Creative World of Warcraft Wireless Headset Review @ [H]

[SamuraiInBlack]

I would like to see more focus on trying to find potential weak points/connectors. I bring this up due to my horrible experience with a pair of Tritton AX360's. I believe they're no longer made. And GOOD RIDDANCE if that's the case!

- microphone sat on the headset in a socket, which broke with minimal effort trying to remove it.
- microphone connector for the 360 controller (standard 2.5mm jack) broke off at the very tip. This rendered my controller useless for multiplayer, even if I could bust out a soldering iron and fix the microphone by replacing the jack.
- center channel? What center channel? Doesn't matter what volume you set it at, or what sound config you use, you'll never hear it.
- Forget trying to actually talk if in game events are happening near you (i.e. grenades/gunshots going off) because you won't be able to hear the other person. There's nothing separating the communications from the game clearly enough to hear one over the other, even if the other person is screaming into their mic. (yes, I actually tested this.)
- the optical cable included with it actually produced static when in use. Had to replace it with an off the shelf one.

As for the actual headset in use?
- game sounds were muffled, tinny, and utter crap. I've seriously heard better sound out of a pair of $10 Coby's. An incendiary grenade shouldn't sound like your significant other ran past you and pooted by your head. A frag should not sound like a sack of potatoes dropping to the floor.
- I more or less had to keep the mic to my lips for anyone to hear me. This is with making sure all mic related settings were set to high.
- WHERE'S THE BASS!?

I will be up front and admit I didn't try these on my PC to see if there was a difference, as I have an X-Fi ExtremeMusic soundcard. But after my experience with it on the Xbox 360, I wasn't expecting it to get any better even if I had a better source. not when i can plug in my Sennheiser HD485's in and get amazing results out of the Xbox 360, sans microphone.

That said, if you are going to do more gaming headsets I'd like to see a review on the Tritton 720's and maybe the AX Pro's. I've held the 720's in person and they seem tempting, but I haven't had the luxury of trying them out. (I process returns going back to the manufacturer at my work and part of it is to inspect everything our returns employees bring to us to make sure they're not missing anything, else we don't get credit for the return)

Supposedly Tritton has stepped up their game on this new line and it both looked and felt like it when I held the 720's in my hands. It'd be interesting to see an [H] take on them to see if that's the case.

 

[gorb]

Some audiophiles believe there's a difference between uncompressed and lossless. They generally blame increased CPU usage associated with lossless decoding.

well those dudes are crazy...especially since foobar is using 0% cpu according to taskmanager >_>

 

[NKDietrich]

I'm really wary about [H] diving into the subjective realm of audio like this. There are precious few ways to objectively review this sort of stuff, at least for headsets and speakers. Sound cards you can review a bit more objectively by sticking them on a scope, checking out driver functionality, features, and so on.

I am doubly worried because audio stuff marketed toward gamers is usually pretty crap. Frankly the fact that these things got a Silver award really diminishes the value of that award. I just recently purchased a headset because I needed something with a decent microphone for Skype and podcasting, but with passable sound quality. These particular cans were not once recommended to me by anyone familiar with them. A friend of mine has them and I'm not a fan. I'm going to be even more disappointed if we start diving into a bunch of "5.1" and "7.1" headsets with dubious sound positioning benefits, expensive Monster cables, and magical magnets.

If I'm way off base here, let me know, but it seems to me that the [H] has set a standard for itself that nearly every review can be born out by the facts, and that we aren't simply taking someones word for it. When the [H] tells me something is worth buying, I believe it. When the [H] gives something a silver or gold award, I want to be able to purchase the item sight unseen and know that I'm not going to be disappointed.

I think this is the first product [H] has given a silver award to that I know, from first hand experience, to not be that great. But in the end its pretty subjective anyway, and that's a huge part of the problem.

 

[gizo]

i bought these for my wife and they are absolutely the best headset she's ever had. I have a pair of G35 myself and for the price difference between the creative wow wireless and the G35, I must say it is worth it for the quality and the fact that it's the ONLY wireless headset I've seen at that price range. I think i'll pony up for another set of these for myself next year.

One more thing. We've gone through 5 pairs of headsets on her computer and these have been the only ones so far that doesn't mess up on reconnects when the computer reboots or what not.

 

[Kett]

I actually really appreciate that you guys are not crazy audiophiles because if I read a review from a site that was used to $300 audiophile headphones saying the music quality on this gamer headset was relatively crap then it wouldn't mean anything to me. I'm a gamer and that's what I would be using a gaming headset for primarily, I would also use it for watching movies/shows and listening to music on occasion just as your experience was. I really think the way you guys use the headsets was the same way that the vast majority of gamers and [H]ardforum users would also use them.

...

I think something that would be helpful in comparisons with future products would be to include some specific audio situations to compare. For example if there is a benchmark that showed a lot of ambient sounds the WoW headset picked up that weren't present on a standard $20-30 headset then I would like to know if future compared models play the same sounds in the same way.

Also I know a lot of FPS gamers would really appreciate a comparison of how clearly footsteps come through and the overall positional awareness of the headset if that makes any sense.

For the first point: Audiophile headsets tend to be great for gaming. Just because it doesn't say "gaming" on the box doesn't mean it isn't great for that purpose. And as far as "$300 headphones" goes... well, the next gaming headset up for review costs exactly that much. You don't get off cheap when you buy a gaming headset. Why buy something with potentially poor sound quality when you could have something that might be signficantly better for the same or lower price? especially when that something better isn't just limited to gaming, and happens to be fantastic for music and movies as well. Barring any extra features you specifically want that aren't available in an audiophile set, I just don't understand why you wouldn't even be interested in considering them.

As for the second point: This is similar to what I was suggesting before, and I think it is a great idea. I also think most people would be very surprised at the performance of an "audiophile" set compared to "gaming" sets when it comes to games. All the clarity and soundstage that audiophile headphones are known for tends to be fantastic for positionally identifying footsteps and objects making sounds around you. I can attest to this first hand in games like Counterstrike.

 

[Kett]

As for actual hardware, yes. Their hardware definitely sounds better than mine. Hardly enough to justify the huge increase in price though.

This is one thing I would like to address that I have seen several comments in this thread made about; people stating that they dont care about audiophile stuff because it's too expensive. I just want to point out that the headset being reviewed here is $160. And the next headset up for review is the Psyko, which is $300. THESE ARE NOT CHEAP and in fact cost as much and in many many cases far more than what you would pay for a good set of what I have been referring to as "Audiophile grade" headphones. You do NOT have to go out and spend $500. You don't even have to spend $160 to get a superior audio product.

