Seeking recommendations for best gaming headset under $200

U

U53r

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 5, 2013
Messages
128
Hey Guys,

Looking to get a new headset, currently have the Rosewill RHTS-8206 which sounds really good but I think it's taken one too many trips to the floor and has developed a buzzy sound.

Ive scoured the net for best lists and roundups but there honestly aren't many, and really no comprehensive ones that compare all the major options out there. Further, none of the include the Rosewill headset which in my opinion has excellent sound quality and hits way above it's price range, in fact the only reason I'm not going to get another one is because the ear cups are just a touch too small for my ears and it gets a bit uncomfortable after a while.

I was hoping someone here maybe has experience with a wide range of these headsets, I wish there was somewhere around here that I could audition them but there doesn't seem to be, it's really hard to decide on something that you can't try on, you know?

Ok, so criteria are;

- Excellent sound quality
- Large ear cups that will fit larger ears
- Comfort
- Solid surround sound
- Priced below $200 (or at least on sale below $200)

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
The thing with headphones is they are just stereo and I'd like surround sound as it will primarily be used for gaming, for music I generally use my stereo.
 
The other thing I was thinking was to do headphones plus a surround sound mix amp, I've read Astro's MixAmp is pretty good but at $130 it's a bit over priced, are there other equally good options?
 
A soundblaster Z and a pair of either sennheiser 518, 558 or a used pair of akg 701s would be your best sound under $200.
 
Hmm do you know of a place to buy that I dont? Cheapest I've seen the HD598's for is ~$150 and about $130 for the SB Z, that's way over $200.

Which do you think are better, the HD598's or the Audio Technica AD700's?
 
So doing some reasearch on headphones it seems my options are:

Sennheiser HD598
Audio Technica ATH-700X and 900X
And possibly the ATH-50X
 
For gaming, the 701s are actually the best. As in way better. For directional sound and size of the head stage, they are unbeatable.

Google creative z oem

Should find one for around $54. Even if you go with a sennheiser 558, get one.
 
Alas I am from the great nation of Canada where we get sdcrewed on everything, cant find a single one for under $100.

As for the 701's, I dunno, reportedly they are a bit anemic in the bass department and I think to say they are better then the HD 598's or the AD900X's is an error. They are very good headphones but the 598's are a bit more balanced from what I've read though the 701's do have slightly more front sound stage where the HD598's have more left/right/center sound stage.
 
Not for directional sound. No other headphone tells you where things are better. You do not have to look to see where a helicopter or infantry is to know where they are.

They do this bc they have less bass than the other headphones. Like I said, best for gaming. I just went from 558s to 701s. The difference in sound stage size is very noticeable. Both are excellent though so you are good either way.
 
Comparing the HD 558 to the 701's isn't really a fair comparison, the HD598 have a noticeably wider sound stage them the HD558's, they are also brighter and have less boomy tighter bass - you cant jusge the performance of the 598's based on your experience with the 558's.
 
Most surround sounds is fake surround, spend better money on Stereo, ANY good stereo headset will give you proper sound stage.

My Senn HD595 with any FPS i can hear exactly where someone may be walking in from.
 
U53r said:
Comparing the HD 558 to the 701's isn't really a fair comparison, the HD598 have a noticeably wider sound stage them the HD558's, they are also brighter and have less boomy tighter bass - you cant jusge the performance of the 598's based on your experience with the 558's.
Click to expand...

Ok. I tried the 598s before the 558 and found them similar. So does most everyone else. Everyone's ear is different though.

I am not taking bass into this argument. The 701s have a much larger sound stage than either Senn model. You will not get closer to a speaker size sound stage under $200 than with the 701s.
 
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Ive been doing a heap of research these past few days and read/watched many direct comparisons of the entire senhiser line as well as other headphones and the 558's and 598's really aren't similar in any way, they have a totally different sound profile, the 598's have a much wider sound stage and are a totally different beast.

The 701's are decent but from my research the sound quality and comfort isn't up to par with the Sennheiser, Audio-Technical or Beyerdynamic offering around the same price point, as I will be using these for more then just gaming that puts them near the bottom of my list right now.

H-Money said:
If you need strictly headset, the Kingston HyperX Clouds are fantastic. I have the first model and love it. They just came out with the new version that has the virtual surround.
Click to expand...

They do look like a great headset at their price but being closed cubs I feel like the sound stage will be very small.
 
H-Money said:
If you need strictly headset, the Kingston HyperX Clouds are fantastic. I have the first model and love it. They just came out with the new version that has the virtual surround.
Click to expand...


+1 I use these also, great gaming headset. Could use more range, but for the price on sale, they are great.

