Good/Affordable headset

T

theNoid

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Dec 23, 2003
Messages
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I've done a little research but I cannot find some good opinions on a replacement headset. I'm looking for one with an attached mic for ventrilo etc..

I've had Plantronics DSP500s for about 3 years but one of the speakers is busted. I need some affordable replacements that sound great.

What would the [H] recommend ?
 
< $100 if possible. The cheaper the better, but sound quality is key. That and comfort.
 
im considering the siberia's as well, but i've been reading that the build quality isn't that good on them. any owners care to elaborate?
 
Miami_Fly_Guy said:
im considering the siberia's as well, but i've been reading that the build quality isn't that good on them. any owners care to elaborate?
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Certainly. I'm a former owner.

I received a set of the Icemat Black Siberias as a Christmas gift last year since I was tired of making due with crappy off-brand headphones and wanted to listen to something better while I was fragging. You might say that, for the price, their quality is unexceptional at best. The Siberias, like most "gaming" headsets on the market today, are built more for flair and looks rather than rugged durability; the cheap, shiny plastic cups are connected by two very thin wires to the velvety headstrap which, along with the fuzzy earpads, can comfortably grip the wearer's head for hours at a time.

They're very comfy, I'll give them that much, and the comfort level didn't seem to diminish while they still held together. In fact, it's very easy to forget about the Siberias' build quality entirely once you've got them on, I'm not going to lie - but the ugly reality will eventually rear its ugly head when you find out that their durability is nowhere near the same level as their comfort level.

Mine broke after about ten months of use, which included transportation to and from college and home and to and from LAN parties. More specifically, the part of the headset on the right side where the headstrap's two wires are held in place came apart spontaneously and completely right as I was at the biggest LAN party of the year, just before the action started. I had to run back to my dorm and grab my Sennheiser CX-300b's to use for the rest of the night - and let me tell you, trying to game with IEMs is NOT easy.

Luckily, I still had a ton of fun - I beat everyone else there in a massive UT2K4 deathmatch to take the #1 prize (shameless prop) - but I still feel let down by the Siberias' build quality. They should have lasted a year at the minimum, but they didn't even make it that far before giving out. The extension cable that they came with went on the fritz after about six months, the mic never worked right, and the headphones came apart after ten months. I do NOT recommend buying the Siberias, however comfortable they may be, based on my personal experience with them.

OP, if you're looking to get a really nice set of headgear for gaming, you're better off getting a nice set of headphones and a clip-on mic to use with them. A set of headphones like the Sennheiser HD 555 would not only sound - and feel - vastly superior to your former headset, but they'd very likely last you a lot longer than any headset would. The HD 555s have a two-year manufacturer's warranty, and even beyond that their parts are easily replaceable. Add a simple clip-on mic to the mix like the Zalman model they sell on the Egg and you've got a winning combination for about $100.
 
Rhyick said:
Sorry, I'm a newbie regarding headphones and the like. Why not get a PC 155 or 165 if I have a decent sound card such as a X-Fi?
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The PC 155 and PC 165 models include a USB sound card and cost a lot more. The X-Fi surely sounds a lot better than the included sound card.
 
thanks Shorehn, i guess when it comes to this kind of thing you get what you pay for. I didn't want to spend 100 on a soundcard and then another 100 on headphones but that should ensure the quality of both items is high and they last me a long time. thx :)
 
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