"Gaming" headsets are NOT cheap when compared to audiophile cans.

 

[Kett]

i dont get out to many B&M stores. are there any places where you can try headsets on ?

Guitar center, Sam ash, and similar stores frequently have a display with headphones set up or will have a testing room where you can try on different cans. Once again, all headphones, likely no headsets.

 

[techie81]

I'm really wary about [H] diving into the subjective realm of audio like this. There are precious few ways to objectively review this sort of stuff, at least for headsets and speakers. Sound cards you can review a bit more objectively by sticking them on a scope, checking out driver functionality, features, and so on.

I am doubly worried because audio stuff marketed toward gamers is usually pretty crap. Frankly the fact that these things got a Silver award really diminishes the value of that award. I just recently purchased a headset because I needed something with a decent microphone for Skype and podcasting, but with passable sound quality. These particular cans were not once recommended to me by anyone familiar with them. A friend of mine has them and I'm not a fan. I'm going to be even more disappointed if we start diving into a bunch of "5.1" and "7.1" headsets with dubious sound positioning benefits, expensive Monster cables, and magical magnets.

If I'm way off base here, let me know, but it seems to me that the [H] has set a standard for itself that nearly every review can be born out by the facts, and that we aren't simply taking someones word for it. When the [H] tells me something is worth buying, I believe it. When the [H] gives something a silver or gold award, I want to be able to purchase the item sight unseen and know that I'm not going to be disappointed.

I think this is the first product [H] has given a silver award to that I know, from first hand experience, to not be that great. But in the end its pretty subjective anyway, and that's a huge part of the problem.

You did not explain why you are not a fan of the headset. I mean you are free to disagree with the review but at least come up with some arguments before you go and dis what I thought was a well rounded review. I also do not believe [H] would recommend a product without knowing it had some value to its readers. So yes, I think you are off base here.

 

[ELox]

For the first point: Audiophile headsets tend to be great for gaming. Just because it doesn't say "gaming" on the box doesn't mean it isn't great for that purpose. And as far as "$300 headphones" goes... well, the next gaming headset up for review costs exactly that much. You don't get off cheap when you buy a gaming headset. Why buy something with potentially poor sound quality when you could have something that might be signficantly better for the same or lower price? especially when that something better isn't just limited to gaming, and happens to be fantastic for music and movies as well. Barring any extra features you specifically want that aren't available in an audiophile set, I just don't understand why you wouldn't even be interested in considering them.

As for the second point: This is similar to what I was suggesting before, and I think it is a great idea. I also think most people would be very surprised at the performance of an "audiophile" set compared to "gaming" sets when it comes to games. All the clarity and soundstage that audiophile headphones are known for tends to be fantastic for positionally identifying footsteps and objects making sounds around you. I can attest to this first hand in games like Counterstrike.

My first point was not that I think audiophile headsets should not be included, rather I was trying to say I like the reviews being done by gamers from a gamers perspective with the other aspects of the headset covered as well just not as the primary focus. Hope that makes sense. I honestly don't care that the headset says gamer rather than audiophile, I just don't look at a headset the same way most audiophiles do and so their reviews don't speak to me in the same way as [H] reviewing the same product.

The problem with audiophile equipment is that the features it touts mean a lot less to me than what features are shown for gamer headsets. If an audiophile headset can perform just as well or better than a gamer headset then I'll buy it... but I need a gamer focused review to give me the review I'd need to show me how it performed in a way that actually means something to me.

Also I can say that a $300 headset is not even under consideration for me, $150 is pushing the limits for a headset because they tend to break down within 2 years in some way or another (mind you I usually don't spend more than $50). I'll still be very curious to see how this $159 headset compares to the $299 one. Some reviews of $100 sets audiophile or gamer would be more meaningful to me (as long as they are done from a gamer perspective.)

 

[NKDietrich]

You did not explain why you are not a fan of the headset. I mean you are free to disagree with the review but at least come up with some arguments before you go and dis what I thought was a well rounded review. I also do not believe [H] would recommend a product without knowing it had some value to its readers. So yes, I think you are off base here.

I didn't go into why I dislike the headset because its neither relevant, nor useful. It would just be someone subjectively critiquing audio quality. That's exactly what I am concerned with here, and why I specifically avoided getting into subjective arguments about why the headset is crap.

I'm discussing the merits of reviewing something that's pretty subjective on a site that is traditionally based on factual testing. You can discuss things like features, battery life and other things pretty objectively, but the big thing is audio quality and that's very hard to quantify.

 

[krotch]

This is one thing I would like to address that I have seen several comments in this thread made about; people stating that they dont care about audiophile stuff because it's too expensive. I just want to point out that the headset being reviewed here is $160. And the next headset up for review is the Psyko, which is $300. THESE ARE NOT CHEAP and in fact cost as much and in many many cases far more than what you would pay for a good set of what I have been referring to as "Audiophile grade" headphones. You do NOT have to go out and spend $500. You don't even have to spend $160 to get a superior audio product.

Guess what? The headset doesn't need other gear to go with it. What's a regular audiophile's setup? Expensive headphones, expensive amp, and expensive sound card. Pretty worthless headphones, if you're just rocking onboard audio.

Also, what is an audiophile? Someone who's willing to compromise sound quality for price? Sure doesn't sound like an audiophile to me.

As for gaming headsets, they are built for gamers. They try to mimic positional audio, so you know where that gun shot came from. Sound quality? Sure, we want it to sound good, but we hardly care if we can spot the difference between a 320k mp3 or uncompressed wav with them. Audiophile gear? Pfff, lose all that. Good luck trying to tell where sounds come from.

For the first point: Audiophile headsets tend to be great for gaming. Just because it doesn't say "gaming" on the box doesn't mean it isn't great for that purpose. And as far as "$300 headphones" goes... well, the next gaming headset up for review costs exactly that much. You don't get off cheap when you buy a gaming headset. Why buy something with potentially poor sound quality when you could have something that might be signficantly better for the same or lower price? especially when that something better isn't just limited to gaming, and happens to be fantastic for music and movies as well. Barring any extra features you specifically want that aren't available in an audiophile set, I just don't understand why you wouldn't even be interested in considering them.

