Should I IInvest in Wireless Headsets?

[kecap]

Hi I currently have a cheap headset and it's breaking apart, I'm very interested in these headsets Strix Wireless - Corsair VOID since both are in my price range.

 

I want a wireless headset because sometimes using wired headset can annoy me in-game - it rubs to your arms, the cable make sounds, and you need to take it off when going somewhere close, here's my option go wireless and decide between Strix and VOID or I go wired and decide between Cloud II or save some money and go Cloud Core or Stinger. My interest is like 70% on the wireless, please give your opinion! Thanks.

 

notes; all headset I listed has almost the same price only about 10-20$US difference, price from high to low: Strix - Void - Cloud II - Core&Stinger

 

[MegaBitTech]

This is persoanl preference really. I felt the same as what you describe when I was deciding.  I like to move around a bit when I game or chat online so in the end I chose wireless and love it.

[kecap]

7 minutes ago, MegaBitTech said:

This is persoanl preference really. I felt the same as what you describe when I was deciding.  I like to move around a bit when I game or chat online so in the end I chose wireless and love it.

What did you buy in the end?

[ItsTheDuckAgain]

Hi there.

Do yourself a favor and read through the top three stickies here:

https://linustechtips.com/main/forum/40-audio/

I promise you will not think the same, spending an hour just to read those stickies will impact your decision.

 

When that is done and you decided that 7.1 is marketing nonsense and also not to go wireless under ~500$ I'd recommend a Beyerdynamic Custom One (not pro) + Boom mic to set you up for life with good sound, adjustable base and a crystal clear mic. (Tons of other really good stuff listed there)

 

If you want some gamery styled crappy stuff by all means, go with stuff labeled strix and corsair and gaming and 7.1 and awesome and whatnot.

Of course you can hate me for this, just saying.

[kecap]

3 minutes ago, ItsTheDuckAgain said:

Hi there.

Do yourself a favor and read through the top three stickies here:

https://linustechtips.com/main/forum/40-audio/

I promise you will not think the same, spending an just to read those stickies will impact your decision.

 

When that is done and you decided that 7.1 is marketing nonsense and also not to go wireless under ~500$ I'd recommend a Beyerdynamic Custom One (not pro) + Boom mic to set you up for life with good sound, adjustable base and a crystal clear mic.

 

If you want some gamery styled crappy stuff by all means, go with stuff labeled strix and corsair and gaming and 7.1 and awesome and whatnot.

Of course you can hate me for this, just saying.

Hey thanks for replying.

 I'm not so interested in the 7.1 feature and the mics sounds great already and no I don't need premium stuff since it only used in game and the mic quality will be compressed down anyway(thats what I know from watching hardwarekanucks) 

 

Beyerdynamic Custom One Is too expensive here plus a boom mic is a no no

[ItsTheDuckAgain]

Just now, kecap said:

Hey thanks for replying.

 I'm not so interested in the 7.1 feature and the mics sounds great already and no I don't need premium stuff since it only used in game and the mic quality will be compressed down anyway(thats what I know from watching hardwarekanucks) 

 

Beyerdynamic Custom One Is too expensive here plus a boom mic is a no no

and we lost another one to the marketing gods - sorry world - I tried

[MegaBitTech]

24 minutes ago, kecap said:

What did you buy in the end?

I went with an Astro A50. It's a bit more expensive than the two you mentioned but well worth it. I actually reviewed it here

 

[kecap]

Just now, ItsTheDuckAgain said:

and we lost another one to the marketing gods - sorry world - I tried

ehh I didn't mention I don't care about the 'gaming' looking headsets, I just want something that is comfortable and don't require extra cables. You suggested a headphones that is the price of one of the headsets I listed plus a boom mic, I have a very tight budget. I don't need to buy things that has goddess audio and only used for games that's just a waste of money. Thanks anyway

[kecap]

12 minutes ago, MegaBitTech said:

I went with an Astro A50. It's a bit more expensive than the two you mentioned but well worth it. I actually reviewed it here

 

I've thoughts about it then I saw the price in my country, around 450$ I can build a PC with that money hahah

[Dackzy]

If you want to go wireless then there really is only one lineup that is worth a damn and that is the Sennheiser RS line, they are pretty much the only wireless headphones that have good audio quality, but ofc their sound signature might not fit your taste, and ofc you give up some audio quality for the convenience of them being  wireless.

