The NEW Gaming Headset/Headphone Topic! (REQUEST STICKY PLZ) - Page 166

Since I've followed this thread for over a year and purchased the Astro A50 headset a few month ago (my first "real" headset purchase), I'll chime in with my thoughts on them after a few months. Let me first mention that I'm no audiophile and that I only use them for gaming (COD series).

PROS
- Setup is a piece of cake
- Love that the mic mutes automatically when you flip it up
- Firmware updates are painless
- Comfortable on my head
- Headset controls are easy to use
- Battery lasts a long time. Haven't run it down yet.
- It looks cool!

CONS
- There is STILL no manual available online. I have to search the web site and forums for the EQ settings, game/chat balance, etc. Seriously, Astro?
- The one chat cable that's required between the headset and the controller is a small pain. When I first bought the headset, I didn't think anything of this, but it is definitely an inconvenience hooking up the cable for every gaming session.
- Went through a few weeks where chat audio would just stop working. Others could hear me but I couldn't hear them. After fiddling with a bunch of stuff (power off/on, etc.) it would suddenly fix itself. A firmware update seems to have fixed this issue.
- Black Ops 2 directional cues are pretty non-existent. From reading here and elsewhere, this is a game issue more than a headset issue though.

Would I buy them again? Yes, but they're not the perfect headset I was hoping for.

I would like to try the a50's myself to compare them to my delta's...I tried the a40s at pax east and they sounded soooo muddy...kinda hesitant to buy a50s and try but at least you can return them...not sure how much better they would be over my tb deltas anyways.

edit: watching some youtube videos-the a50s require you to tether the 360 controller for chat...... lammeee... TB definitely has them beat on that with the bluetooth puck for the controller so you can be completely wireless
Edited by Threefiddie - 11/28/12 at 11:49am

If I were to get a wired headset and dss2 (for maximum flexibility) are there adapters I can buy so I can use the headset mic on Xbox and ps3?

anyone out there looking to sell their mixamp 5.8????
If so please PM me, thanks.

Thanks for sharing. Hmm I think I will run my Pioneer Dir 800c to ground as the wireless headset is broken but the base works well and icing on the cake is it decodes DTS as well which is awesome if if I want to watch blu rays.

I just bought a pair of Sennheiser HD598 headphones to be used primarily for PS3 gaming. I am on the fence between getting a wired mixamp and a Recon 3D. I read through the thread and there does not seem to be a consensus on the Recon3D. I was just going to get the mixamp but they are currently out of stock of the standalone mixamps. Does anyone have any updated impressions of the Recon 3D? Do you think I should get the Recon3D or the wired mixamp? I don't plan on doing much chatting so I am mainly concerned with audio quality, the surround effect, hissing and complementing my HD598's.

Taken off the thread at head-fi... and in case you wanna know which is better, I'd say it's better to save up for the Mixamp than the Recon3d.



Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D USB
Many thanks to NamelessPFG for lending me this device!




Virtual Surround Device

Sells for $85

Pros:

+ Affordable wired alternative to the DSS, with mic capabilities (which the DSS lacks for everything but Turtle Beach headsets)

+ Low noise floor compared to the competition in the affordable price range (excluding the Headzone)

+ Software (computer required) has many settings to tweak to your personal preference, including an equalizer, bass boost with crossfeed, which you can then import directly to the device with a press of a button


Cons:

- Virtual surround doesn't quite match Dolby Headphone processing, with slightly inaccurate panning, lack of rear soundstage depth (compared to Dolby Headphone), and strange distortion with certain sound effects.

- Does not decode DTS natively.

- Software program has several useless and confusing settings, best left off (i.e. Crystalizer.)

- Scout Mode hurts the surround emulation for emphasis on certain audio ranges


Personal notes:

I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it is. It is indeed a viable alternative to devices like the Mixamp, DSS, and AX720, but it doesn't quite reach the performance sound quality-wise as those devices. It does deliver a clean, clear sound, with just a few hiccups (like odd, grainy treble distortion at times). I found the program to be mostly useless. Other than maxing out the Surround setting (default is at 65%), I left everything else alone. Bass boosting and EQ is best left to hardware, not software, though if you have no other choice, the option is there.

