Help Finding a Headset I Like.

[JESUSARIUS REX]

Hey all, I've been trying to find headphones to replace my Turtle Beach x11s after about six years of use (they still work mind you. Slight static when no sound is playing, but they work.). You might say "Oh that piece of junk is easy to replace!" but not so much.

 

First off, the main issue I'm having is ear cups. I'm big guy (think 6'4" 200+ lbs), and thus my ears are fairly large. Also, I have a little bit of cauliflower on the outer ridges of my ears which makes them stick out a bit. The x11s fit great because of their large, thick, and oval shaped ear cups, and my ear isn't touching the driver cover or the edges of the foam. I recently bought Siberia Elites (newer prism version with "larger" ear cups.), and my ear hit the driver cover and was squished by the earcup, so I returned them( I think maybe the foam was too soft, and shape too round. Plus they were defective, which pissed me off a bit. Also my x11's ear cups are squishy, but not too soft, if you get what I'm saying. Couch type foam?). 

 

Second, I do like a bass heavy headphone for gaming. Like I said, I have another pair of headphones for music. My x11s favor my bass heavy tastes, but are $40 headphones and don't have the best clarity, so it's time for a long overdo upgrade.

 

Third, I want don't like heavy boom style mics. I'd much rather have a flexible wire type mic.

 

Fourth, built in sidetone is something I'd prefer to have. I really don't want to use software like I did with the Elites. It's something the x11s have that I don't really want to give up.

 

Fifth, I really prefer standard analog plugs. I have headphones for music with a 4 pole, and after using the Elite's usb sound card I much prefer simple analog plugs(4 pole splitter is an option). My x11s have a USB power plug and separate mic and headphone plug for reference. Like I said no music, so the USB power doesn't matter. Just want analog inputs.

 

Sixth, inline mic mute, mic volume, and headphone volume are wanted, but something I might live without. I'd want these attached to the analog plug, not usb (think cloud II). This is one thing I did like about the Elites, with mic mute and volume I could use without USB.

 

Also, you can suggest separate mic and headphone options, but I'd prefer an AIO headset. Really my first three main points are what I need. The other three are strong wants.

 

I realize it's kind of a picky list, so really thank you to anyone who helps. I didn't think it would be so hard to find a replacement for the x11s. I really seem to like the Cloud II, but the mic/volume controls are only on USB . 

 

Price range is about $160-170 max (tax included). Again thanks.

 

My current headset for reference: http://www.amazon.com/Force-Amplified-Stereo-Headset-Xbox-360/dp/B003A7HHKG/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1426294618&sr=1-2&keywords=turtle+beach+x11s

[MrYuriy]

Audio-Technica ATH-M50X

         +

AntLion ModMic 4.0

 

 

= Only $20 or so out of your price range - but you will NOT beat the quality of both the audio and mic at this price range. Period.

[JESUSARIUS REX]

Audio-Technica ATH-M50X

         +

AntLion ModMic 4.0

 

 

= Only $20 or so out of your price range - but you will NOT beat the quality of both the audio and mic at this price range. Period.

Thanks for the reply.

 

A bit pricey, yes, but considering the audio quality will be great, I could sell my current $100 music headphones and get these w/ a mic.

 

When I looked into the M50X, I discovered the OG M50. These could work since I really don't care about detachable cables.

 

Edit: The thing that worrys me is earcup depth. They don't look very deep compared to my x11s.

[RazerZ]

The ATH m50x is overpriced and the m50 is not worth it, unless you're buying it used on the cheap. I had a pair and really they are the most over rated headphones recommended for anyone looking for a decent pair of cans on a budget. They have a more or less non existent sound stage and really aren't that great for gaming either.

 

For your budget I would look into a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pros (80 ohm version). Bassy, good sound stage for a closed back headphone, and is very comfortable with its velour pads. For the mic you could look into the modmic antlion, but if you want something cheaper there are options like a generic flex mic and using a 3.5mm male to female extension cable along with cable ties to attach them to your headphone.

 

EX: done with the HD 558

 

[JESUSARIUS REX]

The ATH m50x is overpriced and the m50 is not worth it, unless you're buying it used on the cheap. I had a pair and really they are the most over rated headphones recommended for anyone looking for a decent pair of cans on a budget. They have a more or less non existent sound stage and really aren't that great for gaming either.

 

For your budget I would look into a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pros (80 ohm version). Bassy, good sound stage for a closed back headphone, and is very comfortable with its velour pads. For the mic you could look into the modmic antlion, but if you want something cheaper there are options like a generic flex mic and using a 3.5mm male to female extension cable along with cable ties to attach them to your headphone.

 

EX: done with the HD 558

 

Thanks for the input, but the Beyerdynamics are way above my price range.  At least on amazon, the 80 ohm version is $250. The mic idea is really helpful though. I think that the ziptie idea is exactly what I'll do if I get a standalone pair of headphones.

[RazerZ]

Might want to check on ebay where they generally go for $180 or less.

 

What would be a budget you're comfortable with for the headphones?

[JESUSARIUS REX]

Might want to check on ebay where they generally go for $180 or less.

 

What would be a budget you're comfortable with for the headphones?

