[davisman]

I can consider either as they're both $20 Within each other. What makes the vali better?

IMO the warmer Vail pairs well with akg 7 series. You cant go wrong with either, but the vali has a warm signature that adds a bit of immersion. 
 
I wouldn't say the vali is better, but I think it pairs with the akgs better. Some would actually consider the magi a better all around amp. The vali has some limitations with more sensitive cans, and absolutely wont work with IEMS. However it is a hybrid tube design that adds some warmth to the akgs. 
 
I use the mixamp>vali>akg k702.65ae's for console gaming, and they rock. 

 

[Evshrug]

I can consider either as they're both $20 Within each other. What makes the vali better?

They're different styles of amp... it's kinda hard to quantify (though some have, through even harmonic distortion numbers), but IMO tubes have an exciting, liquid mids presentation (seems to make AKG soundstage better and believable) while taking off some of the digital bite of pure SS amps. The Vali is a hybrid, so it also has the bass control of a solid-state amp.

The downsides if the Vali: like many tube amps, if you use a cellular phone nearby, you'll hear interference in the form of clicks and pops. Also, this time unlike other tube amps, you cannot swap the tubes yourself to change to a different sound character or to replace burnt-out tubes, so on average you'll need to send it to Schiit after 6-10 years of use to have the tube replaced for you (at a small cost).

 

[NamelessPFG]

One of my friends started to stream, and decided to have a Skype group call along with it.
 
He and some of my other friends immediately noticed the leap in quality from that old desk mic I was using to the MMX 300 mic. Seems like I'm louder and clearer, they don't hear my breathing even with the boom mic's proximity to my nose and mouth (I still keep it a few centimeters away from the foam cover's edge), and even accidentally bumping the mic boom doesn't result in annoying noise on their end.
 
I'll take that as a sign that the MMX 300's mic doesn't suck and Beyerdynamic didn't just cram any old mic onto a DT770. This is a good thing, since that mic's the only reason anyone would buy an MMX 300 over a DT770 and a ModMic.
 
Meanwhile, I've been listening to music with it directly driven from my X-Fi Titanium HD-equipped desktop and the integrated Realtek ALC269 on my Fujitsu T901 (yeah, I bought myself a new-to-me Tablet PC to replace my aging HP 2730p recently); it's still a pleasing listen, even without a dedicated amp in the chain.
 
Clamping force is moderate, enough to secure it on your head better than the MA900, but that also inherently means it's less comfortable over the long run. But as I said before, it doesn't feel like a painful vice on your head.
 
Sound leakage is practically nonexistent; I can take them off with them playing at listenable volumes for my tastes, not too quiet, not too loud, and NOT hear anything whatsoever even without the headset being put on anything to close off the earcups. If you don't want to disturb the person next to you with your noise, this is your set!
 
On the flip side, that person can still disturb YOU with his noise, if it's loud enough. As stated before, the isolation's only moderate. You've probably got better options for shutting out the outside world...but you'll likely lose out in comfort, sound quality, and relations with anyone who needs your attention.
 
Now, as for a niche thing that only concerns PC simulation gamers...I've found that the TrackClip Pro for my TrackIR doesn't really fit on the MMX 300 headband well, especially since I have the cups only extended a notch each for my ideal fit. Seems like the best place to fit it is on the black part just before the headband padding, and even then, it BARELY fits.

 

[Evshrug]

Glad to hear that it uses a good quality mic. The variety of your gear and gadgets will never cease to amaze me ^_^

 

[jumpman23j]

What is the best way to hook up my Creative Aurvana Live's to my PS4 with a mod mic?  I was thinking of getting the fiio e17.  Would I need a mixamp as well?

 

[NamelessPFG]

What is the best way to hook up my Creative Aurvana Live's to my PS4 with a mod mic?  I was thinking of getting the fiio e17.  Would I need a mixamp as well?

 
You should be prioritizing the Mixamp if you're getting it for PS4 use.
 
As for connecting the ModMic...what I understand is that the Mixamp uses a 2.5mm TRS jack for the mic for some dumb reason, not the more common 3.5mm TRS that everything else uses, so you'll need an adapter. I don't know if the Mixamp includes such an adapter cable.
 
The other thing I'm not quite sure about with the PS4 has to do with how it handles game audio output; according to Mad Lust Envy a few pages back, the PS4, if it detects a USB audio device, forcibly outputs game audio through it, not the S/PDIF output you want for Mixamp use. I'm not sure why Sony would do that; here's hoping he found an option to disable it or one was added in a firmware update or something.
 
(I have no plans on buying a PS4 any time soon, for the record. Just the DualShock 4, maybe...)

 

[DrunkenTiger]

Hey I kind of want to set my desktop audio on the right path, basically have a desktop, X58 mobo integrated probably bad sound, a random creative soundcard lying around. If I were to drop 200$~ on a pair of headphones (kinda want a mic, but oh well) what would be good ones, and do I need an external amp or what? Not looking to sink tons of money into this, but a simple solution would be cool. I just got Siberia Elite, but not impressed so might return it to Amazon... :/
Was thinking the Sony MDR1 seems legit, and has a inline mic, gonna test it out at a friends house soon.