 

If you value audio quality the most then you stick with wired headphones, if you value the convenience the most then you go wireless and if you need a microphone then get a desktop microphone.

[Unhelpful]

You're only going to get flaming horse shit unless you go with the Sennheiser RS series. 

[rasmuskrj]

Its really nice of you all to give your opinions to the OP but I have just gone through the process of buying a new headset myself and this was an even more confusing experience than buying parts for my watercooling loop...

 

It is confusing because of the sheer amount of conflicting advice that you will receive. You will look up reviews on headsets made by people who value quality audio (such as hardwareCanucks) who will say that such as the Steelseries 800 or the Logitech G933 are "dam good".

 

Then you will ask in forums like these and get responses such as the second one you got in this thread, which are extremely hard to take seriously. And you start to wonder whether all these people who condemn gaming oriented headsets into hell have actually tried any of them or if they just jump on the bandwagon to look cool in the eyes of other audiophiles. 

 

In my opinion it is equally stupid to dislike something purely because it is gamer centric as it is to buy it because it is gamer centric. Evaluate each product in a vacuum.

 

So sorry for my rant, your dilemma just reminded me of my own frustrating experience.

 

As for your headphones, I can totally understand your desire to go wireless. I have just bought a pair of Steelseries 800, but ONLY because I found a deal on them for around 150$(incl. 25% VAT). All reviews have described the sound quality as "Above Average" to "Great" which is good enough for me at a 150$ price. Additionally I think the battery-swapping feature is brilliant as it solves one of the major problems with wireless headsets

 

Regarding the headsets you list the HyperX Cloud and Cloud II were almost always the highest rate headset in the reviews I found when it came to sound quality/dollar. The Sennheiser Game One are better sound quality wise but also more expensive.

 

I guess if you really care about sound quality you should get a pair of headphones and a modmic within your budget, as others have suggested.

 

But I really understand your desire to go wireless. So I guess if you're like me and value the convenience of wireless over sound quality I would suggest the Logitech G933(based on the HardwareCanucks review) or the LUCIDSOUND LS30 based on the week of research I have been through. However they are a bit more expensive than the ones you mention. Also I would only buy the G933 at a dealer where you can return them, as they apparently have some quality control issues.

 

Good luck with your search

[Dackzy]

11 hours ago, rasmuskrj said:

sniper

hardwareCanucks knows jack shit about audio, you should never ever think that they do. To say that they value audio quality would be to lie, if they truly valued audio quality then basically all gaming headsets would max get 3 stars and a lot would get 1 star, simply because you can always find a pair of headphones that cost way less that offer the same audio quality.

 

They are one of the reviewers that haven't trained their ears or have much if any experience on the headphone marked, they are basically just so used to the normal headset shit that if a single headset isn't total garbage then it gets a great review and they have shown time and time again that they don't really understand what audio quality is and sound signature.

 

Yes I know dmitry or wtf his name is has a pair of HD800's, but good gear doesn't equal knowledge or good ears.

 

You should never ever trust a hardware/tech review channel to make a good review when it comes to audio. We have seen time and time again that they simply aren't up to the task. Go look up pure audio review channels that mainly focus on headphones, the chance on finding one that isn't totally shit is bigger than finding a tech review site that isn't totally shit at audio.

 

I can personally recommend DMS3TV and innerfidelity , though Tyll from innerfidelity isn't the best anymore and comes with some weird conclusions from time to time, but he is also getting older and older, so his hearing isn't what it used to be. DMS3TV is a new'ish little channel, but he seems to know what he is talking about and he doesn't get too technical, so new people should be able to understand what he says.