I'd rather the sound come out all crackling and be able to tell that it came from behind me, from the right, than having nothing more than good sound quality. If all you want is good sound, sure. Audiophile headphones are going to be fine. As of right now, I haven't found anything good enough to replace actual speakers. Why? Cause I can position them around a room and tell where stuff comes from. The only reason I even put on headphones, is cause it's late at night and I don't want to wake the neighbors.

Show me some 5.1 (or 7.1) audiophile headphones that is going to be cheaper than these WoW headsets or the Psyko or for that matter, cheaper than any other 5.1/7.1 gaming headset.

As for the second point: This is similar to what I was suggesting before, and I think it is a great idea. I also think most people would be very surprised at the performance of an "audiophile" set compared to "gaming" sets when it comes to games. All the clarity and soundstage that audiophile headphones are known for tends to be fantastic for positionally identifying footsteps and objects making sounds around you. I can attest to this first hand in games like Counterstrike.

If all I wanted was good sound quality, I wouldn't be looking at a gamer headset.

 

[Wraithetc]

My first point was not that I think audiophile headsets should not be included, rather I was trying to say I like the reviews being done by gamers from a gamers perspective with the other aspects of the headset covered as well just not as the primary focus. Hope that makes sense. I honestly don't care that the headset says gamer rather than audiophile, I just don't look at a headset the same way most audiophiles do and so their reviews don't speak to me in the same way as [H] reviewing the same product.

The problem with audiophile equipment is that the features it touts mean a lot less to me than what features are shown for gamer headsets. If an audiophile headset can perform just as well or better than a gamer headset then I'll buy it... but I need a gamer focused review to give me the review I'd need to show me how it performed in a way that actually means something to me.

Also I can say that a $300 headset is not even under consideration for me, $150 is pushing the limits for a headset because they tend to break down within 2 years in some way or another (mind you I usually don't spend more than $50). I'll still be very curious to see how this $159 headset compares to the $299 one. Some reviews of $100 sets audiophile or gamer would be more meaningful to me (as long as they are done from a gamer perspective.)

Why do the qualities of a headset have to be from either a gamer or audiophile point of view? There are many characteristics that both audiences would value. For example durability and sound quality.

The problem with the review is that it judges levels of quality without a reference point. It does not even compare features with other "gamer" headsets like the AX pros, Turtle Beach offerings, Logitech G35, and Razer headsets. Reading this review would not help you choose between the headset in question and one of the ones I mentioned. They all have surround sound features, but which one does it better? How about microphone quality which one has the best? Which one is easiest to setup? On and on.

In the end purpose of the review is to answer the question of whether or not this is a headset is worth buying. This question can be rephrased as should I buy this headset instead of the other competing products. This review does not offer any insight to this rephrased question.

If you read audiophile forums and reviews they will almost always do a comparison with several other headphones. Similar experiences between different reviewers also help cement "subjective" opinions on the headphones.

 

[Dainas]

Well I'm glad that these are sturdier than they look. However I will still be weary until I have them in my hands. A few years ago I got a pair of the Fatal1ty headsets done by creative. Everyone ranted and raved about how great they were. They were poorly build garbage and broke in 6 months flat.

Also, just because a pair of phones feel sturdy and flexible out of the box means nothing, its weak points that count. The godawful chinese plastics most headphone makers use (such as creative) seems to get weaker with time and becomes far more susceptible to breaks after a few months. Not to mention the fact that good headphones should survive being partially sat on.

 

[krotch]

Good headphones should survive being partially sat on? Huh? I'm pretty sure zero headphones are designed with "big fat ass sitting on it" train of thought.

Does it happen? Sure. Does everyone do that? No. I can guarantee you that I've never sat on my headphones.

 

[Kett]

I don't even know where to start with this, it's like you quoted everything I wrote but didn't actually read it.

Guess what? The headset doesn't need other gear to go with it. What's a regular audiophile's setup? Expensive headphones, expensive amp, and expensive sound card. Pretty worthless headphones, if you're just rocking onboard audio.

Also, what is an audiophile? Someone who's willing to compromise sound quality for price? Sure doesn't sound like an audiophile to me.

No, you don't need expensive headphones, an expensive amp, and an expensive soundcard to appreciate most of the heaphones i've been describing, as long as you skip the higher impedance cans. How do I know? That's where I was when I used to play competitive CS. I ran an ATH-A700 off onboard sound through the headphone jack on my 2.1 computer speaker system. And you know what? They sounded fantastic compared to my old $30 headset, and my $120 5.1 "Gaming" headset made by Razer "For gamers". It absolutely blew the gaming headset out of the water, in all aspects including positional sound, for GAMING. Got them cheaper than the Razer too. Oh, and that particular set was driven pretty decently from the motherboard audio-out too. Couldn't get them to deafening levels, but loud as you needed for gaming and music listening.

I don't really understand the second line here. You don't need to spend thousands of dollars to be an audiophile, nor do you need to be an audiophile to appreciate a good set of "audiophile grade" headphones. I only refer to them like that because I can't think of a better term to describe that headphone segment. Just because someone calls themselves an audiophile in no way means they're one of those insane people spending 20k on a 6 foot solid gold speaker cable. All it means is that you appreciate good sound reproduction. Would you prefer "headphone enthusiast" ? Compromising quality for price is something that people who have to earn money to make a living do. Does every gaming enthusiast on this forum have to run out and buy Extreme Edition intel processors to be considered a gaming enthusiast? No, that's ridiculous. Bang for the buck is in full effect here.

As for gaming headsets, they are built for gamers. They try to mimic positional audio, so you know where that gun shot came from.
Sound quality? Sure, we want it to sound good, but we hardly care if we can spot the difference between a 320k mp3 or uncompressed wav with them. Audiophile gear? Pfff, lose all that. Good luck trying to tell where sounds come from.

After repeatedly stating in previous posts (that you apparently read enough of to quote) that audiophile headphones are amazing for these purposes, what makes you think they aren't? I don't need luck trying to tell where sounds are coming from, with my headphones I know.

Also, the point of "enthusiast" headphones isn't so you can go around trying to identify the bitrates of audio tracks. They're there to provide you with a better audio experience.

I'd rather the sound come out all crackling and be able to tell that it came from behind me, from the right, than having nothing more than good sound quality.

I'd rather have both. Pretty easy to do with audiophile headphones.

I haven't found anything good enough to replace actual speakers. Why? Cause I can position them around a room and tell where stuff comes from.

Then stick with your speakers. We're discussing headphones.

Show me some 5.1 (or 7.1) audiophile headphones that is going to be cheaper than these WoW headsets or the Psyko or for that matter, cheaper than any other 5.1/7.1 gaming headset.

