Yeah, that's sound advice. I'm not great at spotting this sort of thing, so I may need to do some research.
It's a great price, but I would avoid it to be honest. I'm normally a huge fan of eBay and don't have a problem ordering from them, but from what I understand there are a lot of fake Turbines, Golds, and Coppers being circulated and it's very hard to discern from real and fake unless the seller shows very detailed pictures of the packaging. From what I understand, the casing itself is much cheaper than the real deal. Even the sound between the fakes and the real ones are supposed to be relatively close, what with there being so many of them in circulation apparently.
Again, sound advice. The more I think about it, the more I'm going to bypass the whole Monster Turbine Pros. It's a double-edged sword: the Real McCoy is way, way more than I can reasonable pay, both for budgetary reasons and the fact that I wouldn't appreciate them vs. the sort of stresses I subject it the earbuds to, but a pair with a reasonable price (~$100) is perhaps likely to be fake.
Or I could grab a pair of these, get audio quality nearly as good--well within acceptable--and not worry about it.
Oh! I dunno if you've linked them before, because lord knows I miss these things sometimes, but I actually own those! They're really nice. The actual ear pieces do hurt my ears after wearing them for a while, but a lot of IEMs do that to me. They sound pretty great, though, so I would say they're definitely a really solid choice.
By the way, Number13, I meant to ask: what do you use yours with? Because inline controls on earbuds always seem to be kind of a crapshoot, and I wanted to get a inkling of whether or not they'd work with my phone.
Honestly? I never use the in-line online because I've had such poor control with in-line on other IEMs. It's just kinda become second nature. I'll give it a shot tomorrow and tell you how it works for me.
To JoeK: As far as reference, are we talking consumer reference or actual reference? Consumer-line reference, like the speakers I deal with every day, you've got either the Bowers and Wilkins CM8s or CM9s. The CM8s have a smaller footprint than the CM9s and their cones are an inch and a half smaller than the CM9s (I think 5" compared to 6 1/2"?). The midrange is actually pretty similar, but the bass on the CM9 is a lot tighter and the highs are a lot cleaner, so I prefer the CM9s more. Classical sounds really rich and warm on these speakers, and I like them a lot.
Now, if we're talking sensitive speakers, MartinLogan's Theos or Ethos line is really nice, but the big downside to them is that they have a very narrow sweet spot because they're Electrostats. This isn't as big of a problem with the Theos or Ethos because they have a larger footprint than the normal ESLs, and if you have them set wider than say... a foot from the left and right of your TV or wherever you put them in relation to your seated position, I don't think this will be a problem. They will, however, sound distinctly different when you're standing up and walking around compared to when you're actually sitting down and listening to them. However, when your in that zone? Their reproduction and sensitivity is incredible. A lot of times it almost sounds like there are rear speakers playing when you're just playing a left and right. They are really, really neutral speakers though so don't expect a lot of bass unless you have a good sub you're gonna use with them. I really love these speakers, though. They pick up an extraordinary amount of detail.
If you don't want something with such a narrow sweet spot, and you can still find someone who carries them, Vienna Acoustics makes some really fantastic speakers. They're also 4 Ohm, and use silk dome tweeters, which you don't find a whole lot (not that it's entirely uncommon), so they, again, pick up a really extraordinary amount of detail. The only thing about Viennas is that you really can't crank them. You get quite a bit of distortion when you push them with a powerful amplifier, so I don't really consider them a movie speaker or something I would really crank hard rock on. If you don't play your music really, really loud though, and you can find somewhere where you can listen to them (because Best Buy doesn't carry them anymore, but they're a really popular brand of speakers), I would recommend taking a look at them.
There are a few more brands I could recommend, but those are some of the ones I'm more intimately familiar with.
Ok, thanks, it's going to be a range of classical to electronic, so the flatter the better, i can always test stuff on my heavy bass rigs if needed.... one of the advantages to having a 7 yr old who is entirely too good at the piano is that you get to put together hw like you were young (which reminds me i have to go pick up that 303 :-).
i can googlify, but what price ranges are you talking about?
re: fragile wires - my Sony MDR-V600's went thru the rave wars, and had a wonky channel. took a PS/2 (keyboard) cord and rewired it and it works BEAUTIFULLY. Total cost of like $3 for a new connector from radio shack. $3 + soldering to repair $200 cans. hell yes.
arrrrrggggg most of those ref speakers need me to take out a second mortgage.... maybe it's time to see if i can get the infinity floor references repaired... damn...
@Joe K What's you budget like? There are much more affordable speakers from companies such as Paradigm, PSB, Wharfdale, Polk, and many others.
I've been considering buying a pair of Audio Engine A5+'s or Emotiva Pro Airmotiv 4's or 5's to use at my desk for nearfield listening. My current speakers and receiver are going to be moved downstairs to use with my soon to be ordered TV, and I'll need something to replace them with. I do have a long neglected pair of B&W DM302's (I got them really cheap and they're decent at best) and a Onkyo TX-8511 receiver, but I've been wanting something more suited to nearfield use for a long time.
@Joe K What's you budget like? There are much more affordable speakers from companies such as Paradigm, PSB, Wharfdale, Polk, and many others.
