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Audiophilia: Headphones, Amps, DAPs, and Empty Wallets

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Posts

  • Triple BTriple B Bastard of the North MARegistered User regular
    Disclaimer(s):

    -I don't know if this is the right place to ask this

    but

    -I also don't want to make a separate thread if I don't need to


    I've been looking for a long time for a (pardon the expression) "gaming headset" to replace this shitty 12 year-old desktop mic.

    I want:
    Excellent all-around sound quality including respectable bass, 5.1 or 7.1 surround (makes no difference to me), a mic that won't distort the hell out of my voice when it transmits

    I will use it for:
    Gaming, music, possibly movies if the sound quality can convince me to abandon my 46" LCDTV in favor of this 24" LCD monitor.

    I'm floating adrift. I keep reading reviews that seem good enough, but then I find a bunch of negative comments to counteract the positive ones. This has literally happened with every headset I've looked at. I've strongly considered the Astro A40 with mixamp, but I just don't know. I am somewhat willing to consider an arrangement that involves headphones and a separate mic as opposed to a full headset, but really the main point of interest for me is to have the mic attached to the damn headphones so I don't feel like I have to shout or bend down to talk into this stupid microphone anymore. My budget is probably $300. Maybe $350 if it's sexy enough. That's ballpark though.

    Steam/XBL/PSN: FiveAgainst1
  • mcdermottmcdermott Registered User regular
    While it's mildly overpriced, I honestly feel like you can't do much better than the Astro A40 with a wired Mixamp. I mean, if you have any specific questions I can answer them, but I've got a set on my head right now and I love the hell out of them.

  • rubikkrubikk Registered User regular
    Thanks for the input guys, I think I'll go for the E10. Good balance of value and I think it'll meet my needs!

  • symbolsorsymbolsor Registered User regular
    I'd probably look into the Sennheiser PC360 and pair it up with a soundcard. Not sure how good they are in relation to the Astro's but they look an awful lot like the 555s or 558s.

    I'm such a Sennheiser fanboy now. That only means I have to break the habit and get a competitors set of cans. So many things to buy but so little money to spend. :cry:

  • mcdermottmcdermott Registered User regular
    symbolsor wrote: »
    I'd probably look into the Sennheiser PC360 and pair it up with a soundcard. Not sure how good they are in relation to the Astro's but they look an awful lot like the 555s or 558s.

    I'm such a Sennheiser fanboy now. That only means I have to break the habit and get a competitors set of cans. So many things to buy but so little money to spend. :cry:

    I'd bet money the sound on the PC360 beats the Astros. However, the Astro has a few nice touches, like removable mic that can be switched to the left or right side, and the quick-disconnect cable. And the sound quality is nothing to complain about.

    If you're PC-only, then the soundcard route (get something that does Dolby Headphone) probably works. Though you still don't get the nice Game/Voice balance knob, which is hella convenient. As soon as you plan to use it with anything else like a PS3 or Xbox, then the Astro Mixamp is the way to go.

  • symbolsorsymbolsor Registered User regular
    I would still love to get the mixamp, I get disappointed every time I hear regular old stereo come out of my Xbox.

  • minor incidentminor incident expert in a dying field njRegistered User regular
    symbolsor wrote: »
    I'd probably look into the Sennheiser PC360 and pair it up with a soundcard. Not sure how good they are in relation to the Astro's but they look an awful lot like the 555s or 558s.

    I'm such a Sennheiser fanboy now. That only means I have to break the habit and get a competitors set of cans. So many things to buy but so little money to spend. :cry:

    Listen to this man. You can do no better than a Sennheiser PC360 paired with a good sound card, like an Astro Mixamp. Or, my personal favorite, an ASUS Xonar Xense. You can probably shop around and hit your budget easily.

    Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
  • TehSlothTehSloth Hit Or Miss I Guess They Never Miss, HuhRegistered User regular
    symbolsor wrote: »
    I'd probably look into the Sennheiser PC360 and pair it up with a soundcard. Not sure how good they are in relation to the Astro's but they look an awful lot like the 555s or 558s.

