Headphones for Xbox 360

[dmw16]

With the arrival of our baby I don't really want to play games like Call of Duty when the baby in the living room. So I was thinking of getting headphones that I can plug into the receiver when I play Xbox.

So the first question is: wired or wireless? Some studio headphones have pretty long cords and I don't sit more than 4-6' from the receiver.

After that, what are some good options? For wireless I was looking Sennheiser HD280 or the RS170 for wireless.

What are some good options in the sub-$200 range?

Thanks.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Do you need tons of bass or want a certain coloration to the sound? Are you a fan of Sennheiser's sound in particular or can you see yourself looking elsewhere for an option?

You can get some Sony MDR-7506 headphones for $99 which are primarily used for studio work but they have a very clean sound. You can probably demo them at a local music store like Guitar Center. I have a pair that is very old and I am still pretty impressed with their clarity. They are a little flat sounding, not a whole lot of bass but if you can EQ them up a bit they can sound to your liking.

Sennheiser makes some headsets that are made for gaming. They have a noise canceling microphone as well. The U320 is made specifically for the Xbox 360, but you can use adapters to get any of their sets to work.

I've never liked wireless headphones. With a wired set I never need to worry about batteries. I suppose it will depend on your proximity to the source. As you mentioned you sit about 6feet, I'd just go wired. It's usually less expensive too.

 

[videogames101]

personally i would spring for the wireless pair on a console, because of how i use consoles - the freedom to walk around with the headphones on is awesome - but you will end up paying more for the same sound quality. it all depends if you are concerned with the audio signature or not. if you are, go wired

RS170 are excellent for wireless

For wired senn's under $200, you'r looking at HD598s, which will be a serious upgrade from the rs170 in terms of sound quality, they are considered very well-rounded entry-audiophile cans. they are open, however, so they will leak sound which might not be ideal for a child

if you're looking for closed headphones i would steer you towards the Audio-Technica ATH-M50, which will have better bass response than the senn's but less clarity overall and a much narrower soundstage

there are plenty of other options sub-$200 but those are some of my favorite

 

[dmw16]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I will probably skip the gaming specific ones because I have no interest in a mic. All the people that talk on CoD spew racist nonsense it seems and I just mute them.

Open headphones are fine. Some sound leak is fine, I just don't want really loud noises cuz I generally get to play when the baby is napping.

I had similar Sonys to the Sony MDR-7506 years ago and they are $85 on Amazon. That's kinda hard to beat I think. With a nice 10ft cord.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50 look nice too but they are a lot more. $200 was my upper limit but I'm not against cheaper. Day care is expensive

Thanks again all.

 

[cmdrdredd]

See if any local places have demo units. Most music stores have a bunch of different ones, and maybe you'll find something there you like that wasn't mentioned.