 

Also do not take this in any way as a personal attack.

[rasmuskrj]

9 hours ago, Dackzy said:

Snip

Nothing you said would I ever take as a personal attack

 

Also I am sorry we are sort of hijacking the thread with this discussion.

 

It might be that to someone like you HardwareCanucks knows nothing about audio quality, but he certainly knows more than me and he has tried a lot more headsets and headphones than I have. More than you have too I suspect. Additionally he's the one who made the "real headphones vs gaming headsets" video that people often link to when trying to explain why they don't like gaming headsets.

 

The big problem with more audiophile reviews is that they only look at headphones and universally dismiss headsets as bad. If I want to know how much I give up in audio quality to get all the features of the Steelseries Siberia 800, for example, then I have no choice than to look at channels that actually have experience with both kinds of headsets.

 

I don't see a problem with using hardware/tech review channels as my source for headset reviews, since I am more of a hardware guy myself. So I would assume that they value the same things that I do. Maybe one day I'll become an audiophile and agree with you, but for now audio quality is only one variable when I am looking for a headset.

 

I also see you trashing gaming headsets, and I not saying that you are wrong. But it would be interesting know exactly which gaming headsets you have used yourself to give you this impression of gaming headsets. Also technology is a fast moving thing and what was true about headsets and headphones 1 or 2 years ago might not be as true anymore.

 

To the OP: I was also looking at the Sennheiser RS-line(their wireless line) but they come without a mic, so to actually operate them wirelessly, you would need a desk mic. That might work for you, but I think that decent quality desk mics are quite expensive. Also it seems from the reviews I read that they might not be very comfortable for long sessions. Lastly I am not sure if they are able to be charged while using them, which can be quite important. I am sure they are top of the line when it comes to audio quality though.

[Dackzy]

23 minutes ago, rasmuskrj said:

SNIP

 

Okay, I am too tired to write a lot so just going to answer one thing.

I have tried most gaming headsets you can get here in Denmark, I try to test things before I comment on them, I have heard everything Logitech, Razer, Corsair, Kingston and SteelSeries have to offer.

 

Also no this type of tech isn't moving fast at all, most headsets and headphones use Dynamic drivers, which is an OLD OLD thing now and you can just look at Sennheiser HD 650 and 600's their driver design was made in what mid/end 90's and they are still looked upon as some of the best headphones you can get in the sub 800$ marked, quite a few of the good headphones you can get today are from 80's 90's and early 00's.This is also why you can find used amps and record players from the 80's that just wreck new things, hell some of the best DAC chips ever made are from the 90's (PCM 63k, PCM 1704 and more).

 

Audio is one area where some things that are 30+ years old can still compete with new things. I have a pair of Pioneer SE205's they were budget headphones back when they were new and headsets from Razer and other manufacturers are legit worse when you look at it from an audio quality standpoint, this is a mid 70's budget headphone that gives quite a few of modern headsets a run for their money. I don't recommend you running out and finding a pair used unless you have a thing for vintage audio.

[rasmuskrj]

54 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

SNAP

It is nice to hear that you have that approach, not sure that everyone do. Do you have any experience with the models the OP mentions? Or the Siberia 800s? Would be interesting to hear your perspective.

 

While I agree with you that audio tech is not moving particulaly fast, what i meant was the companies like Logitech, Steelseries, Corsair etc. might get better at building headphones as time goes by, or start using technology from established brands. Also companies such as Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic have made a move into the headset market. The Game One seem to be based on the hd 598 with a pretty good mic slapped on the side.

[Dackzy]

23 minutes ago, rasmuskrj said:

It is nice to hear that you have that approach, not sure that everyone do. Do you have any experience with the models the OP mentions? Or the Siberia 800s? Would be interesting to hear your perspective.

