Best gaming headset?

[de8212]

Well, I guess the best is probably more than I want to spend. Looking for something ~50 or so.

What are teh pro's/cons to usb vs. mini jack(or whatever the normal green colored plug is called)?

I just have some cheap in ear mp3 player type headphones that do not sound that good. They have alot of hissing/crackling. Not sure waht would cause this so I was thinking USB might be the answer. Do not need top of the line. Just something decent for $50 or less.

Saw a ~$35 headset by logitech at walmart and almost picked it up. Not sure of the model # though. Are those any good? Would prefer to get something locally (wal mart, BB, CC, Etc.)

Any suggestions?

 

[matas]

Icemat siberia headphones are very comfortable and produce very good sound. But they look funny when you wear them, and prone to break.

 

[de8212]

thanks for the quick response. I haven't had good luck with headphones so if they are known to break then I would rather not get them.

 

[mpilchfamily]

There can be a difference in sound quality when it comes to USB to phone jack. Since the USB headsets rely on the sound proccesor built into the headset there can be quality issues. But not all of them are bad. There are some USB sets that are better then some more exspecive standard sets.

 

[de8212]

Well, I went down to walmart and picked up the ~$35 logitech one. I figured I could always return it if it wasn't that good.

It's a Premium USB Headset 350. It's not too bad but is a bit uncomfortable. I guess everyone ears are different so I can uderstand that. One thing that doesn't work is the inline muting button. If will increase/decrease volume but will not mute/unmute when pressed. Not a huge deal but would have been nice. I may just keep looking for reviews and order one that plugs intot he fron audio ports of my case.

One thing I didn't like about the usb pnes is I would have figured some software would have been included to help customize some settings (bass, treble, etc.).


So please keep suggestions coming even if it's for usb ones.

 

[Ghouler]

If I got a headset with mute button that DOES NOT WORK I would return it immediately.

As for the recommendations- if you are ready to spend more look up Sennheiser range, but be warned that their cheaper headsets are not that good and rather uncomfortable. So if you want something good and have cash to burn go for this:
http://www.sennheiser.com/senn...headsets_pc_pro-gaming

Also Creative makes decent headsets, they are good value for money,
look up this article here for example:
http://gear.ign.com/articles/899/899245p1.html

 

[de8212]

I went with the sennheiser pc-151. sounds waaaaaay better than the logitech one I returned.

 

[Chapbass]

I'm a huge fan of standard headphones with a desktop USB (or minijack) mic. I've found the quality in good headphones goes WAY beyond that of headsets, are more comfortable, sound better, and you can use em with other devices too.

 

[cheesehead]

Beyerdynamic, anyone?

 

[PliotronX]

If you would like more spatial detail for FPS games, check out the Steelseries 4H. It uses the same audio hardware as the more expensive 5H, but with a few mainly cosmetic differences. The weakest link longevity wise would probably be the thin wire unlike its more expensive brother with wrapped wires. The 4H/5H are regarded as very comfortable, more than one reviewer has stated that they had forgotten they were wearing them and attempted to get up before taking them off. The downside to the exaggerated mid/high frequencies that are helpful in spatial detail is of course the harsh quality in music and artifacts that are more readily apparent with compressed music but you can use equalizers to help with this. If you are a basshead, the cheaper 3H might be the ticket.

The Sennheisers you picked up are great as well.

 

[Jakeisbest]

sennheiser pc-151 is the way to go for the price : performance king of headsets. I just upgraded from PC-151s to my new love: Sennheiser PC-350s!

 

[de8212]

Just a quick update.

As far as the sound goes the pc151's are impressive. No complaints in that department.

The only negative things I can say are about the fit. Of course, keep in mind everyone's head/ears are different. It doesn't seem to grip my head very tight. i realize this may be a godd thing as too tight is far worse than too loose. But I wish it had a littel more "tension".
Also, I wish the the cups were a bit bigger. For some reason I thought they would enclose my ears more rather than just sit on them.

That's all I can think of that I would want different but as I said, they fit everyone differently.

Either way, I am happy with the purchase. MAybe in a few months I might look into some that cover my ears but I'm in no hurry.

 

[Ners]

I've been using the Creative HS-600's for a long while now and can say they're reliable and comfortable to a point. Great for the money as well, my friends who have spent more on their headsets often have problems during play with buttons not working or sound dropping out.

 

[magratton]

Good pick on the Sennheiser. I went through several of the Logitech crap type gaming headsets before landing on Sennheiser and have loved every last minute of it. Is there something better out there? Yes, but not at this price.

Even bought a pair for my wife. And if anyone else is interested, they can take a beating as well. My little one is always ripping them off my head, stepping on the cord (while I am wearing them), knocking them off the desk, etc. Still work and sound like they day I took them out of the package and that was over a year ago.