These devices are called "DI-Box", and are quite commonly used in recording studios and PA applications. There are a few things to consider when using these things: they come in active or passive varieties - the active ones are using electronics to "spilt" the signal, using various topologies...

Have you considered modding the PC350? Here is the thread about the mod: http://www.head-fi.org/t/406187/modding-the-sennheiser-pc350-headset Or google "PC 350 hero mod" for youtube vids/instructables and other sources.   Probably not as good as a new set of cans, but a lot easier on the...

PC360 is open. The closed version is the PC350 (SE). But yes, go with headphones + modmic.   I had the PC350 for a few years until the cord broke at the strain relief (the hard rubber of the strain relief broke, killing the cord running through it - how is this even possible???). Now I am...

Oh right, I missed the "old HD 598s". I would still test either pair of headphones with a different source (phone, mp3 player, stereo...), just to be sure. Way easier than any of the other steps needed to troubleshoot this.   If it really is the motherboard I would consider replacing that...

I read that you have tried the card in multiple PCI slots. Have you tried any other card in those slots? If you don't have a card available buy an old 5-10$ network card to test the slots.   Can you see the card in the device manager? Can you see the onboard sound card in the device manager...

Fixing the earpads is easy: buy replacement pads. You can even choose between pleather or velours.   When you say the mic cuts in and out when you pull on the cord, where exactly are you pulling the cord? Near the plug where it goes into the computer? Near the remote? or near the strain...

(stupid?) question: Why not just use a steel plate on the headband and a (stronger) magnet on the wall?

If you want to use the Philips with the adaptor I posted you would need a very specific extension cord, or 2 extension cords (1 for mic and 1 for audio). The more elegant way would be plugging the headset into a single extension, and then splitting the signal at the sound card by using the...

The Philips + an adaptor like this one on Amazon should work. There are adaptors that are cheaper, the one I linked is a bit nicer looking and not that expensive.

I used a sharp 2 mm drill bit, going slow so the shavings would end up as a long thread of plastic I could easily remove. I am quite here is nothing in the driver enclosure. I also drilled the holes in the side of the enclosure, not the back (Porter style mod, pg 11 of this thread), so the bit...

I don't know exactly how long I've had them, definitely more than 3 years, but it might be as long as 5 years. I modded them a few months ago. I have never used them at very high volume, neither before nor after doing the mod.

Simply put a soundcard is very similar to a DAC+Amp combo, the difference is that the soundcard is installed in your computer while the DAC+Amp are external devices. The advantage of external devices is that you can still use them when you get a new computer (which can be a problem for...

You could try some european stores, shipping should be cheaper, though you will need to find out how and where you need to pay taxes.   amazon.co.uk is the british amazon store thomann.de is a large german audio store, and they have website for almost every language spoken in europe

AntLion ModMic   Two reasons not to get one: no mute function (yet), no distributor outside of the U.S. Both problems are supposedly getting fixed soon.

If you are in the US get a normal pair of (good) headphones and order a ModMic. ALL headsets are overpriced for the sound quality they offer.

I forgot to mention this in my previous post, but i tested the output/soundcard with a different headset (AKG 240), the problem definitely seems to be the headset and not the card. Interestingly i did not notice the problem immediately after doing the mod, it seems to have appeared in the past...

I discovered this mod a few months ago. Then I modified my PC 350 headset which is so old it is out of warranty anyway. I had already replaced the original pads with the velours version a year ago (the originals started dissolving, and I could only get the velours version locally).   About a...