 

While I agree with you that audio tech is not moving particulaly fast, what i meant was the companies like Logitech, Steelseries, Corsair etc. might get better at building headphones as time goes by, or start using technology from established brands. Also companies such as Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic have made a move into the headset market. The Game One seem to be based on the hd 598 with a pretty good mic slapped on the side.

I would stay away from all Corsair headsets, they have an easy time distorting and the audio isn't very smooth quite bumpy. Siberia 800's are better than what Corsair has, but they fall short to RS 165 in terms of audio quality, which then falls short to K612's, HD 558's and many other. It is too long since I have heard them all to give any real details other than their audio quality falling short to other models.

 

Yes, they have made a move into the headset market because TBH it is there a lot of the money are. A normal person just goes down to their tech store for a headset and don't want to deal with the "trouble" of having separate headphone and microphone. Things such as sound signature, soundstage and more is not a thing a normal person really knows anything about. The Game ones sound more like a HD 518 with a mic attached to the side, since they do have a bit more mid-bass and bass than a pair of HD 558 or 598's have, you can now see how much of a premium you pay to get that mic. A pair of game ones cost what 1400kr here and a pair of HD 518's are 880kr or something like that.

[rasmuskrj]

16 hours ago, Dackzy said:

I would stay away from all Corsair headsets, they have an easy time distorting and the audio isn't very smooth quite bumpy. Siberia 800's are better than what Corsair has, but they fall short to RS 165 in terms of audio quality, which then falls short to K612's, HD 558's and many other. It is too long since I have heard them all to give any real details other than their audio quality falling short to other models.

 

Yes, they have made a move into the headset market because TBH it is there a lot of the money are. A normal person just goes down to their tech store for a headset and don't want to deal with the "trouble" of having separate headphone and microphone. Things such as sound signature, soundstage and more is not a thing a normal person really knows anything about. The Game ones sound more like a HD 518 with a mic attached to the side, since they do have a bit more mid-bass and bass than a pair of HD 558 or 598's have, you can now see how much of a premium you pay to get that mic. A pair of game ones cost what 1400kr here and a pair of HD 518's are 880kr or something like that.

Well I think the OP left this discussion some time ago, but just to respond to your post: After a bit of research the Game One seem to be at least based HD 558s with a mic. I have never listened to either but that you audio guy you recommended(DMS3TV) also alluded to this. If they are indeed the same cups, then I think the price of the Game One is pretty fair considering the ease of use.

 

Your comparisons of the headsets/phones are pretty much as I expected, but I am willing to give up the audio quality of the RS series in order to get some of the nice features of the Siberia 800s. I would not have bought them if I had to pay the full price though as they are objectively overpriced.

 

If I at some point can convince my GF that another pair of headphones decorating our living room is a good idea I will probably try to buy some AKG K612s or something like that just because I have become a bit curious  

[aithos]

On 6/21/2017 at 4:40 PM, rasmuskrj said:

Its really nice of you all to give your opinions to the OP but I have just gone through the process of buying a new headset myself and this was an even more confusing experience than buying parts for my watercooling loop...

 

It is confusing because of the sheer amount of conflicting advice that you will receive. You will look up reviews on headsets made by people who value quality audio (such as hardwareCanucks) who will say that such as the Steelseries 800 or the Logitech G933 are "dam good".

HardwareCanucks doesn't know the first thing about audio, it's a hardware review channel and anyone saying that a headset is "good" has no idea what they are talking about.  There isn't a decent product made by either Logitech or SteelSeries when it comes to audio quality.  Period.  Sorry if that steps on anyone's toes, but those are gaming and accessory companies and not dedicated audio brands.

 

On 6/21/2017 at 4:40 PM, rasmuskrj said:

 

Then you will ask in forums like these and get responses such as the second one you got in this thread, which are extremely hard to take seriously. And you start to wonder whether all these people who condemn gaming oriented headsets into hell have actually tried any of them or if they just jump on the bandwagon to look cool in the eyes of other audiophiles. 

