[Change is Good]

Those lame 3 lane maps are what make CoD fun, not this huge BF style map nonsense.

 
How many players are in a match? Is it still 6vs6?
 
If so, that is clearly where they failed. If there's going to be bigger maps then there clearly needs to be a higher number of players...

 

[gg99]

So I literally moments ago received my Samson SR850 headphones, and I was surprised to see that there were already soft cloth pads installed instead of pleather. Perhaps in all of my reading on various options before purchase I mixed something up, but I thought these were supposed to come with uncomfortable pleather pads. So is it the stock cloth pads that people find uncomfortable or perhaps some prior generation of pleather? I probably jumped the gun by purchasing replacement AKG K240 knock-offs from ebay that looked like well reviewed alternatives (but unfortunately likely won't arrive for a couple of weeks from China).
 
Am I crazy? Did I just buy replacements that will be exactly like what's already on there? I'm beginning to think I may have over-researched this since I'm having trouble keeping it all straight! 

 

 

[davisman]

Those lame 3 lane maps are what make CoD fun, not this huge BF style map nonsense.

Oh I agree. 
 
ETA: Some of the maps can be considered 3 lane, and they are by far the best. Maps like Warhawk, strikezone, and Prison break (more a 4 lane map, but essentially 3) have the best flow, and gameplay. 

 

[davisman]

   
How many players are in a match? Is it still 6vs6?
 
If so, that is clearly where they failed. If there's going to be bigger maps then there clearly needs to be a higher number of players...

IIRC Current gen is 6v6, next gen is 9v9. 

 

[spooky655]

Can you recommend a DAC, amp, or DAC/amp for gaming with the MA900s? I would like to keep the cost no more than $100.

 

[vangogh]

Someone help I'm so overwhelmed with all these choices and I've been trying to wrap my head around what to upgrade to. Mad Lust, thanks so much for this guide but I'm getting in over my head here lol, but very well written and super helpful and narrowing down some hardware... just need a little outside opinion here. Will try and state everything clearly.
 
I'm looking for an all around budget set up ($100-150), something that will be mix between fun/cinematic and slightly competitive but not as important. Mad Lust your awesome review had me almost clicking the checkout button on the CALs but then I realized that these reviews are all done using some sort of soundcard or outside hardware? This is where I get lost... amplifiers, ohms, dacs... Is there a go to option within my budget range that will work?
 
I'm running windows 7 with basic sound drivers I guess :/ no installed soundcards, and a pair of crappy iems. Been looking to upgrade my sound for a long time and I really want to get it right the first time, finally have some funds to get going. 
 
Also came across the reviews of Koss KSCxx and the Sony MA900. Leaning towards Koss for the price, but if I can get something substantially better with my budget then I'd go for that.
 
Headphone type doesn't matter, and I don't really need to worry about sound leaking in or out.
 
I don't mind extra hardware on my desk or plugged in to my PC.
 
Would love any input from this super friendly forum!
 
P.S. should I wait until black friday/ cyber monday o_o?
 
TLDR
 
Budget $100-150
Fun/cinematic > competitive
Koss KSCxx / MA900 / CAL ?

 

[sadboy]

  Does nobody else find it slightly disturbing to keep seeing Reggie's face on the top right corner of the screen every time they come to this thread?
 
It's like he is haunting me now LOL

Best meme ever.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Can you recommend a DAC, amp, or DAC/amp for gaming with the MA900s? I would like to keep the cost no more than $100.

Try asking MA900 owners if they have tried using using it with the Sound Blaster Z (maybe the combo works well enough).
http://www.head-fi.org/t/663121/sony-mdr-ma900-appreciation-thread
 
Or ask Sound blaster Z owners if any of them have tried the MA900 with it.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/623079/creative-sound-blaster-new-s-rie-z

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Going through the full CoD Ghosts campaign with the MA900, I dunno how anyone could say it's lacking bass. Seriously. It was insanely immersive.

 

[chicolom]

   
 
I'm looking for an all around budget set up ($100-150), something that will be mix between fun/cinematic and slightly competitive but not as important. Mad Lust your awesome review had me almost clicking the checkout button on the CALs but then I realized that these reviews are all done using some sort of soundcard or outside hardware? This is where I get lost... amplifiers, ohms, dacs... Is there a go to option within my budget range that will work?
  Also came across the reviews of Koss KSCxx and the Sony MA900. Leaning towards Koss for the price, but if I can get something substantially better with my budget then I'd go for that.
  Would love any input from this super friendly forum!
 
P.S. should I wait until black friday/ cyber monday o_o?
 
TLDR
 
Budget $100-150
Fun/cinematic > competitive
Koss KSCxx / MA900 / CAL ?

 
 
You can't go wrong with either the KSC75 or MA900.  Both are great bang-for-buck headphones. 
 
At $10, the Koss in particular may be THE greatest bang-for-buck headphone in existence. I still remember the first time I heard them and being blown away at the sound for the price.  If you don't like the clips you can mod it with a headband: http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-updated-9-2-2013-sony-ma900-added/10830#post_9061076
 
The MA900 is a great all rounder and comes with a more refined sound, a bigger sound, and a bigger soundstage than the Koss. 
 
Both are pretty easy to drive so you won't need to invest too much in an amp. 
 
 
The CALs are very good too, but they're a bit bass heavy and with a smaller soundstage so I'd personally go with the other two for gaming.
 
I wouldn't really bother waiting for black friday/cyber monday.  These headphones aren't usually the ones that get those types of deals. 

 

[vangogh]

Both are pretty easy to drive so you won't need to invest too much in an amp. 

Thanks so much.  What sort of soundcard/amp would you recommend to go with the Koss?

 

[AxelCloris]

Going through the full CoD Ghosts campaign with the MA900, I dunno how anyone could say it's lacking bass. Seriously. It was insanely immersive.

 
But the bass didn't help with the sharks.

 

[Chubtoad]

Hold on, are you saying MA900 is only $100 in america?  why do they cost $300+ in canada? What!
 
Also, MLE or anyone with the experience of both, from a bass/immersion standpoint..X1 or MA900?

 

[AxelCloris]

  Hold on, are you saying MA900 is only $100 in america?  why do they cost $300+ in canada? What!
 
Also, MLE or anyone with the experience of both, from a bass/immersion standpoint..X1 or MA900?

 
I've not seen a MA900 for $100. If I had, I'd have snatched it up in a heartbeat. I've seen them around $200.
 
For bass/immersion, get the X1.

 

[vsha]

   
 
The X1 will still have significantly more bass.  The bass mod won't be able to make up for differences between them.
 
Keep in mind the bass isn't the only difference between them.  The Q701 is still lighter and drier and the X1 is warmer. 

Chicolom and davisman, thanks for advising me. I think I want to buy the X1 now, but although MLE seems to have an overall positive impression of the X1, I can't get over this part of his X1 review.
 
"the bass can at times come off a bit undetailed and lacking in texture and layering. Perhaps even one-note-ish. To me, the X1's bass sounds like it was pre-boosted from a neutral headphone, and it sounds as if Philips pushed the X1's driver to it's limit in the bass, and adding any more would probably strain the drivers causing them to distort badly."
 
Maybe I'm misinterpreting here, but that statement sounds pretty damning to me, especially the adjective "one-note-ish". 

 I also read Chicolom's comparison and review and he shares the same sentiments, and yet he owns the headphone. Are the flaws in the X1's bass outweighed by its positives in that same region? And does the Annie contain significantly more bass "finesse" despite lacking quantity of bass compared to the X1?