I'd personally put the surround emulation to be 75% as good as Dolby Headphone devices like the Mixamp. I found THX mode (the best mode), to be comparable to the Victor SU-DH1's DH1 mode. The Recon3D had better soundstage width and FRONT depth, but was comparable in rear depth, and didn't match the SU-DH1 in in positional cues (even in DH1 mode).

If you already own the Recon3D, no worries. It's a pretty good device, and you may not find the need to upgrade to a Dolby Headphone device, at least until you compare them side by side. The Recon 3D has a good sense of immersion and decent surround emulation. Would I personally recommend it? No. For a little more, I'd take the AX720 as I find Dolby Headphone to be worthwhile over the Recon3D's surround emulation, even if the AX720 has a audible noise floor. Even better would be the Mixamp, which has zero downsides vs the Recon3D.
Edited by Raven Crimson - 11/30/12 at 6:51pm

Ah, the AX720s - I'd forgotten about them. Here's what I'm deliberating at the moment:

1) TB PX5, XP 400, XP 500. 400s more because of the dual band radio. But they're not programmable like the px5/500s. Wireless is nice but I don't know what the sounds is going to be like nor how comfy they are. Like the idea of wireless Bluetooth twinning, but wireless is bottom priority. I'd rather have sound comfort and multi format.

2) I've used the Razer krakens in an internet cafe and they were super comfy for hours on end. Wanted to take them home with me! Could use this with a dss2 for the surround sound. But I'd need extra adapters for it to work on ps3 and Xbox. Wasn't thinking about sound quality re:balance when playing but bass was very nice. My laptop doesn't put out surround sound so surround is only important on consoles

3)These triton ax720s, which I didn't know were multi format. But could I use them with my phone and tablet for music and/or video?

Has anyone got any recommendations, warnings, or can think of any other factors that I should consider in this purchase? Astros are too expensive for me. £100-150 GBP is my budget roughly.

Many thanks

Some in our clan have used the xp500/px5 and the xp400. I currently use the Delta which is an xp500 with a different paint job. The xp500 is not comfortable for some people, including me. It's like it doesn't shrink down small enough so the earcups rest on the tops of your ears. I'd say I might have a small head but other people complained about the same thing. Also, the battery life is TERRIBLE and if you use rechargeable batteries there's no warning it's going dead. There will just suddenly be no sound or chat. Finally, I'm convinced the bluetooth adapter that plugs in the controller shortens the controller's battery life as well, which makes sense I guess.

The person in our clan that tried the xp400 ended up returning them. He said the battery life isn't great and the batteries are sealed into the unit so you're stuck charging them wired anyway.

In short, if it were me and I was doing it again, I would just live with the wires and not deal with the PITA that wireless headsets come with. In fact, there will probably be a TB Delta on sale very soon so that I can do exactly that.

Tritton's new headset is the Ax720+. You wouldn't be able to use the headset with any other devices because the thing that plugs into the inline controller from the headset is not just a standard 3.5mm jack. You could, however, use whatever headset you wanted with the 720+ decoder box.

I've had the xp400's for a couple weeks nows. I use them via an optical switch for my computer and xbox. Haven't had any battery issues. Have a big head and they fit, feel and sound great. I plug them in every 2-3 days which is around 12-15 hours of use. Haven't had them die on me yet.

So how did you get on? I'm thinking of getting a similar setup

Thanks for the info. I was originally just going to get the wired Mixamp to pair with my HD 598 headphones, but Astro is currently not selling the standalone units. That is when I started to look for alternatives and became intrigued with the Recon 3D, which is also only $99 on Amazon. My main concern was THX TruStudio vs Dolby Headphone. There is not a lot of info out there comparing THX TruStudio vs Dolby Headphone so I was reluctant to go with the Recon 3D.