It may have been poorly written and lacking in some tact, but he's also right.  Wireless audio is garbage and 7.1 is marketing nonsense, it's virtual surround sound that for gaming does more harm than good because it relies on crossfeed/crosstalk to trick your ears into thinking there is more dimension to the sound.  In fact, if you want better "surround" then you should get something like the AKG K7XX and a good amp/dac where you can hear a proper soundstage.  It will sound considerably more like you're front row at a concert or in the middle of the action and it will be crisp/clear and not muddy and veiled.

 

On 6/21/2017 at 4:40 PM, rasmuskrj said:

 

In my opinion it is equally stupid to dislike something purely because it is gamer centric as it is to buy it because it is gamer centric. Evaluate each product in a vacuum.

It's a stereotype for a reason, most "gaming" oriented products are either 1) junk or 2) overpriced.  The only exception in my book outside of some gaming mice/keyboards are the ROG monitors/motherboards (and they may be slightly overpriced).  Headsets in general are bad for audio, even with proper amplification.

 

On 6/21/2017 at 4:40 PM, rasmuskrj said:

As for your headphones, I can totally understand your desire to go wireless. I have just bought a pair of Steelseries 800, but ONLY because I found a deal on them for around 150$(incl. 25% VAT). All reviews have described the sound quality as "Above Average" to "Great" which is good enough for me at a 150$ price. Additionally I think the battery-swapping feature is brilliant as it solves one of the major problems with wireless headsets

For $150 you could have gotten a pair of Sennheiser HD598SE's and still had some money left over to save toward an entry level amp/dac like the Schiit Fulla 2.  Or for $200 you could have gotten the AKG K7XX, both of which are considerably better than what you bought and have a much higher end for sound quality when you give them amplification. 

 

Batteries are awful no matter what the "solution" is, and the bigger problem with wireless is that powering them that way limits the amount of power available to the headphone drivers and means severely compromised sound quality.  Other than a lower quality signal that's the reason Wireless will never (barring extreme cases) be worth investing in over a good wired headphone.  Most good headphones have 10-12ft cables, so if you can't keep that out of your way when gaming and it's bothersome to move around your general area then you are too fussy because I can go half way across my room without taking off my headphones.  Also, taking them off and putting them on is not difficult... so if you're saying you'd rather compromise on sound quality and gaming experience because it's too much trouble to do that then have fun with that.

 

On 6/21/2017 at 4:40 PM, rasmuskrj said:

 

Regarding the headsets you list the HyperX Cloud and Cloud II were almost always the highest rate headset in the reviews I found when it came to sound quality/dollar. The Sennheiser Game One are better sound quality wise but also more expensive.

Those Sennheiser are hands down the best "gaming" headset you can buy, and they cost significantly more than the much better HD line of headphones that Sennheiser sells.  I had a set of PC350's which was the same thing (older version) of the G4ME ONE and the headphones with a mod mic absolutely blow them away.

 

On 6/21/2017 at 4:40 PM, rasmuskrj said:

 

I guess if you really care about sound quality you should get a pair of headphones and a modmic within your budget, as others have suggested.

You finally make a point I agree with!  This.  Your gaming experience and everything else you do will be significantly better.  Do it and you can come back and thank me later (or curse me for starting you down the path of spending too much money on audio, either way...).

 

[rasmuskrj]

7 minutes ago, aithos said:

SNIP

I have written several times that I am willing to compromise audio quality for the comfort of wireless headphones. It's fine that you don't agree with that, but a lot of people have this preference. I would probably have bought the Sennheiser RS 165, if not for the features that I feel was missing from them which, to me, were more important.

 

So yes, as I wrote, if audio quality is everything to you, then buy some wired headphones. But to a lot of people, including me, it is not. But exactly how much you sacrifice in audio quality is very hard to find out, since very few people review both kinds of headsets/phones

 

Also just because something is a stereotype it does not mean that it is universally true. There actually exist english people who do not like tea, for instance.