Here's the thing. I have headphones I could sell for about $80-90. So if I got separate headphones and mic I can spend $160 on headphones, and if I like the headphones, I can sell my old ones and get a mic. Like I said in my first post, a large deep ear cup is important. The "ear pillows" on the Siberia Elites didn't even fit me lol. If I get a gaming headset the max total I can spend is $160, and later get a mic after I sell my current ones. Also, I really don't want to buy used. It's just something I'm personally not comfortable with.

[A.D.A.M]

@JESUSARIUS REX Hyperx Clouds?oh derp read again and you already considered it. Oh well still a good headset. What about senHD558, open style headphones are good for gaming I hear.

[JESUSARIUS REX]

@JESUSARIUS REX Hyperx Clouds?oh derp read again and you already considered it. Oh well still a good headset. What about senHD558, open style headphones are good for gaming I hear.

What about the 598? They're about $150, wondering if higher price is worth it? Also I heard that open headphones have less punchy bass, but more clarity in some ways.

[A.D.A.M]

What about the 598? They're about $150, wondering if higher price is worth it? Also I heard that open headphones have less punchy bass, but more clarity in some ways.

idk sorry. Hey @SSL @ShearMe wanna help a bit this is going into unfamiliar territory for me.

[Guest]

What about the 598? They're about $150, wondering if higher price is worth it? Also I heard that open headphones have less punchy bass, but more clarity in some ways.

 

idk sorry. Hey @SSL @ShearMe wanna help a bit this is going into unfamiliar territory for me.

 

The 558 is 90% of the 598 sound-wise, and with the

that goes to 99%. There are FR graphs floating around that confirm that the mod does in fact make a difference in the upper mids, bringing the 558 about in line with the 598.

[RazerZ]

What about the 598? They're about $150, wondering if higher price is worth it? Also I heard that open headphones have less punchy bass, but more clarity in some ways.

If you're looking for bass heavy headphones stay away from the HD 5xx series. They are fairly neutral sounding and are by no means bassy. Since they have a wide sound stage and aren't bass heavy they are favored by gamers who are looking to make the most they can using positional queues such as picking up footsteps in fps style games.

[JESUSARIUS REX]

The 558 is 90% of the 598 sound-wise, and with the foam mod that goes to 99%. There are FR graphs floating around that confirm that the mod does in fact make a difference in the upper mids, bringing the 558 about in line with the 598.

Thanks for that. Good to know if it can save me $50.

 

If you're looking for bass heavy headphones stay away from the HD 5xx series. They are fairly neutral sounding and are by no means bassy. Since they have a wide sound stage and aren't bass heavy they are favored by gamers who are looking to make the most they can using positional queues such as picking up footsteps in fps style games.

Then a wild dilemma has appeared. I like bass for gunshots big booms etc, but I play a lot of counter strike and other FPS games where hearing footsteps is important.

 

 

Edit: After reading many user reviews on Amazon, and considering these might replace my music headphones, the M50 seems to be pulling at me more. The 5xx seems to be geared toward more mellow, light airy listeners. Vocals and classical if I'm correct. I listen to more deep music, lot's of Johnny Cash, Eagles, Van Halen, Eminem, ADTR etc., and the M50 seems to be better suited to the heavy sound of the genres I like. However, if I don't like the M50s sound, I will definitely give the 5xx series a try. I'm still not jumping yet, just stating where I'm leaning, and providing insight into what music I like considering I might replace my music headphones as well as my gaming.

 

Edit 2: Thanks all for the help. I'm going to buy Sennheiser 598s, because of the soundstage (footsteps) and comfort, and purchasing M50Xs for my rock and rap music at a later date, and for the portability. ;P. Probably get a Antlion or random cheap mic. Again thanks all really helped me out.

[RazerZ]

Damn seems like I'm a bit late. I don't know if you missed my post earlier, but the m50s/m50x ( same as the m50 but with a detachable cable) are bang for your buck losers and really aren't that great a pair of headphones compared to the alternatives out there for the same price. I found of all the genres I listen to, rock would have to be the most disappointing one with them due to their very small sound stage and their highs could be very harsh/ piercing at times (female vocals). The 598s are good for the price, but aesthetics/ comfort aside they sound very similar to the cheaper 558s as SSL mentioned. There are other alternatives which are technically better for gaming, but as a trade off for detail they will probably seem bass anemic and unpleasant/boring to your ears ( AD 700/x I'm looking at you).

 

You could of course went with open/semi open headphones capable of both gaming and music ( DT 990 PROs for ex,) but they can get expensive as they will need amping. Another option if you need a can for music/portability since the HD 598s will leak sound, on the cheap would be the M-Audio Studiophile Q40. Originally they went for around $130, but these days you can get them as cheap as $80 on amazon. If you choose to get them I would go ahead and also get replacement velour pads since their stock pads aren't very comfortable:

 

http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-Closed-back-Dynamic-Headphones/dp/B000XT8JTM

 

http://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/shop/hah/spare-parts/ohrmuschelsatz.html

 

Also for your reference here's a decent guide by headfier MadLustEnvy which compares a few popular cans in terms of fun (bass quantity/quality), comfort, and soundstage for competitive gaming:

 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-2-17-2015-x2-partial-evshrugs-x7-review-added