Need a new gaming headset

[fallout68]

The ATH-M20x are a widely recommended pair of headphones (better than the cloud). Only $50, too, so you can invest in a good mic. Some good mics are the modmic 4.0 and blue snowball, but those are also $50 and will push you off your limit. The Zalman Zm-Mic1 is also good, but it is omnidirectional and WILL pick up background noise. However, they are only $10.

[food158]

The ATH-M20x are a widely recommended pair of headphones (better than the cloud). Only $50, too, so you can invest in a good mic. Some good mics are the modmic 4.0 and blue snowball, but those are also $50 and will push you off your limit. The Zalman Zm-Mic1 is also good, but it is omnidirectional and WILL pick up background noise. However, they are only $10.

How about Audio Technica ATH-M30x? Are they good for gaming and music?

[fallout68]

How about Audio Technica ATH-M30x? Are they good for gaming and music?

The whole series in general are great.

[food158]

So it's decided. I will be getting Audio Techinca ATH-M30x and Zalman Zm-Mic1.

[fallout68]

So it's decided. I will be getting Audio Techinca ATH-M30x and Zalman Zm-Mic1.

Make sure you are fine with that zalman mic. The only way I would personally ever use it is enabling push to talk in all my chat programs

[Verne]

So it's decided. I will be getting Audio Techinca ATH-M30x and Zalman Zm-Mic1.

The M-series are closed and notorious for quite narrow "sound stage" so they are really not the best for games where you want the best surround experience (like competitive FPS where you need to locate enemies by noise).

[Wolfeh]

7.1 surround isn't worth purchasing a dedicated, over priced headphone, usb pair for. There is a Razer programe (http://www.razerzone.com/gb-en/surround) which simulates it and does a great job. I use it when playing CS:GO and it works a charm. I can hear people from 10 meters away, through walls and can pin point where exactly they are.

 

As for the pair of headset, I recommend buying a good pair of headphones and then purchasing separately a mic. 

I am using http://thestatusaudio.com/. They are called the Status Pros and they are phenomenal. I can confirm that these are a lot better compared to Beats because the bass isn't amped up making everything else sound like shit. I bought these a few months back and they are still going strong although I feel as if the headband material is a bit cheap, the padding seems to be some sort of silicon but other than that they are great in general and get the job done when it comes to gaming. 

 

I'm going to purchase a dedicated mic but at the moment I'm using a half broken pair of Razer Kraken 7.1's mic as a 'Desk mic'. This is due to my old microphone breaking completly and I had the Krakens laying around but it had a broken usb end so I soldered on a new one and works but there is a drastic audio diffrence than before but the mic seems to be fine.

 

Decent dedicated microphones (These has decent reviews and are decently priced):

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-iCE-Microphone/dp/B006DIA77E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421502406&sr=8-2

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zalman-ZM-MIC1-ZMMIC1-Lapel-Microphone/dp/B00029MTMQ/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1421502466&sr=8-21

[food158]

Make sure you are fine with that zalman mic. The only way I would personally ever use it is enabling push to talk in all my chat programs

I am fine with the zalman mic.

[food158]

The M-series are closed and notorious for quite narrow "sound stage" so they are really not the best for games where you want the best surround experience (like competitive FPS where you need to locate enemies by noise).

Really?

[Verne]

Really?

Yes. Open headphones are generally much better if you want that surround experience. Closed design is more for dat bass and noise isolation if you live in a noisy environment.

[food158]

Are the Plantronics GameCon 788 any good?

[Whorax]

Is there any reason you actually need 7.1? You have two ears, and two headphones. 7.1 makes just about zero difference in my opinion and it's only ever needed to be used in a room where you have speakers in every which way.

 

Get the HyperX Clouds if you want a full headset, unless you're on a mission to waste money. Lol.

[food158]

Is there any reason you actually need 7.1? You have two ears, and two headphones. 7.1 makes just about zero difference in my opinion and it's only ever needed to be used in a room where you have speakers in every which way.

 

Get the HyperX Clouds if you want a full headset, unless you're on a mission to waste money. Lol.

I've already got a post saying that I acknowledge I don't need 7.1...

[Whorax]

I've already got a post saying that I acknowledge I don't need 7.1...

I see that now, lol. How much is the Zalman mic? If you could fork out the extra money I'd get a ModMic 4.0 instead. People say the Zalman picks up a lot of background noise I believe.

[food158]

I see that now, lol. How much is the Zalman mic? If you could fork out the extra money I'd get a ModMic 4.0 instead. People say the Zalman picks up a lot of background noise I believe.

The Zalman is extremely cheap. Its around $10 I think. I have audacity to get rid of background noise if I'm recording. I don't really use in game voice chat and I skype with my friends. So the Zalman is not a bad choice.

[Whorax]

The Zalman is extremely cheap. Its around $10 I think. I have audacity to get rid of background noise if I'm recording. I don't really use in game voice chat and I skype with my friends. So the Zalman is not a bad choice.

I see. Well good luck with your purchase!

[food158]

I see. Well good luck with your purchase!

Thanks.

[fallout68]

Yes. Open headphones are generally much better if you want that surround experience. Closed design is more for dat bass and noise isolation if you live in a noisy environment.

I just use razer surround and closed cans, and I'm actually fine with it. Of course, open cans will always be the best if you can deal with sound leakage.

[food158]

Thanks for all your help guys! I ended up with a pair of Kingston HyperX Clouds. Let me tell you this. This headset is the best in its price range.