Audiophile grade 5.1 and 7.1 speakers don't exist yet. There's a reason for that: It's just plain not a good form factor the way it currently exists. (Someone point out some if i'm wrong, I'd love to know about them.) All current implementations of "True" 5.1 and 7.1 speaker headphones are absolute junk. That's my opinion I suppose, but it's also an opinion shared by a lot of people who appreciate good headphones, gamers and non-gamers alike. Maybe the Psyko will change that with it's new approach and I sincerely hope so because it would be cool, but I remain skeptical. The WoW headset is not a 5.1/7.1 headset, by the way. It's a two-speaker virtual surround system. Closer or identical to what you would have with a normal pair of headphones using X-Fi CMSS or something similar.

If all I wanted was good sound quality, I wouldn't be looking at a gamer headset.

It's absolutely ridiculous that anyone would believe this. Why in the hell should you have to compromise on your auditory experience just because you want to play games? That would be like ATI expecting anyone who wanted to use Eyefinity to be satisfied with a frame rate of 5 fps. Just because no one is currently holding the makers of "gaming headsets" to any sort of audio standards doesn't mean we shouldn't. I am %100 for headsets being marketed to gamers, but i'm not going to fucking settle for shiny, worthless, crap stuffed in a box and marketed as the pinnacle of auditory perfection for gamers. The thing that pisses me off most is that most of the consumers that buy into the marketing these companies shovel, don't even know anything better exists; They're basically being taken advantage of.

I would really like that to change.

 

[krotch]

No, you don't need expensive headphones, an expensive amp, and an expensive soundcard to appreciate most of the heaphones i've been describing, as long as you skip the higher impedance cans. How do I know? That's where I was when I used to play competitive CS. I ran an ATH-A700 off onboard sound through the headphone jack on my 2.1 computer speaker system. And you know what? They sounded fantastic compared to my old $30 headset, and my $120 5.1 "Gaming" headset made by Razer "For gamers". It absolutely blew the gaming headset out of the water, in all aspects including positional sound, for GAMING. Got them cheaper than the Razer too. Oh, and that particular set was driven pretty decently from the motherboard audio-out too. Couldn't get them to deafening levels, but loud as you needed for gaming and music listening.

The fact that you plug them into 2 channel, tells me you aren't getting good positional sound. Unless your audiophile headphones happen to plug into USB or has 3 different plugs to connect to your computer.

I don't really understand the second line here. You don't need to spend thousands of dollars to be an audiophile, nor do you need to be an audiophile to appreciate a good set of "audiophile grade" headphones. I only refer to them like that because I can't think of a better term to describe that headphone segment. Just because someone calls themselves an audiophile in no way means they're one of those insane people spending 20k on a 6 foot solid gold speaker cable. All it means is that you appreciate good sound reproduction. Would you prefer "headphone enthusiast" ? Compromising quality for price is something that people who have to earn money to make a living do. Does every gaming enthusiast on this forum have to run out and buy Extreme Edition intel processors to be considered a gaming enthusiast? No, that's ridiculous. Bang for the buck is in full effect here.

So you going to tell me, if all I can afford is $10 headphones, that my $10 headphones is going to be "audiophile" grade? "headphone enthusiast" grade? Simply on the base that I chose to get the best quality headphones I could get at $10?

A gaming enthusiast is just that. A gamer. It's not a computer enthusiast. I can buy a Xbox 360 or a PS3 and 100 games. Pretty sure that'd qualify as a gaming enthusiast.

After repeatedly stating in previous posts (that you apparently read enough of to quote) that audiophile headphones are amazing for these purposes, what makes you think they aren't? I don't need luck trying to tell where sounds are coming from, with my headphones I know.

Easy. When only 2 channels get thrown into your heaphones, tells me you guessing where the sound is coming from.

Also, the point of "enthusiast" headphones isn't so you can go around trying to identify the bitrates of audio tracks. They're there to provide you with a better audio experience.

Guess what? You get the same thing out of a set of good gaming headsets. So please, justify to me, why I would want to buy your "enthusiast" headphones and a seperate mic?

Then stick with your speakers. We're discussing headphones.

Really? We're discussing headphones? Wow, that's quite amazing. Maybe it's the fact that I'd like to get good positional audio in a headset, is why I'm even talking.

Audiophile grade 5.1 and 7.1 speakers don't exist yet. There's a reason for that: It's just plain not a good form factor the way it currently exists. (Someone point out some if i'm wrong, I'd love to know about them.) All current implementations of "True" 5.1 and 7.1 speaker headphones are absolute junk. That's my opinion I suppose, but it's also an opinion shared by a lot of people who appreciate good headphones, gamers and non-gamers alike. Maybe the Psyko will change that with it's new approach and I sincerely hope so because it would be cool, but I remain skeptical. The WoW headset is not a 5.1/7.1 headset, by the way. It's a two-speaker virtual surround system. Closer or identical to what you would have with a normal pair of headphones using X-Fi CMSS or something similar.

What exactly is audiophile grade? I mean, apparently anything above a gamer headset seems to be "audiophile" grade now.

Also, there's the Sony 7.1 audio wireless headphones. Don't know if you want to consider them to be "audiophile", but if that simply means provide a good sound experience, then doesn't matter what I say. They must be "audiophile" grade.

It's absolutely ridiculous that anyone would believe this. Why in the hell should you have to compromise on your auditory experience just because you want to play games? That would be like ATI expecting anyone who wanted to use Eyefinity to be satisfied with a frame rate of 5 fps. Just because no one is currently holding the makers of "gaming headsets" to any sort of audio standards doesn't mean we shouldn't. I am %100 for headsets being marketed to gamers, but i'm not going to fucking settle for shiny, worthless, crap stuffed in a box and marketed as the pinnacle of auditory perfection for gamers. The thing that pisses me off most is that most of the consumers that buy into the marketing these companies shovel, don't even know anything better exists; They're basically being taken advantage of.

I would really like that to change.

Do you have any of this gamer headset? Do you have the Psyko? Do you have the Logitech 7.1 headset? What makes you think any of us are compromising our auditory experience? Sure, maybe we are overpaying for it, but why does it bother you so? Apparently, you're doing fine with your "audiophile" grade headphones.

 

[Olaf]

I'm interested in this headset because I have always wanted a wireless headset. Before I buy a pair I would like to know how well they work with Ventrilo.

