"I Need New 'Cans,'" the Newb Said...
May 15, 2013 at 4:42 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 68
Zaruk

Zaruk

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The title says it all. I am an utter and complete novice when it comes to audiophilia (is that right?). My current set (http://goo.gl/Mk0AS Turtle Beach X12) is working fine, but I want something a little higher end, so I thought, If you want something done right, go to the pros. My budget is $80-$85 max, no higher than $90 once the mic is factored in. And yes, I do require a mic and good gaming quality. My options are: $50-$60 headphones + Antlion Modmic, $70-$80 Headphones + Zalman (or other clip-on), or $80-$85 Headset. Also, I want it to be semi-open or closed, as bleeding or leaking could be an issue, but some is alright. Suggestions? Which should I go for (I listen to the games, as well watch YouTube & listen to music a lot, too, but a decent mic is still wanted), or should I stick with the X12's?
I've compiled a list of some I think might work for me, but please excuse any pitiful choices:
 
CAL: Seen a lot of praise, but they look a little uncomfortable and flimsy. not sure, though. (http://goo.gl/p2iuL)
Skullcandy SLYR: Also a lot of praise, and seems to be a good choice, too. (http://goo.gl/D2OcC)
JVC HARX900....: This, with the Antlion Modmic, is another up-there one. (http://goo.gl/z5goc)
Superlux HD 681 & 668b: Rated highly, low price, seems nice. (681: http://goo.gl/3xSH7 668b: http://goo.gl/PKTI8)
Corsair Vengeance 1500 Dolby 7.1: Can't say yet of what difference the surround sound adds, so this one is up there. (http://goo.gl/xAiVu)
Panasonic RP-HTF600-S... (So many long names!): Another low price one, but I'm not sure about the whole "colored" thing. In this one, how exactly is the sound altered/distorted? (http://goo.gl/zlJRm)
Sony MDR-V6...: Yet another highly praised one at a good price. But what is a Voice Coil, exactly? (http://goo.gl/ymSPh)
Sony MDR-7506..: Found this one while looking for the link for the MDR-V6. I know nothing about them, but... I don't know. (http://goo.gl/WdAvi)
 
So that's about it. Any suggestions, comments, frustartion at my noob-ness, go ahead and post it all below (well, aside form the frustration.
Thanks in advance, guys and girls.
 
May 15, 2013 at 5:25 PM Post #2 of 68
And yes, I do realize there is thread for quick questions regarding recommendations, but, as you can see, this was a substantially longer response than the length of the typical replies on that post.
 
May 15, 2013 at 6:02 PM Post #3 of 68
for gaming I like sennheiser, they are headphone professionals and microphone professionals so they make the best headsets.
 
PC 320 can be had around 120$ or less if you search online. i vouch for the sennheiser sound. just a few bucks above budget but your getting sound comparable to the HD 5xx series audiophile headphones. The PC330 is about 20$ cheaper at around 100$ but are closed in.
 
http://en-us.sennheiser.com/gaming-headset-stereo-pc-320
 
May 15, 2013 at 6:15 PM Post #4 of 68
The only issue I have with those (and it is quite a bit glaring issue, despite all the magnificent praise I've seen for Sennheiser here) is that the absolute max I have allotted for a pair of headphones is around $90 for both headphones and a mic, or just headphones. And that is set in stone, no budging room. Well, there is, but I've given myself that limit. Sorry, mate. Do you know of anything else of similar quality for a lower price tag?
 
May 15, 2013 at 10:46 PM Post #11 of 68
Now I'm stuck between:
SLYR
CAL with Zalman
Superluxes (which of the two is better for gaming?)
I've eliminated the Corsair, the HARX, and the Sony's.
I'm still on the fence about the CAL's, and haven't seen much hide nor tail of the Corsair here much. As for the Sony's, Eehhhh, don't know.
 
May 15, 2013 at 11:34 PM Post #12 of 68
In my personal experience, the best gaming headset is probably the worst for music. When it comes to gaming, you need to focus on some particular frequencies then a good headset for gaming will be far (really far) from having a natural frequency response.

Of course it also depends on what games you play. I have a pair of Steelseries 4H and they are really good for Counter Strike, having them you have a good advantage in the game. And they offer great confort with huge space for the ears. The cable proved to be quite resistent.

Then when it comes to music, they are not good at all. They need a lot of equalization if you want a natural sound and is still difficult to get.

I think you can find new Steelseries 5H v2 for less than your budget if you are looking for that in-game advantage.

If not, I think Takstar HI2050 seem to be a better option compared with Superluxes in terms of SQ and build quality. You can find useful information in this forum about Takstars.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/641024/takstar-hi2050-first-impressions

www.head-fi.org/t/585356/the-takstar-technical-pro-gemini-greathon-thread

Best luck!
 
 
May 16, 2013 at 8:12 AM Post #14 of 68
Since the Taksbar seems to have higher audio quality than the Steelseries, I think that's now the primary runner, along with the CAL and the SLYR. How, in terms of gaming and general quality (by that I mean classical and classic rock, YouTube, too), do they stack up? I think the CALs wouldn't be the best. However, they seem to be one of the most highly praised budget set here.
As for the Sennheiser 439, A. They're quite a ways out of my price range and B. As Me x3 said, I don't think those'll work well for gaming.
Thanks for the feedback, people!
 
May 16, 2013 at 8:39 AM Post #15 of 68
If 90 is your set budget, just stick to what you have and save up more money until you can swing 150 to 200. Then you will actually have something better.
 
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