Best headphones for gaming

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MrPrez

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Im looking for new headphones. Im gonna play a lot of HL2 and Doom3. I also play Halo PC and UT2004. Taking into consideration the Source engine's and the Doom 3 engine's support for 5.1, what headphones should i get? What company/model/technology should i look for? T[H]anks for the help.
MrPrez
 
if you want the very best of the best get some Sennheiser headphones... They are a German company that makes the ultimate headphones. A couple other good companies are Labtec and Plantronics. Just search around on Ebay or google for those companies and you will find quality headsets.

-warsaw
 
im looking for a headset with a mic, or should i get a desktop mic from logitech instead?
 
it doesnt really matter... headset mics are nice tho but usually the headhpones are a little more expensive while u can get a nice desktop mic from labtec or logitech for only like $5 or $6 on ebay... it is all up to you

-warsaw
 
my budget=preety high, however, ill not spend 700 dollars on a pair of sony headphones, and yes there is a pair of sony headphones for 700 dollars.
 
Beyer DT770s but you will need a amp.

Edit: Yes there are such things as dedicated headphone amps.
Some of them even costs thousands of dollars. ;)
 
for the sound you get from a PC, something a long the lines of a pair of sennheisers around $80 will be the best. I've found that the HD497's(think they are $60, were $85 when i bought them a while ago) they sound just as good as a pair of reference quality HD650's (>$400) when listening on a PC (audigy 1 or 2 soundcard). i'm an audiophile when it comes to quality, and for PC sound, i don't think they can be beat.

just to show the quality of sennheiser, i have had mine for over a year, and they litterally shake your head if you turn up the bass and volume, they have a detachable cable, and my father has had a pair for ~20 years (HD 424), and they will still shake your head! germans make good stuff.
 
Many hi-end headphones need an external amplifier to perform like they should. If you're planning to run the headphones straight from your sound card, I can recommend Beyerdynamic DT660. I bought these myself recently, and I'm satisfied. They cost me around $315 in Norway, so I guess they're cheaper elsewhere.
 
Sennheiser PC-150's are the absolute best for online gaming in my opinion.

Much better than comprable heatsets from plantronics /etc.
 
orkan said:
Sennheiser PC-150's are the absolute best for online gaming in my opinion.

Much better than comprable heatsets from plantronics /etc.
Click to expand...

i second that, my friend uses those, they have a really nice mic. i have been concidering buying them b/c the price is outstanding for the quality.
 
Rikky said:
Many hi-end headphones need an external amplifier to perform like they should. If you're planning to run the headphones straight from your sound card, I can recommend Beyerdynamic DT660. I bought these myself recently, and I'm satisfied. They cost me around $315 in Norway, so I guess they're cheaper elsewhere.
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i have used the DT880's, they are very nice, i think the 660's are similar, the 880's are reference quality headphones, not sure about the price, but from what i can tell, probably >$350. Beyerdynamics makes headphones that have a clear, crip sound, they are also not that common in the states(edit: at least i mostly see sennheisers, EKG, Audio Technica and Etymotic's, the last isn't very common either, but i have only had the pleasure of a couple pairs of Beyer's), i have only come accross them in a couple audio/video studios. they don't offer the bass for my liking, but have a very nice overall sound.
 
orkan said:
Sennheiser PC-150's are the absolute best for online gaming in my opinion.

Much better than comprable heatsets from plantronics /etc.
Click to expand...

where cvan you find a set of those at?
 
I can recommend Sennheisers, too. I have a pair of HD202s (which are discontinued) and they blow away every set of headphones and speakers I've ever owned. (And this is for the $25 model!) The HD212s are the successor, and a different, more famous Dan, liked them a bunch. You can get both through Amazon, for under $25 for the HD202s and under $50 for the HD212s.
 
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
I have a pair of HD202s (which are discontinued) and they blow away every set of headphones and speakers I've ever owned
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I am afraid that is not saying very much. :D

The HD202s are an decent value but they aint all that as far as their sound goes. ;)
 
frag85 said:
i'm an audiophile when it comes to quality, and for PC sound, i don't think they can be beat.
Click to expand...

hi owning a pair of low end sennheisers and a audigy puts you nowhere near being a audiophile. For PC sound you can have many high quality sound cards from emu, terratec and many others. Your also lacking the headphone amp, and the "audiophile" headphones.


frag85 said:
i have used the DT880's, they are very nice, i think the 660's are similar, the 880's are reference quality headphones, not sure about the price, but from what i can tell, probably >$350. Beyerdynamics makes headphones that have a clear, crip sound, they are also not that common in the states(edit: at least i mostly see sennheisers, EKG, Audio Technica and Etymotic's, the last isn't very common either, but i have only had the pleasure of a couple pairs of Beyer's), i have only come accross them in a couple audio/video studios. they don't offer the bass for my liking, but have a very nice overall sound.
Click to expand...