 

[gorb]

Positional audio is great with plenty of stereo headphones

 

[phide]

well those dudes are crazy...especially since foobar is using 0% cpu according to taskmanager >_>

Yep. It's been proven time and again that there's no difference.

If you read audiophile forums and reviews they will almost always do a comparison with several other headphones.

These comparisons are largely meaningless. If there is a reference, an audible difference from that reference must be established in a blind testing environment. It's basically incorrect to say "this speaker sounds different from this one" or "these headphones have more bass than those headphones" because of perception-altering biases in sighted listening tests. When blind, the actual comparisons can be assigned to a metric through individual testing trials and even rated against a high-end reference (and a low-end anchor). This is impossible with headphones, though.

The best approach is to say "I like the way these sound"; "the bass sounds good to me"; "the high frequencies seem too harsh" because these are all referenced against the reviewer's subjective opinion of sound and his past experiences with it as opposed to being referenced against another set of cans. Don't get too specific — just specific enough to give readers a vague idea — and leave it at that.

 

[Kett]

The fact that you plug them into 2 channel, tells me you aren't getting good positional sound. Unless your audiophile headphones happen to plug into USB or has 3 different plugs to connect to your computer.

The fact that you think you can't get good positional sound from a stereo set up in games tells me that you don't have any experience with good stereo headphones. Nor do you seem to know what virtual surround is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_audio_effect
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_surround

So you going to tell me, if all I can afford is $10 headphones, that my $10 headphones is going to be "audiophile" grade? "headphone enthusiast" grade? Simply on the base that I chose to get the best quality headphones I could get at $10?

A gaming enthusiast is just that. A gamer. It's not a computer enthusiast. I can buy a Xbox 360 or a PS3 and 100 games. Pretty sure that'd qualify as a gaming enthusiast.

Despite the fact that i've gone back and read this section in the last couple posts repeatedly, I still don't get what you're driving at here, or why you brought this up.
Yes. A person is an audiophile if they take their $10 budget and research the best sound system they could find. Though an audiophile would also quickly learn that there is nothing worthwhile at that price point and save up a few more dollars. I never said that $10 headphones are audiophile grade. Nor is being an enthusiast determined by your raw cash output. You don't need to own "100 games" as a gaming enthusiast or even 5 games to appreciate a good game, though if you wanted to describe why that game was good to another gamer, it would certainly be key to have some significant gaming experience to back up your opinions.

Easy. When only 2 channels get thrown into your heaphones, tells me you guessing where the sound is coming from.

You don't have to believe me I suppose, but my success at locating foes in FPS games via sound isn't a lie. Nor is the success of the hundreds of gamers using headphones in the same class as my own specifically for their amazing gaming performance. Ask any of them if they would give their headphones up for a gaming headset and almost universally the answer will be "Never." Gamers that use them run the gamut from casual to Professional. Products like the HD595 are very popular in progaming circuits.

Guess what? You get the same thing out of a set of good gaming headsets. So please, justify to me, why I would want to buy your "enthusiast" headphones and a seperate mic?

My whole point of contention is that you really don't. At least not compared to audiophile headphones. I would justify it to you as the following:
a.) Similarly priced or potentially cheaper
b.) Superior gaming performance
c.) Can use them for other listening purposes with vastly superior performance.(Music, movies)
d.) Tend to be extremely comfortable compared to many gaming headsets.
e.) Tend to last for a very long time.
f.) Tend not to look ridiculous, if you care about that.

What exactly is audiophile grade? I mean, apparently anything above a gamer headset seems to be "audiophile" grade now.

Audiophile grade would be any product an audiophile would buy. Products designed to target people who enjoy good sound reproduction. products designed by companies who are passionate about sound, and use superior components and technologies developed in-house; as opposed to cheap flashy gimmicks and random collections of generic components sourced from makers of cheap asian electronics.

Also, there's the Sony 7.1 audio wireless headphones. Don't know if you want to consider them to be "audiophile", but if that simply means provide a good sound experience, then doesn't matter what I say. They must be "audiophile" grade.

The Sony 7.1s, the newest being the MDR-DS7100s (I believe), are not "True" 7.1. Like the WoW headset they are Virtual Surround being generated over two drivers. One driver is in each cup, just like a normal pair of stereo headphones. Also, most audiophiles tend to think they're rather mediocre, if you were curious, although they are most definitely targeted at the audiophile segment.

Do you have any of this gamer headset? Do you have the Psyko? Do you have the Logitech 7.1 headset? What makes you think any of us are compromising our auditory experience? Sure, maybe we are overpaying for it, but why does it bother you so? Apparently, you're doing fine with your "audiophile" grade headphones.

Yes, I do. If you would have actually read my post you would have seen that. No I don't have the Psyko, and I never claimed to. I did claim that I hope it turns out to be good. I don't have the G35, nor have I heard it.(The g35 is another virtual surround solution, by the way) I have had experience with 4 gaming headsets personally and been disappointed with all of them. I've never seen a glowing review from anyone who knew what they were talking about on them either, though admittedly I have not investigated the G35. I do have my hopes that Logitech will step it up now that they have purchased the Ultimate Ears company. (Makers of the Reputable Triple.fi 10 Pros I mentioned earlier in this thread.)

Do you have any of these audiophile headphones? Do you have the A700? Do you have the Beyerdynamic DT770? Have you ever even heard a nice pair of headphones like these? What makes you think you aren't compromising your auditory experience? It bothers me so because I don't like seeing people throw money away on inferior products due to marketing hype generated by companies like Razer. Especially when those companies are abusing the Gamer demographic I belong to in order to do it.

 

[EarlKeim]

people were asking in various posts "Will these fit my big head?" Well I can tell you now, I have a big head and have been forced to shop at truck stops for headwear. Here the headset is on my MELON with a ballcap.

Cheers,
Earl Keim

 

[jamesrb]

I for one have tried and own many different headsets/headphones. I have tried stereo, 5.1, wired, wireless, analog, usb, etc.

The silver award either has to be based on the utility (wireless, removable mic, usb, etc), or the fact that the reviewer does not have experience in different headphones.

I think if there are going to be many mroe reviews, something like this http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-25-1-II-Professional-Headphone/dp/B000W8XRKK/ needs to be given to the reviewer to use as a baseline comparison. Test any headphones coming in at the same volume and EQ settings with the pair in the link and then post thoughts. As someone already pointed out at $160 for this gaming headset, it is competing with some very good and long established models of headphones The upcoming $300 gaming headset review will make this even worse.