    I'm such a Sennheiser fanboy now. That only means I have to break the habit and get a competitors set of cans. So many things to buy but so little money to spend. :cry:

    Listen to this man. You can do no better than a Sennheiser PC360 paired with a good sound card, like an Astro Mixamp. Or, my personal favorite, an ASUS Xonar Xense. You can probably shop around and hit your budget easily.

    I haven't heard the Astros but I can attest to the 360s being pretty much amazing. Some people might find the clamping force a little weird at first but I was a fan. I was having a lot of trouble with my old headset (siberias) leaking my sound back into the mic really loudly and ended up picking up a beam mic to use instead. It's been pretty fantastic, so if you are considering going the separate headphones and mic route it's definitely something I'd recommend. Definitely a solid choice if you already have a good pair of headphones.

    FC: 1993-7778-8872 PSN: TehSloth Xbox: SlothTeh
    twitch.tv/tehsloth
  • Triple BTriple B Bastard of the North MARegistered User regular
    edited May 2012
    Hmmm...anyone got some dimensions on the PC360? I am rather large of frame you see, and as a result, my cranium is...well...if I want a hat that fits, I have to special-order it bigger than 64cm. The PC360 headset doesn't look to offer much room for negotiation when it comes to fitting on the ol' dome.

    Edit: Well, shit. Just watched an unboxing video and I am now of the opinion that it would be really helpful if websites that were selling this would inform me that the damn thing is adjustable.

    Also, so one more time explain to my dumb ass how I would go about getting surround out of a stereo headset? Is that where the Mixamp/sound card comes in?

    Triple B on
    Steam/XBL/PSN: FiveAgainst1
  • minor incidentminor incident expert in a dying field njRegistered User regular
    FYI - I have a large head. Hat size 7 3/4 (about 63cm), and the PC360s fit comfortably with plenty of room to spare.

    And yes, you'd need a Mixamp or similar device to get a surround sound signal from your compute and "mix" it for your stereo headphones. The result is very impressive.

    Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
  • Triple BTriple B Bastard of the North MARegistered User regular
    Thanks for all the responses. Upon further research, PC360's with either a sound card or the Mixamp would go over the amount I'd like to spend on this. I think I'm going with the A40 w/Mixamp, simply because those two together cost about as much as the Sennheisers by themselves. I had no idea sound cards were so damn expensive. :(

    Steam/XBL/PSN: FiveAgainst1
  • BurtletoyBurtletoy Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    You could get a Turtle Beach DSS instead of the Astro Mixamp. It'd save you around $30

    Edit: I guess there is a new model, the DSS2, and it comes in even cheaper, at $75 new

    http://www.amazon.com/Turtle-Surround-Processor-Xbox-360-63043006306200/dp/B006W41X36/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1336758287&sr=8-2

    Burtletoy on
  • CormacCormac Registered User regular
    Another option, if you don't mind having a separate mic cable from the headphones could be a pair of Audio Technica ATH-AD700's or A700's and a Zalman ZM-Mic1 or an Antlion Audio ModMic, and pair those with the Mixamp.

    Steam: Gridlynk | PSN: Gridlynk | FFXIV: Jarvellis Mika
  • mcdermottmcdermott Registered User regular
    Yeah, if he won't ever use it with a PS3 or Xbox, that'd work fine. The DSS only does Dolby Headphone processing, though, no chat stuff. So the Mixamp is definitely more versatile.

    If you're on PC only, though, you can just as easily go get a darn sound card that does Dolby Headphone, and skip the middleman. And you can even get that for dirt cheap. $14 after rebate. Or you can go a little classier and still stay within budget.

    Basically, if you're PC-only, then you have the choice of going with an internal soundcard and the Sennheisers. If you're also on Xbox, and probably PS3, then you're kinda stuck with the A40 and Mixamp.

    Especially since unless you already have a Dolby Digital Live enabled sound card, you'll need that too (with either the Turtle Beach DSS or the Mixamp).

  • Triple BTriple B Bastard of the North MARegistered User regular
    edited May 2012
    Goddammit you guys

    I own consoles but I almost never use them (and literally never use them for multiplayer) so...

    FUCK THIS IS HARD

    I guess I'm just wondering about the quality of the surround. Will the positional audio be as good with the card/Senn's as with the A40/Mixamp?