BTW the DT660s are very bright and uneven.... not even close to the DT880s
and the dt880s sell for around $250 no where near $350
 
Sennheiser HD-580's and get a 20 dollar Desktop mic @ staples, cant go wrong IMO.

As long as you have a good soundcard, you'll be golden
 
Were do you want me to start?
How about with the poor comfort?
Or the extremely veiled top end?
Or how about the overbloated mid bass and poor bass extension?
 
Sennheiser headphones are real good...Amazon usually has good deals..
 
darktiger said:
Sennheiser headphones are real good...Amazon usually has good deals..
Click to expand...

The brand itself does not make all of its products good. Sennheiser makes some good headphones, and also some very mediocre ones.
 
Mister X said:
Were do you want me to start?
How about with the poor comfort?
Click to expand...
So just flex the plastic a bit to loosen them up. Not difficult, problem solved in 10 seconds. (Though I do have smaller ears than most, so this can be a legitimate complaint if one has large ears.


Or the extremely veiled top end?
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My hearing goes up to 22khz. There's a bit of dropoff in the high end, but it's not anywhere near what I'd call "extreme."


Or how about the overbloated mid bass and poor bass extension?
Click to expand...
That's not right at all. If anything, the mid bass falls off too much. And the only real dropofff in bass is at the extreme low end.

I'm not saying there aren't better headphones out there. There most certainly are; just for about 10x the price. With my HD202s, it's possible for me to hear how terrible the digital-->analog converters are in most audio devices, and to distinguish between different amplifiers. Isn't that a threshhold of quality? If someone feels the need to spend $300 on headphones, I'm not going to say no. But for gaming (which is the subject of this thread, if you recall), a $300 headphone is completely unnecessary, because the player isn't going to be paying attention to the extra bit of clarity in the audio, they're going to be paying attention to the game. There was nothing wrong with my recommendation, and there was no reason to shoot it down with no further justification than it not being in the audiophile-wankoff price range. As a moderator, you should know better than that.
 
ufokillerz said:
hi owning a pair of low end sennheisers and a audigy puts you nowhere near being a audiophile. For PC sound you can have many high quality sound cards from emu, terratec and many others. Your also lacking the headphone amp, and the "audiophile" headphones.

BTW the DT660s are very bright and uneven.... not even close to the DT880s
and the dt880s sell for around $250 no where near $350
Click to expand...

the big issue was money, i can get a sound blaster for $30, when i built my computer, i was entering college, and was very short on money, and this computer is used for gaming/movies/mp3's. i have only been in one situation where i had to use my computer to record anything, and it worked out great, not as good as the $50 000 of equip my friend has(around $4000 into computer equip), but for a $1500 computer, i was impressed. i have used many high end systems (could never afford them) and think my current setup sounds very good for the money. i was just saying that i like the way my computer sound sounds. EMU are great cards, just not for my needs. whenever i get the chance, i'll borrow headphones from friends, but not recently as i have been working 60+ hour weeks installing networks and not using my computer.

i did not know the exact price of the 880’s; i think they sound very good. i just did a Google after reading that, and most sites sell them for ~$280. it was just a guess from listening to other high end headphones in that price range, i guessed wrong.

from my experiences, even when dealing with hi-fi quality sound, you don't need headphones with their own amp.

it just gets too expensive to even notice the difference of 24 vs. 16-bit sound, i considered this when i chose to get an $80 pair of Sennheisers instead of a $400 pair of Sennhiesers or AKG's that i like and have used in a studio environment. to take advantage of better headphones i would then have to go out and buy a $200+ sound card from E-MU. i have been looking at E-MU's since i have the money to upgrade, but i am buying some new HDD's and a new monitor before that because i can live with my current sound setup. its like how i like the performance of BMW's, Audi's and Porsche’s, but i drive a VW and a Toyota truck.