[aithos]

24 minutes ago, rasmuskrj said:

I have written several times that I am willing to compromise audio quality for the comfort of wireless headphones. It's fine that you don't agree with that, but a lot of people have this preference. I would probably have bought the Sennheiser RS 165, if not for the features that I feel was missing from them which, to me, were more important.

What I was getting at is the the level of compromise isn't worth the features you're giving up.  Look at the pros/cons between a good pair of wired headphones like the Senneheiser HD650's and a higher end wireless pair:

 

wired pro:

- better sound quality due to components and design not needing to include power or wireless transmission

- significantly better sound quality due to the ability to use external amplification

- same level or better of physical comfort and lighter weight due to lack of battery/wireless transmitter

- larger selection of options and more R&D money going into development leading to better products and value/money ratios

- greater ability to tailor your sound preference based on sound signature and amp combo

 

wired con:

- more expensive when you consider external amplification

- greater tendency to buy additional audio equipment

- have to remove headphones to leave the room

- have to position the cord when sitting so it doesn't interfere with gaming

 

wireless pro:

- don't have to remove headphones to leave the room

- don't have to position cord when sitting

 

wireless con:

- significantly lower sound quality

- heavier and often more bulky

- requires batteries

- can have reception issues depending on environment

- can forget to turn off your mic when you're in the bathroom

- much fewer options regarding sound signature

- less money invested in improving the technology

 

 

24 minutes ago, rasmuskrj said:

 

So yes, as I wrote, if audio quality is everything to you, then buy some wired headphones. But to a lot of people, including me, it is not. But exactly how much you sacrifice in audio quality is very hard to find out, since very few people review both kinds of headsets/phones

It is an extreme loss in sound quality.  I'd say that it's like using Apple earbuds in your phone vs custom in-ear monitors with a portable amp.  Like a night and day difference that is immediately apparent to anyone, even if they aren't an "audiophile".  If you have an audio store near you that carries good headphones I encourage you to take your headphones in and have them hook them up to their setup and compare them.  The reason you won't find people reviewing both kinds is because it is commonly held knowledge that anyone who gives even a tiny rats ass about audio quality simply will not buy wireless. 

 

I respect your choice, I just think it's silly unless you have extenuating circumstances where you absolutely can't use a wired headphone.  A standard 10-12 foot cable is extremely easy to position so that it doesn't even touch you while you're sitting/gaming.  I've been using wired headphones for 20 years playing computer games and have found that my cord nestles down between the arm of my chair and the seat, I can get just the right amount of slack so that it hangs nicely and doesn't put any pressure on me and never gets in my way while playing.  I also have enough slack to stand up and walk a fair distance across my room without even taking them off.

 

I have a headphone stand behind my floating monitor or I just lay them on my mousepad if I need to get up.  It takes me a second to take them off and put them on, I just don't see that as an inconvenience.  By the time I roll my chair back and turn to stand up I've removed my headphones and set them down, it's a routine/habit that is second nature.  So unless I'm missing something I don't see ANY other benefit.  I don't care about being able to hear what people are saying in voice comms if I'm AFK, I just plan my AFKs intelligently and being able to hear a queue pop from the other room where I won't reach it in time to click would be more of an annoyance than a benefit in my mind.

 

If that's what you want: cool, good for you.  I don't think it's worth it and I'm just as entitled to share my opinion as you are.

 

24 minutes ago, rasmuskrj said:

 

Also just because something is a stereotype it does not mean that it is universally true. There actually exist english people who do not like tea, for instance.

That's what I said.  The flip-side is that in most cases it is true, there are a lot of overpriced things that have RGB lights added or a bunch of useless "features" and are then sold at a premium to unsuspecting consumers.  Headsets are a HUGE scam.  You pay more for mediocre gaming headsets than you would for decent entry/mid level audiophile headphones. 

