Arctis Pro opinions?

[Rauten]

Good day, you fine ladies and gentlemen.

 

I have just received a bit of extra, somewhat unexpected cash, and I'm kinda interested in buying a higher quality headset, mostly for gaming.

Been looking at the Arctis Pro + DAC combo, but I'd like to hear the opinion of anyone who has been using / uses them.

 

If anyone wants to provide alternatives, please keep in mind I don't intend to spend more than 300€, it would be for gaming mostly, I do not have access to any of those MassDrop headphones and that I would have to buy a separate DAC and/or mic.

 

Thanks in advance.

[EsaT]

Cheap Chinese trinkets with lots of marketing hype and costing more than good headphones from actual audio makers.

(one manufacturer even sells all parts as spare parts for keeping headphones going)

Really wouldn't buy them over some around 30-40€ Superluxes!

Did you think all new gaming brands of last ten years started because of low profit margins?

They appeared because gamers buy cheap basic products at huge overprice after enough legalized lying called marketing.

 

Do you actually need microphone, or are you talking about headsets because of marketing?

Some headphone designs can be DIY modded to headset easily.

Anyway there's even well finished commercial product for turning any good standard headphone to headset.

 

Do you have noisy or quiet environment?

Noisy environment needs closed design, but especially with pleather pads it isolates also heat increasing ear sweating risk.

(bad for comfort)

 

300€ budget gives some really good choises for various combinations.

[Rauten]

13 hours ago, EsaT said:

Cheap Chinese trinkets with lots of marketing hype and costing more than good headphones from actual audio makers.

(one manufacturer even sells all parts as spare parts for keeping headphones going)

Really wouldn't buy them over some around 30-40€ Superluxes!

Did you think all new gaming brands of last ten years started because of low profit margins?

They appeared because gamers buy cheap basic products at huge overprice after enough legalized lying called marketing.

 

Do you actually need microphone, or are you talking about headsets because of marketing?

Some headphone designs can be DIY modded to headset easily.

Anyway there's even well finished commercial product for turning any good standard headphone to headset.

 

Do you have noisy or quiet environment?

Noisy environment needs closed design, but especially with pleather pads it isolates also heat increasing ear sweating risk.

(bad for comfort)

 

300€ budget gives some really good choises for various combinations.

I'm not entirely sure if this is an actual answer or just a big ol' rant....

1. Profit margins: Right, because companies like Sennheiser, Beyerdynamics, AKG etc. aren't in it for the profits. They work solely out of their love for audio.
2. Yes, I do need a microphone. I do play online rather often. Also, talk because of marketing? what?

Again, I would very much appreciate input from someone that has used them.

[Froody129]

Get actual headphones and a separate mic. I have experience with several pairs of Steel series headphones and they all sound bad and are built badly (including the high end ones). Their customer support is also bad. 

 

It sounds like you're set on these anyway. Go ahead and buy them but people are dissuading the purchase for a reason 

[Rauten]

3 minutes ago, Froody129 said:

It sounds like you're set on these anyway. Go ahead and buy them but people are dissuading the purchase for a reason 

No, not at all! And yours was very valuable input, thank you!

I just have no idea what to look for in a headphone that would make it a good fit for gaming; gaming headsets make it easier, since they're already tuned to that purpose.

 

[Froody129]

49 minutes ago, Rauten said:

No, not at all! And yours was very valuable input, thank you!

I just have no idea what to look for in a headphone that would make it a good fit for gaming; gaming headsets make it easier, since they're already tuned to that purpose.

 

Open back is generally better. As said above, the whole "tuned for it" thing is rubbish and is a result of marketing, most gaming headsets sound bad. Mod mic is easy to set up and sounds loads better than the gaming mics. 

 

If you check out something like the Sennheiser HD 559 and a mic attachment that's not a bad option. Look around at prices and such though, and check out with the forums if the price and headphones are a good deal. Sennheiser actually makes a game series that is the same idea, but they're quite expensive.  Good luck! 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2018 by Froody129

[Rauten]

Holy coincidences Batman! Turns out Amazon Spain (where I am) has a bunch of Sennheisers on sale right now, including the HD 559 for 80€
I assume that would be an excellent price? Any higher end Sennheisers with a strong bass?

