Gaming Headphones

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spaceman

[H]F Junkie
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Due to recent requests for gaming cans. I am reviving this sucker. Will post more updates and polish soon.

I do not like gaming headsets compared to like priced or usually less expensive headphones. For the money, a good pair of headphones and either a clip on or desktop mic is a better value in every sense.

However, there are a few headsets like the Senn PC350 and Beyer 330MX that I will list b/c they are at least comparable, if overpriced, to the aforementioned combo.

Google the names as links will change over time.

First off is the modmic. You can attach it to any regular headphone for an instant Headset! Thanks benjus!

http://www.modmic.com/

Budget $25 and under: Currently there are two that I would get.

JVC HARX500 (also the HARX700 and 900 are good but more expensive and not really the greatest for gaming compared to like priced models)

Monoprice Premium Hi-Fi DJ Style Over-the-Ear Pro Headphone
Monoprice Foldable NC Headphone w/ Detachable Microphone

They also have great deals on iems and earbuds.

Budget $60 and under

Superlux based headphones rule this area. Superior imo to the AD700 and they have bass. They have smaller sound stage than the AD700 but not so much that it is a deal breaker for me. After you remove the stupid foam cover and cardboard acoustic thingy, the sound stage opens up. I also made my pads a bit deeper which also enlarges the sound stage a bit. Like taking a pair of speakers and spreading them further apart.

The best budget headphone imo is the Samson SR850. There are less expensive variants of this model but I dig these. I did a really ghetto memory foam+microfiber towel pad mod which I will post lol pics of soon. You can also use a sock to the same effect. This made the headphone WAY more comfortable and cost nothing. You can add AKG 240 pads to these but they cost almost as much as the headphone itself.
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Samson SR850: Good alternative to the below AD700. Semi open, smaller sound stage than the AD700 but has bass and is better for music while still being a damn good gaming can.

Audio Technica AD700 and A700: Uh yeah, so these are pretty much the most popular gaming headphone under/around $100. H did a review of the A700 and loved it.

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2010/10/23/audiotechnica_atha700_headphone_review/

Bottom line is there is no bass really but the sound stage makes you feel like you are in the game. Realistic, directional sound ftw!



$150 and under

Brainwavz HM5

Closed, heavy duty build quality and neutral sounding. Reports coming in say good for gaming, music, whatever.

http://mp4nation.net/catalog/brainw...3.html?zenid=fafda1f01b4511c66c3ab3e87280efec
http://www.head-fi.org/t/585281/review-brainwavz-hm5-a-new-neutral-champ/705

Fischer Audio FA-011

Great all around open headphones. Fischer is a newish Russian company that has great support from the headfi community. All of their headphones are good for the money.

http://www.gd-audiobase.com

$150+

Denon AH-1100

Denon in general is really excellent. The above model is basically entry level.

Audio Technica A900x

Great all around headphone. Closed but still has a good sound stage. Audio Technica designs their headphones for long periods of use. They are lightweight and do not clamp much. The other, older versions of the 900 series are also good but the AD900 has really flat, weird pads. I do not like that one unless you are willing to mod them. Also, the pads on the 900x are also reported to be stiff. Be aware that this may be an issue.






Soundcards: Asus Rules currently imo. I use an old Asus Xonar DX1 to great effect. The top of the line Asus has been reviewed by several spots. They range in price from $20 for the Xonar DG to $200+ for the below reviewed Essence.
For Asus use these Unified drivers, the stock drivers suck.

http://brainbit.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/asus-xonar-unified-drivers/

http://www.stereophile.com/computeraudio/asus_xonar_essence_ststx_soundcards/index.html

Creative is still good but I would not personally buy one.

Here are a couple of links. Head-Fi is the largest headphone site going. It has more info than the rest of the sites combined. There are others which I will add.