I guess I will just wait patiently for Astro to start selling the standalone Mixamps. Apparently they plan on selling them again sometime this holiday season. I have read about a lot of people using the Mixamp with the HD 598 with very positive reviews, so I might as well stick with what i known to be good.

Thanks!

Actually, after all that 'soul searching and reading about all the problems that people have with these sets, I decided to not get a headset at all.

I'm not using game chat a huge amount at the moment, so the priority is quality and surround sound. To that end I'm going to get a DSS2 unit from Turtle Beach and then some Beyerdynamic 770Pro 80 ohm headphones.

If I need a mic on XBox360, I'll put the standard headset around my neck and pump the team's chat to my headphones.

If I need a mic on my PS3 then I'll hack a solution with a cheap bluetooth headset - same or pumping audio back through the headphones. On my laptop I'll just use the built in mic.

I figure this is actually the best and most reliable solution - top quality sound WITH surround sound and the occasional chat.

I hope that puts some thoughts into other people's heads and helps them out.

Cheers.

After reading as much of this thread as I can, I keep seeing everyone recommending the Astro MixAmp to use with headphones and the Xbox. However I have the Tritton decoder box (from my AX720's) and some AD700's on the way, I borrowed the A700x's from someone and hooked them up to my Tritton decoder box; it seemed just fine.

Are there any glaring differences between the MixAmp and the Tritton decoder box or something I would be missing out on? The MixAmp can only be had on ebay since Astro does not appear to sell it individually any longer; it seems to be quite expensive as well.

Thanks!

Originally I bought the Astro A40 set w/mixamp - I was one of the original shipment back in 2008 I think it was. I've used them for years and they were great. Not quite enough voice loop though, so I couldnn't hear myself very well which I didn't like. Also all the cables all over the place was annoying.

I bought the Turtle Beach X41's for the bedroom Xbox, and they work fine. Not as comfortable or as nice sound as the A40's (and there is some interference sometimes) but all in all, worth the price.

Last week I got the A50's to see if I could replace my A40's with something similar/better and wireless. After a firmware update, I feel they definitely can. I like the voice feedback they have much better than the A40s, and without any cables other than the one to the controller, they're very convenient. Seem to last 8 hours which is good, and they can be plugged in if gaming longer than that.

So Skullcandy/Astrogaming sent me the Slyr and A50s for review. The Slyr is an $80 headset. First impressions: Easily my fave headset I've used in terms of tonal balance, and all rounder signature. It's fun, pleasant, and well balanced aside from an emphasis in bass that isn't overpowering. It's not as articulate as the PC360 (obviously), and it's a closed headphone, but out of all I have used, I'd reach for them first for music, movies, and fun gaming. They're really good. The closed nature gives it a smaller soundstage than I'd like, but the positional cues were there. I did pair it up with the Mixamp 5.8 for gaming, and not it's included Mixer (as it's marketed as a stereo headset).

The A50s I have had less time with, but so far listening to music in stereo through my PC -> optical -> A50s, is not too shabby. The soundstage is definitely bigger than the Slyr's, but the mids are recessed in comparison. The Slyr is more focused, though constricted by it's soundstage in direct comparison. So far, I'd say I prefer the tonal balance and focus on the Slyr over the A50s for music.

Those are incredibly early impressions of the A50s and SLYR, so don't take them seriously.

edit: I also got the presets confused. Preset 1 is bass enhanced, preset 2 is flat, and preset 3 is treble enhanced. FWIH, the differences in stereo while listening to music seems to be negligible, or maybe even off. It seems that the presets work only through Dolby Headphone. I'll ask Astro directly, as I can't hear the difference, but it was obvious in DH. I can't even turn on DH while connected to the PC, which I assume is because the Mixamp has to find a Dolby Digital signal to allow it.

