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Mad Lust Envy's Headphone Gaming Guide: (8/18/2022: iFi GO Blu Review Added)
Aug 1, 2014 at 4:28 PM Post #25,036 of 48,566
stillhart said:
PLYR1 is pretty solid for an all-in-one wireless solution.  I had one for a bit, but ended up returning it.  See, I also had purchased a Recon3D and a Q701 and the AKG just blows the Skullcandy away.  They're like in a different tier.

With a $300 budget, if you can swing wired, I highly recommend just getting a Mixamp or Recon and something like a K612 and a cheap clip-on mic.  You can also troll eBay for a cheap wireless Mixamp 5.8.  I got mine for $40 shipped!  That's a great budget and you should be able to find plenty of solid solutions.
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He will need an amp for the K612, for sure. Might be better off with the Q's, or something efficient like the SMs.
 
Aug 1, 2014 at 5:07 PM Post #25,037 of 48,566
change is good said:
He will need an amp for the K612, for sure. Might be better off with the Q's, or something efficient like the SMs.
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Thing about the 120 ohm K612 though, yes you'll need to crank the volume higher, but assuming it has the same/similar sensitivity then the amp wouldn't have to be able to pump more current into less voltage like the K702/Q701 that have 62 Ohms. So as long as the amp can be turned loud enough, then it's more likely to also have enough current and sound good.

Anyway, a Recon3D USB will take care of USB mic hookup (just buy a cheap lapel mic, like a Neweer 3-pack for $6), and then the K612 (will sound better with an amp, even a cheap FiiO E11 will allow the wife to adjust volume from her chair, but without an amp it will have less fatiguing highs than an unamped Q701). Cool thing about the Recon3D USB is that it's a nicely streamlined setup: you get mic+chat audio without plugging anything into a controller, so your controller is untethered, and the Recon3D USB comes with a nice flat-cable extension cord that resists tangles and is the only thing between your seat and the TV area while playing. Also, mic gain boost works, so she can make the mic louder if she has to talk quietly yet still be heard over game sounds. The only weaknesses IMO of the Recon3D is that it has the weakest amp of the console surround processors, and she won't be able to tune the chat:game volume balance. Neither was a big issue for me.

Other options: turtle beach is coming out with a new TAC unit, but I haven't had any hands-on time with it. Sennheiser also has a few wireless headphones that are supposed to be good with some built-in surround, but you'd have to figure out chat/mic. I already detailed my top recommendation first thing :)
 
Aug 1, 2014 at 5:14 PM Post #25,038 of 48,566
Well guys I returned my Siberia v2 earlier this week. I jumped the gun and went ahead and bought myself a pair of Sennheiser HD 598s. Got them in the mail today and I'll take a listen to them as soon as I get home! Hoping for some good results! I wonder how they'll compare to my m50s.
 
Aug 1, 2014 at 5:20 PM Post #25,039 of 48,566
evshrug said:
Thing about the 120 ohm K612 though, yes you'll need to crank the volume higher, but assuming it has the same/similar sensitivity then the amp wouldn't have to be able to pump more current into less voltage like the K702/Q701 that have 62 Ohms. So as long as the amp can be turned loud enough, then it's more likely to also have enough current and sound good.

Anyway, a Recon3D USB will take care of USB mic hookup (just buy a cheap lapel mic, like a Neweer 3-pack for $6), and then the K612 (will sound better with an amp, even a cheap FiiO E11 will allow the wife to adjust volume from her chair, but without an amp it will have less fatiguing highs than an unamped Q701). Cool thing about the Recon3D USB is that it's a nicely streamlined setup: you get mic+chat audio without plugging anything into a controller, so your controller is untethered, and the Recon3D USB comes with a nice flat-cable extension cord that resists tangles and is the only thing between your seat and the TV area while playing. Also, mic gain boost works, so she can make the mic louder if she has to talk quietly yet still be heard over game sounds. The only weaknesses IMO of the Recon3D is that it has the weakest amp of the console surround processors, and she won't be able to tune the chat:game volume balance. Neither was a big issue for me.

Other options: turtle beach is coming out with a new TAC unit, but I haven't had any hands-on time with it. Sennheiser also has a few wireless headphones that are supposed to be good with some built-in surround, but you'd have to figure out chat/mic. I already detailed my top recommendation first thing
smily_headphones1.gif
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My biggest issue with the Recon was the lack of chat/game balance and the weak amp.  It's not really great for using with the Q701 because of that.  You have to turn the in-game sound way down so the chat becomes louder by default.  Then you have to turn the whole thing up on the amp... if you headphones are hard to drive, this just won't get loud enough.  Of course, it does have the advantages Evs listed (mic gain is huge) so it's a give n take.
 
