Do you game with headphones or speakers?

[Nebor]

All those experiencing discomfort with headphones I can only assume you are doing it wrong or using crap cans.

I have Sennheiser HD600s and Logitech G35s. Both uncomfortable if worn for more than an hour or so. Can you recommend something better, and guarantee that I won't find them uncomfortable?

 

[Peppered]

If you want to hear the blast behind you or somone sneaking up on you har to beat a good set of 5.1 speakers, I gave up on a heaset with built in mic. Use a set of Audio technica Ad700s and a seperate mic for when I don't want to bother others or or need to speak in the game

 

[rambonutz]

Mostly headphones. AKG K702 with FiiO E07K and E09K.

 

[norseamd]

Audio technica Ad700s are good but they can't touch akg q701's. Q701's are the best gaming cans you can buy provided you drive them well enough.

how do they compare

 

[XiandreX]

Logitech G930 surround headphones, back in the day used Either Klipsch or Logitech 5.1 speaker sets.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

how do they compare

The q701's have everything people like about the ad700's, but they are just better in every way.

Better ability to pick out minute details in audio. My q701's have more bass than the ad700's and the mid bass is something to behold when using a headphone ampn. Soundstage on the q701's is slightly smaller than that of the ad700's, but I feel it is more accurate.

The AD700's can really exaggerate to your ears where a noise is coming from. Sometime's too much, so in games where audio really gives off direction through wall, they are really easy to use to prefire people.

You can do the same with the q701's, but in games where the noise isn't really exaggerated through walls I feel they are better at pinpointing player positions. I can tell up and down better on the q701's than the AD700's also.

I find the q701's to be more comfortable too because the insides of the cans do not compress my ears like the ad700's do.

 

[moonbogg]

5.1 speakers sometimes, but mostly headphones. Just upgraded to SoundBlaster ZxR and DT 770 pro 80's. Sounds stupid amazing compared to the G35's I upgraded from.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

5.1 speakers sometimes, but mostly headphones. Just upgraded to SoundBlaster ZxR and DT 770 pro 80's. Sounds stupid amazing compared to the G35's I upgraded from.

Sometimes its better not to make the transition into better headphones. You will never know what you were missing and thus save a lot of money...

My current setup is:

Hrt music streamer II+
FiiO e9 amp
Akg q701's

There is some serious synergy between these components. It sounds spectacular.

 

[IAteYourMother]

Audio technica Ad700s are good but they can't touch akg q701's.

Q701's are the best gaming cans you can buy provided you drive them well enough.

That's such a bold claim that I can't help but think it's probably wrong. Granted the last time i heard those cans was in 2007 when it first came out at the K701s

 

[VulgarDisplay]

That's such a bold claim that I can't help but think it's probably wrong. Granted the last time i heard those cans was in 2007 when it first came out at the K701s

Q701's sound different than the k701's. They have more bass than the ad700s and k701's. The midbass on the q701's is otherworldly. Really damn good.

They still retain the k701's ability to resolve minute details in audio. I should let it be known that this is paired with the hrt music streamer II+ which is considered a very punchy DAC when it comes to bass/midbass. They work very well together.

 

[Maleficus]

Headphones 99.9% of the time.

since we're audio dick swinging:

Denon D5000's
Schiit Asgard
Schiit Bifrost

Speakers:
Emotiva Airmotiv 5's

 

[cmdrdredd]

I have Sennheiser HD600s and Logitech G35s. Both uncomfortable if worn for more than an hour or so. Can you recommend something better, and guarantee that I won't find them uncomfortable?

Nobody can guarantee that. Sometimes after a couple hours wearing glasses + headphones I get headaches. Sometimes not. I don't know why it only happens some of the time. I normally wear contacts and then I never get headaches.

 

[Childs]

I have Sennheiser HD600s and Logitech G35s. Both uncomfortable if worn for more than an hour or so. Can you recommend something better, and guarantee that I won't find them uncomfortable?

Try putting your headphones on something wider than your head for a day or two. It should loosen them up a bit. If you buy paper towels, you cut the empty roll down a bit, but you want it as wide as possible. I put it above the ear cups. The only headphones that werent tight out of the box was the Audio Technica AD series. You can also put tubing in the ear cups under the pads to keep the ear cups off your ears.

 

[OCNewbie]

2.1 speakers almost exclusively. I have some nice headphones, but I don't have an easy/simple way (I'm lazy) to hook them up to my computer so I don't usually bother.

 

[Raduque]

I game exclusively with a stereo setup. A pair of older (70s/80s) tower speakers driven by an early 90s Sony integrated. My usage case is 80/20 music/gaming.

