[Mad Lust Envy]

The reason people don't seem to like the Q701 with the O2 is because the O2 supposedly sounds a bit thin, and slightly treble boosted. I haven't heard them, so I wouldn't know, but that's the same kind of thing I consider the E9 to sound like. The E9 has power, but compared to other amps, it does sound a bit thin (not a lot of body), and a slight harshness to treble.

If gaming is what's most important to for the Q701, the amp choice isn't gonna be too important, as long as it's fed with enough power. Dolby Headphone is going to diffuse those faults to an extent on an amp anyway, so they won't be oticeable like they are when listening to music.

 

[Eric_C]

Agree that the E9 sounds a bit bright. Demo'd it, didn't like it.
 
Chicolom: Wow, I didn't know the M-stage boosted soundstage! I'd love to pick one up, but the price is a bit steep and I've been getting too many toys of late...

 

[Adanteh]

Hey everyone,
I broke my creative fatal1ty gaming headset after quite a while and I'm actually quite happy that I broke them. The sound quality was god awful. What I do need it for? Gaming. Primarily multiplayer FPS gaming, but RPGs and Strategy games get enough playtime also. Movies and music (Lately mostly electronic, but also a lot of post-rock). Using a desktop with an onboard reatlek sound chip, so I would like to have either an USB headset with Dolby Headphone support or for a pair of analog headphones get myself a Xonar DG.  I also use a laptop (XPS 15, 2010 edition) for music and movies. 
 
 
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/AKG-Over-Ear-Computer-Headphone-GHS1BLK/dp/B004HDZ4VQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334165403&sr=8-1
 
€80 + €30 - They look incredibly nice, they are quite small and portable (Which is welcome for me), but the microphone doesn't look that great (And from what I've read isn't that sensitive). All in all the price is quite high (€80, seeing I somehow can't get those from the link send to the Netherlands), seeing I would still need a soundcard for gaming. 
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-CA-9011112-WW-Vengeance-Gaming-Headset/dp/B005QUQP7G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334165965&sr=8-1
 
€80 - They're getting good reviews and don't look that bad for a gaming headset. They don't seem to work thát well with Dolby Headphone, but they are USB and come with a sound unit supporting Dolby Headphone, so no need for a soundcard then. It does give me the bonus of being able to use Dolby Headphone on my laptop for movies. I would be unable to use them with my iPod. (Wouldn't be very common anyway) 
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-Labs-70GH014000004-Blaster-Headset/dp/B00432WNDS/ref=pd_cp_computers_0
 
€55 - From the reviews they seem to be great with Dolby Headphone. The sound quality doesn't appear to be that great and I wasn't that fond of the build quality of my previous pair of Creatives. The added bonus is that there's a separate USB soundcard using Dolby Headphone, so i would be able to use them with my iPod (Don't expect that to happen that often) . Build quality and comfort is less compared to the Corsairs judging from the reviews I've read. They are the cheapest though.
 
Now onto completely different territory which got me moving to Head-fi. The fact that I still had  my old mic lying around and I also had a 3,5mm jack extension cable made me think it would be smart to just get a normal pair of headphones. This does come with the hassle of an extra cable (And being unable to mute my microphone with the cable, which isn't that much of a problem. I use push to talk and can always mute my microphone using my Logitech G13) and I need to think  of a clever way to attach it. Now I read this thread and a lot of things are above my budget, and I also need a Xonar DG then (About €30). 
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/SAMSON-209995-SR850/dp/B002LBSEQS/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1334166972&sr=1-1-catcorr
 
€38 + €30 - The headphones themselves are cheap, but the build quality seems quite bad. I don't even want to mention the looks, but if the price-quality is going to be that great I really don't care. I just need to attach my old microphone to it, which is going to be a hassle (Any ideas are welcome. I've already checked out the modmic, but seems a bit expensive seeing I already have a decent microphone lying around). I'm getting mixed thoughts on the actual gaming though. The sound quality appears to be great, but the directional audio not so much. Using an internal soundcard will mean I can't go Dolby on my laptop, but I'm expecting it to sound pretty good with the headphones anyway.
 
