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Which Gaming Headphones/Headsets Should I Choose?

Thrall

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I have an x-fi fatal1ty sound card coming in the mail and I'm looking for a good pair of gaming headphones/headsets to match it's audio quality. I'd use them for gaming in bf2 and many other fps and also for maybe listening to my sansa e280 or cd player. My budget is up to $70 shipped, I'd like them to be circumaural, be able to handle quite a few lan parties, have a good sound, be comfy for a few hours of straight gaming, and give good 3d positioning. I've personally been looking at mainly sennheiser headphones because of all of the great reviews i've seen on their headsets. their eh350's, hd515's, and their hd465's. I'm thinking that the "audiophile" hd515's will produce the best sound and i can get them cheap as a refurb on ebay. The eh350's and the hd465's i can get off newegg, with the earlier are supposed to have a balanced sound with the later having more bass-I'm not sure which I'd like yet. I wouldn't say i'm a total audiophile but i have good ears.
 

Yin

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I would agree with you, on the sennheiser, I have the HD 497 and they were well worth the money as for comfortable ones... it really depends on your head..
 

Thrall

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I guess i have a small-medium head and medium-large ears, is there somewhere i can get the dimensions of the headphones?
 
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Steelsound 5H V2, Used by professionals and with a USB 7.1 Sound card can't go wrong.


Just saw your budget 70 dollars shipped... nevermind
 

Thrall

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hmm just read on epinions that the hd515's aren't the best for gaming, but isn't 3d positioning in games determined by the soundcard not the headphones?
 

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Thrall

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I don't really use the mic in many games, though i guess it'd be nice to have.
 

Cold Storm

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intel igent

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i use sony mdr-v500 works well for me :eek:
 

Cold Storm

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2nd that and at newegg they are in your price range
 
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Taterskater

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Well when I heard you say you need $70 headphones with shipping, I knew you wanted the good stuff.

Really the only two options right now for LANs and general gaming are the Steel-Series Steelsound 5H V2
http://www.buy.com/prod/steelsound-5h-v2-headset-only-one-headset-ships/q/loc/101/203026103.html

or

The Siberia Icemats, which are also owned by Steel-Series.
http://www.buy.com/prod/icemat-sibe...t-w-microphone-black/q/loc/101/203121718.html (standard)
http://www.buy.com/prod/icemat-sibe...gaming-headset-black/q/loc/101/203121719.html (USB version)

Both of these headsets are for professional gaming. The Steelsound's have an extendable mic and a slightly wider frequency response range (16 - 28.000 Hz compared to 18 - 28.000 Hz). Both headsets are extremely comfortable and provide exceptional sound quality. I own a pair of Icemats and they've really served me well over the last year. Neither headsets are really "better" than the other, it's mostly a matter of preference.

If you're worried about the website, since you may have not heard of buy.com, i highly recommend it although they only ship to the states. They have free shipping routinely on most of their products (the icemats had it when i purchased them) although you would have to wait an extra few days.
 

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Taterskater

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Thanks Cold Storm, didn't bother checking the price on NewEgg since I live in Canada.
 

Cold Storm

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WC.. If it wasn't for the fact i was looking at the icemats at newegg I wouldn't even think of it... I lived by tigerdirect untili found newegg... now I go newegg for anything then branch out...
 

TheMailMan78

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I use Bose and I honestly think they have the best sounds. I tried dozens of ones before them also. I guess its true "you get what you pay for" when it comes to headphones.
 

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Audiophile/Openheadphones are usually not the best for gaming. I play CounterStrike Source competitively and my HD595s are very lacking with positional sound. If your a competitive gamer then go with the Icemat Siberia or SteelSeries 5H. If your a casual gamer and don't really care about hearing your enemy first or anything then a Sennheiser headphone would be great.
 

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Icemat Siberia has great sound but the build quality sucks. They broke on me in a week. I still have them all duct taped together :)
 

Cold Storm

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Icemat Siberia has great sound but the build quality sucks. They broke on me in a week. I still have them all duct taped together :)

what can't duct tape do??!?!?! My last Logictech headphones did the same thing but it didn't last
:toast:
 

Thrall

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Is there a difference between 2 stereo headphones in terms of their 3d perception/surround sound effect? The same electrical signals are coming from the x-fi and the headphones just play what it's told to, right?
 

Thrall

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I just saw that sennheiser hd280's on newegg for sale so i think i'm going to grab those-but i'm still curious on my last comment above...
 

Thrall

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Anyway-is there a difference in 3d surround sound between 2 stereo headphones?
 
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