Guru 3D CMSS thread
http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=239405

Headfi tweaks for dolby headphone
http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad...hone-gaming-particularly-with-dolby-headphone

Overclock UK thread for general info.
http://www.overclock.net/sound-card...3-ocnhc-guide-gaming-headphones-headsets.html

http://www.overclock.net/t/1014902/ocns-most-recommended-audio-products Thanks to DMFD-Minister

Superlux based headphones general thread
http://www.head-fi.org/t/546556/superlux-express-train-voted-best-budget-headphone-2011

Smyth Realiser uber headphone surround sound with head tracking thread. $$
http://www.head-fi.org/t/418401/long-awaited-smyth-svs-realiser-now-available-for-purchase


Some good, friendly forums with PC audio sections:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/index.php

Anyway, like I said, this is a rough draft. Feel free to throw in your votes and opinions.


Where to buy:

For buying good quality components at a good price look to the HeadFi used for sale and links to a multitude of awesome builders and headphone specific companies. It is the gateway site for all things headphone.

For other great audio components, audiogon, polk audio forums and your local craigslist can yield some killer deals.


Updates:

5/02/2012

The $99 combo for gaming. A Samson SR850 and C01 Mic bundle. Great idea for a quality headset replacement solution.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?sku=598779&Q=&O=&is=REG&A=details

10/31/2011

Cool Psb mini speakers. Good for desktop jams.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/574431/review-psb-imagine-mini-speakers

10/13/2011

Not a good gaming can. Music only. Panasonic RP-HTF600-S Step Monitor

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004MMEI8W/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=

Added : 10/01/2011

Ahem. Small space? This will do nicely. Within your personal seating area, the sound will be very, very nice. Quinpu makes an almost silly small but incredible sounding desktop stereo. It is made with pc audio in mind.

Quinpu Review:

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/qinpu2/system.html
 
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denon ah-d1100 is what I'm playing dead island with right now and they are amazing also for music
 
New info. Including a tiny near field speaker setup that I find amazing.
 
Thank you for this! :)

I discovered that I use headset much, so I thought I'd get something better then the one I had. Since I am no audiophile and know very little about headphones, these links helped much navigating through the jungle.

Seems like the general agreement, is that its best to buy headphones and add a microphone if needed for gaming, then to get a headset.

It was hard, but I narrowed down to two brands within the price and feature range I was looking for, Sennheiser and Harman.

This post, from a guy who has Sennheiser HD 650, HD 800 and Harman AKG Q701, gave me the final nudge to select the Q701 from Harman.

The reason I went with that, was because it supposedly is better then the HD 650 in treble while the HD 650 is better on bass. I am not a basshead, don't use bass at all (through equalizer) in FPS games for easier enemy detection and the Q701 is supposed to have an ok bass which can be enchanced with EQ (for movies) while having an excelent 3D soundstage. This according to several users who have tried both the 650 and Q701 (or K701/702). Not to mention K701 was Mad Lust Envy's (from your head-fi link)top pick for competative gaming, which is my primary usage.

I have no idea for myself with no real comparison basis, but I went from Steelseries Siberia V2 to Q701 and already experience audiogasm even though they are not burned in yet (its said it has several stages, one said 80 hours - then 150 hours - then 250 hours as final stage of burn in). VS. the Siberia V2, its like adding a whole lot of instruments to the orchestra, since the Q701 seems to be capable of playing a larger range of tones at once.

I have a question though which I couldn't find an answer elsewhere:

I am using them with the Titanium HD headphone amp (Q701 is 82ohm and Titanium HD up to 300 ohm according to [H]'s review). For movies, I will connect it to a NAD C 320 amp. I assume the NAD is good enough, but will the Titanium HD amp be sufficient (they sound great) or should I buy a seperate amp for them between the Titanium HD and the HF? Its said they need a good amp to sound good, but I don't know how good they can sound...
 
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spaceman said:
Yes you will. The NAD should be fine. For AKG 701, there are many choices. I would buy an external dac and amp if you can afford both.

An excellent and affordable amp for the 701 is the Cavalli Kan Kumisa III. MisterX can build you one.

http://www.cavalliaudio.com/diy/kumisa/main.php?page=history
Click to expand...

I had a feeling I would need more to get the most out of this. :) I'm a noob though when it comes to headphones, so please have patience.

