the DT 880, I wouldn’t get far beyond 1000 bucks.)
My recommendation stands with trying out headphones. They all sound and wear different.
but sell for higher prices and usually fail dramatically on tests compared to the professionals (in terms of being long within the business, having research facilities and enterprise customers).
)