Budget headphones for gaming - please help me decide

[san-holo]

Hi,

 

I'm looking to buy some decent budget friendly headphones to be used mainly for gaming (mostly BF4, GTA5). I'd like to be able to hear footsteps in BF4... A microphone is also a must - separate or built into the headset. Mic will be used only for chat, not for recording/streaming. Budget: around 50-100€.

 

Right now I'm using Apple earpods and sometimes I borrow the Plantronics Gamecom 780, but those are pretty uncomfortable and I hate the material they use. 

Options right now are:

 

• Logitech G430, maybe G633 (not sure if worth the price)
• Superlux HD668B + mic
• Sennheiser HD518 or HD558 + mic
• AudioTechnica AD500x or AD700x + mic

*mic: V-Moda BoomPro or just a cheap lav mic like the Neewer Lapel Mic - seems good enough quality for chat.

 

 

What do you guys think I should get? What do you use for BF4 or similar gaming? 

[Omon_Ra]

I use these: https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=8323

 

I'm really surprised by how they sound for how little they cost. They get a little sweaty after extended sessions, though I only notice it when I take them off.

[iiNNeX]

14 minutes ago, san-holo said:

Hi,

 

I'm looking to buy some decent budget friendly headphones to be used mainly for gaming (mostly BF4, GTA5). I'd like to be able to hear footsteps in BF4... A microphone is also a must - separate or built into the headset. Mic will be used only for chat, not for recording/streaming. Budget: around 50-100€.

 

Right now I'm using Apple earpods and sometimes I borrow the Plantronics Gamecom 780, but those are pretty uncomfortable and I hate the material they use. 

Options right now are:

 

• Logitech G430, maybe G633 (not sure if worth the price)
• Superlux HD668B + mic
• Sennheiser HD518 or HD558 + mic
• AudioTechnica AD500x or AD700x + mic

*mic: V-Moda BoomPro or just a cheap lav mic like the Neewer Lapel Mic - seems good enough quality for chat.

 

 

What do you guys think I should get? What do you use for BF4 or similar gaming? 

Here:

 

 

[onlybuilt4cubanxlinx]

If the 430 is the same as the 930 just wired I would get those. I love my headset. Mic is a beaut and the sound is superb. Makes gaming allot better. I had to get wireless because I have a habit of walking away from computer with my headset still on. I ruined 2 cheap Sades headsets that way.  

[FanBlade]

I'd suggest you to get a pair of HyperX cloud 2

[san-holo]

Is there anyone that uses the G430 or the HyperX Cloud 2 and could share their experience with them? Comfort, sound quality... Those two headsets seem to be really popular for some reason.

[iiNNeX]

8 minutes ago, san-holo said:

Is there anyone that uses the G430 or the HyperX Cloud 2 and could share their experience with them? Comfort, sound quality... Those two headsets seem to be really popular for some reason.

HyperX Cloud 2 are good for the money

[KingKeith55]

11 hours ago, san-holo said:

Is there anyone that uses the G430 or the HyperX Cloud 2 and could share their experience with them? Comfort, sound quality... Those two headsets seem to be really popular for some reason.

HyperX clouds have pretty good sound honestly, a lot better than any gaming headset I have owned. Blows the G430 for example out of the water, makes the G430 sound like crap compared to them. My HyperX clouds unfortunately stopped working (because they use fucking shit wires or something, I know it's a problem with a section of the wire), and now I have no sound coming to the left earpiece. Il tell you how my RMA experience is once it's done and over with. Keep in mind they worked fine for around 6-8 months.

[Dackzy]

 

the best ones when it comes to audio quality is the sennheiser hd 558 and they also have the biggest soundstage, I cannot say if you would like how they sound.

[san-holo]

Thanks for the help so far guys! 

 

Logitech is out of the equation since I watched a few reviews of the Cloud 2 and I just love the versatility and build quality they offer. They seem like a really great value for the price.

But I'd still be willing to spend a little bit more to get the sennheiser or the audiotechnica since they're an open design and offer better sound quality.