The headphone that I linked to will destroy the Creative headset in sound quality, build quality, and longevity. At a very similar price, the only thing the Creative headset has going for it is wireless and built in mic. Long after the battery has worn out, Creative has stopped making drivers, or the removable mic has developed a short, the Sennheiser headphones would still be kicking.

 

[usesoap]

Damn! That's a huge melon!!!!

people were asking in various posts "Will these fit my big head?" Well I can tell you now, I have a big head and have been forced to shop at truck stops for headwear. Here the headset is on my MELON with a ballcap.

Cheers,
Earl Keim

 

[Modred189]

I for one have tried and own many different headsets/headphones. I have tried stereo, 5.1, wired, wireless, analog, usb, etc.

The silver award either has to be based on the utility (wireless, removable mic, usb, etc), or the fact that the reviewer does not have experience in different headphones.

I think if there are going to be many mroe reviews, something like this http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-25-1-II-Professional-Headphone/dp/B000W8XRKK/ needs to be given to the reviewer to use as a baseline comparison. Test any headphones coming in at the same volume and EQ settings with the pair in the link and then post thoughts. As someone already pointed out at $160 for this gaming headset, it is competing with some very good and long established models of headphones The upcoming $300 gaming headset review will make this even worse.

The headphone that I linked to will destroy the Creative headset in sound quality, build quality, and longevity. At a very similar price, the only thing the Creative headset has going for it is wireless and built in mic. Long after the battery has worn out, Creative has stopped making drivers, or the removable mic has developed a short, the Sennheiser headphones would still be kicking.

Maybe I am pointing out the obvious, but you linked professional stereo headphones.

They lack positional audio and a mic and are not wireless. Why in the world would you compare them in games/movies to a gaming headset?

 

[EarlKeim]

I was thinking exactly this, and highlighted such things repeatedly in my review about NOT studio quality, etc.

 

[badcaps]

Positional audio is great with plenty of stereo headphones

This was the first thing that came to my mind as well.

What's really exciting about this pair of headphones is the customization via software; it looks like a great set of headphones for picky gamers who need things "just so."

Also "pulsating ear cups"

 

[usesoap]

Now if they would include a "Pulsating Cod Piece" we would be
in buisness!!!

This was the first thing that came to my mind as well.

What's really exciting about this pair of headphones is the customization via software; it looks like a great set of headphones for picky gamers who need things "just so."

Also "pulsating ear cups"

 

[EarlKeim]

This is a great way to hear your own voice as you speak when gaming. This will not get you an accurate representation of what the other person hears after internet relay, but it does give you a sample of your volume level and clarity of speech that will be sent. Just click that check box.

 

[krotch]

The fact that you think you can't get good positional sound from a stereo set up in games tells me that you don't have any experience with good stereo headphones. Nor do you seem to know what virtual surround is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_audio_effect
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_surround


Despite the fact that i've gone back and read this section in the last couple posts repeatedly, I still don't get what you're driving at here, or why you brought this up.
Yes. A person is an audiophile if they take their $10 budget and research the best sound system they could find. Though an audiophile would also quickly learn that there is nothing worthwhile at that price point and save up a few more dollars. I never said that $10 headphones are audiophile grade. Nor is being an enthusiast determined by your raw cash output. You don't need to own "100 games" as a gaming enthusiast or even 5 games to appreciate a good game, though if you wanted to describe why that game was good to another gamer, it would certainly be key to have some significant gaming experience to back up your opinions.


You don't have to believe me I suppose, but my success at locating foes in FPS games via sound isn't a lie. Nor is the success of the hundreds of gamers using headphones in the same class as my own specifically for their amazing gaming performance. Ask any of them if they would give their headphones up for a gaming headset and almost universally the answer will be "Never." Gamers that use them run the gamut from casual to Professional. Products like the HD595 are very popular in progaming circuits.


My whole point of contention is that you really don't. At least not compared to audiophile headphones. I would justify it to you as the following:
a.) Similarly priced or potentially cheaper
b.) Superior gaming performance
c.) Can use them for other listening purposes with vastly superior performance.(Music, movies)
d.) Tend to be extremely comfortable compared to many gaming headsets.
e.) Tend to last for a very long time.
f.) Tend not to look ridiculous, if you care about that.


Audiophile grade would be any product an audiophile would buy. Products designed to target people who enjoy good sound reproduction. products designed by companies who are passionate about sound, and use superior components and technologies developed in-house; as opposed to cheap flashy gimmicks and random collections of generic components sourced from makers of cheap asian electronics.


The Sony 7.1s, the newest being the MDR-DS7100s (I believe), are not "True" 7.1. Like the WoW headset they are Virtual Surround being generated over two drivers. One driver is in each cup, just like a normal pair of stereo headphones. Also, most audiophiles tend to think they're rather mediocre, if you were curious, although they are most definitely targeted at the audiophile segment.


Yes, I do. If you would have actually read my post you would have seen that. No I don't have the Psyko, and I never claimed to. I did claim that I hope it turns out to be good. I don't have the G35, nor have I heard it.(The g35 is another virtual surround solution, by the way) I have had experience with 4 gaming headsets personally and been disappointed with all of them. I've never seen a glowing review from anyone who knew what they were talking about on them either, though admittedly I have not investigated the G35. I do have my hopes that Logitech will step it up now that they have purchased the Ultimate Ears company. (Makers of the Reputable Triple.fi 10 Pros I mentioned earlier in this thread.)

Do you have any of these audiophile headphones? Do you have the A700? Do you have the Beyerdynamic DT770? Have you ever even heard a nice pair of headphones like these? What makes you think you aren't compromising your auditory experience? It bothers me so because I don't like seeing people throw money away on inferior products due to marketing hype generated by companies like Razer. Especially when those companies are abusing the Gamer demographic I belong to in order to do it.

God damn it, I spent so much time typing and it all went to shit. So anyways, I'm going to be short now.

I've owned Sennheiser HD 595, HD 448, Sony MDR-SA1000, SkullCandy Hesh, JVC HA-NC80, and my current random Sony wraparound headphones. Needless to say, I've gotten to the point where I really don't care what audio experience I get from headphones on my computer, cause they all suck compared to an actual speaker setup. Not for sound, but for positional audio. You can give me a link to virtual surround and 3D audio all you want, but guess what? They still aren't good.

You know what I hear in a game? Quiet and a whole lot of it. Then out of nowhere, a gun shot. Where that came from is a lot more important to me, than being able to hear the gun shot clearly, the wind effect as it flies through the air, and so on.