All in all the creative seems interesting because it is cheap and has good directional audio. Plus it's helpful for me to have an external USB card, seeing it lets me use it on my laptop also then. The corsairs are more expensive, but are more comfortable and have better general build and sound quality. I think they're quite fancy looking as well. I'm leaning more to the Corsair pair at the moment, but if the SR850s would give me a lot better sound quality I would like to go for those instead. It does seem like a shame to pay almost half of the price to get a soundcard while I really use my laptop for music and movies most of the time. All in all it seems like on my budget it's wiser to choose a normal gaming headset, but maybe the folks here at head-fi can help me think differently. 
 
Any other suggestions and random thoughts are more than welcome
 
 
 

 

[Akin]

Quote:

Hey everyone,
I broke my creative fatal1ty gaming headset after quite a while and I'm actually quite happy that I broke them. The sound quality was god awful. What I do need it for? Gaming. Primarily multiplayer FPS gaming, but RPGs and Strategy games get enough playtime also. Movies and music (Lately mostly electronic, but also a lot of post-rock). Using a desktop with an onboard reatlek sound chip, so I would like to have either an USB headset with Dolby Headphone support or for a pair of analog headphones get myself a Xonar DG.  I also use a laptop (XPS 15, 2010 edition) for music and movies. 
 
 
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/AKG-Over-Ear-Computer-Headphone-GHS1BLK/dp/B004HDZ4VQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334165403&sr=8-1
 
€80 + €30 - They look incredibly nice, they are quite small and portable (Which is welcome for me), but the microphone doesn't look that great (And from what I've read isn't that sensitive). All in all the price is quite high (€80, seeing I somehow can't get those from the link send to the Netherlands), seeing I would still need a soundcard for gaming. 
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-CA-9011112-WW-Vengeance-Gaming-Headset/dp/B005QUQP7G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334165965&sr=8-1
 
€80 - They're getting good reviews and don't look that bad for a gaming headset. They don't seem to work thát well with Dolby Headphone, but they are USB and come with a sound unit supporting Dolby Headphone, so no need for a soundcard then. It does give me the bonus of being able to use Dolby Headphone on my laptop for movies. I would be unable to use them with my iPod. (Wouldn't be very common anyway) 
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-Labs-70GH014000004-Blaster-Headset/dp/B00432WNDS/ref=pd_cp_computers_0
 
€55 - From the reviews they seem to be great with Dolby Headphone. The sound quality doesn't appear to be that great and I wasn't that fond of the build quality of my previous pair of Creatives. The added bonus is that there's a separate USB soundcard using Dolby Headphone, so i would be able to use them with my iPod (Don't expect that to happen that often) . Build quality and comfort is less compared to the Corsairs judging from the reviews I've read. They are the cheapest though.
 
Now onto completely different territory which got me moving to Head-fi. The fact that I still had  my old mic lying around and I also had a 3,5mm jack extension cable made me think it would be smart to just get a normal pair of headphones. This does come with the hassle of an extra cable (And being unable to mute my microphone with the cable, which isn't that much of a problem. I use push to talk and can always mute my microphone using my Logitech G13) and I need to think  of a clever way to attach it. Now I read this thread and a lot of things are above my budget, and I also need a Xonar DG then (About €30). 
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/SAMSON-209995-SR850/dp/B002LBSEQS/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1334166972&sr=1-1-catcorr
 
€38 + €30 - The headphones themselves are cheap, but the build quality seems quite bad. I don't even want to mention the looks, but if the price-quality is going to be that great I really don't care. I just need to attach my old microphone to it, which is going to be a hassle (Any ideas are welcome. I've already checked out the modmic, but seems a bit expensive seeing I already have a decent microphone lying around). I'm getting mixed thoughts on the actual gaming though. The sound quality appears to be great, but the directional audio not so much. Using an internal soundcard will mean I can't go Dolby on my laptop, but I'm expecting it to sound pretty good with the headphones anyway.
 
