kaisei

V-MODA BoomPro ($30)
Accessories:
(1) 3.5mm Y-Splitter
(1) Single line velcro strap
 
Build
The BoomPro starts with a 3.5mm connection which splits into the boom mic and the rest of the cable. The boom mic is very easily adjustable and holds its position decently. I say this because the mic will occasionally droop a slight bit, which may or may not bother some people. The cable is 79” (200cm) long and is reinforced with fabric wrapping. The cable is slightly on the stiffer side. There are several points where the cable will not fully straighten from how it was wrapped inside its box. If the cable were more plush, I feel it would straighten out more naturally, but it does not affect movement as it is right now. About 12” (30cm) down the cable, there a 1”x1” (2.5cm x 2.5cm) module for controlling the volume and muting the mic. The connection points here are also reinforced, which makes the total length of the module about 3” (7.5cm) long. This adds a bit of heft to the cable. I’m not sure if it needs to be so large, or if it could somehow have the width reduced to make it feel more like a cable instead of a cable with a box built into the middle of it. There is a clip on the module to help alleviate the extra weight somewhat. The BoomPro terminates in a 45 degree 3.5mm 4-pole connection.
 
Compatibility
Full compatibility with just about (some people have reported that it did not work with their headphones, so I will not be including an absolute statement on compatiblity) any headphones with a single 3.5mm removable cable.
 
The microphone is easily compatible with console gaming. For the PS4, no adapters are needed. Just plug the 4-pole right into the headphone port into the DualShock 4 controller. For the Xbox One, it would depend on the controller. The first generation controller would need the official headset adapter from Microsoft, but the second generation controller with the 3.5mm jack will be compatible without any adapters. It should be noted that if your headphones require more power, then connecting an amplifier will still be necessary. Then the setup becomes slightly more complicated with the use of the Y-splitter and possibly needing a ground loop isolator to eliminate static or high pitched sounds.
 
Sound
The microphone captures voices really well. It is permanently set in omni-directional mode, so background noise will be apparent. It does a decent job in keeping the majority of the outside sound out, but my keyboard typing test using Cherry MX Browns and Cherry MX Clears can be slightly heard in the background. Mouse clicks can occasionally be heard as well, but all the background sounds are very much subdued. This makes for a very pleasant experience in chats and even video recordings.
 
Antlion ModMic 5 ($70)
Accessories:
(1) Cable wrap
(10) Cable clips
(1) Mute switch module
(2) 3.5mm Extension cables
(2) Magnetic base clasps
(1) Alcohol wipe
(3) 3M adhesives
(1) Pop filter
(1) Carrying case
(1) Microphone/Headphone 3.5mm to USB adapter
(1) 3.5mm Y-Adapter
 
Build
The ModMic 5 is very solidly built. The mic comes with a thick pop filter that barely covers the entire microphone portion of the boom mic. It does not seem to have any negative effects on the sound quality. The microphone portion contains a switch to swap between omni-directional and uni-directional modes. The shaft of the boom mic is reinforced with sturdy plastic.
It can be adjusted at the desired angle, and it does a decent job at holding it’s form. The magnetic clasp is stronger than the previous versions to help reduce accidental drooping of the mic when you move your head too suddenly. The mic then makes a u-bend into a reliable looking strain relief. The cable on the main mic is about 8” (20cm) long, terminating into a 3.5mm jack. The two extension cables feel almost too flimsy, but is acceptable for in-home use without too much rough usage.
 
The mute switch module can be used in-between any of the 3.5mm connections. For something that only performs one function, the module feels too huge. It adds unnecessary heft to something that is already adding a second cable onto your headphone/microphone combo. Both of the adapters are solid blocks instead of wired splitters. This may or may not be a problem with connectivity depending on if it blocks off adjacent USB ports or hits ledges near the USB/3.5mm port. The block portion of the adapters are both about 1” (2.5cm) wide, 1” (2.5cm) long, and ½” (1.3cm) thick.
 
The worse (and thankfully optional) part of the setup is the cable wrap. It is about 79” (2m) long, and is made of some sort of weaved plastic material. A lot of people had problems with the cable wrap fraying when they cut it, which prompted Antlion to supply a couple of ways to properly adjust the length of the cable. One way is to use a lighter to burn the ends where the wrap was cut to sear the ends. The second way is to use nail polish before and after cutting. This all seems to be more effort than necessary, and adds even more heft to an already cumbersome setup with multiple cables going from your head and added weight of all the additional optional accessories.
 
Compatibility
In regards to compatibility with headphones, the ModMic will work on all of them. There does not need to be a requirement of a 3.5mm jack. The magnetic clasp will stick on just about all surfaces unless there are a pair of headphones with a fabric type surface. Yes, the 3m adhesive will even work on the grills of open back headphones.
 