Why I even use headphones in a game, is cause I don't have much choice. I can't exactly keep my stereo blasting away with gun shot noises and explosions at 2-3 in the morning. These WoW headsets? Aimed exactly at a person like me. Someone who wants a wireless headset and decent audio.

If you want awesome audio and a seperate mic. So be it. Guess what? Not all gamers are audiophiles. I tried out the whole audiophile crap and it doesn't make my gaming experience any better. Outside of gaming, I don't give a damn. I listen to mp3s, which range from 128k to 320k. Majority are just 192k, as that's what I ripped them at.

And yes, this is actually a whole lot shorter than what I had typed. This time I'll ctrl+c it, just in case it doesn't post again.

 

[MaddBomber83]

I'm surprised that you have not heard of the G35. It is a gaming headset in the same family as the gaming keyboards and mice. I would love to see a comparison between these two headphones. They both use virtual surround sound. The G35 has a lot of the same features minus the EAX. I look forward to more reviews like this with some comparisons.

 

[usesoap]

Here are my two cents. Unless we are talking about a site that sells computer hardware exclusively like Newegg, most of the reviews you see are gonna be negative ones. Like on Amazon.com for example. I have posted many a good review at Newegg, and a few not so good. If I were to buy something at Amazon.com I probably wouldn't even bother to post a review unless what I bought sucked ass.

Just my two.

Well, the amazon reviews seem to have a large Issues to no Issues ratio. One would think if you got snazzy new wireless headphones that cost you $160, you'd probably want to tell the world how great they were. Except quite a few of them did not. Just in a quick trip through a couple of pages, I saw two people talking about snapped headphones due to a weak plastic piece, several commenting on a bad mic, and one person whose headphones just stopped working.

It's not like these headphones are $20 and everyone's out getting them. They're really expensive and it just seems like there'd be more positive reviews if all was roses and candy in the Wireless Warcraft Headset Land.

Like the above, I tried out the Razer Barracuda and was so disappointed by the "gaming headset" I researched headphones at headphone sites (and your audio forums here) to find my current Audio-Technica ATH-A900. A $5 boom mic is usually better than the mic included with these headsets anyway. If you want Alchemy, couldn't you buy a Creative Sound Card (or even a USB one) to get the same functionality with better audio?

That leaves the Wireless. That's the reason I was tempted by them, but I'd really rather buy a set that removed the lights, the branding (not because I'm against WoW but because I'm against paying for the branding), and kept the wireless. When someone suggests to me I should pay $160 for headphones, I immediately think of the ATH-A900's I paid about the same for.

Given what user reviews I've read on Newegg and Amazon, of the people who didn't have faulty units, I suspect the audio's not even close to as good. I can't say that for certain, not having used them.

But can one really defend a review of a product with, "Unless you've spent the money and time getting the product, you have no way to judge the overall quality of the product." I don't think that's true. If I am a person interested in a product and I research the user reviews of said product and find a rather lot of problems with it, including mic and headphones snapping, on user reviews on amazon, newegg, and even on the Creative forums... well, I think I'd be justified in thinking there were at least a few quality issues. Even if your review units did not suffer said problems.

Did you buy these units or were they supplied? I must have missed that in the review.

 

[Kett]

God damn it, I spent so much time typing and it all went to shit. So anyways, I'm going to be short now.

I've owned Sennheiser HD 595, HD 448, Sony MDR-SA1000, SkullCandy Hesh, JVC HA-NC80, and my current random Sony wraparound headphones. Needless to say, I've gotten to the point where I really don't care what audio experience I get from headphones on my computer, cause they all suck compared to an actual speaker setup. Not for sound, but for positional audio. You can give me a link to virtual surround and 3D audio all you want, but guess what? They still aren't good.

You know what I hear in a game? Quiet and a whole lot of it. Then out of nowhere, a gun shot. Where that came from is a lot more important to me, than being able to hear the gun shot clearly, the wind effect as it flies through the air, and so on.

Why I even use headphones in a game, is cause I don't have much choice. I can't exactly keep my stereo blasting away with gun shot noises and explosions at 2-3 in the morning. These WoW headsets? Aimed exactly at a person like me. Someone who wants a wireless headset and decent audio.

If you want awesome audio and a seperate mic. So be it. Guess what? Not all gamers are audiophiles. I tried out the whole audiophile crap and it doesn't make my gaming experience any better. Outside of gaming, I don't give a damn. I listen to mp3s, which range from 128k to 320k. Majority are just 192k, as that's what I ripped them at.

And yes, this is actually a whole lot shorter than what I had typed. This time I'll ctrl+c it, just in case it doesn't post again.

Once again with the speakers. I don't understand why you're even discussing this topic if all your points seem to be is: "All headphone/headset positional audio, no matter how it's done, is bad" and "I don't care about sound quality whatsoever."

If that truly is the case, then you're saying the only reason you would want a headset like the WoW headset is because it's wireless. So really you just want "Any wireless headset". If wireless is really all you care about, so be it. I don't see why you would pay $160 just to satisfy having "Any wireless headset" when you can get them starting at about $20, but that's your choice.

What I can say is that you're in the vast minority when it comes to people who share your opinion. Most gamers actually care about the positional audio in their headphones and appreciate good sound, whether or not they realize what's available.

My whole point is that "audiophile headphones should be included in a gamer's search for a pair of gaming headphones due to their great performance and competitive pricing with 'gamer' headsets."

Yours is apparently that "All headphones and headsets suck, they can't be good; but as long as I have to use them I want them to be wireless."

I just don't see how many people are going to agree with you, and I don't see how this discussion can go any further if you just plain don't care for headphones/headsets at all.

 

[wadec22]

as a newbie to headphones, i would be curious as to how these compare to the ATH- AD700. the ad700's seem to be the best bang for buck hp out there, especially for those of us who already have a decent sound card and don't need a mic.

 

[krotch]

That's pretty much all I care about. A set wireless headset, with a decent mic on it and okay sound. You know what? More than likely a majority of ppl living out there in the world, think the same way. If that wasn't the case, then majority of us would be rocking a set of audiophile headphones. That's not what happens does it.

Also, audiophile headphones should not be included. How good is an audiophile headphones mic? Oh wait, doesn't have one. As for positional audio, please, tell me how any of them can have good positional audio if they only sport 2 channels? I can tell sounds on my left or right. Sure, you can adjust your soundcard to 2.1, let it try to do virtual surround, but gonna be worse than many other gamer headsets.

