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The NEW Gaming Headset/Headphone Topic! (REQUEST STICKY PLZ) - Page 10

post #271 of 5201
11/5/10 at 7:11pm
For those that aren't biased against review sites, I scanned through the document (it's pretty long, so I confess to not reading every word) and it was a pretty good review of a bunch of different brands. Again, they don't talk about the gaming aspect, but IMO they do a good job of giving an idea of the sonic qualities of each set.

They also have a couple of sections at the beginning that would be good for those new to the headphone world. It talks about closed vs. open, the reality of needing an amp for some 'phones, and covers a lot of the terminology. In fact, if it was possible I'd say pages 6-9 would be worth adding to the front page. Again, just for people who are new to all this.

They don't give a number rating or anything to actually compare one set directly to another, but in the different categories I'd say they like:

Under $200: NuForce UF-30 (on-ear) and the Shure SRH440 (over-ear)
$200-$650: AKG K702 (over-ear), Beyer DT-990 (over-ear), and Shure SRH840

Those, by my judgment of their graphs, are the ones I felt they liked best, but there others that got high marks as well. The only one that got noticeably lower marks was the Ultrasone Pro 2500.

Besides the two categories above they've also got sections for noise canceling 'phones and sets over $650. Anyway, interesting read, IMO.
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post #272 of 5201
11/5/10 at 8:04pm
That document is very comprehensive from the look of it. A lot of the recognized "best" headphones are in it, and it seems like a well written article, but admittedly, I didn't read the whole thing.

KBI, it would be worth your while to look at it before commenting on it. I don't think it's as bad as you think at all.
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post #273 of 5201
11/5/10 at 9:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shin CZ View Post

No, no. I don't want the 770 Pros. I HAD them. The ones I want are the Premium DT770 600ohm, which are VERY different from the 770 Pro 80ohm. Like two different headphones.

The K701 and 990s are fully open, so they leak out noise. I'm in the living room when I use them so it's not a problem, but if there comes at time when I need to be quiet or someone is in the same room sleeping, the 770 600ohm is my best bet. Closed headphones have a very different sound from open headphones. A little more calustrophobic, smaller soundstage, and usually a LOT more bass. The 770 600ohm are considered very balanced, and still has a decent soundstage that gives some open headphones a run for their money when it comes to soundstage. Most headphones sold in local stores are closed, so chances are you already know what to expect, but on a waaaay higher level with the 770 600ohm.

As for 702 vs 990s, it depends. If you're gonna play a lot of FPS, the 702 will have an advantage. If you're gonna play lots of various games and listen to music, I'd prefer the more fun 990s.

I wouldn't wanna choose only one, which is why I have both, lol.

Both have their strengths and weaknesses. For now, the 990s would get more use for me. I whip out the K701 for Call of Duty and whenever I feel like being analytical of music.

Arggg Shin, now I want both! NO, scratch that, now I want all 3!!!

I find times when I play xbox on the bed next to my girl I am going to need closed headphones!!!

Can you throw me a quick 990 vs. K702 vs. DT770 600 ohm comparison!?

Also, with no voice chat, will the mixamp be okay for all 3 (for now of course)

P.S. Do you think I will enjoy 990s more than 702s outside of FPS? BTW, I'm definitely going to wind up getting both at sometime. Keep in mind, PC and XBOX here. And while I am on the feel good subject, love the forum -- and you guys are all a great help. For sure going to be contributing around here.
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post #274 of 5201
11/5/10 at 9:28pm
Thread Starter 
I haven't heard the DT770/600 yet. Something I plan on doing sometime next year.

Outside of FPS, the DT990 ALL the way. However it is based off personal preference. If you some kickass bass, the 990s are for you. If you want a more even, slightly bass light, mid-forward sound, the K702 is for you.

There are two types of people in this world. Analytical listeners, and those who want a little more fun out of their headphones. I'm the latter, but I appreciate analytical listening for certain applications like competitive gaming, which is my main use for the K701. 95% of the time when I'm NOT being competitive, the DT990s are gonna be the ones I use.

Like I said: If I didn't have the K701, I wouldn't have a problem using the 990s competitively, but the K701 is just better in this regard.

The 770s will most likely fall between the two I already own, but with a closed sound and smaller soundstage. In most cases, I would never use a closed headphone unless I absolutely had to, so the 770s would be a sort of last resort for me.

