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Outside of poor audio quality, the build quality tends to be poo poo in headsets. Getting a good pair of headphones in conjunction with a desktop mic will suit you much better.
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Feb 18, 2014 16:13
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^^^Yeah, maybe. I mean my laptop has it's own Mic built in so maybe I do only need headphones and not a gaming headset. Thanks for the reply. For anybody else I should maybe clarify that I am pretty much done with the 360 now so it'll only be for PC gaming and mostly FPSs where sound and communication is key. To be honest I'm happy sound quality-wise with the pair of skullcandy £20-30 headphones I got for free with an Ipod, but they are so uncomfortable after about a hour.
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Feb 18, 2014 16:18
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Incoming Chinchilla posted:^^^Yeah, maybe. I mean my laptop has it's own Mic built in so maybe I do only need headphones and not a gaming headset. The Logitech ones mentioned in my previous post hits your criteria pretty well, as well as the shooter thing. Midorka is absolutely right about the desktop mic setup, but I get that sometimes shipping kinda clips your available budget a bit if you're buying online, so that may or may not be the most cost effective option—I'm in the US, so I'm not used to some of the pricing/shipping variance in the UK/elsewhere.
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Feb 18, 2014 16:23
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Can anyone recommend on a good desktop mic in lieu of a dedicated gaming headset?
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Feb 18, 2014 17:43
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Bonobos posted:Can anyone recommend on a good desktop mic in lieu of a dedicated gaming headset? What's your budget? You can use anything from a $4.33 Labtec 3.5mm mic to a USB condenser microphone with shock mount and pop filter (  ) depending on how crazy you wanna go.
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Feb 18, 2014 19:39
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I just use the Zalman clip on mic and it seems OK. Don't listen to myself so I don't know how the quality is (not great I'm sure), but people can understand what I'm saying well enough.
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Feb 18, 2014 19:56
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Got my ebay china sennheiser cable and its a thing of beauty. Cant wait to hook it up tonight.  This is the one i ordered http://www.ebay.com/itm/261255113290?var=560215640802&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
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Feb 18, 2014 20:09
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Don Lapre posted:Got my ebay china sennheiser cable and its a thing of beauty. Cant wait to hook it up tonight. What? Plug it in and listen to it? You have to burn that sucker in for at least 600 hours with looping pink and white noise. 
grack fucked around with this message at 21:20 on Feb 18, 2014 |
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Feb 18, 2014 21:18
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What is this 'burn in' anyhow? I've heard people mention it before but I've no idea what it is/means.
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Feb 18, 2014 21:24
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It's an arbitrary amount time after purchasing headphones where sound waves take on a magical quality and improve the quality of the gear. I'm not an audiophile though so I probably just don't get it.
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Feb 18, 2014 21:33
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/\/\ No, no—you get it.Require More Fire posted:What is this 'burn in' anyhow? I've heard people mention it before but I've no idea what it is/means. Mostly pure bullshit. Much of the evidence of it being A Thing shows changes of <1dB at certain frequencies, which falls squarely into the "margin of error" territory. There are some pieces of older equipment that do fatigue based on a number of factors, but it really does not make an audible difference 99.99% of the time. If someone tells you to burn something in, don't listen to them, they're wrong. Just enjoy your cans like a normal person.
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Feb 18, 2014 21:36
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Armchair Calvinist posted:What's your budget? You can use anything from a $4.33 Labtec 3.5mm mic to a USB condenser microphone with shock mount and pop filter ( Oh what the hell, may as well go all out and say less than $100 if possible. I'd like people to hear me clearly. The Yeti ones look good though they are kind of bulky. I'd want a nice mic since it would bother me to pair a nice headpphone with a cheap piece of crap from wherever. Now that I think about it, I do have access to my brother's Shure vocal mic. Any way to connect this cheaply to my computer? I assume quality would be comparible to $100+ pc only mic?
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Feb 18, 2014 22:01
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Is it a dynamic or condenser mic? Condensers allow for some distance between the user and the transducer. There are probably ways to get it hooked up to the PC, but for that amount of money you could get something like this mic and some foam to cover the microphone and be good. Of course this is a pretty hardcore thing to do. I use my AT 2020USB mic for Skype calls and small recording sessions. For something like solely VOIP in videogames, I've never had trouble with the Logitech USB microphones (~$20)
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Feb 18, 2014 22:20
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The original Yeti is a great mic for the price. Can't believe you can get them for under $100 these days. I use the Pro, but afaik the only real difference is 24/192 recording. However, if you aren't going to be podcasting or something I'd say just go with a normal desktop mic. I've got my yeti (with shock mount/filter) on a swivel boom arm attached to the desk, myself.