I'm not sure if the Cavalli Kan Mumisa III is available in Norway. I can check around though for something similar or if it can be special ordered. If they come as kit, I'm capable of soldering and building most things myself and would even find it fun.

What specs should I look for?

The Titanium HD have following:
Headphone output for audio listening up to 115dB 33 Ohms, and 117dB, 330 Ohms, at 24bit/96kHz
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2010/10/25/sound_blaster_xfi_titanium_hd_card_review/2

The Q701:
62 Ohm/105 dB

Should I go by impendence or wattage when it comes to amp?

The Titanium HD also have replacable OP amps, would there be an alternative there or would that only change the sound image?

Edit: I might just use the 6m cable set to the Q701 and connect the computer to the NAD and use that for both. :) Thanks for all your help!
 
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spaceman said:
Hit these guys up in Norway. They should know where to buy gear.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/555266/head-fi-meeting-stavanger-norway-may-26th-2011
Click to expand...

Thanks :) I managed to find the norwegian forum those guys are using, so I'm reading up there a bit first. Seems anything above HD 598 should be coupled with a headphone amp for optimal usage. They sound great and is a huge improvement already when connected to the Titanium HD directly (and tested with the NAD as well), but I am a bit curious how they will be with an external amp.
 
Tamlin_WSGF said:
Thanks :) I managed to find the norwegian forum those guys are using, so I'm reading up there a bit first. Seems anything above HD 598 should be coupled with a headphone amp for optimal usage. They sound great and is a huge improvement already when connected to the Titanium HD directly (and tested with the NAD as well), but I am a bit curious how they will be with an external amp.
Click to expand...

Great. Akg 701s REALLY change with different amplification and sources.

The folks in Norway are pretty active. Have fun!
 
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Wow the Emotiva XDA-1 dac is cheap atm. $300 but if you want a BIG upgrade over your sound card....Crazy how much blacker your background will be.
 
A lot of the people at OCN seem to really like the Samson Samson RH600. Its supposed to be a bit more comfortable than the SR-850 and not as bassy due to being fully open which gives them a wider soundstage. I'm just going by what I've heard, I have no experience with either model.
 
Certainly a good choice too. Either Samson is a great choice. I prefer a bit more bass myself. The wider sound stage is great though. Just make sure your listening area is quiet.
 
Back up top.

For BF3 sound with headphones is Home Cinema and turn off ANY other enhancements. Use the BF3 sound in its purest form.

I use audio creation, bit perfect playback and headphone mode on my xfi into my receiver optical input.
 
What other games would you suggest turning off CMSS-3D for? I was wondering which games it is beneficial for.
 
No way will you have some Stax can's for gaming...have you seen some of the prices all Stax can's are at? Not to mention you need to have an amp to drive them properly, being it as Orthos and few electrostats.
 
Thinking about picking up a pair of Fostex T50RP's for gaming, though I see a lot of recommendations on head-fi to add an amp for optimal sound. I'm really not much of an audiophile, so has anyone had any experience with these for gaming sans-amp?
 
They will be ok but you will want to mod them and eventually get an amp. This type of headphone really improves with power. The more the better.They are great in this regard b/c you can build them up into a great sounding headphone. One of the best actually. A fun diy headphone.
 
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Despite what the salesman at Headfi says, the HTF600 isn't really all that great for gaming. The soundstage is super narrow.
 
BababooeyHTJ said:
Despite what the salesman at Headfi says, the HTF600 isn't really all that great for gaming. The soundstage is super narrow.
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Hmmm. Too bad. I know the Samson sr 850s that I have do well. They are a bit rolled off in the high end but as far as sound stage is concerned, no issues for gaming there. They sound very close to the environment I am in. If I am inside with hard walls or outside in the rain, the sense of space contracts and expands accordingly.
 