I've been considering buying a pair of Audio Engine A5+'s or Emotiva Pro Airmotiv 4's or 5's to use at my desk for nearfield listening. My current speakers and receiver are going to be moved downstairs to use with my soon to be ordered TV, and I'll need something to replace them with. I do have a long neglected pair of B&W DM302's (I got them really cheap and they're decent at best) and a Onkyo TX-8511 receiver, but I've been wanting something more suited to nearfield use for a long time.
right now my budget is: set up production studio as inexpensively as possible, but not dead end myself or subject myself to vendor lock in. so it's basically "start small, build if the kid keeps at it".
It really looks like my best option is going to be to repair this pair of Infinity Floor references I have... yay, soldering!
e: this is a bit of a labor of love, i've built one of these, sold it, and now my kid has the music bug in a big way at a young age. so, it's kindof an excuse to build the lab again.... I've got my eye on this mc-303 for $75....
@Joe K What's you budget like? There are much more affordable speakers from companies such as Paradigm, PSB, Wharfdale, Polk, and many others.
I've been considering buying a pair of Audio Engine A5+'s or Emotiva Pro Airmotiv 4's or 5's to use at my desk for nearfield listening. My current speakers and receiver are going to be moved downstairs to use with my soon to be ordered TV, and I'll need something to replace them with. I do have a long neglected pair of B&W DM302's (I got them really cheap and they're decent at best) and a Onkyo TX-8511 receiver, but I've been wanting something more suited to nearfield use for a long time.
right now my budget is: set up production studio as inexpensively as possible, but not dead end myself or subject myself to vendor lock in. so it's basically "start small, build if the kid keeps at it".
It really looks like my best option is going to be to repair this pair of Infinity Floor references I have... yay, soldering!
e: this is a bit of a labor of love, i've built one of these, sold it, and now my kid has the music bug in a big way at a young age. so, it's kindof an excuse to build the lab again.... I've got my eye on this mc-303 for $75....
Hmm... yeah, Paradigm is a pretty good option. KRK isn't supposed to be bad, either; I hear pretty good things about their ROKIT line specifically, though I understand they're a little colorful sounding. Klipsch makes some pretty good reference speakers, literally referred to as their "Reference" line. You can get some floor standing speakers for around $300 each or some bookshelves for around $300 a pair, depending on what kind of footprint you're looking for. Yamaha studio monitors aren't too bad either-- I hear their MSP5s are supposed to be pretty good. Keep in mind I've never heard these speakers personally, but I've heard pretty good things through professional word of mouth.
I'm not sure how crazy you're looking to go, but I would also recommend looking into some soundproofing material if you're going to be setting up any kind of acoustically specific room, especially if you plan on recording anything. Acoustic dampening tiles or foam and sound reflection boards can go a long way and are pretty important in the bigger scope of what you're looking to do, so you shouldn't overlook that. I'm also not sure what kind of room you plan on doing this in, but as far as residential application goes, double-pane windows also have considerable more dampening properties than a single-pane does.
@Joe K What's you budget like? There are much more affordable speakers from companies such as Paradigm, PSB, Wharfdale, Polk, and many others.
I've been considering buying a pair of Audio Engine A5+'s or Emotiva Pro Airmotiv 4's or 5's to use at my desk for nearfield listening. My current speakers and receiver are going to be moved downstairs to use with my soon to be ordered TV, and I'll need something to replace them with. I do have a long neglected pair of B&W DM302's (I got them really cheap and they're decent at best) and a Onkyo TX-8511 receiver, but I've been wanting something more suited to nearfield use for a long time.
right now my budget is: set up production studio as inexpensively as possible, but not dead end myself or subject myself to vendor lock in. so it's basically "start small, build if the kid keeps at it".
It really looks like my best option is going to be to repair this pair of Infinity Floor references I have... yay, soldering!
e: this is a bit of a labor of love, i've built one of these, sold it, and now my kid has the music bug in a big way at a young age. so, it's kindof an excuse to build the lab again.... I've got my eye on this mc-303 for $75....
Hmm... yeah, Paradigm is a pretty good option. KRK isn't supposed to be bad, either; I hear pretty good things about their ROKIT line specifically, though I understand they're a little colorful sounding. Klipsch makes some pretty good reference speakers, literally referred to as their "Reference" line. You can get some floor standing speakers for around $300 each or some bookshelves for around $300 a pair, depending on what kind of footprint you're looking for. Yamaha studio monitors aren't too bad either-- I hear their MSP5s are supposed to be pretty good. Keep in mind I've never heard these speakers personally, but I've heard pretty good things through professional word of mouth.
I'm not sure how crazy you're looking to go, but I would also recommend looking into some soundproofing material if you're going to be setting up any kind of acoustically specific room, especially if you plan on recording anything. Acoustic dampening tiles or foam and sound reflection boards can go a long way and are pretty important in the bigger scope of what you're looking to do, so you shouldn't overlook that. I'm also not sure what kind of room you plan on doing this in, but as far as residential application goes, double-pane windows also have considerable more dampening properties than a single-pane does.
well, luckily I have a separate garage with a large "wood shop" that will be converted. I should even be able to isolate the eq from the sound stage, and yeh, sound proofing is a must. if anyone runs into any sales, please let me know, it looks like i'm gong to attempt to repair a water damaged floor ref.
and wtf is it with recording HW? USB2, 2in/2out - reasonable price. 4in/4out - reasonable price. 8? You need a mortgage. It's like buying a frigging 88 key keyboard. There is nothing materially or intellectually that demands THAT much of a premium over a 76. You pay for the damn honor of having 88 keys...
kinda makes me wonder if someone could come in and produce quality gear at reasonable markups and destroy the industry.
