Microphone/Headphone Suggestions

[Snipeye]

Looking to adjust my sound system for gaming.

1) New headphones
2) New microphone

Currently using a HyperX Cloud Alpha. However, I've just been diagnosed with some bad news so I'm looking to make some quality of life changes.

I think getting a new microphone with a boom arm would be best, so that I can go back and forth between using stereo vs headphones for sounds without too much issue. I'm looking to keep it under $250 for the combination. Not sure if I should go XLR and get the additional equipment for that, or pure USB? Was looking at the AT2020 or Blue microphone.

As for headphones, I'm open to variety of suggestions. My current bluetooth headphones for my phone, the right ear doesn't work unless plugged in (something's messed with the wiring and can't fix it). And then I can separately plug into the PC for a dedicated gaming headphone.

Can not be in-ear or on-ear; needs to be over-hear and preferably sound isolating.

 

[Buster]

I’d say the the at2020usb is the mic to get ~ $100-$150 with the arm

and for headphones I’d say the Sennheiser HD 280 PRO, they’re a solid closed back over ear headphone for about $100

 

[Luna]

I got the Massdrop x Sennheiser PC37X headset like 4 years ago or so and it's still going strong. Would highly recommend a Sennheiser headset.

 

[MS]

I’ve always been a BOSE fan, they last forever and are great quality. Bit expensive, but definitely my choice of headphones.

 

[Snipeye]

I got the Massdrop x Sennheiser PC37X headset like 4 years ago or so and it's still going strong. Would highly recommend a Sennheiser headset.

Not looking for headsets unfortunately. Specifically looking for separate microphone/headphone setups due to hearing issues.

 

[Kendle]

AT2020 is a great condenser mic. A good reference for the sound would be Summit1G and TimtheTatman on Twitch.
Samson Q2U $70 is what I use and is a dynamic mic. For reference listen/watch to Joe Rogan's podcast or HasanAbi on twitch.

Condenser mics are most common (Blue Yeti, AT2020, Quadcast). They are something you can hang away from your face and it will pick your voice up, but It does tend to pickup background noise and "hisses". If the room you are in produces a lot of reverb, it might be an issue and sound bad. I recommend against the large Blue/pro Yeti because you are spending money for 3 condensers in a large unit. You are really only going to use one condenser on the front mode, and it's not a small mic.

Dynamic mics are your podcast, singer, "movie trailer" type mics. They need to be relatively close to your mouth when speaking but give a surprising amount of clarity and depth to your voice. Sounds better if you can get used to a mic being inches from your mouth.

With either choice you make, I highly recommend using XLR with a cheap mixer versus USB. You have instant control over mic and headset volumes. Physical knobs that are easily accessible is just so much better than alt tabbing out of game to make volume adjustments. I use a Behringer UM2 1-Channel with good results and can be picked up for about $45. A Focusrite Solo is also another amazing mixer.

For headphones I use an "open-back" style set. That style allows me to have great sound yet I can still hear my surroundings. I don't like noise canceling or closed-back headphones where you feel odd speaking and can't hear anything else (does that make sense? lol). I use Audio-Technica ATH-AD900x but the Audio-Technica ATH-AD700x are really good also at a better price. A downside of an open-back headphone is there is not much bass.