New Hardware Seeking wisdom/input for high-grade headset

H

Holyvision

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Jan 25, 2017
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Hello,

Thanks in advance for any time/assistance! I searched and found other threads on this subject, however they were for specific price-points or etc, and I did not want to hijack others requests for input. I apologize if this is seen as a duplicate thread!

Currently my Rig runs with an Astro A50 wireless headset unit. Sadly, it is an older version of the unit, and it's starting to get where the wireless transmitter resets itself from time to time. When this happens, it can make my games crash because the output audio device for the system changes/flip-flops really quick and all-of-a-sudden. The drivers themselves are starting to show signs of wear and will sometimes have static/distortion in heated moments of game-play.

Long story short: Looking for new headset...

Stipulations: My system has an ASUS STRIX RAID DLX sound card -- which is reasonably high-end. I really really want something that is able to utilize the capabilities of my sound card the best, that is of equivalent quality and etc. I'm not saying "cost is not a factor" because I'm not going to drop $1000 bucks on a headset; however I am willing to invest in something of high-quality that would be a good pairing to the hardware in the computer. I don't honestly care if it is wireless or wired, quality of the headset and the sound it produces are data points that rank higher on my list. I've lost two older Plantronics units before because the over-the-head part snapped after a while of use; looking for something that will last (especially because of quality).

For those that are literate with the audio specs, I'm going to copy/paste below with the details of the sound card in question, in case it assists in finding a suitable pairing for it:

https://www.asus.com/us/Sound-Cards/STRIX-RAID-DLX/specifications/

Audio Interface
PCI Express
Audio Performance
Output Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-Weighted) (Front-out) :
124 dB
Output Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-Weighted) (Headphone-out) :
124 dB
Input Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-Weighted) :
117 dB
Output THD+N at 1kHz (Front-out) :
0.0009 %(-107 dB)
Output THD+N at 1kHz (Headphone-out) :
0.0009 %(-107 dB)
Input THD+N at 1kHz :
0.000316 %(-110 dB)
Frequency Response (-3dB, 24bit/96KHz input) :
10 Hz to 48 KHz
Output/Input Full-Scale Voltage :
Line output (RCA, 3.5) : 2 Vrms (5.65 Vp-p)
Chipset
Audio Processor :C-Media USB2.0 6632AX High-Definition Sound Processor (Max. 384KHz / 24bit)
Digital-to-analog Converter(DAC)
ESS SABRE9016 Premier 8 Channel Audio DAC
Sample Rate and Resolution
Analog Playback Sample Rate and Resolution :
44.1K/48K/88.2K/96K/176.4K/192KHz @ 16bit/24bit
Analog Recording Sample Rate and Resolution :
44.1K/48K/88.2K/96K/176.4K/192KHz @ 16bit/24bit
S/PDIF Digital Output :
44.1K/48K/96K/192KHz @ 16bit/24bit
ASIO 2.0 Driver Support :
44.1K/48K/96K/192KHz @ 16bit/24bit with very low latency
Connectivity
Analog Output
5 x 3.5 mm jack (1/8") (Headphone out /Front out/Side out/Center-Subwoofer out/Rear out)
Analog Input
1 x 3.5 mm jack (1/8") (Line-in/ Mic-in combo)
Digital
1 x S/PDIF out ((combo with side out))
1 x Box Link



Thank you again for any input and wisdom,
--Holy
 
High grade headsets are very few and far overpriced for what they are.
You would be better off looking for a great set of headphones and picking up a Modmic or any other 3rd party mic attachment. If you want to go with a desk mic you can do that but I always found that to be a bit more cluttered desk space wise or annoying with a boom arm.
 
Chocolate has some great advice. Pick your self up some bose, shures (pricey) or senheiser (butchered the name) headphones (stay away from Beats too overpriced for the sound quality you get)and something like a Blue Snowball or yeti microphone.

I used to be as huge headset person but got tired of having to shell out at least $100 every time i had to replace them. I decided to go with separate headphones and mic, that way i was only shelling out the money if i had to replace the headphones or mic not both.

This is what i use, they are not high end but the sound quality is amazing.

https://www.amazon.com/JVC-HAMR55X-...=1485609887&sr=8-7&keywords=jvc+xx+headphones

The build quality is amazing. extremely durable and comfortable.

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowbal...8&qid=1485610119&sr=8-3&keywords=snowball+ice

Great mic, a little over sized (size of a softball). i keep my mic about 2-3 feet away from me on my desk and people can hear me clearly, durable build quality as well.

Well, whatever you decide to buy i hope you find a setup that works for you
 
Thanks for the input -- really in my mind I was never set on having the all-in-one setup, so much as getting something of great audio quality. I'll make sure to start checking out headphones/mic combos such as those mentioned above. If anyone else has any good shout-outs for audiophile/quality headphones or worthy stand-alone mics to be used on a gaming desk, feel free to comment them!

Thanks again,
--Holy
 
This is the set up I'm using now and loving it. It's open back which might not be for everyone tho.
https://www.amazon.com/Technica-AUD...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XDJ8EZSFXS4ZRT1YW1SC
The mic.
https://www.amazon.com/Antlion-Audio-ModMic-Attachable-Microphone/dp/B00T6XUL8S
Mic sounds amazing but is a bit pricey, but you can always grab this pair.
https://www.amazon.com/Zalman-Zm-Mi...1485624771&sr=1-6&keywords=clip+on+microphone
Which I heard some good reviews and sounds great for that price range.
 