Similar with the V-MODA BoomPro, the ModMic 5 is compatible with everything as long as you use the appropriate adapter. All of the adapters are included for you in this case, but new ones may need to be purchased if the adapters blocks get in the way of connecting to ports.
 
Sound
Unidirectional
When the mic switch is switched to unidirectional mode, the single inner microphone will be active. This mic is aimed at the user and will reduce the majority of background noise. When typing on my mechanical keyboard and excessively clicking my mouse, there was very minimal background sounds being captured by the mic. This mode is great for a semi-noisy room, but it comes with one caveat. The user’s voice sounds very much muted or muffled as well. This mode cannot be recommended unless reducing background noise is an absolute necessity during a chat session.
 
Omnidirectional
This mode is where the ModMic 5 shines. When the switch is swapped to omnidirectional mode, the two microphones at the end of the mic boom is activated. It captures the best representation of your voice of the two modes. Background noises will be heard, but those are slightly muted. Typing on my mechanical keyboard and the excessive clicking on my mouse sounded slightly muffled, while my voice was clear and concise. Unless there is unwanted chatter in the room, this mode is the suggested mode of the mic.
 
Conclusion
So how do these mics compare? If I had to give a 1-10 score to each mic, I would say the ModMic 5 Omnidirectional mode scores an 8, the V-MODA BoomPro scores a 7.5, and the ModMic 5 Unidriectional mode scores a 6 in terms of sound quality. Although the ModMic 5 Omnidirectional sounds the best from the tests, the BoomPro is only very, very slightly behind it. The high price tag on the ModMic 5 comes from the ability to switch in-between the two modes, the upgraded build quality from its previous version, and the large amount of accessories. However, the V-MODA’s build quality does not fall short all the while holding onto a very competitive price. Giving the price and performance, I would have to go with the V-MODA BoomPro your headphones are compatible (or modded to a 3.5mm jack to be compatible). Otherwise, the Antlion ModMic 5 is compatible with all headphones with its magnetic clip, but it comes in at more than twice the price as the BoomPro

SHP9500 ($50-55 depending on if on sale at newegg) with V-MODA Boompro ($29) is your best bet right now.
 
Or you can get the HD558 ($70-80 depending on sale) with Modmic 4 ($50-55). It's a bit clunkier because of the extra cable for the modmic, but I think this combo is slightly higher quality. Just my opinion, though.

No offense but Astros are horrible for the price.

V-MODA BoomPro ($30)
Accessories:
(1) 3.5mm Y-Splitter
(1) Single line velcro strap
 
Build
The BoomPro starts with a 3.5mm connection which splits into the boom mic and the rest of the cable. The boom mic is very easily adjustable and holds its position decently. I say this because the mic will occasionally droop a slight bit, which may or may not bother some people. The cable is 79” (200cm) long and is reinforced with fabric wrapping. The cable is slightly on the stiffer side. There are several points where the cable will not fully straighten from how it was wrapped inside its box. If the cable were more plush, I feel it would straighten out more naturally, but it does not affect movement as it is right now. About 12” (30cm) down the cable, there a 1”x1” (2.5cm x 2.5cm) module for controlling the volume and muting the mic. The connection points here are also reinforced, which makes the total length of the module about 3” (7.5cm) long. This adds a bit of heft to the cable. I’m not sure if it needs to be so large, or if it could somehow have the width reduced to make it feel more like a cable instead of a cable with a box built into the middle of it. There is a clip on the module to help alleviate the extra weight somewhat. The BoomPro terminates in a 45 degree 3.5mm 4-pole connection.
 
Compatibility
Full compatibility with just about (some people have reported that it did not work with their headphones, so I will not be including an absolute statement on compatiblity) any headphones with a single 3.5mm removable cable.
 
The microphone is easily compatible with console gaming. For the PS4, no adapters are needed. Just plug the 4-pole right into the headphone port into the DualShock 4 controller. For the Xbox One, it would depend on the controller. The first generation controller would need the official headset adapter from Microsoft, but the second generation controller with the 3.5mm jack will be compatible without any adapters. It should be noted that if your headphones require more power, then connecting an amplifier will still be necessary. Then the setup becomes slightly more complicated with the use of the Y-splitter and possibly needing a ground loop isolator to eliminate static or high pitched sounds.
 
Sound
The microphone captures voices really well. It is permanently set in omni-directional mode, so background noise will be apparent. It does a decent job in keeping the majority of the outside sound out, but my keyboard typing test using Cherry MX Browns and Cherry MX Clears can be slightly heard in the background. Mouse clicks can occasionally be heard as well, but all the background sounds are very much subdued. This makes for a very pleasant experience in chats and even video recordings.
 