Oh yeah, my Creative Aurvana Live is my closed headphone that does just what I need for a closed can. I'm just impulsive and WANT the DT770/600. I don't NEED it whatsoever. Lol.

And yes, all of these work 99% fine with JUST the Mixamp and no voice chat.
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post #275 of 5201
11/5/10 at 9:45pm
unless you just want to spend loads of cash, i'd get the PC360, and something closed later for quiet time in bed

yes, i've had them for half a day, and i am recommending them already
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post #276 of 5201
11/5/10 at 9:52pm
Thread Starter 
Care to comment on their sound? Warm, neutral, fun, large soundstage? Also comfort and mic quality...

I trust your opinions on headphones more than anyone else, so I believe you. If you say they're good, they're good. Still, it's a little too late in the game for me to go for those, and I don't want a permanently placed mic on my headphones (at least not for their price). That and I'm not a fan of the Sennheiser house sound. Too relaxed and unaggressive for me in the high end. Still I value your input as to how they work with the Mixamp among other things.

Still, looking at reviews and whatnot, it looks like a real contender for gamers who want a headSET that does everything. I think if you would have gotten the PC360 before I took the plunge on the 990s, I may have been impulsive enough to buy it. As it stands, I have two headphones for every single aspect of gaming, so the PC360 would be moot for ME. Now to order that damn $2.50 mic obazavil linked, lol.

I really like how the PC360 looks...
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post #277 of 5201
11/6/10 at 12:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by formulanerd View Post

unless you just want to spend loads of cash, i'd get the PC360, and something closed later for quiet time in bed

yes, i've had them for half a day, and i am recommending them already

formulanerd, can you compare the PC360s with the DT990s and K702s we have been discussing?

And another contender enters the arena... I thought the Seinhessers were out of the question when comparing it to the mentioned.
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post #278 of 5201
11/6/10 at 12:34am
Thread Starter 
'Nerd hasn't used the 990s, but he has the K702, DT880s, and some others.
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post #279 of 5201
11/6/10 at 12:52am
dollar for dollar the PC360 ranks up there with the best of them, but i've only been using them today.

K702 is still better, but ONLY if you're shelling out more money on an amp, then your investment increases significantly... and you've got to situate a microphone solution... nothing wrong with going this route, if you really want to invest in some headphones for music as well (vs. just getting a pretty good gaming headset)

I've spent between 2 and 3 years using different headsets and hi-fi headphones, and i think i finally found the compromise between price, looks, comfort, performance, lack of clutter, etc... and it's looking like the PC360.

It's like owning a few lambo's and ferrari's, and just really wanting to go flog an SS or a GT around town.
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post #280 of 5201
11/6/10 at 12:59am
Thread Starter 
That's great to hear. Looks like a headset that dethrones the A40 when it comes to an all in one solution.

T1, while I know my headphones are effective, the PC360 may be all you need. You should talk to Mack, who's trying to sell his (he's had it for a week only).
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post #281 of 5201
11/6/10 at 1:11am
Thread Starter 
Type One, I see you're posting your questions on Head-fi. Most of them are gonna recommend AD700s, Senn 555, AD900, DT880s. Most of them also don't use virtual surround.
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post #282 of 5201
11/6/10 at 1:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by formulanerd View Post

unless you just want to spend loads of cash, i'd get the PC360, and something closed later for quiet time in bed

yes, i've had them for half a day, and i am recommending them already

F'ing love it...you gotta give me props on the hook up! I love mine too...just a little to tight around my ears. Has got me thinking I want to try the Beyer 990/600. Only thing with that though is the whole no mic issue. I'm not about rigging up mics and having all kinds of wires all over the place. F that. I'd imagine when BO drops next Tues I'll have at least one 8-10 hour session with the Senns within the first few days of the release and if I notice they really start F'in with my ears & giving me headaches then I'll def sell them and scoop the Beyers.
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post #283 of 5201
11/6/10 at 1:17am
tight fit is the easiest fix for any headphone just put it on a basketball or something overnight... you don't want to over do it, but it should be pretty easy to get a good fit.
(tonight i'm resting the headphones over 12 xbox game cases and running pink noise through them from my pc and biwavegen, i'll report the "stretching" results tomorrow)