[EsaT]

8 hours ago, Rauten said:

I'm not entirely sure if this is an actual answer or just a big ol' rant....

1. Profit margins: Right, because companies like Sennheiser, Beyerdynamics, AKG etc. aren't in it for the profits. They work solely out of their love for audio.

Only tuning gaming brands have is for separating gullible people from their moneys for cheapest Chinese productions.

Like in here biggest marketing hype Asus (ROG) Strix, Razer, Roccat and SteelSeries are among worst in frequency response:

https://uk.hardware.info/reviews/6080/17/13-headsets-review-listen-in-higher-quality-testresults---frequency-response

Roller coaster's loop wouldn't look out of place in those curves!

 

3 hours ago, Rauten said:

Holy coincidences Batman! Turns out Amazon Spain (where I am) has a bunch of Sennheisers on sale right now, including the HD 559 for 80€
I assume that would be an excellent price? Any higher end Sennheisers with a strong bass?

That price is good, but if you want above neutral bass strength HD559 isn't good.

HD559 is model update to HD555/HD558 which are pretty bass neutral, like basically whole HD500-serie.

(used HD595 once, before fashionable design with decorative plastic started rotting)

 

For distinguishing details neutral bass is good, but "fun factor" suffers with bass feeling shy.

But you definitely don't want too strong bass, because it will start seriously degrading details.

Especially in most closed headphones strong bass becomes fast details drowning: It just doesn't leave room for other sounds.

Good open headphones can afford some above neutral bass without it eating details seriously.

 

 

You didn't answer if you have noisy or quiet environment.

But for open design with good bass less decorated studio use aimed Pro version of Beyerdynamic DT990 is very nicely priced.

Not sure for what price those can be had in Spain, but Thomann would have it for 126€ including shipping to Spain:

https://www.thomann.de/es/beyerdynamic_dt990pro.htm

Edition's straight cable cost quite much more. And actual headband inside cushion is steel and doesn't mind bending it.

Unlike gaming stuff that's still made in Germany and there's even spare parts available if something wears. (ear pads certainly do)

It could be also DIY mic modded easily with some 3,5mm plug microphone:

https://imgur.com/gallery/bKU4H

 

AKG K612 would be another open headphone with some above neutral bass, but not so easily mic moddable.

 

ModMic is commercial well finished product for turning any headphone to head set.

For multiplayer communication purposes uni-directional ModMic 4.0 would be good, being less sensitive to background noise like keyboard.

Capsule used in ModMic is good, but somewhat demanding and without good bias voltage can produce very weak signal vulnerable to interference.

ModMic Business is basically ModMic 4 with USB sound card fit for it.

[Rauten]

16 hours ago, EsaT said:

That price is good, but if you want above neutral bass strength HD559 isn't good.

HD559 is model update to HD555/HD558 which are pretty bass neutral, like basically whole HD500-serie.

(used HD595 once, before fashionable design with decorative plastic started rotting)

So... I already pulled the trigger a while ago, got the HD559 and the HD 4.40BT for the heck of it (also on sale); still, this is Amazon, so if they really do have lackluster bass, I can just return them and grab something else.

Weird that you mention a lack of bass though, because I looked at some online reviews before checkout, and they all mentioned that the HD 559 has stronger than usual bass. Many sites even compared it to other 500 series headphones (569 and 599 specifically) and said that it has the strongest bass of all 3.

 

16 hours ago, EsaT said:

 

You didn't answer if you have noisy or quiet environment.

Usually quiet, except when my neighbours start yelling at each other; but mostly quiet.

 

16 hours ago, EsaT said:

Pro version of Beyerdynamic DT990

 

16 hours ago, EsaT said:

AKG K612

Noted and noted; if the HD559s do end up being disappointing, I'll look into those 2. Thanks.