Something like the SoundMAGIC HP150 or HP200 will be a lot easier to drive, as Change said, and might work better with a Recon.
 
With my Mixamp 5.8, I don't have any issue with it getting loud enough or with chat balance.  Hence the Mixamp + K612 or Q701 recommendation.  If you go with something like the Recon, check out the SoundMAGIC.
 
Aug 1, 2014 at 5:46 PM Post #25,040 of 48,566
The only time I had a problem with chat/game audio balance was with Halo 4, that game is LOUD (especially warthogs), but I mentioned it because others might care more. For me, the Mixamp (even the "wireless" one) is a spiderweb's setup, and I had to buy an adapter to use a non-inline mic.

I have a question for Weremichael though, are you guys playing out of earshot? Probably, and I know a few other people that play that way.
 
Aug 1, 2014 at 6:28 PM Post #25,041 of 48,566
If anyone doesn't have it yet, you can order The Last of Us from Target.com for store pickup and get $10 off.
 
Aug 1, 2014 at 7:02 PM Post #25,042 of 48,566
evshrug said:
The only time I had a problem with chat/game audio balance was with Halo 4, that game is LOUD (especially warthogs), but I mentioned it because others might care more. For me, the Mixamp (even the "wireless" one) is a spiderweb's setup, and I had to buy an adapter to use a non-inline mic.

I have a question for Weremichael though, are you guys playing out of earshot? Probably, and I know a few other people that play that way.
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I'll be in the basement and she'll be on the main floor. We'll also be playing with friends over PSN.

So those of you recommending a wired setup: I'll run toslink and usb from the PS4 to the recon or mixamp and then the headphones and mic to the usb mixer, is that correct? So you keep the mixer close to during that setup for adjustments, right?

I do want the mixing of in-game vs game chat to be easy. I struggle enough with playing that I don't need another thing to make gaming more difficult. So will a wired setup be more troublesome than a wireless one?

As far as phones go,I have never heard of soundmagic, so researched them. Upon research, I've learned that my old Superlux HD 681 are actually pretty decent headphones and I can replace the pleather ear pads with some made from velour (my biggest complaint with the headphones is the pleather). Anyone run the 681s with a console? Would that be a decent path to a wired setup?

Amy other recommendations?
 
Aug 1, 2014 at 8:26 PM Post #25,043 of 48,566
weremichael said:
I'll be in the basement and she'll be on the main floor. We'll also be playing with friends over PSN.

So those of you recommending a wired setup: I'll run toslink and usb from the PS4 to the recon or mixamp and then the headphones and mic to the usb mixer, is that correct? So you keep the mixer close to during that setup for adjustments, right?

I do want the mixing of in-game vs game chat to be easy. I struggle enough with playing that I don't need another thing to make gaming more difficult.

As far as phones go,I have never heard of soundmagic, so I'll have to research them.

Amy other recommendations?
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One of my annoyances with the wired devices (like the Recon) is that the volume control stays near the TV.  With the wireless Mixamp, you have it right next to you on the couch.  Groovy.  (With the PLYR1, you have it right on your ear.)
 
Then again, when I playing in the "man cave" with my Recon these days, I don't actually have much reason to adjust the volume.  It's kind of set and forget if there's nothing loud going on in the house (which there generally isn't cuz I play when the kid is asleep).
 
I guess you have to decide if you value convenience more than sound quality.  For convenience factor, the PLYR1 is the easy choice; wireless, surround, mic, headphones all in one.  Not the greatest sound quality but not bad by any means.
 
If you are half and half, get a Mixamp or Recon and nice headphones.  
 
If you're all about maximizing you experience, spend a few weeks on eBay trying to snipe a cheap Wireless Mixamp and then get some good headphones.
 
Aug 1, 2014 at 11:07 PM Post #25,045 of 48,566
weremichael said:
Are you talking about finding an Astro Gaming Wireless MixAmp 5.8? That would allow me to plug a wired headset and wired mic to the volume control next to me?
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Precisely!
 
Aug 2, 2014 at 12:31 AM Post #25,046 of 48,566
I just realized I've owned my 1540 for ten months, now. It really is end game for what I was seeking in a closed headphone...
 
Aug 2, 2014 at 12:50 AM Post #25,050 of 48,566
I've gone through so many headphones, I can't even remember lol. I have own two other Shures (840 and 1840), though, so you may be right. I think it was the 1840, hurt when I had sold it, but soon after discovered the K612 for a fraction of the cost.
 
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