CodeNameSly
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2009
- Posts
- 7
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- 0
So I'm currently using a Sennheiser PC-161 headset with the onboard sound on my Gigabyte UD4P (Realtek ALC889A codec).
I'm looking to upgrade a bit, but without spending an arm and a leg (and without adding a whole lot of complexity - so I'm not really looking to buy a stand-alone amp, DAC converter, or anything).
So basically I want a new pair of headphones as well as (I imagine) a discrete sound card.
Note that this is primarily for gaming, but I want my music to sound pretty good, too.
For the card I was thinking: HT OMEGA Striker 7.1 because it's relatively cheap and has great reviews (yes, I know Newegg reviews aren't the best, but...). However I've read lots of recommendations for other cards here (Auzentech, ASUS) - but these tend to be about twice as expensive. I'd really not like to spend that much. Would I really be getting twice the card?
I'm stuck on the headphones. I'm probably going to get yelled at for this, but I'm considering the Medusa 5.1 Home Station. It's got the included amplifier which is a plus for me (both in terms of price and hassle), as well as (perhaps) being really good for positioning in games. Also has the built-in mic. However I've read a lot of people claiming 5.1 is gimmicky. Thoughts?
The other set I was considering are the Audio Technica ATH-AD700s with a Zalman clip-on mic. These seem to be going for a great price and I've heard a lot of great things. Plus their impedance is fairly low so my sound card shouldn't have much trouble without adding an external amp. I don't know how well the clip-on mic solution would work, though.
I'd really appreciate your thoughts on these. I know I'm a complete noob, but I've got to start learning somewhere. I did a lot of searching around but it was hard to find up-to-date, conclusive information (especially withing my budget).
Thanks!
I'm looking to upgrade a bit, but without spending an arm and a leg (and without adding a whole lot of complexity - so I'm not really looking to buy a stand-alone amp, DAC converter, or anything).
So basically I want a new pair of headphones as well as (I imagine) a discrete sound card.
Note that this is primarily for gaming, but I want my music to sound pretty good, too.
For the card I was thinking: HT OMEGA Striker 7.1 because it's relatively cheap and has great reviews (yes, I know Newegg reviews aren't the best, but...). However I've read lots of recommendations for other cards here (Auzentech, ASUS) - but these tend to be about twice as expensive. I'd really not like to spend that much. Would I really be getting twice the card?
I'm stuck on the headphones. I'm probably going to get yelled at for this, but I'm considering the Medusa 5.1 Home Station. It's got the included amplifier which is a plus for me (both in terms of price and hassle), as well as (perhaps) being really good for positioning in games. Also has the built-in mic. However I've read a lot of people claiming 5.1 is gimmicky. Thoughts?
The other set I was considering are the Audio Technica ATH-AD700s with a Zalman clip-on mic. These seem to be going for a great price and I've heard a lot of great things. Plus their impedance is fairly low so my sound card shouldn't have much trouble without adding an external amp. I don't know how well the clip-on mic solution would work, though.
I'd really appreciate your thoughts on these. I know I'm a complete noob, but I've got to start learning somewhere. I did a lot of searching around but it was hard to find up-to-date, conclusive information (especially withing my budget).
Thanks!