2011 Astrogaming A40 just broke on me. What now ?

[Wolrajh]

Aaand yet another "which headset/phones should I get??" thread!

 

Ok, so I tried to read the sticky before coming questions ablazing.

Fact? I almost didn't understand a thing. Audio is clearly not my forte, audio language even less so. Even in my native language, I don't know the correct terminology, so you see where I stand on the matter.

 

So, I had a 2011 A40 headphone, short story, it fell one too many time and it's not working anymore. It may be the cables and a bit a wielding could fix them, but it's broken in so many places that it's just simpler to entirely replace it. As I mentioned, I wasn't the big audiophile to begin with, but ( thankfully ) I can still notice the difference between a very bad headset and a good one. Probably not between a good one and an excellent one, and don't get me started on true audiophiles sound system.

 

Let's just say, for the sake of reference, I loved the A40 output, but I feel it could be better.

 

Another very important thing to mention is that I'm half-deaf, left ear doesn't work anymore. Sound positionning? Well... I'm not sure. I always have to keep talking npcs on the right side on the screen when they are talking, you know? That being said, I know when I am behind or in front of them. On their left. I guess you get it.

 

- What is my system ?

 

No sound card,

no amp,

no DAC or whatever this is,

Only relevant piece of hardware is the Asrock Z77 extreme 4 ( ALC898 ). Comes with all needed outputs.

 

- What do I need ?

 

Any headphones or headset/mic combo for PC gaming only, with maybe the occasional movie :

 

1/ Comfort, as I may spend hours at a time with the headset on,

2/ Accuracy, bassy is fun but more bassy is not necessary

3/ good mic, as I spend a lot of time on TeamSpeak,

( 4/ in the case of additional hardware : it shouldn't take too much space. )

5/ If wired, having a good wire length out of the box is always welcome.

 

Being wireless could be a bonus, but I would tread carefully there.

 

Budget : Let's say 150 to 250€ max. Any additional hardware included.

 

- What I don't know whether I need or not:

 

A sound card,

Astro's MixAmp,

Good sound positioning ( yeah, yeah, even if it's only on the right )

 

Let's elaborate a bit on that : I've read a lot of different advices on soundcard/mixamp topic. What I understand is that basically, the soundcard can provide the better sound while the Mixamp is going to provide a good multi-platform experience, as well as the on-the-fly volume adjustment between voice and game. Also it may not be the same cost. However, I plan to play with the headphones on my PC only, which kills one feature form the Amp.

And, since I have an Asrock Z77 extreme 4, which SHOULD be able to do Dolby Digital Live, I MAY NOT need any more hardware to get sound positioning right of the bat.

I'm kind of hoping someone will be able to tell me if either a sound card, a mixamp, or both, will be able to greatly improve the sound quality of any given headsets. I reckon that for someone like me, the difference, as hinted from the sticky, will be marginally better and I could very well spend the money on a slightly more expensive headset. Who knows.

 

- What did I see so far ?

 

- Obviously, another, new, 2013 A40 ( they come in yellooooooowwww ! ). I know what I'm getting, minus the new things.

- Logitech G930 as a wireless alternative.

- Sennheiser PC350, 360 or 363

 

Those three are often favorites on various forums, but they are also headphones. I kind of read here on LTT ( and I saw it a lot outside too ) that adding a microphone to a dedicated headset is a better alternative. Looks like the Beyerdynamic DT770/880/990 pros are very well loved. While horribly overpriced in my country, Amazon is still here to save the day!

 

So...

What should I go for ?

What combination of headsets/phones and specific hardware would you recommand to run them all ?

MixAmp, sound card...?

 

Thanks !

[TofuAce]

Oh boy, here we go again! 

 

You don't need a sound card, or any 5.1/7.1 marketing gimmickry. Wireless will also degrade sound quality.

 

 

Get a good set of headphones from a company that is well known for their headphones. Sennheiser, Audio Technica, AKG, etc. Gaming peripheral companies a lot of times are well known due to their marketing. Not everything from them is bad, but the point is not everything they make is good or good value. What makes it even worse is they are not at all good with audio. You will get better quality, at a lower price with a real headphone company.