Currently have:
Slyr -> E17 (USB) -> PC
A50 -> PC (Optical)

The main difference between the Slyr and A50 that I hear is that the A50s have a bigger soundstage in stereo (haven't tested them for gaming yet). The Slyr sounds constricted in it's soundstage in comparison, though the actual audio quality is still good, and more focused than the A50s. The vocals are considerably more forward on the Slyr. The A50s's bass is a bit too heavy, personally. Very unlike how I remember the first gen A40s, which was bass light.

Also notice the Astro A50's internal DAC only accepts 16/48 in the sound properties. Not that it matters as the vast majority of content is 16/44 or 16/48 anyways.

First round for music: Slyr over the A50s.

Also wanna mention the SLYR sounds brighter than the A50s. Probably due to the tighter bass and forward mids.

edit: Just did an update on the A50's transmitter as well as the headset. Wonder what the changes will bring.
Edited by Raven Crimson - 12/8/12 at 6:30am

They're basically identical, though the AX720 has considerably more hiss than the Mixamp. If you're fine with the AX720 hiss, no real reason to get the Mixamp over it. They're very comparable, hiss aside.

Getting the Mixamp 2013 and A40s in today... so expect

SLYR
A40
A50
Mixamp 2013

Reviews soon-ish...

I'm new in the market for headphones and would like some input from you guys. I just bought the Tritton AX 720+ headset w/ decoder box. From what Ive read the headphones themselves can be improved upon, so I'm looking for better headphones. I will be using this almost strictly for gaming, sports games mostly. I have my sights set on the Beyerdynamic DT 990, but am unsure which version to get.

I need to know whether to get the 32-ohm, 250-ohm OR 600-ohm version to go with the 720+ decoder/amp. I have very little understanding of what those terms mean, but they seem to be important when matching up amps with speakers/headphones.

EDIT: I think Ive figured some things out. It appears to me that the 250-ohm OR 600-ohm version would be more suitable considering I have an amp, though I am unsure how powerful the 720 amp is. The 600-ohm version seems to get better reviews, does anyone have any concerns the 720 amp would be too weak for the 600 version? What should I expect from the 250?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Edited by pfalvey - 12/14/12 at 7:30pm

I have owned all three (4 including the Pro model) at the same time. The differences are absolutely minute. The 250ohm would work best with the 720 amp. The 32ohm is deceptively hard to drive. It gets louder faster than the 250ohm, but it won't sound as good until you give it some real power. The 600ohm deserves more than the 720 amp can provide. Well, so does the 250ohm, but it's more manageable.

The DT990 Pro and 250ohm Premium sound exactly the same, just different looks, and more clamp on the Pro model, but considerably cheaper.

The 600ohm is the best, but we're talking a very slight lead over the other two, and it requires a bit more power to make it sound better. I'd say go for the 250ohm, unless you wanna attach an external amp to the 720 to power the 600ohm. The 250ohm has the most bass and fun of all the 990s. The 32ohm sounds like the 600ohm with less refinement and smaller soundstage. The 600ohm is the cleanest, but the least 'fun'. It's more balanced. Still, the differences are very small. Ones you wouldn't notice unless you had them side by side to compare.
Edited by Raven Crimson - 12/15/12 at 5:07am

Upon unboxing the A40+Mixamp 2013 bundle, I'm greeted by a very lovely looking Mixamp (SO much better looking and feeling than the first gen).

What it comes with:

A40 headset

Mixamp 2013 Edition

Microphone for the headset

Male Y cable to allow the A40s to attach to a PC. This is NOT a female Y cable that will allow use of other headsets with the Mixamp, so make sure to order your own if that is the case.

Optical cable (fairly lengthy AND of good quality.... not like the flimsy, short optical cable that came with the Mixamp 5.8. One end is of the mini optical variety to directly connect to the Mixamp)

2.5mm Controller cable (for 360)

3.5mm cable with a mic mute switch for connecting directly to the A40s. (very nice to have a removable cable)

3.5mm male/male cable (apparently for connecting an MP3, but obviously works for anything)

USB to mini USB (I have a million so I'll leave this one alone)


All the cables are of good quality.