All in all the creative seems interesting because it is cheap and has good directional audio. Plus it's helpful for me to have an external USB card, seeing it lets me use it on my laptop also then. The corsairs are more expensive, but are more comfortable and have better general build and sound quality. I think they're quite fancy looking as well. I'm leaning more to the Corsair pair at the moment, but if the SR850s would give me a lot better sound quality I would like to go for those instead. It does seem like a shame to pay almost half of the price to get a soundcard while I really use my laptop for music and movies most of the time. All in all it seems like on my budget it's wiser to choose a normal gaming headset, but maybe the folks here at head-fi can help me think differently. 
 
Any other suggestions and random thoughts are more than welcome
 
 
 

I have the corsair vengeance 1500 and I seriously love it for a headset. IMO it responds very well to eq, so you could bring up the bass, you could bring up the trebles for competitive gaming. In game sounds perfect. The positioning is just spectacular imo but I haven't tried much other headsets. Soundstage is nice in songs but during games its a bit hard to understand the range of the enemies, but positioning is well made. I yanked the cable so there is buzzing but the headset it self seems durable. Also it was a bit tight on my head but after resting them on some books for one whole school day, they became sooooo comfy. You can also adjust sound modes to stereo, dolby 5.1, and there is 7.1 channels. When you adjust it to 5.1, going to the sound control panel in the settings of windows and changing it to 5.1 aswell makes it sound better. I usually use 5.1 for music and/or gaming as it makes music sound like its around you.
 
Recommended 

 

 

[NamelessPFG]

Just get a Xonar U3 or similar USB device for your laptop if you want Dolby Headphone on it, and then choose a headset with 3.5mm jacks. No need to have that integrated into the headset.
 
As for which headset, I have no specific recommendations.

 

[AxelCloris]

Random question for you MLE. Going off the first post's rating scale, with the K70x being 6/10 for fun and 10/10 for competitive, where does the Q fall on the fun spectrum? I know you said that it improved it overall, just wondering if you could tack a number on there for me.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Last edited: 2:35 am. Lol I edited a million times, so re-read...

I'm really sorry for the excruciatingly long wait for this, as I know some of you wanted a final say on the Q701. I just haven't had much in the way of competitive gaming, but with all the experience I have had with them, I can come to a logical conclusion.

Q701

Fun: 7.5
Competitive: 9.5

Fun: I want to give them an 8 for fun, and they do deserve that most of the time, but there are times when you can tell that sub bass is lacking. Don't get me wrong, they can be quite bassy, but its leaning more towards mid bass (the quick hits), than the ambient/mood setting bass that I prefer. Still, they can get very fun at times, and anyone looking for a well balanced can that can perform great overall, these are better than the PC360 and DT880 overall.

Competitive: I can't directly compare the two for competitive use, but no one should pass these up for the slight decrease in score. They are essentially just as good, but the K701 lacks a proper balance for overall use, so you end up really focusing on details, which is the main strength in the K701. The emphasis on detail retrieval is what makes the K701 just beastly. The Q701 is tuned for more enjoyment FWIH, though they are still detail monsters, just not as glaringly obvious. As far as positional cues and accuracy, they are every bit as good as the K701. Soundstage may be just a smidge smaller, but I attribute that to the fuller sound. Soundstage to me is bigger on headphones that lack a lower end, letting the space breathe more, if that makes sense.

Seriously, get the Q701 over the K701. Its just an overall better can. If you seriously just want detail whoring for gaming, the money is better spent/saved on some AD700s. The K701 is overkill for that specific need, as the Q701 can be just as good, and be enjoyable outside of gaming. I didn't like the K701 for anything other than competitive gaming. I like the Q701 for most purposes. I tend to use them over the D7000 when watching my favorite shows, due to comfort (love me open+velour pads), and voices are clearer, or playing games that aren't reliant on bass. My D7000 is mostly for music, action movies, and intense games.

As far as my second fave balanced can (DT880) compared the Q701, the DT880 slightly edges out the Qs in fun due to having a more appreciable amount of low end which makes them better to me for music and fun gaming, but falls short on competitive for the lack of positional accuracy. Still, for the uses that I need my balanced can for, the Q701 is still a better fit due to richer mids, better comfort (one of the few who doesn't take Beyers well comfort-wise), and just great all-purpose gaming cans.