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Feb 18, 2014 23:00
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So after having my chinese sennheiser cable for 5 hours and watching an episode of judge judy i can review it On first hearing the difference I was really surprised: the Chinese cable brought about a clearly noticeable improvement over my stock version. Track after track, it was a delight to confirm that my system was sounding better. I noted hearing greater levels of dynamics, quicker transients and better attack, a darker background and increased musical articulation allowing for a more expressive performance. Also: greater control at frequency extremes enabling music to project more convincingly, all translating into a more believable and musical experience. Switching to the stock cable was followed by a loss of musical involvement. The sound became emotionally flatter and slower, there was less of that "get up and go" and the corresponding musical energy I so preferred. I quickly went back to the Chinese cable and continued to listen, long into the night.
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Feb 19, 2014 01:05
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I'm on my phone so I can't really post in the proper format, but hopefully someone has a couple suggestions. Looking for a set of Bluetooth in-ear headphones. They would be used with my phone for music, audio books, and games, either just hanging out or exercising. Right now I'm using a set those meei electronics ones that seem to be pretty popular. Guess I'm essentially looking for a Bluetooth version of these, maybe better quality. Hoping to keep it under 100 bucks. Thanks!
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Feb 19, 2014 01:47
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A Proper Uppercut posted:I'm on my phone so I can't really post in the proper format, but hopefully someone has a couple suggestions. Looking for a set of Bluetooth in-ear headphones. They would be used with my phone for music, audio books, and games, either just hanging out or exercising. Take a look at these http://www.amazon.com/Jaybird-Freedom-Sprint-Bluetooth-Headphones/dp/B0095P2F1S/
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Feb 19, 2014 02:25
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Don Lapre posted:So after having my chinese sennheiser cable for 5 hours and watching an episode of judge judy i can review it 
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Feb 19, 2014 02:38
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Don Lapre posted:So after having my chinese sennheiser cable for 5 hours and watching an episode of judge judy i can review it This was very entertaining to read, I almost laughed audibly in class. Thank you. 
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Feb 19, 2014 02:51
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Tactical Lesbian posted:This was very entertaining to read, I almost laughed audibly in class. Thank you. I wish I could take credit but its a "legit" review for some speaker cable risers.
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Feb 19, 2014 02:54
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Don Lapre posted:I wish I could take credit but its a "legit" review for some speaker cable risers. Oh god it was actually a thing?  I'm sure it was "legit" and not legit. Right? Right?! People can't be that stupid... can they?
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Feb 19, 2014 02:57
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Tactical Lesbian posted:Oh god it was actually a thing? Yes, cable risers are a thing. http://www.audiotweaks.com/reviews/cblelevators/page03.htm
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Feb 19, 2014 03:07
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Don Lapre posted:Yes, cable risers are a thing. I meant the lovely review.
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Feb 19, 2014 03:08
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Tactical Lesbian posted:I meant the lovely review. Ohh he, that's the link for it. Also check out his other amazing reviews.
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Feb 19, 2014 03:10
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Don Lapre posted:Yes, cable risers are a thing. Unbelievable. Is that article suppose to be serious? It's not a parody is it? Last page I described what I was looking for and then gushed about some Beyers over their velour cups. Well, I was browsing trademe (New Zealand's equivalent of ebay) and found a place 15 mins away that appear to deal in entry level audio equipment (and motor bike parts among other things). I ended up getting these:  They're a pair of Takstar HI 2050 aka Technical Pro HPT990. If they look familiar, it's probably because they appear to be I got these ones for $70NZD ($58USD) and was able to try them on first, so it wasn't much of a risk. I already said I preferred fabric over leather pads and wearing these just cement that opinion. The pads feel great and are really comfortable. The pressure on the outside of my ears is not super "heavy" either. It's perfect when the adjustable strap is completely extended, but my head is too small for them to be correctly supported that way unfortunately. I'm hoping the strap will get looser over time so it feels that way even when it's not fully extended. As for the audio quality, I'm just a casual scrub and really not qualified to go into detail about it. I tried some classical music, chiptunes tracks and a couple of Star Trek movies, it all sounds fine. I couldn't notice anything obviously terrible. ALSA Master volume is hovering on 50% volume and it's at a comfortable "background music" level. On the 3DS, putting the slider around 30-50% seems about right for normal operation in a quiet environment. They are suppose to be "semi-open". I'm not sure what the functional difference between open and "semi-open" is suppose to be, so I guess I'll just describe the isolation of them as best I can. At a "typical" level (~50-60% volume) I can place them on the desk and not hear them in a silent room. If you go any higher then that, they start turning into budget speakers. At max volume, they can be heard in the next room. If I can get the strap stretched out and loosen them up a bit more, I'll be really happy to keep these things around for quite some time.