 

You named the Beyerdynamics, and they are very good.

 

I use the Audio Technica AD700 (The Updated AD700x are available now) and a Blue Snowball (On a Boom arm Microphone Stand so its off my desk and I can swing it away from me when not in use.) I consider these two items the sweet spot in value to quality ratio for gaming.

[Wolrajh]

Oh boy, here we go again! 

 

You don't need a sound card, or any 5.1/7.1 marketing gimmickry. Wireless will also degrade sound quality.

 

 

Get a good set of headphones from a company that is well known for their headphones. Sennheiser, Audio Technica, AKG, etc. Gaming peripheral companies a lot of times are well known due to their marketing. Not everything from them is bad, but the point is not everything they make is good or good value. What makes it even worse is they are not at all good with audio. You will get better quality, at a lower price with a real headphone company.

 

You named the Beyerdynamics, and they are very good.

 

I use the Audio Technica AD700 (The Updated AD700x are available now) and a Blue Snowball (On a Boom arm Microphone Stand so its off my desk and I can swing it away from me when not in use.) I consider these two items the sweet spot in value to quality ratio for gaming.

 

Yeah, sorry, I know a lot of threads like this have been made. I even read most of them, really!

But, frankly, when you spent 2 days looking around on various forums and being unable to find a solution... With nowhere to go to try the goods beforehand... You just have to ask yourself !

 

And, well, the more I dug, the more questions came out. At first I didn't feel the need for a sound card or an amp, but reading "how awesome it was", I tried to understand why. And my handicap may be raising some issues or plainly eliminate some solutions.

 

That Blue Snowball looks fun, especially for someone like me who loves a bit of unorthodox design. Sadly it also seems a bit massive, isn't it ? I was more thinking along the lines of a mic that could be clipped to one side of the headset, or... something. Still add a bit of wires, though.

[MayflowerElectronics]

Yeah, sorry, I know a lot of threads like this have been made. I even read most of them, really!

But, frankly, when you spent 2 days looking around on various forums and being unable to find a solution... With nowhere to go to try the goods beforehand... You just have to ask yourself !

 

And, well, the more I dug, the more questions came out. At first I didn't feel the need for a sound card or an amp, but reading "how awesome it was", I tried to understand why. And my handicap may be raising some issues or plainly eliminate some solutions.

 

That Blue Snowball looks fun, especially for someone like me who loves a bit of unorthodox design. Sadly it also seems a bit massive, isn't it ? I was more thinking along the lines of a mic that could be clipped to one side of the headset, or... something. Still add a bit of wires, though.

 

This video should answer most of your questions (in terms of sound cards).

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1rXcJuEsy0

 

As for headphones, I suggest you get something that is really easy to drive, so you can shift the sound over to your deaf ear and it can get plenty loud. Ad700x is very easy to drive and has great sound stage.

[Vague]

Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro or Audio Technica AD700x if you want something easy to drive.

[TofuAce]

Yeah, sorry, I know a lot of threads like this have been made. I even read most of them, really!

 

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I didn't mean to say you should have read up more. I was referring to all the fallout the past few days over opinions with soundcards and the like. Nothing about you!   

 

But, frankly, when you spent 2 days looking around on various forums and being unable to find a solution... With nowhere to go to try the goods beforehand... You just have to ask yourself !

 

Absolutely, that is why we are here!

 

And, well, the more I dug, the more questions came out. At first I didn't feel the need for a sound card or an amp, but reading "how awesome it was", I tried to understand why. And my handicap may be raising some issues or plainly eliminate some solutions.

 

I know, I know... I like shiny new things too! Yeah, unfortunately there isn't a lot of truth in marketing, or at least it is a rare occurrence... they do make things look shiny and fun to own! We are here to try and get people the best for their money. An advertiser/marketer job is to simply sell more product, not guide you to the best fit for you and your wallet! 

 

That Blue Snowball looks fun, especially for someone like me who loves a bit of unorthodox design. Sadly it also seems a bit massive, isn't it ? I was more thinking along the lines of a mic that could be clipped to one side of the headset, or... something. Still add a bit of wires, though.