 

[AxelDaemon]

Btw at one point you mentioned how the mixamp alone can still drive the Q701 (and the K701?) properly even if you're using voice chat, it's just that the smaller dial's position is very crucial.  When you did use voice chat, you had the master dial maxed out.  Does this mean that the Q701 really filters out the hiss produced by the Mixamp?
 
Anywho you mentioned further testing into this with various other games.  How has that turned out?
 
-still waiting for Q701, Mixamp, and LVA 7330 to mic mod.-  Those oughta come next week.  Here's hoping my head's not that big to make it uncomfy.  And even if it is, it's not that hard for me to adjust to things.

 

[Adanteh]

Quote:

Just get a Xonar U3 or similar USB device for your laptop if you want Dolby Headphone on it, and then choose a headset with 3.5mm jacks. No need to have that integrated into the headset.
 
As for which headset, I have no specific recommendations.

Hmm, didn't know they had those things from Asus. Looks interesting enough. Does Dolby Headphone make that much of a difference anyway? From what I got out of this thread it does a great job, but will a small USB device like that give me the same results? Or is the technology ALWAYS the same and does it fully depend on the compatibility with the headset? Anyway, I'll probably just order the Samson headphones then. (Now if the Amazon seller that actually sends them to the Netherlands will get some back in stock). Any recommendations with attaching my microphone? It's just one of those Creative boom microphones, similar to the Turtle Beach ones. 

 

[crichard]

Perhaps include IEMs in the review? I remember reading Dsnuts saying that ASG-1 > ATH-AD900 for gaming...

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Btw at one point you mentioned how the mixamp alone can still drive the Q701 (and the K701?) properly even if you're using voice chat, it's just that the smaller dial's position is very crucial.  When you did use voice chat, you had the master dial maxed out.  Does this mean that the Q701 really filters out the hiss produced by the Mixamp?
 
Anywho you mentioned further testing into this with various other games.  How has that turned out?
 
-still waiting for Q701, Mixamp, and LVA 7330 to mic mod.-  Those oughta come next week.  Here's hoping my head's not that big to make it uncomfy.  And even if it is, it's not that hard for me to adjust to things.

I answered this a few pages back, I think. Yes, the Q701 really keeps the Mixamp's hiss in check. It's almost inaudible.

I haven't been testing, sorry about that. I'm only playing single player games lately, so can't really give a definitive answer on whether the Q701 and a mic are fine with just the Mixamp alone. FWIR some games yes, others no, so I will still say that overall, they need an extra amp.

IEMS? No. I don't like IEMs, and they lack soundstage... a severe lack, actually. I only mentioned the RE0s, because I owned them, and considering their neutral nature, it was worth giving them a run.

 

[chicolom]

Quote:

I answered this a few pages back, I think. Yes, the Q701 really keeps the Mixamp's hiss in check. It's almost inaudible.

Yes it does.  The combination of them being slightly hard to drive along with naturally rolling of those uppermost frequencies really cuts it down.  When I get to silent parts of a game or pause it, everything sounds dead silent.  I can't even tell my amp is on unless I make noise in the game. 

 

[CaptainRusko]

Will you be reviewing the AKG 550? heard good things about it musically as a headphone but also heard its got a excellent sound stage for a closed headphone. Tyll seems to like.

 

[Akin]

Quote:

Yes it does.  The combination of them being slightly hard to drive along with naturally rolling of those uppermost frequencies really cuts it down.  When I get to silent parts of a game or pause it, everything sounds dead silent.  I can't even tell my amp is on unless I make noise in the game. 

Slightly? 

 
 

 

[chicolom]

Quote:

Slightly? 

 
 

 
 
Certainly not as bad as Head-fi makes them about to be

 
I don't think they need a monster $1000 amp, or 500 hours of burn-in.  Head-fi may tell you otherwise.  The AKGs just have a bad rap on Head-fi, so they get all these myths spread about them.