    Triple B on
    Steam/XBL/PSN: FiveAgainst1
  • minor incidentminor incident expert in a dying field njRegistered User regular
    Personally, I'm of the belief that if you're constricted by budget, just get the best headphones you can afford and worry about the surround sound later. And the Senns are absolutely the better headphones. It's an investment that will last years and be usable on any PC or console you own.

    Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
  • mcdermottmcdermott Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    Triple B wrote: »
    Goddammit you guys

    I own consoles but I almost never use them (and literally never use them for multiplayer) so...

    FUCK THIS IS HARD

    I guess I'm just wondering about the quality of the surround. Will the positional audio be as good with the card/Senn's as with the A40/Mixamp?

    If your soundcard is using Dolby Headphone (by name) it should be exactly the same. It will be using the exact same algorithm to generate the surround. The only thing you'll be losing is the secondary sound device (USB) for game chat, which I love, but which isn't worth breaking your budget over.

    Also, do you know if you prefer open or closed drivers? If you actually like closed drivers, the PC350 costs a bunch less. Not sure what else is different about it, aside from closed drivers and pleather versus felvet, but it might be worth looking at. Personally I prefer open drivers, though.

    mcdermott on
  • mcdermottmcdermott Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    Personally, I'm of the belief that if you're constricted by budget, just get the best headphones you can afford and worry about the surround sound later. And the Senns are absolutely the better headphones. It's an investment that will last years and be usable on any PC or console you own.

    Yeah, like you can pick up that dirt cheap Xonar I linked and use it with your Sennheisers for PC surround and be happy. Stereo sound on the Xbox isn't that bad, and you can always pick up a Mixamp or DSS some day in the future. If you don't play multiplayer on Xbox, it opens up your options considerably.

    mcdermott on
  • Triple BTriple B Bastard of the North MARegistered User regular
    So, no? Surround is pretty much a deal-breaker here. I've been using a set of Hercules 2.1 desktop speakers for the last three years and while they've treated me well, they suck all the balls for gaming.

    Steam/XBL/PSN: FiveAgainst1
  • mcdermottmcdermott Registered User regular
    Triple B wrote: »
    So, no? Surround is pretty much a deal-breaker here. I've been using a set of Hercules 2.1 desktop speakers for the last three years and while they've treated me well, they suck all the balls for gaming.

    The audio in general will probably be better with the Sennheisers. The positional aspect of that audio should be equal between a Dolby Headphone soundcard and the Mixamp.

    You won't have surround on your Xbox, but you can always pick up a DSS later.

  • Triple BTriple B Bastard of the North MARegistered User regular
    FFFFFFFFFFFF i did it.

    I bought the PC360's with an Asus Xonar DX. Total of $301 after shipping.

    Steam/XBL/PSN: FiveAgainst1
  • mcdermottmcdermott Registered User regular
    That this Asus Xonar DX?

    I think you'll be happy.

  • BurtletoyBurtletoy Registered User regular
    And the thread title remains relevant.

  • Triple BTriple B Bastard of the North MARegistered User regular
    mcdermott wrote: »
    That this Asus Xonar DX?

    I think you'll be happy.

    That's the one.

    Jesus Christ I know I won't miss the money once I've got that shit in my hands but man

    that hurt just now

    Steam/XBL/PSN: FiveAgainst1
  • mcdermottmcdermott Registered User regular
    Yup. It's not cheap once you realize that spending money on sound is just as worth it as spending money on video. I mean, that soundcard and headset probably cost about half what your video card and monitor costs, but it still hurts.

    But fuck that "on-board audio is good enough" nonsense. ;)

  • BurtletoyBurtletoy Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    Well, that depends on your monitor and video card.

    My monitor cost $300 on its own :P


    But, oh man, eIPS goodness.

    Burtletoy on
  • Triple BTriple B Bastard of the North MARegistered User regular
    edited May 2012
    Not far off. A pair of (forgive me) Radeon HD6870's and a 24" Asus LCD for a grand total of ~$520 at the time. I'm actually looking into switching over to nVidia cards but that's for another thread.

    I really appreciate you guys helping me to be rid of my burden of having money.

    Triple B on
    Steam/XBL/PSN: FiveAgainst1
  • symbolsorsymbolsor Registered User regular
    Triple B wrote: »
    Jesus Christ I know I won't miss the money once I've got that shit in my hands but man

    that hurt just now

    It's going to be glorious when you hear them the first time!

