[LanceK]

Hello there,
 
First of all, i'm really sorry for my bad english.. I did my best to bring you the best understable text so thanks for reading and my apologizes if I ruined this beautiful language....

So here is my problem.. I just broke my Sennheiser G4ME One and I'm looking for an excellent successor.
I don't think i will buy it again because i started a quest about the musical perfection and even if the G4ME One is still the best headset, there is no punch at all in the music. The sound is very linear and at max volume, the sound is still low.. I mean, it's impossible to break my ears because the sound gonna be always too low and the another reason is that I'm using it since 2008 (i had his previous version, the Sennheiser 360 G4ME) so i'm getting tired of it.
In my quest to obtain something really punchy, where i can heard every details in my music, and where i can get nice bass without sacrifying sound quality and easy to wear during long hours of gaming, I found a very nice combo: it's the Audio-Technica ATH-M50X with the Bird UM1 (+ a metallic arm + anti-pop filter)

The problem is that combo gonna be not pratical at all when i will play with my guild for hours. Because I will play with this huge mic in front of my eyes and they will heard everything if i'm not in "push to talk" mode.
So I found an alternative, it's the Sennheiser 373D headset. It's a perfect copy of the G4ME One but with 7.1 Surround and an external sound card to go with it. But everybody knows that the "7.1 Surround" effect in a headset is just an effect so it's not real surrond. And it is 100€ more than the G4ME One just for this effect. The Modmic could be a good alternative also on a good headphone but it's a pain in the ass to spend a lot of money in a headphone to ruin his beauty with an ugly patch. (i know that you can remove the mic when you want but there is still a shard of plastic stick on the headphone to plug the mic). Moreover, there is no "noise canceller" on the modmic



So, here I am.. A bit lost between these choices with the feeling that I lost my goal to have the perfect sound in my ears during hours..
Wich one is the good option in your opinion? Headset, headphones+mic or headset + micmod (even if it ruin the headset)?


Some informations about me:
-it's for gaming, listening to the music, skype, teamspeak
-I have a Creative Xonar Essence STX (sound card) in my computer, the futur headset/headphone gonna be plugged in
-I have a quiet environnement, there is absolutly no ambiant noises but after 10:30 PM, i must speak silently because my wife goes sleeping (the bedroom is next to the computer room)
-My budget is around 300€+ for headphones, 60€ for a mic (can wait next month to get the Blue Yeti at 160€)
-I wear glasses
-I never do lan
-The headset/headphone will be for a computer and only for it (i have another headphones for "nomad music")

Thanks for reading!

 

[LanceK]

up

 

[serman005]

Would you be open to a nice open back headphone for your needs? That would give you the best imaging and soundstaging for positional data. There are several excellent options if you would be open to the possibility.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LanceK /img/forum/go_quote.gif

So I found an alternative, it's the Sennheiser 373D headset. It's a perfect copy of the G4ME One but with 7.1 Surround and an external sound card to go with it. But everybody knows that the "7.1 Surround" effect in a headset is just an effect so it's not real surrond.

 

Well, of course it's "just an effect," unless you go with a surround speaker system or  true 7.1 headset with even smaller speakers in it that will just give you worse sound quality.

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by LanceK /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 

So I found an alternative, it's the Sennheiser 373D headset. It's a perfect copy of the G4ME One but with 7.1 Surround and an external sound card to go with it. But everybody knows that the "7.1 Surround" effect in a headset is just an effect so it's not real surrond. And it is 100€ more than the G4ME One just for this effect.

---
-I have a Creative Xonar Essence STX (sound card) in my computer, the futur headset/headphone gonna be plugged in

 

If you have the STX then you don't need to cough up more money "just for that effect" because that "effect" is already built into the STX. What you're paying extra for is the USB soundcard that you don't need.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by LanceK /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 

The problem is that combo gonna be not pratical at all when i will play with my guild for hours. Because I will play with this huge mic in front of my eyes and they will heard everything if i'm not in "push to talk" mode.
---
-it's for gaming, listening to the music, skype, teamspeak

 

Here's where you'll run into a problem though - push to talk and noise cancelling are only available on dedicated headsets.

