Headsets

[Kor]

Gentlepeople, the previous thread had a 2009 date on it and nothing useful was coming out of it. My current headset has now resulted in death threats made by a close friend who is also former Special Forces para-rescue(He was paid to *not* go bump in the night) D:

I'm in the market, and don't mind spending to get the complete package. Looking for high fidelity(Game/Mumble|Skype/Music all at the same time), build quality(my headsets enjoy base-jumping), and noise-cancelling(Rig is right next to me).

Recommendations? Personal anecdotes? Contemptuous remarks? Post them here.

I'd also like to summon Mission particularly, being the resident audio guy. I was curious to learn how to evaluate the various specs to a headset:

Exempli Gratia

Headphones
Frequency response: 18 – 28.000 Hz <-- I know this is frequency range for audio reproduction
Impedance: 32 Ohm <-- Power draw vs. usage?
SPL@ 1kHz, 1 Vrms: 112 dB <-- ?

Microphone
Frequency response: 50 – 16.000 Hz <--Frequency range for pickup?
Pick up pattern: Uni-directional  <--Versus what alternative?
Sensitivity: -38 dB  <-- Obviously measuring the audible threshold, but this shit isn't metric [Why not 0db for for zero sound? :x ]

Thanks in advance <3

[Didzo]

You'll get more options if you purchase headphones with a separate clip-on or standing microphone.

I don't see a need for a noise canceling headset/headphones. I find that closed back headphones block ambient noise well enough on their own.

[Chief]

http://wiki.installgentoo.com/index.php?...Headphones

usually good recommendations i think

[Mission Difficult]

The frequency response is the range of frequencies a transducer can handle, but that alone doesn't say how accurately it handles them. What you really want is a frequency response graph which looks like this:


Low impedance means it takes less voltage but more current to drive and vice versa for hight impedance.

SPL is sound pressure level (dBSPL) which is how loud something is.

For the mic specs, frequency response is the same thing.

There a few different pickup patterns (polar responses,) cardioid is probably the best for your application. It looks like this:

You would be sitting at the top, facing the center. The black lines are the areas where the microphone is most effective at picking up sound. There are also super and hyper cardioid patterns which pick up less around the sides but a little more towards the rear. Really anything that isn't omni or bi directional should be just fine.

Sensitivity is how well the microphone picks up sound. It's sometimes express as mV, the negative dB value is usually an American thing.

With that in mind, specs aren't the entire story. If you have any music or recording equipment stores nearby, bring some music on a portable player and ask to try some out.

Something to look out for are headphones with detachable cables. These are great if you happen to be one of those people that are constantly running over the cord with your chair.

[rumbot]

Gentlepeople, the previous thread had a 2009 date on it and nothing useful was coming out of it.

I *still* am rocking the same pair of grado SR60s, still loving them. Must be 8 or more years old now.

You can spend $80 on grados, or you can spend 300 or more.

I prefer the clip-on mic, so I can use the headphones as headphones later. I am liking this Olympus ME-52W as it has a detachable cord so when I run over the cord with my chair (like I always do), I can replace the cable and not have to buy anew.

[FlyingMongoose]

I <3 my razer products

[Kor]

Huge <3 Mission.

I've having a tough time ignoring the shiny Siberia or A40 out of Steel Series and Astro, respectively. much hype. such pro. wow.

Grado's look amazing(Although Canadian availability looks less so) Rummy, are you using an adapter to get that into your compy?

[Didzo]

Huge <3 Mission.

I've having a tough time ignoring the shiny Siberia or A40 out of Steel Series and Astro, respectively. much hype. such pro. wow.

Grado's look amazing(Although Canadian availability looks less so) Rummy, are you using an adapter to get that into your compy?

Quick note about Grados --- they are open backed, so they won't block any background noise and leak music/sounds when they work. I don't own a pair, but I would guess that they have a 1/8" plug and a 1/4" adapter.

I use a pair of ATH M50 headphones and they serve my gaming and music listening needs just fine.

[rumbot]

Quick note about Grados --- they are open backed, so they won't block any background noise and leak music/sounds when they work. I don't own a pair, but I would guess that they have a 1/8" plug and a 1/4" adapter.

Yep and yep.

1/8 mini jack and I've got a whole plethora of adapters up to 1/4 for those times I need that. standard old headphone jack, words with my headphone amp, guitar amp, ios thingee, pc, whatever.

Prior to these, I always preferred around-ear and closed. But these are on-ear and open and I quite like them. Depends if you want isolation from the outside or if you still want to converse with someone without yanking them off.

[StolenToast]

Quick note about Grados --- they are open backed, so they won't block any background noise and leak music/sounds when they work. I don't own a pair, but I would guess that they have a 1/8" plug and a 1/4" adapter.

My 325i actually ends in 1/4" and has an 1/8" adapter.  I like this system, it means I am always ready for either.

[Evil Cheese]

So Amazon has Logitech G35s on sale for about $60. I know they're not close to being cream of the crop audio quality-wise, but for the price are they worth it? Does anyone have any experience with this model or this line? The next step up is the wireless version (G930) but I've been weary of any sort of interface device that uses the 2.4 GHz band since my stent with some wireless keyboards/mice that would lose connection often, but they do have a slightly nicer build quality. I'm looking for a USB set specifically since anybody who has tried to chat with me knows that I have grounding issues with my PC that causes noise from the mic jack.

G35 - http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-7-1-Chann...B001O5CCQK

G930 - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VANOFY/

[Eightball]

I liked the G35, it wasn't a bad headset. Ironically, I had grounding problems with it on my old PC and it kept creating an annoying whining sound. The on-headset controls are kinda of neat.

[WaR1761]

So Amazon has Logitech G35s on sale for about $60. I know they're not close to being cream of the crop audio quality-wise, but for the price are they worth it? Does anyone have any experience with this model or this line? The next step up is the wireless version (G930) but I've been weary of any sort of interface device that uses the 2.4 GHz band since my stent with some wireless keyboards/mice that would lose connection often, but they do have a slightly nicer build quality. I'm looking for a USB set specifically since anybody who has tried to chat with me knows that I have grounding issues with my PC that causes noise from the mic jack.

G35 - http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-7-1-Chann...B001O5CCQK

G930 - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VANOFY/

I used to use the g35s great stuff, voice changer and buttons also mic mute. Main complaint I had was build quality. The plastic were the cups rotate on the headband is were they get small stress fractures and its a known issue. For 60 bucks though still good deal.

First time mine broke was covered under warranty 2nd time was outside the coverage period. Moved on to better headset. http://en-us.sennheiser.com/g4me-zero
If you start looking at higher end headphones be aware of having a good sound card to drive them. The g4me-zeros are a high impedance at 150 ohms.

[FlyingMongoose]

Razer just announced this for pre-order today:

http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-audio/ra...ium=edm_US

Not a headset, but has a headphone jack.

[Mission Difficult]

Razer just announced this for pre-order today:

http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-audio/ra...ium=edm_US

Not a headset, but has a headphone jack.

Three diaphragms with a built in pre-amp going to USB. I'm sure that won't sound terrible...

[FlyingMongoose]

I'm not a sound guy. .. just thought it neat

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[HeK]

It's also $180.

The headphone jack appears to only be for local monitors.