@Joe K What's you budget like? There are much more affordable speakers from companies such as Paradigm, PSB, Wharfdale, Polk, and many others.
I've been considering buying a pair of Audio Engine A5+'s or Emotiva Pro Airmotiv 4's or 5's to use at my desk for nearfield listening. My current speakers and receiver are going to be moved downstairs to use with my soon to be ordered TV, and I'll need something to replace them with. I do have a long neglected pair of B&W DM302's (I got them really cheap and they're decent at best) and a Onkyo TX-8511 receiver, but I've been wanting something more suited to nearfield use for a long time.
right now my budget is: set up production studio as inexpensively as possible, but not dead end myself or subject myself to vendor lock in. so it's basically "start small, build if the kid keeps at it".
It really looks like my best option is going to be to repair this pair of Infinity Floor references I have... yay, soldering!
e: this is a bit of a labor of love, i've built one of these, sold it, and now my kid has the music bug in a big way at a young age. so, it's kindof an excuse to build the lab again.... I've got my eye on this mc-303 for $75....
Hmm... yeah, Paradigm is a pretty good option. KRK isn't supposed to be bad, either; I hear pretty good things about their ROKIT line specifically, though I understand they're a little colorful sounding. Klipsch makes some pretty good reference speakers, literally referred to as their "Reference" line. You can get some floor standing speakers for around $300 each or some bookshelves for around $300 a pair, depending on what kind of footprint you're looking for. Yamaha studio monitors aren't too bad either-- I hear their MSP5s are supposed to be pretty good. Keep in mind I've never heard these speakers personally, but I've heard pretty good things through professional word of mouth.
I'm not sure how crazy you're looking to go, but I would also recommend looking into some soundproofing material if you're going to be setting up any kind of acoustically specific room, especially if you plan on recording anything. Acoustic dampening tiles or foam and sound reflection boards can go a long way and are pretty important in the bigger scope of what you're looking to do, so you shouldn't overlook that. I'm also not sure what kind of room you plan on doing this in, but as far as residential application goes, double-pane windows also have considerable more dampening properties than a single-pane does.
well, luckily I have a separate garage with a large "wood shop" that will be converted. I should even be able to isolate the eq from the sound stage, and yeh, sound proofing is a must. if anyone runs into any sales, please let me know, it looks like i'm gong to attempt to repair a water damaged floor ref.
and wtf is it with recording HW? USB2, 2in/2out - reasonable price. 4in/4out - reasonable price. 8? You need a mortgage. It's like buying a frigging 88 key keyboard. There is nothing materially or intellectually that demands THAT much of a premium over a 76. You pay for the damn honor of having 88 keys...
kinda makes me wonder if someone could come in and produce quality gear at reasonable markups and destroy the industry.
Actually, taking a quick look online at deals, Bic compares to Klipsch Reference pretty well, and they're not considered as overly bright as some of the more affordable Klipsch Reference sound, like the RF-42 (which is the one I was mentioning that was $300 ea.). Here's the link: Bic America Dv64
It's...wow. I've never used an amp for a headset before but man.
I was already happy with the headset I bought prior to this, it sounded good, particularly when I had the noise cancelling on, it was much clearer sound.
But with the amp, with or without noise cancelling, the clarity of the audio is holy shit. I'm hearing things in my music I've literally never heard before, songs I've listened to hundreds, if not thousands, of times.
It's like the first time I've listened to music or played a game where the audio didn't feel like it was coming from a speaker; but felt like it was just there. I don't know how to explain it because before today I never felt like there was anything wrong with the audio I had heard previously.
And this is 'cheap' equipment. $100 for the amp, $200 for the headset (both off ebay, would have been $150/$300 retail).
I kinda get it now; why someone would pay out the nose for really high quality sound equipment. I thought I was kinda snobby already about the quality of audio I listened to but apparently I was very uneducated.
minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
It's amazing how something as simple as a hundred dollar amp and some decent headphones will ruin your weekend by forcing you to relisten to every record you own.
Everything looks beautiful when you're young and pretty
It's amazing how something as simple as a hundred dollar amp and some decent headphones will ruin your weekend by forcing you to relisten to every record you own.
Man, yeah. I feel like we should have a music recommendation thread for people who realize just how awesome amps and a good set of cans can make your music. Do we have one of those? I would love to hear people's suggestions-- I love listening to new things. Listening to Quadrophenia again when I got my first amp was mind blowing. In fact, I did the same thing again just the other day.
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
Quadrophonia is actually one of my favorites to use to test a new setup. "The Real Me" specifically is my first benchmark for any new set of headphones or speakers. It's only got the greatest bass line in rock and roll, after all.