 

[Evshrug]

What is the best way to hook up my Creative Aurvana Live's to my PS4 with a mod mic?  I was thinking of getting the fiio e17.  Would I need a mixamp as well?

The Mixamp is one option for virtual surround. I'm not yet firsthand familiar with Playstation settings, but another virtual surround option is the Recon3D USB. It accepts Optical input, but also has a PS3 mode that might be compatible with the PS4 and be a simpler solution. Works with PCs too, basically any device.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Hey I kind of want to set my desktop audio on the right path, basically have a desktop, X58 mobo integrated probably bad sound, a random creative sound card lying around. If I were to drop 200$~ on a pair of headphones (kinda want a mic, but oh well) what would be good ones, and do I need an external amp or what? Not looking to sink tons of money into this, but a simple solution would be cool. I just got Siberia Elite, but not impressed so might return it to Amazon... :/
Was thinking the Sony MDR1 seems legit, and has a inline mic, gonna test it out at a friends house soon.

You might try adding an Asus Xonar DG sound card ($27) to your PC, it's a low cost way for trying to improve audio quality.

 

[Evshrug]

Hey I kind of want to set my desktop audio on the right path, basically have a desktop, X58 mobo integrated probably bad sound, a random creative soundcard lying around. If I were to drop 200$~ on a pair of headphones (kinda want a mic, but oh well) what would be good ones, and do I need an external amp or what? Not looking to sink tons of money into this, but a simple solution would be cool. I just got Siberia Elite, but not impressed so might return it to Amazon... :/
Was thinking the Sony MDR1 seems legit, and has a inline mic, gonna test it out at a friends house soon.

I have an X68 motherboard by Gigabyte, onboard audio is ok (used to use it for desktop speakers) but Creative products are a noticeable step up. I've heard rumblings that the Sony MDR-1 is a competitively well-performing headphone in it's segment, but I haven't read a review on it yet (share your thoughts?).

Mad mentions several good sub-$200 options in his guide here (1st page), and ones that sound best with good amping are noted as such in the reviews. One of the most recent good headphones has been mentioned by Mad on pretty much every page of this thread since he got it several months ago: Sony MDR-MA900. Read up on it in the guide, and read the whole guide while you're at it, it's a great resource to make your own conclusions from to answer your questions.



Edit: PurpleAngel beat me to responding

You might try adding an Asus Xonar DG sound card ($27) to your PC, it's a low cost way for trying to improve audio quality.

He mentioned already having a random soundcard... Chances are it's about as good as the Xonar. If the Creative soundcard is broken though, the Xonar DG is a good starting place, also the Creative online store (fulfillment by Amazon) is having a 30% off sale till the 22nd using coupon code 30GIFT13

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I gotta say despite the few issues I have (mainly the distortion in the bass, noticeable on sinegen), laid back in bass, and sometimes unnatural tone up top...I REALLY like the Shure 1840. It's not perfect, but I'll be damned if anyone says it's not a clear, open, and overall a highly neutral sounding headphone. I think it would compete well in the under $400 range, but as it stands, it's a bit overpriced. It's like a perfected, old school K701. Not as analytical, but more enjoyable, and less fatiguing. The soundstage is smaller, but more natural and still relatively large. I haven't decided if I like it's sound more than the Q701, though it's less grating in the upper mids, though not as mid bassy.

Still, expect incredibly high marks for competitive gaming and comfort (at least a 9 on both). For fun... 6.75 at best. It's enjoyable for what it is, but the bass is just south of the mids and treble.

Change is Good, thanks a lot for the loan. I'll be putting it through it's paces soon, particularly on my days off, especially if the Alpha Dog still hasn't managed to make it to my hands. I missed the delivery, and USPS is being a piece of absolute crap right now in updating the info, and whether or not they're redelivering.

 

[Change is Good]

Have you watched any movies with it yet? Watch, and you will be like "where is that bass coming from?" Lol

Maybe its the distortion... but while watching movies it is surprisingly present sometimes. I would give it a 7 but that's jus me... and may also be owner's bias.

As for the price range, yea... the just under $400 range would be ideal. I paid $395 brand new for mine... so I'm happy

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

If neutral bass was a 7, I'd give the 1840 a 6.5. Mids being a 7, and treble being a 7.5.


Those numbers are like quantity, not quality.

If I were to RATE these things on my scale on how good they are:

Bass: 6.75 (A little south of neutral, though controlled and well textured. That distortion is a problem though. On the sinegen sweep, it was pretty damn noticeable)
Mids: 8 (lacks the body, warmth I prefer, but clean and nearly perfectly integrated)
Treble: 9 (clean, well extended, and well behaved)

I can't say what makes the 1840 sound a little unnatural at times though.

 

[SaLX]

Nice one Change for lending your Shure's to MLE.

 Still, expect incredibly high marks for competitive gaming

Looking forward to hearing about this - as you describe Change... the 1840's work well in their predefined niche - and it would appear (tentatively) that they deliver in spades on the competitive gaming front.

 

[Change is Good]

If you could give a percentage, how often do you notice the distortion during regular use?

Also, have you tried the sinegen with the other pads? What are the results then?