Antlion ModMic 5 ($70)
Accessories:
(1) Cable wrap
(10) Cable clips
(1) Mute switch module
(2) 3.5mm Extension cables
(2) Magnetic base clasps
(1) Alcohol wipe
(3) 3M adhesives
(1) Pop filter
(1) Carrying case
(1) Microphone/Headphone 3.5mm to USB adapter
(1) 3.5mm Y-Adapter
 
Build
The ModMic 5 is very solidly built. The mic comes with a thick pop filter that barely covers the entire microphone portion of the boom mic. It does not seem to have any negative effects on the sound quality. The microphone portion contains a switch to swap between omni-directional and uni-directional modes. The shaft of the boom mic is reinforced with sturdy plastic.
It can be adjusted at the desired angle, and it does a decent job at holding it’s form. The magnetic clasp is stronger than the previous versions to help reduce accidental drooping of the mic when you move your head too suddenly. The mic then makes a u-bend into a reliable looking strain relief. The cable on the main mic is about 8” (20cm) long, terminating into a 3.5mm jack. The two extension cables feel almost too flimsy, but is acceptable for in-home use without too much rough usage.
 
The mute switch module can be used in-between any of the 3.5mm connections. For something that only performs one function, the module feels too huge. It adds unnecessary heft to something that is already adding a second cable onto your headphone/microphone combo. Both of the adapters are solid blocks instead of wired splitters. This may or may not be a problem with connectivity depending on if it blocks off adjacent USB ports or hits ledges near the USB/3.5mm port. The block portion of the adapters are both about 1” (2.5cm) wide, 1” (2.5cm) long, and ½” (1.3cm) thick.
 
The worse (and thankfully optional) part of the setup is the cable wrap. It is about 79” (2m) long, and is made of some sort of weaved plastic material. A lot of people had problems with the cable wrap fraying when they cut it, which prompted Antlion to supply a couple of ways to properly adjust the length of the cable. One way is to use a lighter to burn the ends where the wrap was cut to sear the ends. The second way is to use nail polish before and after cutting. This all seems to be more effort than necessary, and adds even more heft to an already cumbersome setup with multiple cables going from your head and added weight of all the additional optional accessories.
 
Compatibility
In regards to compatibility with headphones, the ModMic will work on all of them. There does not need to be a requirement of a 3.5mm jack. The magnetic clasp will stick on just about all surfaces unless there are a pair of headphones with a fabric type surface. Yes, the 3m adhesive will even work on the grills of open back headphones.
 
Similar with the V-MODA BoomPro, the ModMic 5 is compatible with everything as long as you use the appropriate adapter. All of the adapters are included for you in this case, but new ones may need to be purchased if the adapters blocks get in the way of connecting to ports.
 
Sound
Unidirectional
When the mic switch is switched to unidirectional mode, the single inner microphone will be active. This mic is aimed at the user and will reduce the majority of background noise. When typing on my mechanical keyboard and excessively clicking my mouse, there was very minimal background sounds being captured by the mic. This mode is great for a semi-noisy room, but it comes with one caveat. The user’s voice sounds very much muted or muffled as well. This mode cannot be recommended unless reducing background noise is an absolute necessity during a chat session.
 
Omnidirectional
This mode is where the ModMic 5 shines. When the switch is swapped to omnidirectional mode, the two microphones at the end of the mic boom is activated. It captures the best representation of your voice of the two modes. Background noises will be heard, but those are slightly muted. Typing on my mechanical keyboard and the excessive clicking on my mouse sounded slightly muffled, while my voice was clear and concise. Unless there is unwanted chatter in the room, this mode is the suggested mode of the mic.
 
Conclusion
So how do these mics compare? If I had to give a 1-10 score to each mic, I would say the ModMic 5 Omnidirectional mode scores an 8, the V-MODA BoomPro scores a 7.5, and the ModMic 5 Unidriectional mode scores a 6 in terms of sound quality. Although the ModMic 5 Omnidirectional sounds the best from the tests, the BoomPro is only very, very slightly behind it. The high price tag on the ModMic 5 comes from the ability to switch in-between the two modes, the upgraded build quality from its previous version, and the large amount of accessories. However, the V-MODA’s build quality does not fall short all the while holding onto a very competitive price. Giving the price and performance, I would have to go with the V-MODA BoomPro your headphones are compatible (or modded to a 3.5mm jack to be compatible). Otherwise, the Antlion ModMic 5 is compatible with all headphones with its magnetic clip, but it comes in at more than twice the price as the BoomPro

just saw how to install, eazy, thanks looks nice

Sounds like he wants a slight bass bump. For the open back option, I would go with the HD558 in this case. It also happens to be cheaper.