Everything looks beautiful when you're young and pretty
It's amazing how something as simple as a hundred dollar amp and some decent headphones will ruin your weekend by forcing you to relisten to every record you own.
Man, yeah. I feel like we should have a music recommendation thread for people who realize just how awesome amps and a good set of cans can make your music. Do we have one of those? I would love to hear people's suggestions-- I love listening to new things. Listening to Quadrophenia again when I got my first amp was mind blowing. In fact, I did the same thing again just the other day.
oh there's a ton of old vinyl that is much, much, much more detailed when listening through proper cans. The Wall, The White Album, Jimi Hendrix's Experience are good starting points.
I'm partial to old acid ravish stuff, just so damn much going on in the tracks that gets muffled out.
My goto's for testing sound quality (or music I really like) is anything by Porcupine Tree or Steven Wilson, Radiohead, the first song from The National's Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers, and other stuff but those three came to mind first.
The_SpaniardIt's never lupinesIrvine, CaliforniaRegistered Userregular
edited October 2012
Well since this is the headphone thread I thought I might ask for some help here.
I just got a major job offer yesterday, so I decided to treat myself to a new headset.
I purchased an Astro A50 at my local Best Buy and plugged it all in to my PC. I ran an audio check through my system playback devices panel and it binged and pinged just fine. As soon as I started up a game and pulled the charger cable out of the headset it immediately stopped working. The firmware is properly updated, the headset is charged, the power and the Dolby settings are on, but no sound is coming from the headset. I've tried restarting my system and nothing. I've tried unplugging and re-plugging everything in. I've tried re-syncing/pairing the headset and it just won't pair. Both will blink and blink and blink white but never turn solid then red. I've made sure the volume is up on the system and the headset. I can crank the headset volume via the volume wheel and hear it eventually give that soft hiss from being turned up so high but no audio comes out. I even tried just using them directly hardwired and not even that works anymore.
If anybody is familiar with the Astro A50s and has any idea what to do, I'd appreciate it.
Joe K, yeah, I'm pretty intimately familiar with a lot of the classics, and nothing beats vinyl. You're absolutely right about The Wall, especially Comfortably Numb, I think, though anything Pink Floyd is amazing on amped cans. White Album is almost a default for any music listener, though I think I prefer Revolver more. Jumping around genres, I love listening to some Black Keys, Animal Collective, Daft Punk, old Red Hot Chili Peppers from their Blood Sugar Sex Magik days...
Cormac, great call on Radiohead. I don't think I've heard Porcupine Tree, to be honest; I'll have to look into them. I'm always looking for new music recommendations (I love playing around with all of the high end speakers and playing new music on them on slow weekdays...).
minor incident, you're not kidding. I love breaking in a pair of headphones, putting a big smile on my face with I Am the Sea, and then transitioning right into The Real Me. So good. I'm curious about whatever else you might pop on the most.
Well since this is the headphone thread I thought I might ask for some help here.
I just got a major job offer yesterday, so I decided to treat myself to a new headset.
I purchased an Astro A50 at my local Best Buy and plugged it all in to my PC. I ran an audio check through my system playback devices panel and it binged and pinged just fine. As soon as I started up a game and pulled the charger cable out of the headset it immediately stopped working. The firmware is properly updated, the headset is charged, the power and the Dolby settings are on, but no sound is coming from the headset. I've tried restarting my system and nothing. I've tried unplugging and re-plugging everything in. I've tried re-syncing/pairing the headset and it just won't pair. Both will blink and blink and blink white but never turn solid then red. I've made sure the volume is up on the system and the headset. I can crank the headset volume via the volume wheel and hear it eventually give that soft hiss from being turned up so high but no audio comes out. I even tried just using them directly hardwired and not even that works anymore.
If anybody is familiar with the Astro A50s and has any idea what to do, I'd appreciate it.
Personally I would have gone with the A40s with the Mixamp because you could just later upgrade the headphones and still keep the Mixamp which works wonderful through the optical jack of your motherboard with any stereo headphones.
I would just say double check all the connections then give Astro a call. They have great customer service.
I bought the Mixamp and the Audio Technica AD700 headphones together late last year. I use them with a Zalman clip-on microphone for voice chat. It's been a great combo. They were and still are my first pair of quality headphones. I was blown away how much better everything sounded.
I think I might upgrade soon, though. After doing some research, I kept seeing V-MODA pop up repeatedly. I'm now eyeing the M-100s once they're officially out. Has anyone here had experience with that brand before?
Dashui on
Xbox Live, PSN & Origin: Vacorsis 3DS: 2638-0037-166
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
V-Moda is a decent enough fashion brand, but they typically don't hold up even remotely well to decent audio brands like Sennheiser, Audio Technica, AKG, Shure, etc. you pay a high premium for "style" rather than substance.
Everything looks beautiful when you're young and pretty
So guys, I just cashed in some Best Buy rewards points and nearly got the Audioquest Dragonfly for free.
Hooooleeee fuuuck is it a huge leap from where my Macbook Pro was before. I didn't think it could get that much better, but I just fired up a few favorite tracks as well as some particularly juicy video clips and my B&W P5s (Which themselves aren't exactly super hi-fi themselves) just fucking soared. It's the little things like noticing how that snare comes in super clean that makes me grin like a goof.