Sure, a gaming headset might not be true 5.1/7.1, but it at least receives more than 2 channels and attempts to mimic it with their 2+ drivers inside. At least your higher end ones will.

If you want something multipurpose, then you simply research it. Give up on an all-in-one package or go with an audiophile headphones and mic. Either way, these are reviews for headsets aimed at gamers, not audiophile headphones. Those reviews are elsewhere.

 

[Decepticon]

These headphones look great, and from what I've read/heard about them they are EXACTLY the set of headphones I've been looking for...but I do not want the WoW branding

As many have said here, if it weren't for the WoW logo all over them, I'd be in it to win it already. I played (and probably will play in the future) WoW and I still don't want the branding on my frickin' headphones! Really hoping Logitech releases these with just normal Logitech branding, then I'd definitely buy a pair.

 

[jebo_4jc]

Kyle & Earl -

not sure if you're still reading through these posts after all the superiority-complex audiophile bitching, but I enjoyed the review.

As a non-audiophile regular guy, I consider myself to have heard enough good sources to know what quality sounds like. However, I'm not going to spend $300 on headphones.

Therefore, as a regular guy I appreciate a review coming from other regular guys like me, which from reading the review and comments, it seems Kyle and Earl are. So, I take this review at face value and appreciate the insight. I would love to see more reviews in this price bracket, as well as lower price brackets as well. Hell, I use a $25 logitech set when I need a headset with a mic, and use my Promedia Ultra 5.1s the rest of the time So even products down to the $25 level are relevant to me.

 

[Kett]

If that wasn't the case, then majority of us would be rocking a set of audiophile headphones.

The majority of people either don't realize they exist, think they cost $2983719, or think they need gamer headsets. The last two aren't true.

How good is an audiophile headphones mic? Oh wait, doesn't have one.

External mics work fine; Headset mics don't perform better. External mics are cheap as free.

As for positional audio, please, tell me how any of them can have good positional audio if they only sport 2 channels?

You only have two ears on your head. Think about that for a while.

Either way, these are reviews for headsets aimed at gamers, not audiophile headphones. Those reviews are elsewhere.

Once again, just because it's not marketed at the gamer doesn't mean it's not an extremely competitive product for that segment. A corvette that wasn't marketed as a sports car would still be a corvette. And no, reviews of audiophile headphones from a gaming perspective AREN'T elsewhere. So far there hasn't been any gaming centric site to my knowledge to even try. Only user reviews and word of mouth.

However, I'm not going to spend $300 on headphones.

I challenge anyone that reads this to go buy a pair of ATH-AD700 as their next headphones and put them up again any set of gaming headphones.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826402014&Tpk=ad700
Price = $90. That's Nine-Zero. $210 LESS than everyone seems to think a pair of audiophile headphones costs. Throw a $10 mic in with the price if you must. That's $100, which is still less than even the wired version of the WoW headset for instance. Here are some others at or above it's price range to compare it to:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826249008
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826235007
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826265066
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826235008
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826153051
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826249016
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826158084

use my Promedia Ultra 5.1s the rest of the time

This is an Audiophile product. As a non-audiophile regular guy who plays games, you clearly enjoy these. What makes you think "regular guys" wouldn't enjoy audiophile headphones? I wouldn't know anything about it; I was born as a non-gaming audiophile, straight onto a pile of million-dollar bills.

superiority-complex audiophile bitching

This will be my last post in this thread, since it's obvious people are completely misinterpreting them/not reading them.

 

[Awesomedude]

A while ago I was looking for some headphones for watching movies/gaming, and read rave reviews about the ad700's

Now as I am broke I haven't bought any headphones, but wanted to share some info on what I've read. From my understanding the ad vs the a line of headphones have a better "soundstage" and sound better in general. The soundstage is going to help positioning in game. Personally I only own some crappy $10 earphones, and can't compare anything, just wanted to clear up the ad/a thing if anyone here was interesting in trying them or even looking into it more, that the ad line is the way to go. Also I've read about people using the ad700's and being able to pinpoint where the sound is coming from.

*again I don't own these and have no way of comparing them to any other phones, but just some stuff I've read, in my own search for some good sounding under $100 headphones.

Also they can be had for about $10 cheaper w/ free shipping as compared with the newegg link above.

http://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATH-AD700-Audiophile-Headphones-Neodymium/dp/B000CMS0XU/

 

[krotch]

The majority of people either don't realize they exist, think they cost $2983719, or think they need gamer headsets. The last two aren't true.

There's a reason most of these gamer headsets cost more. Take these WoW ones for example.

1. headphones and a mic
2. wireless
3. built-in soundcard

Audiophile?

1. headphones
2. not much else

External mics work fine; Headset mics don't perform better. External mics are cheap as free.

I never said they don't work fine, but some of us don't want seperate ones either.

You only have two ears on your head. Think about that for a while.

And my ears can hear in all directions.

Once again, just because it's not marketed at the gamer doesn't mean it's not an extremely competitive product for that segment. A corvette that wasn't marketed as a sports car would still be a corvette. And no, reviews of audiophile headphones from a gaming perspective AREN'T elsewhere. So far there hasn't been any gaming centric site to my knowledge to even try. Only user reviews and word of mouth.

I never said there were sites that review audiophile headphones for the gamer. But there are audiophile sites that review headphones. There's a reason no one bothers reviewing them for gaming. It's not the segment they are aimed at.

I challenge anyone that reads this to go buy a pair of ATH-AD700 as their next headphones and put them up again any set of gaming headphones.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826402014&Tpk=ad700
Price = $90. That's Nine-Zero. $210 LESS than everyone seems to think a pair of audiophile headphones costs. Throw a $10 mic in with the price if you must. That's $100, which is still less than even the wired version of the WoW headset for instance. Here are some others at or above it's price range to compare it to:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826249008
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826235007
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826265066
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826235008
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826153051
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826249016
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826158084

I bet you, if I take the WoW wired or wireless headset and connect it to every single PC that is owned by any of the HardForum members or even read HardOCP, that I would get the same audio quality. Regardless of who's machine I connect it to. Can the same be said about the ATH-AD700?

Yes, many of the gamer headsets out there are piles of junk that are overpriced. You've listed quite a few. Like anything made by Steelseries feels like junk to me. I've had one of their mice pad and the Zboard keyboards. Ya, I don't use them anymore. Might as well just give me the money, if you buy their junk.

 

[gorb]

the ad700s are very easy to drive - there isn't any reason why somebody wouldn't get good sound quality from them