i find the AUdigy a good card when running to an external amp with good cables (as good as you can make a 1/8" cable....). when i listen to things through my stereo, it sounds as good as that stereo sounds, i think all together i put about $1000 into my Kenwood system in my basement, it is more for a movie/gaming setup than a super system just because it sounds nice for the amount of money i put into it. after listening to 24 bit systems, i would love to get one, but in reality, they are not even close to being practical because 99% of what i listen to, is in 16-bit, it would be like going out, and buying something like a Ferrari to use to drive 30 minutes at 50mph to go to and from work 5 days a week.

i agree with you, that i may not have the audiophile gear, but i am very good at making the lesser equipment sound good. if you knew me, you would easily know that, i have helped setup all of my friends' stereos, and re-EQ'd many systems and made them easily sound much better than they did. another way to look at it is where i work, i install IP telephony and computer systems in the tens of millions of dollars, but i do not have a home computer system worth tens of millions of dollars, it’s just not feasible for me, that is a big exaggeration, but you must get the picture.



to the original poster, my $.02 is just get a good pair of headphones that will match your sound card, if you have a low/mid range sound card, get a low mid range pair of headphones, if you have the resources and have a high end sound card, by all means, get a high end pair of headphones, you will be impressed. :D it is very similar to video cards and CPU's, if you have a low end CPU, getting the best graphics card will not do you justice because your CPU will limit the cards functionality and vice versa.
 
I am in need of a pair of headphones for my gaming. I already have a mic so I don't need a headset. I read earlier that the HD580 are good. How much do these run for? Also would an amp really be nesccary?
 
DanK said:
My hearing goes up to 22khz. There's a bit of dropoff in the high end, but it's not anywhere near what I'd call "extreme."
Click to expand...
Compared to what?

How about I go out on a limb here and compare the HD202s to something cheaper like the Koss KSC55s so you can get an idea of WTF I am talking about.
The Koss cans do not have the veiled top end the HD202s do
They do not have the same boomy mid bass the HD202s do
They more comfortable then the HD202s.
And they have a sounstage that makes them better suited for games then the HD202s.
And they are also cheaper to boot.... oops I said that once already. :p

DanK said:
I'm not saying there aren't better headphones out there. There most certainly are; just for about 10x the price.
Click to expand...
Funny cause the HD497s totaly kick the crap out of the HD202s and they don't cost ten times the price.... only twice the price. ;)
DanK said:
With my HD202s, it's possible for me to hear how terrible the digital-->analog converters are in most audio devices, and to distinguish between different amplifiers. Isn't that a threshhold of quality?
Click to expand...

How do you qualify that as a threshold of quality in a discussion forum?
It is exactly like you saying "they blow away every set of headphones and speakers I've ever owned" without giving us any idea of
A.) what the speakers you have owned are
or
B.) what the other headphones you have owned are.
You are offering us nothing but baseless subjective opinions and then you have the nerve to get all pissy when someone disagrees with you.
Example of pissyness ---->
DanK said:
There was nothing wrong with my recommendation, and there was no reason to shoot it down with no further justification than it not being in the audiophile-wankoff price range. As a moderator, you should know better than that.
Click to expand...

First of all explain to me how I shot down your recommendation.
If you had red my reply you may have seen what I said about those cans.
The HD202s are an decent value but they aint all that as far as their sound goes.
Click to expand...

And then would you care to tell me who you think you are to tell anyone on this forum how to behave because I find that offensive no matter who you direct it at.
(and it will not be tolerated either)
DanK said:
If someone feels the need to spend $300 on headphones, I'm not going to say no. But for gaming (which is the subject of this thread, if you recall), a $300 headphone is completely unnecessary, because the player isn't going to be paying attention to the extra bit of clarity in the audio, they're going to be paying attention to the game.
Click to expand...

WOOT!
You finally gave us a relevant opinion here, but I am afraid you missed one thing.
I have not seen one single recommendation for a $300 pair of headphones in this thread so it's not all that relevant is it?

And as far as your comment about what people pay attention to in games goes.... I really really seriously hope you never get a chance to hear anything better then HD202s cause you will know just how wrong that assumption is one you do. ;)
 
jamezzz122 said:
I am in need of a pair of headphones for my gaming. I already have a mic so I don't need a headset. I read earlier that the HD580 are good. How much do these run for?
Click to expand...