I don't like headphones, and I pretty much never use them. I prefer to feel, as well as hear, my audio.

 

[IAteYourMother]

Q701's sound different than the k701's. They have more bass than the ad700s and k701's. The midbass on the q701's is otherworldly. Really damn good.

They still retain the k701's ability to resolve minute details in audio. I should let it be known that this is paired with the hrt music streamer II+ which is considered a very punchy DAC when it comes to bass/midbass. They work very well together.

Interesting, but I'm still skeptical of the bass on the 701s unless they made it extremely different in later iterations, which I doubt. Right now I'm running 650s/SA5000s out of a M^3 amp and y1 DAC, which is working pretty well for me, but I'm always getting the itch to sell my shit and try different equipment.

 

[moonbogg]

Sometimes its better not to make the transition into better headphones. You will never know what you were missing and thus save a lot of money...

My current setup is:

Hrt music streamer II+
FiiO e9 amp
Akg q701's

There is some serious synergy between these components. It sounds spectacular.

I got good deals on this stuff, but I get your point. I paid $130 for the Zxr and $170 for the DT770's. Not bad, especially since the card is $180 or so on amazon. But you are right, I am already thinking, "if these are this damn good, how good would an even better pair be with a better amp and better source material?"
I had to get closed cans due to TV and people in the room with me. I would have got the DT880's for a more open sound, but they were open of course so I couldn't. Blown away by this setup coming from a lowly G35 (which I used to praise).

 

[El Guaraguao]

Speakers until neighbor start banging on the wall. Then I go headphone mode.

 

[norseamd]

I find the q701's to be more comfortable too because the insides of the cans do not compress my ears like the ad700's do.

have noticed this as well. the ad700 are good for the price so still a good buy. how much do the q701 cost and what do you need to power them. if i remember right i read some people saying the akg are quirky or something like that with a unique sound.

 

[_Rick_]

both

game sounds from speakers

vent/teamspeak/mumble through headphones

Same here!

 

[Keeper]

I run logitech g930 headphones. They run wireless for about 8 hours on a charge, 7.1 sound, built in Mic, and cost about 100 bucks. Great bang for the buck. And going from speakers to headphones is a night and day difference in picking up ambient sounds in games.

MAN, these look GREAT and great price. BUT.. I dont need/want wireless..
Most of the "Knocks" on the 'net are about the wireless.
Disconnect, buzzing and stuff like that.

Edit... Must have had a net Quake here at work with this Snow Storm. the first search on the Logitech website was USELESS. Just found a WHOLE bunch of goodies. Hide my wallet.

 

[TheBigEarl]

MAN, these look GREAT and great price. BUT.. I dont need/want wireless..
Most of the "Knocks" on the 'net are about the wireless.
Disconnect, buzzing and stuff like that.

Edit... Must have had a net Quake here at work with this Snow Storm. the first search on the Logitech website was USELESS. Just found a WHOLE bunch of goodies. Hide my wallet.

Yeah I was the same on the wireless, I didn't set out to get it, but when I bought mine it was I think 15 bucks difference to the equivalent wired set so I took a chance. I've grown to really like them since they have good range and I can walk into kitchen or even on front porch and still hear games, chat, etc.

I havent had any disconnecting issues. They do have a tiny bit of buzz when you use them wired while they are charging, but is pretty minor on mine, and no buzzing while running wireless. My only real knock on them is that they just barely clear my ears so if I don't get them set just right they can cause irritation if I use them a long time

 

[Tmf]

FPS = 100% Headphones
MMO = 70/30 in favor of Headphones

Currently using Beyerdynamic 990 Pros and really enjoy them.

 

[XiandreX]

MAN, these look GREAT and great price. BUT.. I dont need/want wireless..
Most of the "Knocks" on the 'net are about the wireless.
Disconnect, buzzing and stuff like that.

Edit... Must have had a net Quake here at work with this Snow Storm. the first search on the Logitech website was USELESS. Just found a WHOLE bunch of goodies. Hide my wallet.

I can vouch for the G930 Headphones. Probably one of the best upgrades I have ever done. I had my first pair until the microphone piece broke about 11 months in (my fault for being too rough). Had them replaced in warranty and havent had a single issue since. The battery life is awesome, the sound is great and immersive and the noise cancellation is very good.

 

[yhelothar]

Earphones. Etymotic ER4P - one of the best in binaural reproduction. Nothing beats binaural earphones in terms of surround reproduction. It's literally a sonic teleportation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUDTlvagjJA
http://www.naturespace.com


Although sometimes I like to fire up the 12" subwoofer and pound away with the minigun.