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Feb 19, 2014 04:54
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Midorka posted:No problem. Some people might recommend the Superlux HD668b over the Samson's since they sound the same. The Samson's are infinitely more comfy though, the HD668b will wind up hurting the top of your head, thanks to the poor implementation of Audio Technica's wing design. The Samson might be the best all-around sounding headphones under $100 in all honesty. Yeah, after searching up the Samson, it did bring up pretty good reviews. I've never owned anything beyond a basic pair of headphones, so I'm really excited about trying these out. Thank you, again! Also, do you suggest an audio card? Do cheaper ones, like the Xonar DG, present a big enough difference compared to onboard? Or are those kinds of things really only for the most serious of audio fanatics/professionals, and onboard audio has, as they say, "gotten good enough?" Incredulous Dylan posted:The original Yeti is a great mic for the price. Can't believe you can get them for under $100 these days. I use the Pro, but afaik the only real difference is 24/192 recording. However, if you aren't going to be podcasting or something I'd say just go with a normal desktop mic. I've got my yeti (with shock mount/filter) on a swivel boom arm attached to the desk, myself. I apologize if this isn't really the right place to be asking or carrying this conversation on, but could I ask what shock mount and swivel arm you use? I've been looking at some, and would like a little insight. Especially for the Yeti, which seems to be bigger than most other mics.
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Feb 19, 2014 06:30
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Touchfuzzy posted:Yeah, after searching up the Samson, it did bring up pretty good reviews. I've never owned anything beyond a basic pair of headphones, so I'm really excited about trying these out. Thank you, again! Also, do you suggest an audio card? Do cheaper ones, like the Xonar DG, present a big enough difference compared to onboard? Or are those kinds of things really only for the most serious of audio fanatics/professionals, and onboard audio has, as they say, "gotten good enough?" Listen to them and enjoy them. Do this before you get swept up in spending $500+ on a set-up. You're still golden, untouched. The Samson SR850 unamped are going to give you a great listening experience.
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Feb 19, 2014 06:42
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Don Lapre posted:Yes, cable risers are a thing. Y'know, the reasoning is lovely. The reviews are stupid. I didn't look at cost and it's probably astronomical. The product doesn't seem that retarded, though, except for what the golden ear magic people feel it's doing for them.
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Feb 19, 2014 09:54
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shymog posted:Y'know, the reasoning is lovely. The reviews are stupid. I didn't look at cost and it's probably astronomical. The product doesn't seem that retarded, though, except for what the golden ear magic people feel it's doing for them.
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Feb 19, 2014 11:57
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Touchfuzzy posted:I apologize if this isn't really the right place to be asking or carrying this conversation on, but could I ask what shock mount and swivel arm you use? I've been looking at some, and would like a little insight. Especially for the Yeti, which seems to be bigger than most other mics. No problem - the voice over megathread is the only place I could really see answering anyway. It took a while for Blue to actually come out with a shockmount that fit the Yeti, but you can finally buy one that fits perfectly. Got mine off Amazon. I use the RODE PSA1 for my boom arm and I am very happy with it. It easily holds the weight of the Yeti, shockmount and the pop filter, allowing you to smoothly move it basically wherever you would reasonably need it around your desk within seconds. You also don't need to drill a hole to secure it since there's a clamp that you can easily set up, though it comes with the necessary attachments if you will be drilling.
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Feb 19, 2014 16:01
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Incredulous Dylan posted:The original Yeti is a great mic for the price. Can't believe you can get them for under $100 these days. I use the Pro, but afaik the only real difference is 24/192 recording. However, if you aren't going to be podcasting or something I'd say just go with a normal desktop mic. I've got my yeti (with shock mount/filter) on a swivel boom arm attached to the desk, myself. Would love to see your setup. Any photos?
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Feb 19, 2014 20:35
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What swivel/boom did you end up getting? I want something similar for my desk since at the moment I'm using a desk mount for my 2020USB and it would clean up a lot of surface space. I'm at work so I can't find a better (and much more recent/completed) pic of the setup but here's a general idea of a condenser mic setup on a desk. It can be further away for games and whatnot.
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Feb 19, 2014 22:18
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I actually used to have that same mic mount from back when I had a Samson C1OU and I feel my current setup is just way better (if you don't mind looking like a techno nerd). I'll post a picture of my setup when I get home and then I'll stop derailing the thread  Edit: here ya go  Seems to be a good four inches of adjustable clamp height. Just make sure there's space underneath the edge to fit the clamp. Incredulous Dylan fucked around with this message at 23:41 on Feb 19, 2014 |
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Feb 19, 2014 22:25
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evil_bunnY posted:TBH it's a bit expensive for the sound quality, but they're so much better built than the rest.... chiming in as another happy user of HD25 II's. I had my prior two pairs of work headphones fail on me due to wires coming loose or whatever. I went in search of something w/ detachable cables, closed backs and built to last and ended up with these. Three years later they're still going strong.
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Feb 20, 2014 00:57
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HD25-1 II sound perfect for the cash. Especially considering they are closed, portable, headphones with huge isolation.