I also ordered a custom CMOY amp which should be coming in shortly as well. So excited to see what a pocket amp can do.
So guys, I just cashed in some Best Buy rewards points and nearly got the Audioquest Dragonfly for free.
Hooooleeee fuuuck is it a huge leap from where my Macbook Pro was before. I didn't think it could get that much better, but I just fired up a few favorite tracks as well as some particularly juicy video clips and my B&W P5s (Which themselves aren't exactly super hi-fi themselves) just fucking soared. It's the little things like noticing how that snare comes in super clean that makes me grin like a goof.
I also ordered a custom CMOY amp which should be coming in shortly as well. So excited to see what a pocket amp can do.
Yeah, man. The Dragonfly is a killer little DAC. I love that thing.
Do these look legitimate and safe? Granted, faking products is less common with reasonably priced things (they're $100 at most), but I thought I'd bring it to the experts.
Ok no really, I would say they are probably grey market at best, meaning they may be in fact Denon- but from New Zealand or China or wherever and thus do not carry an actual US warranty. Personally, I wouldn't buy anything unless it was from an authorized retailer, there are a lot of good fakes out there.
Ok no really, I would say they are probably grey market at best, meaning they may be in fact Denon- but from New Zealand or China or wherever and thus do not carry an actual US warranty. Personally, I wouldn't buy anything unless it was from an authorized retailer, there are a lot of good fakes out there.
Actually, taking a quick look online at deals, Bic compares to Klipsch Reference pretty well, and they're not considered as overly bright as some of the more affordable Klipsch Reference sound, like the RF-42 (which is the one I was mentioning that was $300 ea.). Here's the link: Bic America Dv64
Just looked at those Bic's and they look amazing. Time to figure out how much I can drop on this and not have the wife kill me....
Anybody have opinions on recording interfaces (HW)? I'd prefer not to be vendor locked, but it kinda looks like I need to pick DAW software and stick with their HW? Is that right, or can I actually do this with Audacity and a variety of other OSS shtuff?
Inquisitor772 x Penny Arcade Fight Club ChampionA fixed point in space and timeRegistered Userregular
I'm in the market for a gaming headset, but I'd really like for whatever I get to be compatible with the PC, Xbox, and PS3. It looks like the Astro A30/A40 series will work, because they come with this fancy "Mixamp" device that everyone loves and apparently also cures cancer. Is it really worth the minimum $200 purchase to get a Mixamp + Headset combo? I would buy the thing separately but it looks like that isn't possible. I assume the Mixamp alone will last for several years, regardless of the headset that gets plugged into it. Is that a safe assumption to make?
Is there something that doesn't require hundreds of dollars that will do the job adequately?
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
I'm in the market for a gaming headset, but I'd really like for whatever I get to be compatible with the PC, Xbox, and PS3. It looks like the Astro A30/A40 series will work, because they come with this fancy "Mixamp" device that everyone loves and apparently also cures cancer. Is it really worth the minimum $200 purchase to get a Mixamp + Headset combo? I would buy the thing separately but it looks like that isn't possible. I assume the Mixamp alone will last for several years, regardless of the headset that gets plugged into it. Is that a safe assumption to make?
Is there something that doesn't require hundreds of dollars that will do the job adequately?
Short answer: The Razer Carcharias is an excellent headset for under $70 that's probably 80% as good as the Astro one (sans-Mixamp) if you want a budget route.
Some folks here will tell you that they're not terribly reliable. Personally, I'm still on my first pair (although they're only backups now, as I've long since upgraded), but I'm totally on board with the idea that they obviously aren't going to be as rock solid as a $200 set of cans. That said, Razer's always been good with warranty stuff to me, and hey, they're cheap-ish.
Otherwise, the Astro headphones are really nice, and the Sennheiser PC360s are about as top-of-the-line as you can get with circumaural cans with an integrated mic.
Everything looks beautiful when you're young and pretty
I also am in the market for a gaming headset. However, I have the added requirement that it needs to be wireless. The positioning of my box relative to my chair makes wired headsets a pain in the ass. I am by no means an audiophile. Clarity in picking up and receiving voice is my #1 concern. I don't want or expect anything that will give me studio-quality sound.
I have looked at the various wireless headsets Logitech makes like the H800 and what few reviews there are seem to be all over the map.
I have recently come into possession of a $50 Best Buy giftcard and there's nothing else I'm dying to use it on, so I'd prefer my pick to be something I can pick up there, but it isn't absolutely essential. My budget is preferably no more than $100. However, right now now I'm looking at the Logitech G930, and from what I can tell so far it seems to be the best of the lot. However, it's $160 at Best Buy, so more than I'd like to pay even with my gift card ($105 on Amazon, $120 on Newegg).
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Gaslight on
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Inquisitor772 x Penny Arcade Fight Club ChampionA fixed point in space and timeRegistered Userregular
I'm in the market for a gaming headset, but I'd really like for whatever I get to be compatible with the PC, Xbox, and PS3. It looks like the Astro A30/A40 series will work, because they come with this fancy "Mixamp" device that everyone loves and apparently also cures cancer. Is it really worth the minimum $200 purchase to get a Mixamp + Headset combo? I would buy the thing separately but it looks like that isn't possible. I assume the Mixamp alone will last for several years, regardless of the headset that gets plugged into it. Is that a safe assumption to make?