The HD580s can be had for right around 150$


jamezzz122 said:
Also would an amp really be nesccary?
Click to expand...
No an amp is not required.....but having one really makes these cans shine!
If you plan on using the HD580s without an amp there are cheaper cans that outperform them so it's kind of a catch 22 thing there.
 
i agree with you, that i may not have the audiophile gear, but i am very good at making the lesser equipment sound good. if you knew me, you would easily know that, i have helped setup all of my friends' stereos, and re-EQ'd many systems and made them easily sound much better than they did. another way to look at it is where i work, i install IP telephony and computer systems in the tens of millions of dollars, but i do not have a home computer system worth tens of millions of dollars, it’s just not feasible for me, that is a big exaggeration, but you must get the picture.
Click to expand...

Part of the point here that we don't know you...
we don't know what your experiance is and we don't know any of that other stuff so when you suggest a product and get the basic information (like the price) wrong it's kinda a red flag.
Also when you make comments all of the products from one company based on experience with a few you are bound to provoke that type of a reply.
For instance the DT770s are the most killer basshead cans you are gonna find in their price range but you said Beyers have no bass.....Follow? :) :)
 
I am not schooled on the subject, but you know that you can get 5.1 surround headphones, right? It should work out well for gaming.
 
HAHAHAHA
Please please please read some of the other threads about 5.1 cans then see if you really want to go there cause that is normally like instant flame war. :p
 
What about Bose headphones??? I noticed no one mentioned their headphones. Why not? Bose makes great stuff.
 
Mister X said:
For instance the DT770s are the most killer basshead cans you are gonna find in their price range but you said Beyers have no bass.....Follow? :) :)
Click to expand...

i do not think i have every used the 770's, from your description i haven't used them. i said:
frag85 said:
Beyerdynamics makes headphones that have a clear, crip sound...
...they don't offer the bass for my liking, but have a very nice overall sound.
Click to expand...

... follow?

when i used them(beyerdynamic 880's) they were hooked into a digi001 running from a yamaha 01v recording a jazz band(which i played in) using mostly AKG and sennheiser mics. i popped a cd i had in my truck in (thursday, stone temple pilots, some eric clapton and a few others, it was a mix) and did not like the way they sounded coming from the digi001, i turned up the bass from the computer, but did not like the results. the rep from sennheiser that was loaning us some mics, also let us use some HD650's, which i thought sounded just as good, but had better bass control. who knows, it could have been the fact that we were sitting in room that has terrible accoustics(we were in the next room over so we'd be isolated from the recording area) and just ambient noises and the insolation the headphones have was changing their sound that much. i would imagine that could have been the case. that is just my experience with them. i used the same pair of beyers just listening/checking out a studio at a local college, they still had the same crisp sound, but bass was lacking, i did not mess around with the equip they were plugged into because the owner(s) didn't want me to.


don't get 5.1 headphones.... trust me. all i have heard is negative things once people have tried them out. i have not tried them because noone i know has bought them, and they just sound like a bad product so i am not in a rush to try them. for gaming any mediocore headphone will be fine. its a game, not a HDCD or DVDA recording.


ugh... this is turning into a bash fest....
 
You're arguing about headphones over the internet. This alone is lame. The fact that youre losing is even more depressing. Considered suicide? i have...
 
Mister X said:
The HD580s can be had for right around 150$



No an amp is not required.....but having one really makes these cans shine!
If you plan on using the HD580s without an amp there are cheaper cans that outperform them so it's kind of a catch 22 thing there.
Click to expand...

Alright thanks for the help...I want to get a pair of headphones but I don't want to get an amp. What would be my best choice?
 
ditch any desktop mic and get the pc150's and use that headset :D its for gaming, you won't notice a difference, if you sit there to listen for a difference, i'll frag your ass.
 
Losing?
Who is losing?
What, is this a race? :D

And what bash fest?
Imagine if we actually discuss the validity of the recommendations ... and the merits of the products here.

As for your reply....
You made a general comments about Beyer headphones after using using what two of their products? Excuse me but that is like saying all Sennheisers have good bass after using one of their products... wich is not the case at all.
Follow me now? ;)
 
jamezzz122:
Open or closed cans?
Open cans leak sound and allow you to hear noises around you... like the phone when it rings. They also perform better then comparably priced closed cans.
Closed cans isolate you from outside noises and do not leak as much sound.
A price range is always nice as well. :)
 
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