my head is fairly large, and they're a little tighter than i'd like (they fit about as tight as the ax720 for me) so i may stretch them just a hair


but yea, i've fiddled with cables and mics and zip ties and velcro for far too long... love the mic on this thing and the volume control on the cup seems to be of high quality (doesnt introduce any noise or hiss like a cheap pot would)... this isnt the end all be all, but first day impressions are definitely very high.... and this is coming from someone who hated the 555, and didnt care for the (very) short audition of the 595 i had.
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post #284 of 5201
11/6/10 at 1:27am
also, someone needing a solution for closed and open gaming may as well get the ax720+pc360... same price as the mixamp+pc360, and you have a free closed headset (the ax720) and the pc360... i'm going to hook up my ax720 control box tomorrow and test drive for a bit... may end up selling my whole astro package.
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post #285 of 5201
11/6/10 at 1:39am
Thread Starter 
Yeah, one thing to note, once you hit a certain price range, the upgrade in sound quality isn't necessarily worth the price. So even though I'm sure the 990s and K701/2 are better, the PC360s will probably have what you're looking for without needing as much as if you want the higher priced headphones.

I certainly would look into something like the PC360 FIRST, and if you aren't happy with that and have money to spend, then look into something like the K702/990 plus amp.
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post #286 of 5201
11/6/10 at 1:41am
the law of diminished returns
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post #287 of 5201
11/6/10 at 1:52am
Thread Starter 
I'm just an impulsive person who wants more than I need. I wasn't fully happy with the prior equipment I had an eventually found what I was looking for in the K701 and 990. I certainly don't recommend spending around 800 dollars (not including my CALs, and all the other headphones I have bought this year, and it's a loooot) just to be happy with headphones...seriously.

K701 - $250
DT990 - $229
Mixamp - $130
Fiio E7/E9 - $200

Where you can just spend less than half of that and be just as happy as me.

That's what you would spend to have what I currently have. I'm certainly not made of money...
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post #288 of 5201
11/6/10 at 2:40am
Thread Starter 
After the A40/Mixamp combo...

You guys know all about my obsession with budget headphones which are too many to count so I wont post those:

AD700 ($75) - Sold to a friend. Loved them so much, but the loose fit and lack of headband irked me. Also my ears would get shocked by the drivers. I'm very static prone.

RE0 ($95) - Awesome iems. Sold on Head-fi. Didn't need high quality iems.

M50 ($92) - sold to roommate. Great at music. Bad soundstage for gaming.

Sony XB700 ($80) - Returned. AWESOME basshead cans, that were too boomy for gaming, and the stitching hurt my skin.

DT770 Pro 80 ($200) - sold on Head-fi. Great for immersive gaming, but too much muddy bass at times. I honestly didn't have problem with them but once I heard the K701, I couldn't stand the lack of clarity in these.

Tritton Ax Pros ($189) - returned and lost 15% of what I paid as a restocking fee. HATED IT.

DT880 32ohm ($289) - traded on Head-fi for used K701 (which was worth less NEW than my DT880s at the time, but I always wanted the K701. I didn't get them until then because I was afraid knowing that they were hard to drive, and Head-fi blows hard to drive headphones out of proportion. I'm sooo glad I got them. The 880s sound great but had a lack of positional cues for me. Too bad. I loved their sound more than the K701.)

K701 (look above) - Still own and will always own.

ES7 ($70) - Sold to a friend. Got them for music on the go. Fantastic, but uncomfortable.

Creative Aurvana Live ($65 on Newegg at the time. Went back up to over $100 until just recently) - Still own. Fantastic pair of closed headphones.

Turtle Beach PX21 ($80) - Returned. Hissing waaay too much.

Turtle Beach Z2 ($65) - first pair broke before I could test them. Second pair was returned. I didn't think these were anywhere near good enough for me.

DT990/600 ($229) - my saviors!

That's all in ONE YEAR.

So yeah, to say that the K701 and DT990 are all I could ever ask for, is saying a lot. There's absolutely nothing else I could ever want besides the DT770/600 for closed, and a mic I can use without attaching it to my headphones. Buying a headset would be pretty much useless for me as I voice chat like .00001% of the time I play games. I'm gonna order that cheap mic obazavil posted...