Is there something that doesn't require hundreds of dollars that will do the job adequately?
Short answer: The Razer Carcharias is an excellent headset for under $70 that's probably 80% as good as the Astro one (sans-Mixamp) if you want a budget route.
Some folks here will tell you that they're not terribly reliable. Personally, I'm still on my first pair (although they're only backups now, as I've long since upgraded), but I'm totally on board with the idea that they obviously aren't going to be as rock solid as a $200 set of cans. That said, Razer's always been good with warranty stuff to me, and hey, they're cheap-ish.
Otherwise, the Astro headphones are really nice, and the Sennheiser PC360s are about as top-of-the-line as you can get with circumaural cans with an integrated mic.
Thanks - it looks like the Carcharias is PC-only, though?
There are many different SteelSeries Sibera V2s on Amazon. What would one need a USB sound card? Which ones are good to purchase, since a lot of them are on sale?
3DS Friendcode 5413-1311-3767
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BrocksMulletInto the sunrise, on a jet-ski. Natch.Registered Userregular
BrocksMulletInto the sunrise, on a jet-ski. Natch.Registered Userregular
Hi folks, also looking for some advice on some gaming headphones, because apparently todays the day:
-Prefer to spend under 50 dollars.
-Comfort and sound are a priority. Also, ease of use and a lack of annoying hissing noises, etc.
-Don't care too much about isolation, ultra fidelity, etc. Not a sound engineer, super audiophile.
Started to wade through the thread, but I'm way out of my depth.
I'm in the market for a gaming headset, but I'd really like for whatever I get to be compatible with the PC, Xbox, and PS3. It looks like the Astro A30/A40 series will work, because they come with this fancy "Mixamp" device that everyone loves and apparently also cures cancer. Is it really worth the minimum $200 purchase to get a Mixamp + Headset combo? I would buy the thing separately but it looks like that isn't possible. I assume the Mixamp alone will last for several years, regardless of the headset that gets plugged into it. Is that a safe assumption to make?
Is there something that doesn't require hundreds of dollars that will do the job adequately?
Short answer: The Razer Carcharias is an excellent headset for under $70 that's probably 80% as good as the Astro one (sans-Mixamp) if you want a budget route.
Some folks here will tell you that they're not terribly reliable. Personally, I'm still on my first pair (although they're only backups now, as I've long since upgraded), but I'm totally on board with the idea that they obviously aren't going to be as rock solid as a $200 set of cans. That said, Razer's always been good with warranty stuff to me, and hey, they're cheap-ish.
Otherwise, the Astro headphones are really nice, and the Sennheiser PC360s are about as top-of-the-line as you can get with circumaural cans with an integrated mic.
I was planning to get a new pair of headphones for gaming, but I hadn't considered the Sennheiser PC 360 before. I currently have the Astro Mixamp 5.8 and the Audio Technica AD700s. My original shortlist was the Astro A50 with its wireless setup or the V-MODA M-100 for use with my current Mixamp. The Sennheiser would save me some money, though (probably allowing me to budget in a decent sound card), and I've read it's comparable to or is better than the A40/50. Should I put that at the top of my list for now?
I'd also be open to any other recommendations in that price range and headphones that fit smaller heads. I had modify the AD700s quite a bit before they'd fit me.
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I should probably invest in a soundcard before buying yet another headset, right guys?
@Big Isy depends what your current headset is, to be honest. What are you using at the moment?
This is my current headset which isn't glorious. It does the job but I fancy something.... fancier. I'm also using the onboard soundcard on the mobo. ALso also, I had these Sennheiser headphones before the current headset and they were amazing. I want something with that sound quality AND a mic.
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BrocksMulletInto the sunrise, on a jet-ski. Natch.Registered Userregular
I should probably invest in a soundcard before buying yet another headset, right guys?
@Big Isy depends what your current headset is, to be honest. What are you using at the moment?
This is my current headset which isn't glorious. It does the job but I fancy something.... fancier. I'm also using the onboard soundcard on the mobo. ALso also, I had these Sennheiser headphones before the current headset and they were amazing. I want something with that sound quality AND a mic.
Yes, what would have that sound quality, and a mike?
I promise I don't work for Zalman, but a Zalman MC-1 Mic is all that you need. It'll clip on the length of your headphone cable and it's a great quality piece of equipment
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Ok, thanks, it's going to be a range of classical to electronic, so the flatter the better, i can always test stuff on my heavy bass rigs if needed.... one of the advantages to having a 7 yr old who is entirely too good at the piano is that you get to put together hw like you were young (which reminds me i have to go pick up that 303 :-).
i can googlify, but what price ranges are you talking about?
re: fragile wires - my Sony MDR-V600's went thru the rave wars, and had a wonky channel. took a PS/2 (keyboard) cord and rewired it and it works BEAUTIFULLY. Total cost of like $3 for a new connector from radio shack. $3 + soldering to repair $200 cans. hell yes.