 

Zalman Zm-Mic1 is usually what is suggested. Mostly because it is cheap and can have better audio than what is usually found in gaming headsets. There are others of this type from other companies as well.

 

Something I've seen here being suggested is the Blue Snowflake.

 

[Wolrajh]

This video should answer most of your questions (in terms of sound cards).

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1rXcJuEsy0

 

As for headphones, I suggest you get something that is really easy to drive, so you can shift the sound over to your deaf ear and it can get plenty loud. Ad700x is very easy to drive and has great sound stage.

 

 

Very nice and instructive. I may not fully understand spoken english, I think I got the bulk of it : sound cards are useless, get the sound out of your computer with a DAC.

Which explains why I saw more than a few topics mentioning the Fiios. I shall read further on the topic, but I already saw E10s are 70€ on Amazon, making it a probably good enough solution while being less expensive than a MixAmp. ( on a side note, my special design-lover side is fainting at the sight of the Woo Audio WA7 Fireflies. My wallet is threatening to leave me, though, and keep the cats as well as the furnitures. )

 

Let's say I take a microphone-less headphone. What are my options to add/attach a microphone ? I'm a bit reluctant to the idea of a desktop microphone yet, but hey, I may change my mind.

[edit : a first answer posted before I finish writing this. Thanks ]

 

Also, impedance. What should I aim for?

I only see the 250ohms version of the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro at my local retailer and national Amazon. They've got the DT770 in 32 and 80 though. The AD700x is 38ohms.

Sadly, the AD700x seems to be way more expensive in my country than the DT990, so if I have to add a DAC or a mixamp or something else, I guess the DT will win over. Except if 250ohms is just too high.

[edit : Looking more careffully, Amazon does have the DT990 in 32ohms version. Premium only - not even pro, if pros even have premium versions - so 100€ more. Weeee! ]

 

Thanks for your answers so far, it's just plain invaluable !

[jam08060]

I'd take a look @ the Sennheiser HD 558's, they are 50 Ohms which is reasonably easy to drive and sound fantastic...

 

I love mine

 

Also, this may just be me but I prefer an open design headphone for gaming...

 

And finally, you should check out the mod mic for another microphone solution... you might really like that one...

[Wolrajh]

What about these headphones ? Namely the first place ( Sony MDR-7506 ) ?

I'm surprised they talk so highly of them but it's the first time I read about this model...

 

Also, I live with a

, as well as on the second floor directly above the street. Not a boulevard, but still can be noisy. I'm a bit hesitant about open and/or not-around-the-ears headphones. Sound getting out isn't an issue as I live alone, but too much sound getting IN would be a bit of a bother. Same issue for the mic, by the way, I can't have it pick too much ambient and external sounds, even if I'm doing push to talk.

 

I saw the Mod Mic, I'm just unsure when I would receive an order as they seem to be in-between two models and would have to ask for international shipping. USPS doesn't seem to have a very good reputation

[OddballMV]

What about these headphones ? Namely the first place ( Sony MDR-7506 ) ?

I'm surprised they talk so highly of them but it's the first time I read about this model...

 

Also, I live with a

, as well as on the second floor directly above the street. Not a boulevard, but still can be noisy. I'm a bit hesitant about open and/or not-around-the-ears headphones. Sound getting out isn't an issue as I live alone, but too much sound getting IN would be a bit of a bother. Same issue for the mic, by the way, I can't have it pick too much ambient and external sounds, even if I'm doing push to talk.

 

I saw the Mod Mic, I'm just unsure when I would receive an order as they seem to be in-between two models and would have to ask for international shipping. USPS doesn't seem to have a very good reputation

 

The 7506 are mainly a professional headphone, very flat / neutral sound and very revealing sound. They are pretty good but not exactly a fun sound.

 

Modmic is pretty expensive if you don't live in the US, I would look at a different solution.

[EmoRarity]

What about these headphones ? Namely the first place ( Sony MDR-7506 ) ?

I'm surprised they talk so highly of them but it's the first time I read about this model...