Looks good so far.

Things I have to note... if you sit far from your setup, you're gonna need your own long USB cable, and long optical cable (as well as getting a mini optical adapter). None of the cables supplied are long enough to have the Mixamp next to you if you are some distance away from your consoles.

Still, not happy that the Mixamp only has one optical input. Most gamers have MORE than one game system, so it's a hassle to constantly unplug just to switch to the other system. They need to rectify this with the next Mixamp model. We need more inputs, not less.

One impressive thing, is that the A50s don't seem much heavier than the A40, yet it has DH built in directly to the headset.

Note: Doesn't look like the A40s accept any other cable other than the one supplied, as I tried the Slyr and other cables, and none work. The A40 cable is 4 channels (I assume one is for the Stream channel), and the plug is pretty long. So you'll have to use the A40 cable, though an extension cable works fine if you're not using voice chat.
Edited by Raven Crimson - 12/15/12 at 5:56am

Thanks alot for your help, it's exactly what I was looking for.

I have a Mixamp 5.8 that I'm having a problem with. I'm currently using it with a set of PC360 and the problem is, whenever I try to talk to anyone it sounds fine for the first few words and then drops off and gets very quiet. It doesn't do this every time I use it, just sometimes. I've tried power cycling everything to no avail.

Any thoughts on what may be happening?

Can't say I do/don't have that issue, as I rarely use voice chat on my 5.8, but when I do, I don't have any issues.

Sorry to hear about your problem. Maybe its a problem with the PC360? Not sure.

Can't say I do/don't have that issue, as I rarely use voice chat on my 5.8, but when I do, I don't have any issues.

Sorry to hear about your problem. Maybe its a problem with the PC360? Not sure.

I've used the PC 360 combo for a few years now...still prefer it to the mixamp pro a40 setup for most applications.

I had issues with the mic on the first PC360 I had (post is somewhere way back in this thread or the previous one). Oddly enough it worked fine on PC, it was only w/the mixamp that it would occasionally cut out or sound output would be muted.

I exchanged it & have had no problems since.

Ihave another question if you don't mind. Is there a difference between using the ax-720+ thru the ps3 with the DT 990's and just plugging the 990's into my Pioneer receiver (which has the 5.1, not sure about 7.1) w/ the ps3 like before when I didn't have the ax720? I also have a bigger amplifier to use that drove my big speakers, if that helps. I'm thinking about returning the 720 OR buying a better gaming amp (upgrade from the 720/astro mixamp)? Do you have any recommendations for better headphone amplifiers that would work with the ps3 and work well with the DT 990 Pro 250 version?

Thanks in advance.
Edited by pfalvey - 12/17/12 at 7:13pm

Your receiver's headphone processing is probably not Dolby Headphone, so it will be QUITE different from the AX720/Mixamp. The only Receivers I know that have/had DH was older Denon receivers, and Harman Kardon. Older ones...

Raven - Have you tried the A50's with gaming yet? I know you said soon but was wondering if you had any early impressions on the gaming side. I love my PC360 but it might be time for to sacrifice a little quality for less wires. Thanks

Sorry, I'm more active on the thread at Head-fi.

Yes, I've used the A50s... I don't like them. Quite disappointed. I think the SLYR sounds considerably better, and costs a fraction of the price. That poor sound quality for a high price, it doesn't match. Don't make that mistake... DO NOT sacrifice that much SQ for wireless. Just mediocre.

However, I really like the new A40s and the new Mixamp. Like, REALLY like them. I don't think they're as good as the PC360s, but for an all in one solution, the A40 bundle is pretty damn great. I like them more than the PC360 for music and movies. For gaming though, the PC360s have a comfortable lead in positioning, soundstage, and balance. That's what happens when you pit a closed headset to an open one. Yes, the A40's tags can be removed, but they still sound the same, tags or not.

The SLYR review comes first, then the A50s, and finally the A40+Mixamp 2013 edition.
Edited by Raven Crimson - 12/19/12 at 4:57am