Joe's Stream.
Joe's Stream.
I've been considering buying a pair of Audio Engine A5+'s or Emotiva Pro Airmotiv 4's or 5's to use at my desk for nearfield listening. My current speakers and receiver are going to be moved downstairs to use with my soon to be ordered TV, and I'll need something to replace them with. I do have a long neglected pair of B&W DM302's (I got them really cheap and they're decent at best) and a Onkyo TX-8511 receiver, but I've been wanting something more suited to nearfield use for a long time.
right now my budget is: set up production studio as inexpensively as possible, but not dead end myself or subject myself to vendor lock in. so it's basically "start small, build if the kid keeps at it".
It really looks like my best option is going to be to repair this pair of Infinity Floor references I have... yay, soldering!
e: this is a bit of a labor of love, i've built one of these, sold it, and now my kid has the music bug in a big way at a young age. so, it's kindof an excuse to build the lab again.... I've got my eye on this mc-303 for $75....
Joe's Stream.
Hmm... yeah, Paradigm is a pretty good option. KRK isn't supposed to be bad, either; I hear pretty good things about their ROKIT line specifically, though I understand they're a little colorful sounding. Klipsch makes some pretty good reference speakers, literally referred to as their "Reference" line. You can get some floor standing speakers for around $300 each or some bookshelves for around $300 a pair, depending on what kind of footprint you're looking for. Yamaha studio monitors aren't too bad either-- I hear their MSP5s are supposed to be pretty good. Keep in mind I've never heard these speakers personally, but I've heard pretty good things through professional word of mouth.
I'm not sure how crazy you're looking to go, but I would also recommend looking into some soundproofing material if you're going to be setting up any kind of acoustically specific room, especially if you plan on recording anything. Acoustic dampening tiles or foam and sound reflection boards can go a long way and are pretty important in the bigger scope of what you're looking to do, so you shouldn't overlook that. I'm also not sure what kind of room you plan on doing this in, but as far as residential application goes, double-pane windows also have considerable more dampening properties than a single-pane does.
well, luckily I have a separate garage with a large "wood shop" that will be converted. I should even be able to isolate the eq from the sound stage, and yeh, sound proofing is a must. if anyone runs into any sales, please let me know, it looks like i'm gong to attempt to repair a water damaged floor ref.
and wtf is it with recording HW? USB2, 2in/2out - reasonable price. 4in/4out - reasonable price. 8? You need a mortgage. It's like buying a frigging 88 key keyboard. There is nothing materially or intellectually that demands THAT much of a premium over a 76. You pay for the damn honor of having 88 keys...
kinda makes me wonder if someone could come in and produce quality gear at reasonable markups and destroy the industry.
Joe's Stream.
Actually, taking a quick look online at deals, Bic compares to Klipsch Reference pretty well, and they're not considered as overly bright as some of the more affordable Klipsch Reference sound, like the RF-42 (which is the one I was mentioning that was $300 ea.). Here's the link: Bic America Dv64
It's...wow. I've never used an amp for a headset before but man.
I was already happy with the headset I bought prior to this, it sounded good, particularly when I had the noise cancelling on, it was much clearer sound.
But with the amp, with or without noise cancelling, the clarity of the audio is holy shit. I'm hearing things in my music I've literally never heard before, songs I've listened to hundreds, if not thousands, of times.
It's like the first time I've listened to music or played a game where the audio didn't feel like it was coming from a speaker; but felt like it was just there. I don't know how to explain it because before today I never felt like there was anything wrong with the audio I had heard previously.
And this is 'cheap' equipment. $100 for the amp, $200 for the headset (both off ebay, would have been $150/$300 retail).
I kinda get it now; why someone would pay out the nose for really high quality sound equipment. I thought I was kinda snobby already about the quality of audio I listened to but apparently I was very uneducated.
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Every now and the you should throw the output back to USB, Herps, just to hear the difference :P
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better
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Man, yeah. I feel like we should have a music recommendation thread for people who realize just how awesome amps and a good set of cans can make your music. Do we have one of those? I would love to hear people's suggestions-- I love listening to new things. Listening to Quadrophenia again when I got my first amp was mind blowing. In fact, I did the same thing again just the other day.
oh there's a ton of old vinyl that is much, much, much more detailed when listening through proper cans. The Wall, The White Album, Jimi Hendrix's Experience are good starting points.
I'm partial to old acid ravish stuff, just so damn much going on in the tracks that gets muffled out.
Joe's Stream.
I just got a major job offer yesterday, so I decided to treat myself to a new headset.
I purchased an Astro A50 at my local Best Buy and plugged it all in to my PC. I ran an audio check through my system playback devices panel and it binged and pinged just fine. As soon as I started up a game and pulled the charger cable out of the headset it immediately stopped working. The firmware is properly updated, the headset is charged, the power and the Dolby settings are on, but no sound is coming from the headset. I've tried restarting my system and nothing. I've tried unplugging and re-plugging everything in. I've tried re-syncing/pairing the headset and it just won't pair. Both will blink and blink and blink white but never turn solid then red. I've made sure the volume is up on the system and the headset. I can crank the headset volume via the volume wheel and hear it eventually give that soft hiss from being turned up so high but no audio comes out. I even tried just using them directly hardwired and not even that works anymore.