 

6 hours ago, Dackzy said:

 

the best ones when it comes to audio quality is the sennheiser hd 558 and they also have the biggest soundstage, I cannot say if you would like how they sound.

 

Yeah I've read about this specific sound that the sennheiser headphones have... can you explain this? Why wouldn't one like the sennheiser sound? 

[Dackzy]

3 minutes ago, san-holo said:

Yeah I've read about this specific sound that the sennheiser headphones have... can you explain this? Why wouldn't one like the sennheiser sound? 

Well we all like different sound, some are more into neutral and some are more into heavy bass. I will be back later to explain the sound, I gotta go do stuff now.

[Dackzy]

39 minutes ago, san-holo said:

Yeah I've read about this specific sound that the sennheiser headphones have... can you explain this? Why wouldn't one like the sennheiser sound? 

Okay the "specific" sennheiser sound (it is not really specific), I think that it would be easiest for me to just show you it.

Different FR

Spoiler

Bass
(Approximately 20hz-140hz)
The 60hz-90hz range is where we notice the greatest perceptible changes in "bass response." Try a test tone and see just how well you hear 20hz or even 32hz, compared with the same volume of 60hz or 90hz.

 

Mid-Bass
(Approximately 140hz-400hz)
Mid bass has lots of instruments included in its frequency range. Cello, Bassoon, and Male Voice are samples of "mid-bass" sounds. This is also where most 'bass' controls can make a mess of your music. Too much mid-bass gives a muddy and "boomy" quality. Too little and it sounds hollow and thin.

 

Midrange
(Approximately 400hz-2.6khz)
Since our ears are most sensitive to midrange frequencies, midrange has the greatest effect on the overall sound of your stereo system. The "proper" settings are the ones most pleasing to you the listener. Female vocals and Bass Tuba are examples of mirange sounds.

Upper Midrange
(Approximately 2.6khz-5.2khz)
Pipe organ and piano are examples of this sound range. Speaker designers often boost output in this range to increase "presence" of the music. Too much gives a sound that is overbearingly harsh and fatigues the ears. A balance between this frequency range and the midrange frequencies gives the most pleasing sound.

 

High End
(Approximately 5.2khz-20khz - Two Regions)
5.2khz up to about 12khz is the realm of dreaded treble control. This is where harmonics can really enhance your musical enjoyment. It's this range that affects the brilliance of music. Too much gives an unpleasant, harsh and "piercing" (painful) quality to your music.

So the HD 5xx line up all have a mid-bass boost and a little boost in the more upper bass from 40Hz to 140Hz and then the mid-bass boost comes into play and then it kinda gets okay flat in the mid range.

If something is over 0 there is a boost, if it under 0 well then there is less of it. So what I can tell from this Frequency response is that male voices and things that are in the mid-bass range is pushed a bit more forward and the sound is fairly balanced and a bit warm. You can also see that the 558 and 598 are insanely close stock, but by removing some foam inside them they get 100% alike.

[san-holo]

Thanks for the explanation  Its a bit hard to understand and to "visualize" sound based just on a graph. So I guess I'll have to trust you and the reviews I've watched.

 

So now I've narrowed down to two options:  Cloud 2 vs HD558. Leaning more towards the sennheiser. Depends on the budget now...

Also Audiotechnica headphones are unreasonably more expensive here in the EU than in US and they have smaller circular earpads that just wouldn't fit my ears. So they're a no-go.

[Dackzy]

33 minutes ago, san-holo said:

Thanks for the explanation  Its a bit hard to understand and to "visualize" sound based just on a graph. So I guess I'll have to trust you and the reviews I've watched.

 

So now I've narrowed down to two options:  Cloud 2 vs HD558. Leaning more towards the sennheiser. Depends on the budget now...

Also Audiotechnica headphones are unreasonably more expensive here in the EU than in US and they have smaller circular earpads that just wouldn't fit my ears. So they're a no-go.

They get fairly easy to read once you learn it  

Are you talking about the AD500x and AD700x? If yes: They have a much bigger soundstage, but also less bass and the cups are pretty big so it should not be a problem to fit your ears inside of them