 

Also, I live with a

, as well as on the second floor directly above the street. Not a boulevard, but still can be noisy. I'm a bit hesitant about open and/or not-around-the-ears headphones. Sound getting out isn't an issue as I live alone, but too much sound getting IN would be a bit of a bother. Same issue for the mic, by the way, I can't have it pick too much ambient and external sounds, even if I'm doing push to talk.

 

I saw the Mod Mic, I'm just unsure when I would receive an order as they seem to be in-between two models and would have to ask for international shipping. USPS doesn't seem to have a very good reputation

I've owned my 7506's for six years, still going strong, still love them. 

Oddball is right though, they aren't a "fun" headphone, but they are great for everything you could possibly throw at them. Any genre of music, movies, games, anything. Isolation...can't remember it new, but its not bad now-a-days blocks most conversations and noise. Build quality....mines six years old and as a scratch on the side. Sound quality, through their flatness they feel treble heavy, but bass is there and lively along with everything else. Comfort, nothing to right home about, mines well worn and fits like a glove, as for a new pair, ears might get sweaty? If your ears are wind flaps instead of ears you might hit the inside of the cup though.  Pros: None, its average doesn't don't anything better then anyone else for the price, but its does do everything right. Cons: After year two the pads start to peel and give you black dandruff, after year six, you need to change the pads.

Though as a testament to how much I love my 7506's, I own headphones that cost five times more, tried headphones that cost fifty times more....and I still prefer my average, run of the mill studio monitor designed in the nineties. 

[Wolrajh]

Cons: After year two the pads start to peel and give you black dandruff, after year six, you need to change the pads.

 

Reaching year 6 kind of sounds like a pros to me

 

Anyway ok, I get the "fun"  part. I've been reading a http://www.head-fi.org/t/513393/guide-sonic-differences-between-dt770-dt990-models-more'>comparative between various BeyerDynamic models over at Head fi and the author describes the DT990 as the "fun" headphones from Beyer. Beyer being a tad more easy to find in my country than Audio Technica, as well as being a around-the-ear model rather than a over-the-ear, and despite the testimony of the AD700 being very comfortable, I think I'll look into a DT990 250ohm.

Which still leaves the issue of the amp ( still have myself some reading to do ... ) , and the mic, but I'm not in a BIG hurry. Just a little hurry. Using my phone earbuds on my computer makes me VERY sad !

[MayflowerElectronics]

Stay away from headfi. You'll get sucked into their nonsense. Dt 990's are a fun headphone, I use them all the time, but you need an amp for them.

[ShearMe]

The PC 360 isn't a bad option if you can get it for under $200. Saves you the trouble of finding a mic.

[TofuAce]

The  Sony MDR-7506 (v6) are true classics. If memory serves correctly their lineage started back in the 80's. Professionals have been using them for monitors out and about ever since.

[EmoRarity]

 

Reaching year 6 kind of sounds like a pros to me

 

Anyway ok, I get the "fun"  part. I've been reading a comparative between various BeyerDynamic models over at Head fi and the author describes the DT990 as the "fun" headphones from Beyer. Beyer being a tad more easy to find in my country than Audio Technica, as well as being a around-the-ear model rather than a over-the-ear, and despite the testimony of the AD700 being very comfortable, I think I'll look into a DT990 250ohm.

Which still leaves the issue of the amp ( still have myself some reading to do ... ) , and the mic, but I'm not in a BIG hurry. Just a little hurry. Using my phone earbuds on my computer makes me VERY sad !

The DT's are a solid choice, very tried and true.

As for an amp, E10's are probably not a good value where you live, so maybe working something out with Mayflower to get you an O2 could work? 

 

The  Sony MDR-7506 (v6) are true classics. If memory serves correctly their lineage started back in the 80's. Professionals have been using them for monitors out and about ever since.

Lineage yes, though the design for the V6/7506 is from the 90's.

[Wolrajh]

The DT's are a solid choice, very tried and true.

As for an amp, E10's are probably not a good value where you live, so maybe working something out with Mayflower to get you an O2 could work? 

 

Lineage yes, though the design for the V6/7506 is from the 90's.