If anybody is familiar with the Astro A50s and has any idea what to do, I'd appreciate it.
Cormac, great call on Radiohead. I don't think I've heard Porcupine Tree, to be honest; I'll have to look into them. I'm always looking for new music recommendations (I love playing around with all of the high end speakers and playing new music on them on slow weekdays...).
minor incident, you're not kidding. I love breaking in a pair of headphones, putting a big smile on my face with I Am the Sea, and then transitioning right into The Real Me. So good. I'm curious about whatever else you might pop on the most.
Personally I would have gone with the A40s with the Mixamp because you could just later upgrade the headphones and still keep the Mixamp which works wonderful through the optical jack of your motherboard with any stereo headphones.
I would just say double check all the connections then give Astro a call. They have great customer service.
I think I might upgrade soon, though. After doing some research, I kept seeing V-MODA pop up repeatedly. I'm now eyeing the M-100s once they're officially out. Has anyone here had experience with that brand before?
Hooooleeee fuuuck is it a huge leap from where my Macbook Pro was before. I didn't think it could get that much better, but I just fired up a few favorite tracks as well as some particularly juicy video clips and my B&W P5s (Which themselves aren't exactly super hi-fi themselves) just fucking soared. It's the little things like noticing how that snare comes in super clean that makes me grin like a goof.
I also ordered a custom CMOY amp which should be coming in shortly as well. So excited to see what a pocket amp can do.
Yeah, man. The Dragonfly is a killer little DAC. I love that thing.
Do these look legitimate and safe? Granted, faking products is less common with reasonably priced things (they're $100 at most), but I thought I'd bring it to the experts.
Ow, quit it.
Ok no really, I would say they are probably grey market at best, meaning they may be in fact Denon- but from New Zealand or China or wherever and thus do not carry an actual US warranty. Personally, I wouldn't buy anything unless it was from an authorized retailer, there are a lot of good fakes out there.
Amazon.com it is, I guess.
Just looked at those Bic's and they look amazing. Time to figure out how much I can drop on this and not have the wife kill me....
Anybody have opinions on recording interfaces (HW)? I'd prefer not to be vendor locked, but it kinda looks like I need to pick DAW software and stick with their HW? Is that right, or can I actually do this with Audacity and a variety of other OSS shtuff?
Joe's Stream.
Is there something that doesn't require hundreds of dollars that will do the job adequately?
Short answer: The Razer Carcharias is an excellent headset for under $70 that's probably 80% as good as the Astro one (sans-Mixamp) if you want a budget route.
Some folks here will tell you that they're not terribly reliable. Personally, I'm still on my first pair (although they're only backups now, as I've long since upgraded), but I'm totally on board with the idea that they obviously aren't going to be as rock solid as a $200 set of cans. That said, Razer's always been good with warranty stuff to me, and hey, they're cheap-ish.
Otherwise, the Astro headphones are really nice, and the Sennheiser PC360s are about as top-of-the-line as you can get with circumaural cans with an integrated mic.
I have looked at the various wireless headsets Logitech makes like the H800 and what few reviews there are seem to be all over the map.
I have recently come into possession of a $50 Best Buy giftcard and there's nothing else I'm dying to use it on, so I'd prefer my pick to be something I can pick up there, but it isn't absolutely essential. My budget is preferably no more than $100. However, right now now I'm looking at the Logitech G930, and from what I can tell so far it seems to be the best of the lot. However, it's $160 at Best Buy, so more than I'd like to pay even with my gift card ($105 on Amazon, $120 on Newegg).
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks - it looks like the Carcharias is PC-only, though?
Steam: BrocksMullet http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197972421669/
-Prefer to spend under 50 dollars.
-Comfort and sound are a priority. Also, ease of use and a lack of annoying hissing noises, etc.
-Don't care too much about isolation, ultra fidelity, etc. Not a sound engineer, super audiophile.
Started to wade through the thread, but I'm way out of my depth.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Steam: BrocksMullet http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197972421669/
I was planning to get a new pair of headphones for gaming, but I hadn't considered the Sennheiser PC 360 before. I currently have the Astro Mixamp 5.8 and the Audio Technica AD700s. My original shortlist was the Astro A50 with its wireless setup or the V-MODA M-100 for use with my current Mixamp. The Sennheiser would save me some money, though (probably allowing me to budget in a decent sound card), and I've read it's comparable to or is better than the A40/50. Should I put that at the top of my list for now?
I'd also be open to any other recommendations in that price range and headphones that fit smaller heads. I had modify the AD700s quite a bit before they'd fit me.
@Big Isy depends what your current headset is, to be honest. What are you using at the moment?
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better
bit.ly/2XQM1ke
This is my current headset which isn't glorious. It does the job but I fancy something.... fancier. I'm also using the onboard soundcard on the mobo. ALso also, I had these Sennheiser headphones before the current headset and they were amazing. I want something with that sound quality AND a mic.
Yes, what would have that sound quality, and a mike?
Steam: BrocksMullet http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197972421669/
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better
bit.ly/2XQM1ke