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by LanceK /img/forum/go_quote.gif

In my quest to obtain something really punchy, where i can heard every details in my music, and where i can get nice bass without sacrifying sound quality and easy to wear during long hours of gaming, I found a very nice combo: it's the Audio-Technica ATH-M50X with the Bird UM1 (+ a metallic arm + anti-pop filter)
---

-I have a quiet environnement, there is absolutly no ambiant noises but after 10:30 PM, i must speak silently because my wife goes sleeping (the bedroom is next to the computer room)
-My budget is around 300€+ for headphones, 60€ for a mic (can wait next month to get the Blue Yeti at 160€)
---

-The headset/headphone will be for a computer and only for it (i have another headphones for "nomad music")

 

If you want something affordable and punchy, and will work with your STX without problems, get the Superlux HD660 and a mic. I have the HD330 and a cheap conference tabletop mic hooked up to my Xonar U3.

 

[LanceK]

Thanks a lot for your answers! Now we're bringing some woods for the house: the 373D is definitely not an option anymore!

 "get the Superlux HD660"

To be honest, I doubt a 30€ headphones makes the perfect sound that i'm looking for :/

 

 Would you be open to a nice open back headphone for your needs?

That's intersting, I did'nt know anything about open back headphone! This kind of headphones wont be so noisy ? Cause my GF is sleeping in the bedroom, next to the computer room..
What are the benefits of an open back headphone ?


If anybody have good ideas like that, i'm still open! Thanks guyz

 

[Monsterzero]

  Thanks a lot for your answers! Now we're bringing some woods for the house: the 373D is definitely not an option anymore!

To be honest, I doubt a 30€ headphones makes the perfect sound that i'm looking for :/

 

That's intersting, I did'nt know anything about open back headphone! This kind of headphones wont be so noisy ? Cause my GF is sleeping in the bedroom, next to the computer room..
What are the benefits of an open back headphone ?


If anybody have good ideas like that, i'm still open! Thanks guyz

As Serman already pointed out,an open back will give you better soundstage(width & depth),and depending upon which open back you choose,better imaging(ability to hear exactly where opponents/enemies are)

It will leak some sound,but if you have a door to close in your room,it shouldnt be loud enough to disturb your g/f.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
To be honest, I doubt a 30€ headphones makes the perfect sound that i'm looking for :/

 

1. Ripping off an existing chassis design (Beyerdynamic) saves RnD costs, and they know they can convince people to get it knowing that replacement pads are practically everywhere.

 

2. Not that hi-fi headphones cannot at all be "punchy," but save for Grado's Prestige Series (and according to reviews, the Philips SHP9500 also), the only alternative for "punchy" sound - a result of peaks in the upper bass to low midrange paired with high (enough) sensitivity (ie this is why Grados can have that sound off a 9v portable amp while people think the HD600 sounds "lazy/laid back" by comparison) - would be the HD330 and the bassier HD660. 

 

3. The soundstage on the M50X isn't dramatically better either, and if you're using this for gaming, the virtual surround DSP has more impact on positional audio than a system that has great imaging on 2ch audio. My Superlux HD330 on a Xonar U3 can image sound coming out and around my head that my HD600 and Meier Cantate can't do without a DSP.

 

 

"The HD330 and the HD660 are tuned to be the forward and agressive sounding headphones. They can be likened to a Grado, except that the fundamentally different driver and housing design keeps them relatively different from a typical Grado. ... Take the usual standard of Superlux headphone drivers (which is excellent for the price), and tune them to be forward, engaging, and fun with punchy bass. Say hello to the best Rock headphones under $100.

Forward mids, slightly agressive treble, tight punchy midbass." 

http://www.headfonia.com/the-new-superluxes-are-good-the-hd330-hd440-and-the-hd660/

 
Quote:

 
That's intersting, I did'nt know anything about open back headphone! This kind of headphones wont be so noisy ? Cause my GF is sleeping in the bedroom, next to the computer room..

 

If you're in another room you'd have to be living in a shanty for the sound out the back to be audible in the next room, although then again you can spin into a downward spiral of competing noise (other people watching TV, you play too loud to overcompensate to not hear it, they turn up their TV...), but if she's sleeping this isn't likely that big a problem.

 

Ambient noise however is another story. 10:00PM and 12:00MN still have a marked difference in audible noise here that the bass is clearer later. If I run a dB meter off a smartphone I'd still get roughly 28dB to 30dB of ambient noise until past 10:00PM, and that's even without my PC and A/C running. And even with just the PC running, it's not exactly built into a Fractal Design case with BeQuiet fans and CPU cooler (nor a triple fan Asus Strix card that can be set lower to keep the noise level low, relying on massive cooling pipes/fin surface area than more airflow volume).