Yeah, I hear a lot of good things about the SR850. I really may have to give them a shot one of these days. I have to admit that I'm really thinking of going all out and just buying an HD598.
 
spaceman said:
They will be ok but you will want to mod them and eventually get an amp. This type of headphone really improves with power. The more the better.They are great in this regard b/c you can build them up into a great sounding headphone. One of the best actually. A fun diy headphone.
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Thunderpants :D I would keep a pair of modded T50 + amp for music listening, because by the time you end up with an amp and some mods/dampening/re-cabling with pure silver cables in the enclosure done, you would easily exceed $400-500, and I don't know about you, but one would be pretty stupid to waste that amount of money for just mere gaming.
 
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Matthew Kane said:
Thunderpants :D I would keep a pair of modded T50 + amp for music listening, because by the time you end up with an amp and some mods/dampening/re-cabling with pure silver cables in the enclosure done, you would easily exceed $400-500, and I don't know about you, but one would be pretty stupid to waste that amount of money for just mere gaming.
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Naw. Not thunderpants. there are other diy mods you can do for under $150 total that make it a wonderful headphone.
 
Hmm, if that's the case, that might be a little more than I'm looking for. I'm not going to be listening to very much music with these, more so just some extended gaming sessions. Out of the box are they a good set for gaming, or am I better off elsewhere?
 
Out of the box and just by themselves no. They are AMAZING when you get them set up proper though.

There are a couple out of the box which kick major ass for gaming though. The ones I have listed are all considered among the best bang for the buck gaming headphones out there. I get along just fine with my Samson sr850s. They are very light and do gaming fine. The only thing is that the pads are vinyl and I did that stupid looking but VERY comfy mod for free. They are really deep with the additional padding and give me a pretty huge sound stage.

Also, Shure makes some good headphones under $100. Check them out. Also, see headfi FS for pre modded headphones.
 
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Can's I recommend from experience for gaming only are AD700/900, HD558/598 and the FA-011's.

Out of the box the Fostex sound good only if you have a source that is ample enough to supply the power. The key strength of the Fostex T50RP modded or not is its treble range, being not rolled out, smooth and crisp.

Another important factor for choosing headphones for gaming is not just a wide soundstage and a crisp and clear treble range but also positioning, it's no good when your headphone sounds awfully good but fails to tell you which direction footsteps are coming from.
 
spaceman said:
How did the FA-011 do for you? Was the cup deep enough for your ears?
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The FA-011's are a recent purchase (about 3-4 months now) and they are doing great and sound great through a modded 12AU7 tube and E11 amp. For me when I first purchased it my ears were touching the housing grill but eventually over time my ears just got used to it and now they are one of most comfortable can's I use on a regular basis. Rated at 160ohm they are quite hungry and benefit greatly from a suitable amp or dac but for sound quality wise these fall in between the DT880 and DT990 250ohm versions when paired up with a proper amp. The DT990 600ohm version is just that much more better (more expensive, harder to find and very very picky with amp's. You can read the last few 10 pages or so of which I have posted of my impression on the FA-011, the Impression thread by LFF on Head-fi).

Just for comparison when the FA-011 is properly amped and burned in at least 300 hours (got about 180 on mine), the AD700/900 and HD598/558 doesn't compare in terms of sound quality.
 
Couple of things:
1) Awesome guide! :)
2) Could use a lot more formatting, I can't really follow the progression of Budget --> Can. Maybe it's just me though.
3) Maybe add something for those who are between $100 and $300? Maybe even a $300+? I'd be willing to help out if necessary.
4) I didn't see anything about ModMic ($30). It's a really cool piece of hardware that adds headset capabilities to any headphone (which has a decently sized cup).

Thanks again, this is a great guide!

Cheers,
 
I know it is crappy right now. Working on it when I can. Please do chime in with experience!
 
I'd set it up with spoiler tags like the OCN thread DMFD linked so you can pack it full of info in a more digestible format.

I actually like the OCN thread alot the more I look at it, but there are just too few options there for someone like me that takes it so seriously. Not saying they necessarily need to list HD800s and LCD-2/3s but there's a lot more out there.
 
How about just posting links and I will post them in the main page?

I linked DMFDs and benjus link. Thanks
 
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i ordered some Samson SR850 headphones off of ebay. hopefully they get here soon!
 
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