 

 

Maybe for the o2. The e10 is 70€ on my amazon, and anyway I dont know jack about dac / amps. I'm probably going to get the 250ohm dt990, I have to look again whenever I can for the 770s just for comparison sake.

 

if mayflower thinks he can have some solutions for France, I'm all ear. I don't really have that much retailers outside of amazon... I'm going to get the dt asap though, since the sooner I get it the better!

[EmoRarity]

Maybe for the o2. The e10 is 70€ on my amazon, and anyway I dont know jack about dac / amps. I'm probably going to get the 250ohm dt990, I have to look again whenever I can for the 770s just for comparison sake.

 

if mayflower thinks he can have some solutions for France, I'm all ear. I don't really have that much retailers outside of amazon... I'm going to get the dt asap though, since the sooner I get it the better!

70 isn't bad, and because of your location shipping would be tougher, so try for the O2, and if you don't see that working out, an E10 is a great back up option. And options are good. 

[OddballMV]

Is the DacMagic any good, seems a good price but not heard much about it? - http://www.amazon.co.uk/DacMagic-Digital-Analogue-Converter-Headphone/dp/B00FSDFF9K/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1388576417&sr=8-5&keywords=dac+amp

[ShearMe]

Is the DacMagic any good, seems a good price but not heard much about it? - http://www.amazon.co.uk/DacMagic-Digital-Analogue-Converter-Headphone/dp/B00FSDFF9K/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1388576417&sr=8-5&keywords=dac+amp

 

Anything with "Magic" in the name is not good.

[Wolrajh]

I'd tend to think that anything with "magic" in its name is probably a bad product, but who knows? What strikes me is that there is absolutely no technical description of the product whatsoever. Just testimonies.

 

Anyway, I'm about to order a DT990, a Zalman ZM-MIC1 and a Fiio E10. The O-DAC/O2 will be too hard/expensive to get, but I have to say I read a lot of great things about it.

 

The mic is quite cheap, so even if it doesn't cover my needs I can safely switch to something else. I'm bothered by the fact it will add another wire which will plug elsewhere ( as compared to the DT plugging in the Fiio ), and I'm already neck-deep in wires ! If the quality proves to be too low, I'll probably drop it and get a desktop mic like the Blue snowflake ( does it clip well on any monitor ? ) or the Snowball ( I just love the damn design ). The Blues need yet another free USB port, though, and I'm starting to run out of those

 

I won't confirm the order before late tonight, this way someone may still chime in for a last minute warning or proposition

[Vague]

I'd tend to think that anything with "magic" in its name is probably a bad product, but who knows? What strikes me is that there is absolutely no technical description of the product whatsoever. Just testimonies.

 

Anyway, I'm about to order a DT990, a Zalman ZM-MIC1 and a Fiio E10. The O-DAC/O2 will be too hard/expensive to get, but I have to say I read a lot of great things about it.

 

The mic is quite cheap, so even if it doesn't cover my needs I can safely switch to something else. I'm bothered by the fact it will add another wire which will plug elsewhere ( as compared to the DT plugging in the Fiio ), and I'm already neck-deep in wires ! If the quality proves to be too low, I'll probably drop it and get a desktop mic like the Blue snowflake ( does it clip well on any monitor ? ) or the Snowball ( I just love the damn design ). The Blues need yet another free USB port, though, and I'm starting to run out of those

 

I won't confirm the order before late tonight, this way someone may still chime in for a last minute warning or proposition

Using same setup minus the Clip on mic, didn't like it to much but it's good it's price. Enjoy your audio with the DT990 Pro.

[ShearMe]

Using same setup minus the Clip on mic, didn't like it to much but it's good it's price. Enjoy your audio with the DT990 Pro.

 

Yeah, the cheap clip-on mics are just to get you through till you can afford something better. They're not supposed to be super nice or anything.

[Vague]

Yeah, the cheap clip-on mics are just to get you through till you can afford something better. They're not supposed to be super nice or anything.

That's what i did

[EmoRarity]

Well the DacMagic isn't bad, its just that the E10 is a better value.