The Q701 had very low levels of hiss. In any case, hiss was never distracting like it could be on the AX720's amp.
Edited by Mad Lust Envy - 11/4/12 at 5:30am
Since you have the hd650 now can we have ourselves a hd650 entry in your guide?
There's a more accurate sound plugin option in Dolphin that might fix it, but it requires you to dump some DSP files from a real GameCube or Wii. It's also more hardware-intensive to use than the other options, predictably. (Emulation's always a big tradeoff between speed and accuracy.)
Your wallet's going to hate me for these suggestions, but you asked for the best and didn't state a budget...
-A Stax Lambda-series setup, any of them. They're not on MLE's list, but I have yet to find anything better for competitive gaming. Spacious soundstage, unbelievable clarity, and comfortable for hours on end (vintage sets moreso due to lower clamping force, but modern sets like the SR-303 aren't too bad with soft earpads). The flagship SR-Omega/SR-007/SR-009 may be even better, but the Lambda setups are expensive enough as-is when factoring in the amplifier requirements all electrostatics have.
-A Smyth Realiser A8, with a recording made in the theater of your choice. (You need to make a recording with the included earbud microphones to get the most out of it.) They also come bundled with a basic Stax setup by default, and for good reason.
I usually played at 50%. When I was feeling like I wanted to be able to hear footsteps better, I would crank it up to around 70. Not sure about the 5.8 though.


Thanks! :D I would do more of them if I had money haha. I wanted to try out the AX720, but I can't seem to find them anywhere.

Does anyone know if the 2013 a40 drivers are in the a50's? I would love if they cloned the a30 driver and made it a larger 40mm or even 50mm driver and put it in the a40's or 50's. I think the a30's sound way better but not as open (due to the headphone itself im guessing) compared to the a40's and not as comfortable.

The Blue Hawaii SE would be really nice, but presumably overkill for a Lambda like I was recommending. I would be happy if I could just get my hands on an SRM-1/Mk2 Pro or maybe an SRM-T1, but even those typically run $350-550 these days. And yet that's downright affordable compared to the KGSSHV, BHSE, etc. that people generally pair with the SR-007 or SR-009...
As for the Realiser A8's inability to decode Dolby Digital or DTS, it's largely a moot point when it has HDMI input (yes, honest-to-goodness HDMI input on a surround processor!) and all of the HD consoles should provide 8-channel LPCM output by default. 5th-and-6th-gen consoles will need a Dolby Pro Logic II and Dolby Digital decoder box, though...
Unfortunately, top-of-the-line anything is going to cost ridiculous amounts of money...a Sony G70 or Barco Cine 9 triple-CRT projector for the ultimate theater setup won't come cheap, especially paired with an HDfury4/3Dfury for HDMI 1.4's sake. Then the speaker system...two Quad ESL-57s or ESL-63s are expensive enough as is, but imagine putting 6 or 8 of the things in the room, along with amplification for them all...
And this isn't even getting started on the simulator cockpits I'd like to build, either! A full F-16C cockpit would be doable with existing parts on the market, at least, but I'll have to get my hands dirty fabricating some things for the A-10C and especially the Ka-50. (Just as a point of reference, a top-of-the-line HOTAS generally costs $500, with equally high-quality rudder pedals going for another $350. Then add another $150 or so for a TrackIR 5, $2,000 for a top-of-the-line computer that can handle the DCS series maxed-out, $250 for a tactile transducer seat, and god knows how much for the other simpit switches, screens and components...)
...yeah, way too much stuff, not enough money.
Hello guys, very interested in your thread and in your opinion. Had my sony wireless stereo headset 7.1 broken .Wanted a new headset but many people say to buy a good headphones and amic to it. But if it possible to find good headset it`ll be better solution. Got about 150$. I have standart pc audiocard, but if need i can buy something better. As i read people recommened AT AD700/A700, BD DT 770 Pro 80 etc. I love to playing FPS`s,MMORPG`s and listen to music, also i do look some movies. About my music preferences: i can say that its rock,metall, dubstep. I had a luck in bass with my prevous sony headset so i need it a bit more. I spend more time on listening to music instead of playing and i listen to it most of my playing time. I`d like the headphones to be comfartable, as i spend about 6 hours per day in it. Thanks in advice! BTW, i`ve already have AT ATH-ES7, i use them with my player and i love it.
^put a subwoofer in your chair. you and your mom will be happy
that was not meant to be an insult or negative in anyway. Just for laughs


does anyone know if during black friday they have any good deals on gaming headphones?
I'm sure they will, somewhere.

