Headset for a Budget ~US$70?

Try to get CAL... 

 

Cheerz!

Grado SR60i :D

 

http://www.amazon.com/Grado-Prestige-Series-SR-60i-Headphones/dp/B0006DPMU4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346749364&sr=8-1&keywords=grado+sr60i

 

Could probably post a "wanted" ad and pick up a pair cheaper on the forums here.

 

Get a cheap desk mic, they work great.

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Labtec-Desktop-Microphone-600/dp/B000O7K4LO/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1346749455&sr=1-2&keywords=desk+microphone

 

$0.25 ;)

The KRK KNS-6400 and Sony MDRZX700 are probably just a bit above your budget, so that points down to semi-open Superlux HD668b and its near twin the Samson RH600--all based on U.S. street prices. 

 

You'll have to supply your own mic.

Unfortunatley they are currently about $30 above his budget--at least here.

Grados are great rock cans.  They are also open and leak a great deal.  Perhaps most important--they have a nearly non-existant sound stage, which makes them a poor choice for gaming.

 

Heya,

 

Samson SR850 + ModMic

 

Very best,

 

I used my 60i's for gaming (all types of games) and was pretty satisfied, I missed any part of the OP not wanting open cans or I wouldn't have suggested them.  They fit the easy to drive, clarity, music and movies and no bass requirements nicely though.

I also disagree on the soundstage on the Grado SR80i's. I recently did a review and they sound great for the price.

I'll go ahead an believe my AVS friends who told me the Grados are terrible for gaming due to that terrible soundstage. I've hated other cans with pretty decent soundstages.

 

Not that your friends hold any water nor does what Im about to say, but I suppose this would be a fine time to mention my car audio accolades. I know what a good sound stage sounds like. I build for SQ doing 2 and 3 way active front stages with subs. Cars are less than optimal compared to a set of headphones. However you get sweet perks like time alignment and the ability to change slopes and crossovers quite a bit more freely than you would in a home setup unless your dropping thousands. In that case Im sure you could spring for more than $100 set of phones.

I've tried well over 30 headphones (look at my guide, which doesn't even have most of the ones with small soundstages, like the ES7, ESW9, PX200II, etc). Those with small soundstages (which the Grados are well known to have) are almost always on the bottom of the list as far as gaming goes. Enough for me to not make me want to put them on my guide. I'm sure the Grados are kickass for other uses. Just not for gaming.

Based on your sound preference, Sony MDRV6.  I think when people give recommendations, they don't consider the asker's preference.  they just want talk about what they like.

 

If you want clarity for that price range, the MDRV6 is perfect.  And I highly recommend you keep the Pearstone earpads in mind for a future upgrade.