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i need a new headset

BlazingBlob
By BlazingBlob
in Audio
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Posted

hey guys,

so i need a new headset for gaming and music 

here are the requirements

around 125 USD (for 150 AUD)

has to be either 3.5mm or USB (not wireless)

a mic is preferable

and decent sound quality is imperative

thanks in advance :)

 

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12 hours ago, Tacanacy said:

Open-back headphones:

  • AKG K612 Pro
  • Audio-Technica ATH-AD700x
  • Audio-Technica ATH-AD500x
  • Philips SHP9500
  • Samson SR850
  • Sennheiser HD558
  • Status Audio OB-1
  • Superlux HD681 (B, F)
  • Superlux HD681 EVO
  • Superlux HD668B

Closed-back headphones:

  • AKG K52
  • Status Audio CB-1
  • Superlux HD669
  • Superlux HD662 (B, F)
  • Superlux HD662 EVO

Attachable mics:

  • Antlion ModMic
  • Massdrop Minimic
  • Neewer Clip on Mini Lapel Microphone
  • Sony ECMCS3
  • V-MODA BoomPro
  • Zalman ZM-Mic1

Open-back headset:

  • Superlux HMC681 EVO

Closed-back headset:

  • Superlux HMC660

 

I have AKG K52, Audio-Technica ATH-AD700x, Philips SHP9500, Superlux HD668B and Superlux HD681 EVO of these. I also have AKG Q701, Beyerdynamic DT990 (600 ohms), HyperX Cloud, Philips Fidelio X2 and Sennheiser HD700. I got all of these headphones for gaming (and because I love collecting headphones). I can't emphasize enough that perceived performance in headphones is relative. This is why I mention what headphones I've used.

 

K52 has a big soundstage, good imaging, clarity, detail retrieval and tonality and decent separation. It has a balanced sound signature. The bass can sound slightly distorted in explosions and other big and loud sounds. It's over-ear, very lightweight and has a durable build and replaceable earpads.

 

AD700x has a very big soundstage, great imaging, separation, clarity and detail retrieval and good tonality. It has a bright sound signature and recessed bass. It's over-ear, very lightweight and has a durable build and replaceable earpads.

 

SHP9500 has a big soundstage, good imaging, separation and detail retrieval, and very good clarity and tonality. It has a balanced sound signature. It's over-ear, lightweight and has a durable build and a detachable cable. The earpads are removable, but you have to mod them or buy 3D printed rings that the new earpads attach to. Modding is very easy and quick to do and doesn't require new/extra parts aside from the replacement earpads, but the stock pads will be destroyed. I've made a tutorial. 3D printed parts can be bought from Thingverse and Mod House Audio. The clamping force is very loose, so I don't recommend the headphone for children or if you frequently move your head down and don't have a big head. Replacing the earpads will make the clamping force tighter.


HD668B has a very big soundstage, very good imaging, separation and detail retrieval, good clarity, and decent tonality. It has a bright sound signature and a small boost in the bass. It has clean bass. It's over-ear, very lightweight and has a sturdy build and a detachable cable. I recommend replacing the earpads with velour pads from HiFiMAN or Cosmos.

 
HD681 EVO has a very big soundstage, good detail retrieval, very good clarity and tonality, but has poor imaging and separation. It has a warm sound signature with deep bass. It's over-ear, lightweight and has a durable build and a detachable cable. I recommend taking out the loose felt inside the cups and replacing the earpads because they are very shallow and the driver sticks out quite a bit. Some good compatible earpads are the ones from HiFiMAN and Cosmos and AKG K240/K270/K271 earpads. If you have big ears, then I recommend the round velour earpads from Brainwavz. The earpads can cost up to $25, but the sound quality is worth at least $100.

 

I recommend AD700x and HD668B for online/competitive FPS gaming. HD681 EVO for pure immersive gaming, it's fun to listen with. SHP9500 is a good middle-ground between these and a very safe choice if you're unsure of what you want. I recommend K52 only if you need closed-back. It's pretty much a closed version of SHP9500.

 

People will probably recommend HyperX Cloud / Cloud II / CloudX, but I do not recommend these at all because they have a small soundstage, bad imaging and they sound very muddy with grainy bass.

 

 

Closed-back headphones have cups with solid shells that largely isolate sound from passing in and out.
 
Open-back / semi-open-back headphones have cups with perforations/grills that allow outside sound to freely pass in and sound from the drivers to freely pass out. How loud you hear outside sound and how loud people around you hear the sound emanating from the headphones depend on your volume, of course. The benefit to open-back is generally a big soundstage. 

 

Soundstage is perceived space and environment of sound. It can be compared to virtual surround sound; both attempt to produce the same spacious, three-dimensional effect. VSS can sound more ambient and immersive, which will depend on the processor (CMSS-3D, Dolby, SBX, etc.), but it degrades the sound quality and diminishes detailing due to compression from digital processing. You might also experience less accurate imaging and separation with headphones that have good imaging and separation properties. Note that a deep soundstage is equally important as a wide soundstage.

 

Imaging determines how accurately sounds/objects are positioned across the soundstage. Imaging is inherent to the audio content, so if the game is recorded or mixed poorly, a headphone with good imaging won’t improve the positional audio.


Separation is separating individual sounds from a range of sounds. Good separation properties make it easier to filter out or discern overlapping sounds from other sounds and track them.
 
Sound signature is a frequency response / sound profile. For example, a V-shaped sound signature emphasizes the bass and treble while recessing the mid-range. A flat/balanced sound signature doesn't over- or under-emphasize these frequencies and attempts to reproduce the original recording accurately as possible. A bright headphone emphasizes the treble and can subdue the bass. A warm sound signature emphasizes the bass or subdues the treble.

 

 

Antlion ModMic 4 and 5 and Massdrop Minimic use a clasp system to attach to headphones and they are easy to attach and remove. They are compatible with all headphones and have mute buttons. 
V-MODA BoomPro mic is compatible with headphones that have a female 3.5mm jack without any proprietary nonsense, like Philips SHP9500. Status Audio CB-1 is compatible, though. It replaces the headphone cable and has a mute button and a volume control. 
The other mics clip onto your shirt and don't have any in-line controls.
You should listen to recordings on YouTube to judge for yourself if they sound good. I think they are for voice chat.

5

holy shit that more than enough info :) thanks so much

 

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Posted

If you're looking for headsets, I wouldn't make a final decision without at least looking at the HyperX Cloud and Revolver series'

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