I have some Bose QC3s and they sound amazing, they are old though. Luckily they sell replacement cables and ear cushions which I bought last year to rejuvenate them. They came out with the new Bose QC25 and 35 I think though, and discontinued these. I was going to keep them for gaming and go with a blue yeti desktop mic, but I changed my mind and went with the Hyper X Cloud Revolvers. I like them, they don't sound as good as the Bose but they are really comfortable and has a detachable mic which I am assuming is replaceable. The Bose still sound way better though.
 
My setup:
Audio‑Technica ATH‑M50x monitors (headphones): $140
Schiit Audio Modi and Magni (DAC/AMP): $200
Mod Mic: $50

It is by far the best sound I have ever gamed with. If you want something more versatile than just a true gaming headset we can go down that rabbit hole really quick.

You have to ask yourself 3 things...

What will these headphones be doing?
Do they need to be hyper sensitive monitors where i can hear the audio engineer fart in the studio?
Do I hate money and want to spend it all?

The setup I have is probably the best cost effective setup that will allow you to have headphones that are still powerful, dont need the amp to power them (although it really boosts them) and if I want to I can still run them using my phone. If you want to become an audiophile then you have a really good basic setup that will run monitors (aka headphones) that cost as much as most peoples mortgage payments.

They are closed headphones so you will have zero noise from the outside world along with having zero noise coming from your headphones where people around you can hear them. This is good because you wont hear dogs bark, the occasional normal noises from your neighborhood, etc... This is bad because it reduces the sound stage. Soundstage is the headphones' ability to produce sounds that allows you to perceive width and spaciousness. Think of it like a literal stage with a band on it. When you're standing in front of it, a wide sound stage is like having the band members spaced out along the width of the stage - you can easily place where each instrument is. A narrow sound stage is like having all the band members bunched together in the middle - everything just sounds like it's coming from the same place. So for gaming a larger sound stage is something you want to pin point enemies. However... I have had zero issue with my headphones by limiting the sound stage I need in order to gauge where sounds are coming from.

Open headphones and even semi-closed headphones are just that. They are not noise canceling. Its like wearing a speaker on your ear with no cover to hold the noise in. Incredible soundstage but, it allows outside noise to leach in if you are in a busy space and allows noise to leach out so others can hear it.

**Edit** You will probably not need the DAC because of the sound card you have. However I would highly recommend you get one because it outperforms the specs of your sound card. Im not downplaying your soundcard because its honestly really nice but, I dont use my mobos onboard soundcard just solely because my amp/dac setup sounds way better.
 
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A lot of people in this thread have been recommending ditching headsets entirely in favor of using headphones with an attachable mic and possibly a DAC/amp to go with it -- I've been using that kind of setup for a few months now, and I can't agree enough with those people because it really is a whole different kind of audio experience!

Headsets, especially 'gaming' headsets are pretty much just gimmicks with rare exception (And those exceptions will generally run you far more than you should have to pay for the quality you get). A lot of these companies do not specialize in creating audio equipment, so they (sometimes) outsource to other companies that DO specialize in audio. The problem is that you're sort of gambling on what company brought what piece of gear to the playing field and you're left wondering if the company or its product are even worth the cost -- a gaming headset is generally a two- to three-piece peripheral (headphones, a microphone, and on occasion a built-in "surround" soundcard). They have to skimp somewhere to make a profit, right?

This Reddit guide totally changed my mind on ever buying a headset again: https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterra...ing_audio_and_you_why_995_of_gaming_headsets/

Look into that guide, check it out, and I think you'll quickly understand why buying the pieces to the ultimate audio experience separately is so important

People have recommended some really great setups already, but I figured I ought to throw in my setup to consider as well. It'll run you about $400 on Amazon, but shop around and camp out for sales and you're bound to get a great deal!

Mic: https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Gaming-Headset-Headphone/dp/B00BJ17WKK/
This is a glorious microphone. I've used desktop studio mics from Blue and Samson, 'gaming headset' mics and more, and people tell me the BoomPro is the best-sounding microphone they've ever heard -- I've actually convinced random CS:GO players to go out and buy one because it sounds so good for its price. It's on-par with the Antlion ModMic, which is also an awesome mic -- though I believe the ModMic comes in both omni-directional and uni-directional models, so you may want to look into the difference and figure out what kind of mic suits your setup and preferences

Headphones: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O2Y2MZG
After having to get to try these out, I intend to upgrade from my ASUS cans just because the difference in sound quality is phenomenal. They're on the pricier side, but their intense drivers and excellent soundstage sold me
Honorable mention: ATH-M50x https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HVLUR86/

DAC/AMP: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LP3AMC2
I don't currently own a DAC/amp, but I've got one lined up for next month for my birthday. I have used them at my audiophile bud's place, however, and they really do make a difference -- sounds are cleaner, clearer, crisper louder than a soundcard (let alone onboard audio) could ever proffer -- and thumping, deep songs sound like a bass guitar and a volcano had a beautiful sonic baby. Just... don't turn them up too high unless you want to accidentally start World War III
 
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