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Feb 20, 2014 05:56
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I have a bit of a dilemma. I like my VSonic GR07 Mk2s a lot. The sound is great when I can get a good fit, if a bit sibilant at times. They aren't super-bassy but they get a decent oomph, and the mids and highs put a smile on my face. The problem is, this is increasingly seeming to be a problem for me. See, VSonic was slightly stupid and made the stalks (is there a better word for this?) that the earpieces attach to a stupid, weird thickness. This makes stuff that I love like Comply T-400 foam tips not actually fit right. I've tried weird modifications to Comply tips to get them to fit without any luck. The originally-included foam tips don't fit right, and I just don't like rubber tips. I need roughly Comply T-400s in SMALL for my left ear, while my right can fit small/medium. Hooray for weird ears! So, reluctantly, I'm looking at moving on from these out of frustration, unless someone can give me a better tip solution for the GR07 Mk2s. Budget - $150-200 Source - Nexus 5, Macbook Pro, desktop with a well-amped headphone output. No separate amps. Isolation - IEMs, so yeah. Preferred Type of Headphone - IEMs. Preferred Tonal Balance - I don't have a huge preference, other than liking my highs and mids to not sound muddy and still have a bit of low-end oomph. Past Headphones - VSonic GR07 Mk2s (current), Shure E2C, V-Moda Crossfade LP (current desk use), Sennheiser HD-380 Pro, Sennheiser HD-439, Sony V700DJs (LOL). Preferred Music - Random mix of almost anything outside of country. Video-game music, electronic stuff (The Knife/Fever Ray/Ladytron/etc) and whatever else I feel like.
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Feb 20, 2014 07:11
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Put some blu tac on the stems, then put the Complys on. You could also try and get some Sony Isolation Hybrids or Monster Foam Supertips (silicon tips with foam padding for increased isolation)
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Feb 20, 2014 07:46
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grack posted:Put some blu tac on the stems, then put the Complys on. Tried the Sony tips, but I didn't care for them. I did have a pair of old Jays foams that I got from eBay but they don't seem to be available. I was not even aware that Monster SuperTips were even a thing. Ordered the SuperTips Gel + Foam Kit. I read a bit and it seems like the SuperTips don't fit perfectly, but they fit better than Comply tips? I'll find out Friday! Thanks, you might have saved me from going deeper down the rabbit hole!
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Feb 20, 2014 09:28
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I need some advice. I had a pair of Bose QC15's that smashed on the way to Heathrow one day, and I replaced them with a pair of shure 315's that my laptop can barely drive (some distortion) and my phone absolutely shits itself when it tries to drive (major, major distortion). I tried adding a CMoy amp and I'm not really happy with it (it's inconvenient and it uses a $12 900mAh lithium 9V battery every 4-5 hours). So I need headphones that: a) will be used for 20+ hr flights and office work. b) (preferably) I can sleep with them on during long flights. I found the QC15's a bit of a let down here because when I turned my head in my sleep, the headphone cup hit the headrest I kept waking up. c) isolating, if not cancelling is a must. So is not leaking for other passengers and in the office. I think I need to stick to closed designs. d) budget is $200-$300 e) a discrete bit of base, but not too much. What I did like about the QC15's was that they were either easier to drive or were actively powered, either way my phone ran them just fine. This makes me think I need something that has a battery in it. Also, aside from colliding with the headrest on planes, I find circumaural by far the most comfortable. They had a nice amount of bass and good isolation/cancelling, but weren't spectacular otherwise. The Shure's sound a bit flat for me but that could be the wimpy sources, and I find them a bit uncomfortable after a while. My SR80's are currently in the wrong hemisphere, but I can't use the open design and I find supraaural uncomfortable after prolonged use. The guide linked in the OP guide is great, but I don't think these requirements quite fit. So where should I start looking? Captain Postal fucked around with this message at 17:10 on Feb 21, 2014 |
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Feb 21, 2014 16:30
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So I've had the Zero DAC for quite a long time and I've enjoyed what its provided me in terms of loudness on my HD 550s. More of a curiosity than any real need, what could I do to potentially improve the DAC functionality via another piece of hardware? One thing the Zero DAC lets me do is leave my headphones plugged in and via the press of a button I can switch to my RCA outs on the back, which I haven't seen in any other product. Are there other desktop DACs that provide that function? Sorry if this is unclear, I'm somewhat of an audio luddite. This is for a setup that connects to the onboard sound on my PC via optical (probably going to get a Xonar or an HT Omega card soon). Also curious if a Xonar/HT Omega card with a dedicated jack for headphones (plus built-in amp) would negate the need for the Zero entirely. Wrath of the Bitch King fucked around with this message at 19:03 on Feb 21, 2014 |
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Feb 21, 2014 18:59
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