In no way do I recommend spending so much on headphones when ONE open (like a well balanced can like the DT880) and ONE closed would be the extreme amount of headphones a normal person should have.
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post #289 of 5201
11/6/10 at 7:27am
Thread Starter 
Triple post ninja. Sorry.

I needed to make this it's own post.

So I decided to try out some very easy to drive headphones with the E9.

M50 and Creative Aurvana Live (I had the CALs pretty much wrapped up and ready to be handed over in it's pouch). Holy smokes!

Okay, this is COMPLETELY unnecessary as the E7 alone already does a bang up job with these two, but I had to do it. They sound ****ing fantastic! What's funny to me is just how comparable these two are to each other. Like REALLY similar in sound. Last time I tested them out was with the E7, and the E9 is no different. These two are FANTASTIC closed headphones for the price. They're both easy to drive, but both exhibit some kickass sound with some amping.

Damn, the CALs still put a smile to my face...
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post #290 of 5201
11/6/10 at 9:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bbexperience View Post

Do you have something against A Perfect Sound/Playback/AVGuide or what?

The list/reviews are just a high level kind of thing. I didn't post it for you "hardcore" headphoners because obviously you already know what you like.

Anyway, there aren't even any Bose headphones in the list, so you can rest easy.

No Bose.. Wow.. Must be the only one that is half credible.. I added BOSE cause through my 4 yrs in this hobby, That is what is in 98% of the guides I seen over the yrs.. unless they are 'hardcore' guides.. So, if people want to hate with played out you fail images, & your thin skinned post, go right ahead.
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post #291 of 5201
11/6/10 at 10:00am
Actually, i was surprised when I started checking that bose is not mentioned ever... Only brands I never heard before... Seems bose is the apple of music systems famous and not that good
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post #292 of 5201
11/6/10 at 11:27am
Apple is overpriced for sure, but it's hardly something you would compare to bose.

I looked over that headphone review. I'm surprised there isn't a bose noise cancelling set in the list, as they go through a whole line of phones with this feature. But they do review beats by dr dre. Which is what I would consider the bose of this list. Now I've never heard them but they are made by monster which is the bose of cabling...besides that, they are ugly as sin.

I'm kind of annoyed with their graphing system because they don't stick to a solid system. One headphone they rate "frequency extremes" then another it's not even on the list. Each of the sponsor's brand all had little notes on the graph stating how outrageous this rating was that it's not quantifiable. There value rating for the first sponsored headphone was really funny. All the hifiman phones were rated with "sensitivity" which I don't even know what the hell is supposed to mean anyway. I'm assuming a low number is good because all of them were very low numbers compared to all the big name brands. Not all the phones had this rating. The hifiman all seemed to be rated 10s across the board, until sensitivity, which was of course low.

Someone explain what they are rating in the sensitivity column.

Edit: ah found an explanation on headfi, which was a little more technical than I can understand. Here's a simple one I found if you're all dimwitted like me: "Bottom line: Phones sensitivity is only a measure of the ability to play loud enough only if comparing phones with about the same ohms impedance that are being driven by the same headphone amplifier."

So sensitivity is really not a good or bad thing from what I understand. If you're a person willing to drop $700-1100 for a headphone alone, you're going to either have an amplifier or willing to get one. Sensitivity is really a non-issue, they can rate it low on those headphones. Or it could even be seen as highpoint that it's rated so low, for the elitist headphone nuts.
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post #293 of 5201
11/6/10 at 12:01pm
These are $80, i wonder how they'll fare against the A40 and/or HPX... cup design looks similar to the MDR-F1, which is a very good thing.

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post #294 of 5201
11/6/10 at 1:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yrd View Post

Apple is overpriced for sure, but it's hardly something you would compare to bose.

I looked over that headphone review. I'm surprised there isn't a bose noise cancelling set in the list, as they go through a whole line of phones with this feature. But they do review beats by dr dre. Which is what I would consider the bose of this list. Now I've never heard them but they are made by monster which is the bose of cabling...besides that, they are ugly as sin.

I'm kind of annoyed with their graphing system because they don't stick to a solid system. One headphone they rate "frequency extremes" then another it's not even on the list. Each of the sponsor's brand all had little notes on the graph stating how outrageous this rating was that it's not quantifiable. There value rating for the first sponsored headphone was really funny. All the hifiman phones were rated with "sensitivity" which I don't even know what the hell is supposed to mean anyway. I'm assuming a low number is good because all of them were very low numbers compared to all the big name brands. Not all the phones had this rating. The hifiman all seemed to be rated 10s across the board, until sensitivity, which was of course low.