Tip : I had a spare Logitech USB virtual adapter lying around ($5-$10 I'd guess) and i tried it for fun... WHOAA .. it brings out a HUGE, and I mean *HUGE* amount of base out of these headphones. BEST DAMN $10 sound card you can get, if you like over-the-top base. Nice thing is the drivers can take it!
 
Also check out a fidelio x 1 or x 2. It is a great all around headphone.
 
Since you are looking for top lists, I suggest you google around a bit! For example this gaming headset list includes some pretty sweet options. Personally I agree that Kingston HyperX Clouds is really good (I'd get the second version though). However, within your budget is also "Sennheiser G4ME ONE" which is even better IMO. Also you should consider what console or computer you want to use if for, as many of them are not compatible with all devices. If you buy some headphones are like... WOOT? WORST SOUND I EVER HEARD! (has happened to me).. then you probably got some incompatible ones. So make sure you check the specs! Anyway, good luck in your search.
 
Hmmm. How about...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B005CNR7B0/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

+

http://www.modmic.com/collections/frontpage/products/modmic-muteless

+

www.amazon.com/OEM-Part-GenuineLogitech-Surround-Headset-Pc/dp/B00PZC792K/
Or direct from Logitech here: http://support.logitech.com/product/g430-7-1-surround-sound-gaming-headset

The K550s are still among the most comfortable headphones I've tried. Light, minimal clamp, comfy and large ear cups. Throw in a good add-in mic, and a surround emulation capable usb pod, and away you go.
 
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Hmm,

Having second thoughts about my recent purchase the more I think about it.

I bought some Astro A50's last week and will be receiving them probably tomorrow, along with a Sound Blaster Z sound card and mic combo. However, since I fried my mobo while I was putting new pieces in last week also, (gah, never knew painted cases weren't good for grounding. costly mistakes.) and had to order a new one (Fatal1ty Z97X from ASRock) which already has pretty good audio compared to my older board (while not 100% near the SBZ, I only have Z506 speakers right now, and when the time will come to get a decent set of speakers I will adjust the rest of my set-up accordingly. ..).

All of which has got me thinking, considering I need to order another rush shipment from Newegg, should I not open that A50-SBZ package and order some SteelSeries H's, as Amazon will not accept open-box returns as far as I can tell? (unlike Newegg, in case I turn out to be disappointed with the H's, who will charge a 15% restocking fee.)

The A50's REQUIRE Optical-Out on a Dolby Digital Live capable soundcard, but from what I read the SteelSeries are either USB powered or analog possibly (sigh, such lack of details sometimes. ..) and get great reviews for pretty much the same price point, ending up in about a $100 saving on the SBZ for me.

Not a big fan of the cheap-looking mic, but apparently they sound great, have very good wireless performance as well as positional/surround audio, and excellent battery life on top of having 2 individual, switchable batteries.

A little unimpressed so far by how much research I had to do just to figure out EXACTLY WHAT the Astro's requirements for PC connectivity were despite them being one of the most popular brands out there and having over 15k posts on the community help forum.

Things I'm looking for: wireless, with 3D audio, sounds as good for music and entertainment (possibly a bit of music production, but that's one of my last requirements as I wouldn't mind getting better ones later for that purpose.) as it does for surround gaming, good sound without dedicated hardware being necessary if possible, good mic quality (though I am also getting a C920 webcam with this shipment which apparently sounds great.), sturdy design, and finally, decent support IN CASE I get a faulty set, if at all possible, and in that order pretty much.

;D.....


Thanks !!.....

- blackmoon9


(P.S., anything up to about $250 is fine by me. though, would definitely appreciate some savings if at all possible without sacrificing much quality-wise. ;D.......)
(P.P.S., the better the headphones keep external sound out, the better for me. otherwise, I may end up patching the hardware into some construction-grade earmuffs. ;D......)
 
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First and foremost: When you use "native" surround sound, you are going to sacrifice audio quality; that's the downside of putting multiple drivers in a single earcup. So the first thing you need to decide: Do you want native surround, or Virtulized surround? Going with Virtual surround allows any 2.0 headset to accept a 5.1/7.1 audio stream, and give the illusion of surround sound, but your mileage may vary. I've used both approaches, and for me, Virtual is "good enough".

As for options:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-2-17-2015
http://www.head-fi.org/a/headphone-buying-guide

My two master lists for headphone purchases, though geared more for headphones then headsets.
 
Check out Mad Lust Envy's thread about gaming headsets, tons of info there

Ideally, you want a sound card/DSP that has Dolby Headphone or CMSS-3D for gaming. Then for the analog audio, you want to get a headphone amp and a decent pair of headphones that have good positional audio (imaging in audiophile terms).

I have a SB X-Fi Fatal1ty (circa 2005) line-out to Schiit Vali to AKG K7xx. I'm planning to mod the X-Fi with hi-grade components to improve the analog output.
 
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