  • Custom SpecialCustom Special I know I am, I'm sure I am, I'm Sounders 'til I die!Registered User regular
    symbolsor wrote: »
    Triple B wrote: »
    Jesus Christ I know I won't miss the money once I've got that shit in my hands but man

    that hurt just now

    It's going to be glorious when you hear them the first time!

    :^:
    The pocket book hurts at the time, but once the investment hits your ears it's :shock:

    XBL: F4ll0utBP | STEAM | PSN : CustomSpecial | Bnet: F4ll0ut#1636
  • minor incidentminor incident expert in a dying field njRegistered User regular
    A little pain in the wallet is well worth years of ear-joy.

    Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
  • CormacCormac Registered User regular
    I don't always spend big money up front for things, I usually try to find the best bang for the buck, but going big right from the start for headphones and amps was money well spent. The hardest part has been not buying more headphones because I've been wanting a few more pairs for variety, but I've never been able to convince myself I need to spend anywhere from $200-1000 on another pair(s). Want is one thing but justifiable need on my salary is another.

    Steam: Gridlynk | PSN: Gridlynk | FFXIV: Jarvellis Mika
  • Man of the WavesMan of the Waves Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    I still prefer using USB audio devices for gaming audio.

    I picked up a Triton headset a couple years ago to use with both my PC and Xbox. It works really well for gaming and does a decent job with movies. I don't even need to switch anything when I go from one to the other.



    I just bought an Audez'e LCD-2 and a Portable Desktop Amp from Headroom to go with my laptop. I've finally completed the transportable audiophile setup I've been wanting.

    Man of the Waves on
  • Man of the WavesMan of the Waves Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    double post

    Man of the Waves on
  • TefTef Registered User regular
    I've been chatting with a local specialty headphone shop hear in town and it turns out I went to uni with the store manager :) gonna head in on Monday, try a few different sets out and maybe he'll cut me a deal.

    After only relatively recently getting into all things audiophile the only advice I feel like I can offer is learn the jargon and test as many setups as you possibly can

    help a fellow forumer meet their mental health care needs because USA healthcare sucks!

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  • Man of the WavesMan of the Waves Registered User regular
    It's definitely best to try before you buy and that you try stuff out with music that you listen to.

    Then, buy what sounds good to you.

  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    Tef wrote: »
    I've been chatting with a local specialty headphone shop hear in town and it turns out I went to uni with the store manager :) gonna head in on Monday, try a few different sets out and maybe he'll cut me a deal.

    After only relatively recently getting into all things audiophile the only advice I feel like I can offer is learn the jargon and test as many setups as you possibly can

    Can you get me a set of Denon AH-D7000 for under $350?

  • Triple BTriple B Bastard of the North MARegistered User regular
    So, my Sennheiser's and my Xonar DX arrived today around 1PM EST. This is literally better than anything I have ever heard. And all night long I was getting comments about how much clearer I sounded than before over voice chat. These are also far-and-away the most comfortable headphones/headset I've ever had on my dome. Thank you, you addict-enabling monsters, for talking me into the Senn's/sound card. :D

    Steam/XBL/PSN: FiveAgainst1
  • mcdermottmcdermott Registered User regular
    See? Worth every penny.

  • minor incidentminor incident expert in a dying field njRegistered User regular
    Triple B wrote: »
    So, my Sennheiser's and my Xonar DX arrived today around 1PM EST. This is literally better than anything I have ever heard. And all night long I was getting comments about how much clearer I sounded than before over voice chat. These are also far-and-away the most comfortable headphones/headset I've ever had on my dome. Thank you, you addict-enabling monsters, for talking me into the Senn's/sound card. :D

    Glad to hear it. It's amazing how much of a difference a quality sound card and a great set of headphones can make.

    Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
  • symbolsorsymbolsor Registered User regular
    edited May 2012
    Don't forget to play around with Dolby Headphone, if you haven't already. I believe it should be an option in your Xonar Audio Center, then each game has to be in 5.1 in its own options too. Newer games just use whatever speaker option Windows is set to.

    Edit, the Xonar setting should be set to 6 channels too, along with Dolby Headphone checked, to make that a little clearer.

    symbolsor on
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