Someone explain what they are rating in the sensitivity column.

Edit: ah found an explanation on headfi, which was a little more technical than I can understand. Here's a simple one I found if you're all dimwitted like me: "Bottom line: Phones sensitivity is only a measure of the ability to play loud enough only if comparing phones with about the same ohms impedance that are being driven by the same headphone amplifier."

So sensitivity is really not a good or bad thing from what I understand. If you're a person willing to drop $700-1100 for a headphone alone, you're going to either have an amplifier or willing to get one. Sensitivity is really a non-issue, they can rate it low on those headphones. Or it could even be seen as highpoint that it's rated so low, for the elitist headphone nuts.

Yeah, I agree that it's strange that not every headphone has the same measurements. Sensitivity is a good example. Every headphone has some sensitivity rating, but not every one had it in the graph. Maybe some of them don't publish the rating and that's why it's not there, I don't know.

Regarding the Beats by Dre - I agree that on the surface they seem like they would be the Monsters or Boses of the list, and to some extent they are. However, I've seen other places (like Sound & Vision) that actually like them for what they are, and rate them pretty highly. So maybe they're not as bad as we're assuming they are. Has anyone here actually used a Beats by Dre that can give some quick thoughts on them?

Finally, aren't the HiFiMAN 'phones reviewed here supposed to be really good? I could be wrong as I don't know much about them. Still, I'll agree that it's a little strange for them to review a product by a manufacturer that's a sponsor of that issue.

edit: I noticed this on page 6:

Quote:


As a general rule, Playback reviews are not written with a “shootout” mentality, in part because we believe that listeners are individuals who have different needs and musical preferences, so that typically, there is no one “right” choice or “best” product. Instead, we hope you’ll consider our reviews as fact-inding missions where the goal is to explore the sonic character of each headphone under review, talk about the strengths and weaknesses of each model. In a broader sense, our reviews also aim to give readers an idea of what levels of performance can be achieved at various price points (though as you will soon discover there are exceptional performers in almost every price bracket).
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post #295 of 5201
11/6/10 at 3:04pm
Tried the beats and solos at Best Buy and 1 other A/V center (forgot the name... but it's new the the area). Found them to have exaggerated bass and highs, under emphasized mids.... yup, sounded like Bose to me.
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post #296 of 5201
11/6/10 at 3:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SID3W8Z View Post
Tried the beats and solos at Best Buy and 1 other A/V center (forgot the name... but it's new the the area). Found them to have exaggerated bass and highs, under emphasized mids.... yup, sounded like Bose to me.
Bah, what do YOU know? lol.
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post #297 of 5201
11/6/10 at 3:54pm
Hey Shin check these out formulanerd showed me this and thought they looked wicked nasty!

http://www.akg.com/akg_personal/medi...ba7720c535.png
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post #298 of 5201
11/6/10 at 3:57pm
oh yea, craig... using the game cases to stretch the headphones overnight worked well... i used 12 cases and they were a little bigger than i wanted this morning, but just letting them rest, or using them has snugged them up a bit, but not as snug (too snug) as before.
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post #299 of 5201
11/6/10 at 4:31pm
Yeah I think I'm going to do that tonight. I saw earlier where you mentioned them fitting similarly to the AX720s and I do agree as far the ear cups go....but I think these things are way more comfy. I actually really like them a lot...still wanting to try those Beyers though.
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post #300 of 5201
11/6/10 at 5:07pm
Did you have to show me a picture of these? I had forgot all about them. Just placed my order and should have them teusday or wednesday.

* Driver Unit : Open Air, Dynamic
40 mm, dome
* Frequency Response : 14 - 22,000 Hz
* Impedance : 24 Ohms at 1 kHz
* Sensitivity (db) : 100 dB/mW
* Cord : 1.5 m (59 2/32 in.)
* Microphone : Built-in, Electret Condenser Microphone
* Plug : Gold-plated stereo mini plug (for headphones)
Gold-plated mini plug (for microphone)
* Power Handling Capacity : 1000 mW (IEC)



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