Headphones vs. Surround sound for gaming + movies

[TeKNiQue]

When it comes to sound quality, what will sound the best for both gaming and movies? I really enjoy music with headphones over stereo speakers but what about content in 5.1 and 7.1?

[helping]

7.1 is more or less pointless

5.1 is great for movies

2.1 is for music

Headphones for music and gaming.

[Thalandros]

I really don't care for headphones more than 2.1, but speakers just sound awesome with more than 2.1, especially on a big HD/UHD screen that should be great to watch movies. On PC, I have Sennheiser HD 598's which are 2.1 headphones but have ''EAR'' technology which basically makes the sound more natural. For gaming, 5,1 could make a SLIGHT difference for performance in FPS etc, for the rest like films and music, really not. You could try a pair of headphones with Razer Surround, it simulates surround sound. It's not perfect but a good indicator for if you like it

[Sk4f4c3]

7.1 is more or less pointless

5.1 is great for movies

2.1 is for music

Headphones for music and gaming.

Agreed.

Also if you prefere singleplayer games or MP games where no comms are used or MP games where you dont have to locate stuff through sound then 2.1 or even 5.1 is good/awesome for gaming too.

For multiplayer games with comms and sound location I would recommend Headphones/Headsets.

 

Sound the best for gaming/movies depends almost every time how much money your willing to spend.

 

For your personal taste you have to find it out for yourself.

 

 

 You could try a pair of headphones with Razer Surround, it simulates surround sound. It's not perfect but a good indicator for if you like it

 

I wouldnt recommend that tbh. Most Virtual 5.1/7.1 Solutions are garbage and sound like garbage. Also the lack of configuration is a big minus too. If you want to try 5.1/7.1 Headphones try some which are "real" 5.1/7.1 i.e. Roccat Kave (non XTD Version; XTD Version is a sucky USB Headphone)

 

Not trying to sound like a roccat employee or fanboy, when it comes to mice and keyboards they suck imho, but their Kave 5.1 Headset is just pure awesomeness. Also i think the only "real" 5.1 Headset on the market.

[Thalandros]

Agreed.

Also if you prefere singleplayer games or MP games where no comms are used or MP games where you dont have to locate stuff through sound then 2.1 or even 5.1 is good/awesome for gaming too.

For multiplayer games with comms and sound location I would recommend Headphones/Headsets.

 

Sound the best for gaming/movies depends almost every time how much money your willing to spend.

 

For your personal taste you have to find it out for yourself.

 

 

 

I wouldnt recommend that tbh. Most Virtual 5.1/7.1 Solutions are garbage and sound like garbage. Also the lack of configuration is a big minus too. If you want to try 5.1/7.1 Headphones try some which are "real" 5.1/7.1 i.e. Roccat Kave (non XTD Version; XTD Version is a sucky USB Headphone)

 

Not trying to sound like a roccat employee or fanboy, when it comes to mice and keyboards they suck imho, but their Kave 5.1 Headset is just pure awesomeness. Also i think the only "real" 5.1 Headset on the market.

I've had it. I liked it except 3 parts:

1. Sound quality is actually garbage compared to actual headphones

2. Makes you sweat a LOT, especially during summer (because they're closed and very heavy)

3. The build quality is pretty bad

I dropped it once from a table about 1.5 meter or 5.5feet high and it died. (atleast the sound in one of the earcups did, and only sitting in a very weird angle with the cable would fix it, so it wasn't really doable.)

As for gaming headsets they're just a no-no for me anymore even though Roccat did a good job with the Kave.

Have you tried Razer Surround? it's not that bad. I tried it with the Roccat Kave (on 2.1) and Sennheiser HD 598, and it works quite well for a little program. 

[Sk4f4c3]

I've had it. I liked it except 3 parts:

1. Sound quality is actually garbage compared to actual headphones

2. Makes you sweat a LOT, especially during summer (because they're closed and very heavy)

3. The build quality is pretty bad

I dropped it once from a table about 1.5 meter or 5.5feet high and it died. (atleast the sound in one of the earcups did, and only sitting in a very weird angle with the cable would fix it, so it wasn't really doable.)