[rasmuskrj]

4 minutes ago, aithos said:

If that's what you want: cool, good for you.  I don't think it's worth it and I'm just as entitled to share my opinion as you are.

 

I don't think I ever said that you were not as entitled to share your opinion as everyone else, and I am sure the OP(if he's even reading this thread anymore) values people of different taste and background weighing in. It's funny because I feel like you have a hard time accepting that I value things a bit differently than you do. I'm sure that is not the case though.

 

Essentially I think we've already made the conclusion: If you want wireless headphones, accept that you are going give up audio quality compared to a similarly priced wired headphone. I think the best advice you give is to go try stuff out in a store. With things that are very much influenced by personal perception, such as audio and displays, it is really always best to try the product and find out how it feels to you specifially.

[aithos]

18 minutes ago, rasmuskrj said:

I don't think I ever said that you were not as entitled to share your opinion as everyone else, and I am sure the OP(if he's even reading this thread anymore) values people of different taste and background weighing in. It's funny because I feel like you have a hard time accepting that I value things a bit differently than you do. I'm sure that is not the case though.

 

Essentially I think we've already made the conclusion: If you want wireless headphones, accept that you are going give up audio quality compared to a similarly priced wired headphone. I think the best advice you give is to go try stuff out in a store. With things that are very much influenced by personal perception, such as audio and displays, it is really always best to try the product and find out how it feels to you specifially.

I don't have a hard time accepting that you value things differently, you're free to make your choice for yourself and it doesn't matter what I think because you're the one who has to live with the choice.  The point I was trying to make is that it isn't "personal perception", it's a fact.  Whether you value it more/less is personal choice, but don't confuse that with a topic like "what sound curve is the best for X" where it's entirely subjective because this topic is nothing like that.  There are significant technical limitations to wireless that make it flat out inferior in every way other than mobility to wired. 

 

Same for displays, there is nothing subjective about input lag, refresh rate, response time and things like the color depth/coverage of a monitor.  How much those things matter depends on what you're doing and where you place value, but you can objectively sit down and determine what the best monitor is with very little information about what someone wants to do with it. 

 

The thing you need to be careful of with both audio and displays is that the difference isn't always stark and often you need to use a better product for a while before you will be able to easily distinguish the differences in lower quality products.  That's why a lot of people today still don't think 120hz (or higher) is a big deal, but it is.  It's a mind-blowingly better experience and once you've used it for a little while there is no going back, and good audio is the same.  If you sat and listened to my setup for a month I can virtually guarantee you that when you went back to your setup you'd be out shopping for new gear. 

 

edit: again, I'm not trying to be mean or anything and you can do whatever you want because it's your gear (and money).  I'm just here to offer my opinion to people and that's my opinion.

[rasmuskrj]

1 hour ago, aithos said:

SNIP

I agree with you that some gear is inherently better but how much value that the improvement has to you is entirely subjective. To use the display analogy, there is no question about the fact that a 27" 4K monitor has a higher pixel density than a 1440p 27" monitor. However I cannot see the difference unless I sit uncomfortably close. And I would much rather avoid the hassle of scaling Windows such that text is readable than having the higher pixel density (which I can hardly see anyway).

 

And now that you mention high refresh rate monitors: I own a 165hz monitor and I've tried messing around with different refresh rates. While I can see the difference when looking at things such as the UFO test, I really can't see much of a difference between 120hz and 165hz when playing competitive fps games. I would never base my buying decision on which screen has the highest refresh rate, as long as it is above a certain threshhold. You might have better eyes than me and therefore benefit more from the higher refresh rates. That too is dependant on the particular buyer.

 

Anyway it sounds like we agree

 

 

[Aphala]

In all honestly, Wireless is MUCH better than it was like 6 or so years ago. *naturally* I'm a wired man but since these recharging headsets look nice, can anyone recommend some good high end wireless gaming ones?