Since you're on a budget, maybe check out the HD558. They are $99 at Best Buy and if you add a $1 filler you can use VISA Checkout to get $25 off $100. The sound stage is very good, and there is some bass to add a little emphasis on those booms. People are always saying that the HD558/HD598 are some of the most comfortable headphones they've used.

While not the greatest video, I did chuckle when he was wearing the headset and peeling the plastic off of both earcups in unison. 

The 1070 is perfect for 1440p. Although it will be slightly bottlenecked by the 4670k, I don't think you'll notice much of a difference.
 
For the next upgrade, instead of looking at CPU, maybe grab another 8GB RAM first. I only say this because a lot of people here are suggesting upgrading your CPU.

You might not want to, but all of those games are critically acclaimed, have sold ridiculous numbers of copies, and are generally well received by gamers.

You certainly can have a good couch gaming experience on the PC. But it's not easy, and requires a lot of peripherals and/or tinkering.
 
Take something as simple as turning the computer on without getting up. Something that's a given with a Media Box or a Console. Something that is very difficult to accomplish with a PC. You could use sleep mode, and a wireless keyboard, but that's finicky and doesn't always work.
 
Also media consumption is also easier on a console, etc, because most computers don't come with a "10 Foot Interface" by default (That's what Steam Big-Picture mode is for example). You can certainly use a program like Kodi or Plex to accomplish this, but these programs don't start by default. So you'll have to tinker there. Futhermore, switching between, for example, Kodi and Steam, isn't easy, since you'll most likely have to drop into the normal Desktop before switching, unless you make some custom scripts.
 
SteamLink is okay for couch gaming, assuming you already have a pretty decent gaming computer elsewhere in the house, and either really kickass WIFI, or wired Gigabit Ethernet. But SteamLink isn't a replacement for a media player either.
 
SteamOS is kind of crap, so let's just forget about that. It's okay for a gaming only box, but lacks the most basic media functionality (Sure it's Debian, but none of that comes pre-installed, so have fun installing everything via terminal).
 
PC's are great. But they have limitations and things they are better or worse suited for. Certainly anything can be made to work well on a PC, if you have the skills or there's a market big enough for a PC maker/software developer to put the money into it. But a lot of these areas are still very lacking on the PC.

Would someone like to explain to me how 'Releasing utter garbage onto their platform' is a mark of 'failure' for the PS4, but 90% of the titles release to Steam being complete dumpster fires, much of which barely functions at all, is somehow okay?  If we compare the PS4 to Steam in this regard, the PS4 isn't failing enough comparison to Steam which vastly out classes it with 'releasing utter garbage onto their platform'.

I think OP was trying to say that the DT-990's are not too expensive.
 
@Gamessys I would also recommend the HD598 as a great all around headphones. Or if you can go more expensive then I would suggest something like the HD600 (more neutral) or HD650 (slightly more bassy) and grab an amp like the Schiit Fulla 2 or Micca Origen+. If you prefer an amp/DAC combo, then I would suggest either customizing the JDS Labs O2/ODAC to your liking for a simple solution, or grabbing the Schiit Magni/Modi combo stack.

Yes Probably not. Really up to how much you like them. Modmics can be used with any pair of headphones. They have it's own wire and run a second line that can be clipped to your headphones' wire.

Don't give up! I've been looking too, and this is what I've come up with. I'm not sure if you can do this with the HD518, but it works for the HD558 and the HD598. Follow this guide on youtube. Then you can grab this TaoTronics Bluetooth Receiver from Amazon as well.

I have the Plantronics switch but there's a lot of different versions out there,
https://www.amazon.com/Plantronics-Headset-Speaker-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B000069E1V/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1483127669&sr=8-4&keywords=Headset+Speaker+Switch
 
https://www.amazon.com/Speaker-Headset-Switching-Manhattan-172851/dp/B000K8PH8C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1483127749&sr=8-2&keywords=headphone+speaker+switch
 

I would research on these forums or other forums to see what the average user is getting on their +## overclock. Then start from there and +/- 25 MHz, when you get closer to your max, move the +/- to 10MHz then to 5MHz. 3DMark, Heaven, and FFXIV: Heavensward benchmarking tool are my 3 goto stress tests. Then when you get everything stable on those, you could try your own applications for an hour or so to be absolutely certain.

Read the description, and it says "Note: Video input supports up to 1920 * 1080 at 60 fps (Hz), while maximum recording quality is 1080p at 30fps."
 
The official website also lists the recorded gameplay will be 1080p at 30fps. For 60 fps, 720p is the highest resolution. http://www.avermedia-usa.com/avertv/product/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=503&tab=UserManual