As for gaming headsets they're just a no-no for me anymore even though Roccat did a good job with the Kave.

Have you tried Razer Surround? it's not that bad. I tried it with the Roccat Kave (on 2.1) and Sennheiser HD 598, and it works quite well for a little program. 

 

Havent tried Razer Surround tbh. And man to bad you had a bad experience with your Kave. Mine fell like 10000000x and its still like new. Have it for 3 years now.

But the same happened to my Logitech G930. It fell on the ground and got totally obliterated. Maybe we just had bad luck.

 

2) Yeeeeaaa. They get pretty hot. I think im so used to it that i forgot to mention that.

 

1) Compared to every actual Headphones i.e. Bose,Sennheiser,Beyerdynamics and so on. every gaming headset sounds like garbage but actual headphones cost a lot more. Also there is good garbage and bad garbage. For my needs the Kave was really good. Listening to Metal is a delight or Dubstep. And for FPS the location is really good. But it always depends on your Soundcard too. I use a Creative Soundblaster Z, not the best soundcard out there but good enough for my needs.

 

Cheers

[Thalandros]

Havent tried Razer Surround tbh. And man to bad you had a bad experience with your Kave. Mine fell like 10000000x and its still like new. Have it for 3 years now.

But the same happened to my Logitech G930. It fell on the ground and got totally obliterated. Maybe we just had bad luck.

 

2) Yeeeeaaa. They get pretty hot. I think im so used to it that i forgot to mention that.

 

1) Compared to every actual Headphones i.e. Bose,Sennheiser,Beyerdynamics and so on. every gaming headset sounds like garbage but actual headphones cost a lot more. Also there is good garbage and bad garbage. For my needs the Kave was really good. Listening to Metal is a delight or Dubstep. And for FPS the location is really good. But it always depends on your Soundcard too. I use a Creative Soundblaster Z, not the best soundcard out there but good enough for my needs.

 

Cheers

I don't completely agree with you on the price thing. For the €90 that my Kave cost me 2 years back I could've gotten an €80,- pair headphones and €6 Zalman ZM-Mic1's. The microphone is better than pretty much all headset mics and depending what you spend then 80 euros on you can get a good pair of Denon's for that. 

 

Purely for gaming the Kave is alright if necessarily. I liked it at first but it broke after a year so I decided I'd make the step to headphones and am glad I did

[Sk4f4c3]

I don't completely agree with you on the price thing. For the €90 that my Kave cost me 2 years back I could've gotten an €80,- pair headphones and €6 Zalman ZM-Mic1's. The microphone is better than pretty much all headset mics and depending what you spend then 80 euros on you can get a good pair of Denon's for that. 

 

Purely for gaming the Kave is alright if necessarily. I liked it at first but it broke after a year so I decided I'd make the step to headphones and am glad I did

 

So we can agree that we disagree right?

 

I had the Zalman ZM-Mic1 too with my Kave. And to be honest it wasnt that great. Atleast the one I got, I had a lot of Background noise, which came not from my Rig. Tried it on different Rigs, mostly friends, and all had the same Issue. And for most headphones, even the high tier stuff, im not too fond of. I admit Im a Basshead and I dont like stereo headphones to much. Ill agree with you that it depends on how much of an audiophile you have that keeps bothering you about quality. I like my headphones with a good, clear and strong bass and a decent mids and highs. I could achieve what I wanted through the speaker control built in the Kaves remote. 

 

I think we can close this argument with the sentence that the OP should try different headphones/speaker untill he finds the ones who he likes most.

 

 

Cheers

[Arty]

You have 2 ears

You only need 2 spekaers

use a 2 speaker earbud or headphones

[Electronics Wizardy]

7.1 is more or less pointless

5.1 is great for movies

2.1 is for music

Headphones for music and gaming.

Use 2.0 for music with good speakers(8 inch + woofers) as you have stereo bass and it just sounds better