 

[LanceK]

 

 

1. Ripping off an existing chassis design (Beyerdynamic) saves RnD costs, and they know they can convince people to get it knowing that replacement pads are practically everywhere.

 

2. Not that hi-fi headphones cannot at all be "punchy," but save for Grado's Prestige Series (and according to reviews, the Philips SHP9500 also), the only alternative for "punchy" sound - a result of peaks in the upper bass to low midrange paired with high (enough) sensitivity (ie this is why Grados can have that sound off a 9v portable amp while people think the HD600 sounds "lazy/laid back" by comparison) - would be the HD330 and the bassier HD660. 

 

3. The soundstage on the M50X isn't dramatically better either, and if you're using this for gaming, the virtual surround DSP has more impact on positional audio than a system that has great imaging on 2ch audio. My Superlux HD330 on a Xonar U3 can image sound coming out and around my head that my HD600 and Meier Cantate can't do without a DSP.

 

 

"The HD330 and the HD660 are tuned to be the forward and agressive sounding headphones. They can be likened to a Grado, except that the fundamentally different driver and housing design keeps them relatively different from a typical Grado. ... Take the usual standard of Superlux headphone drivers (which is excellent for the price), and tune them to be forward, engaging, and fun with punchy bass. Say hello to the best Rock headphones under $100.

Forward mids, slightly agressive treble, tight punchy midbass." 

http://www.headfonia.com/the-new-superluxes-are-good-the-hd330-hd440-and-the-hd660/

 

If you're in another room you'd have to be living in a shanty for the sound out the back to be audible in the next room, although then again you can spin into a downward spiral of competing noise (other people watching TV, you play too loud to overcompensate to not hear it, they turn up their TV...), but if she's sleeping this isn't likely that big a problem.

 

Ambient noise however is another story. 10:00PM and 12:00MN still have a marked difference in audible noise here that the bass is clearer later. If I run a dB meter off a smartphone I'd still get roughly 28dB to 30dB of ambient noise until past 10:00PM, and that's even without my PC and A/C running. And even with just the PC running, it's not exactly built into a Fractal Design case with BeQuiet fans and CPU cooler (nor a triple fan Asus Strix card that can be set lower to keep the noise level low, relying on massive cooling pipes/fin surface area than more airflow volume).

If it's true, it's really amazing.. For 30€, I will buy it as extra headphones!

 

  It will leak some sound,but if you have a door to close in your room,it shouldnt be loud enough to disturb your g/f.

It's ok for the noise, there is a door!

 

  As Serman already pointed out,an open back will give you better soundstage(width & depth),and depending upon which open back you choose,better imaging(ability to hear exactly where opponents/enemies are)
 

After some search, i will go for the Sennheiser HD650 wich is more bassy than the HD600.. But I need to find a shop to hear it with my own ears first! The next month,do I need an amp or something?

There is still the problem of the microphone... Is it confortable for gaming to have a separate mic? Like I said in my first post, I was going for the Bird UM1 (+ a metallic arm + anti-pop filter).. All this stuff wont be annoying for my vision while playing video games?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  After some search, i will go for the Sennheiser HD650 wich is more bassy than the HD600.. But I need to find a shop to hear it with my own ears first! The next month,do I need an amp or something?

 

Bassier but if whatever you have it plugged into can't supply enough voltage it won't sound "punchy" at high volume (kind of like how if you had the K702 with an amp lacking current). That said, you don't need extreme levels of voltage, like the 30v out of Violectric amps or some OTL amps.

 

Still, depending on what you really mean by "punchy," you might still be better off with a Grado. Or the Superlux HD660, which is a lot like the SR60 with a lot of bass, larger earpads, and closed earcups.
 

 
There is still the problem of the microphone... Is it confortable for gaming to have a separate mic? Like I said in my first post, I was going for the Bird UM1 (+ a metallic arm + anti-pop filter).. All this stuff wont be annoying for my vision while playing video games?

 

I have a table top mic between my monitor and keyboard. It's the slim, omnidirectional type so it doesn't pick up a lot of other noise (like my A/C) but if I turn my head the sound drastically decreases. Still, given it's on the same line of sight as the monitor, would you even have your head turned?

 

[Monsterzero]

 
If it's true, it's really amazing.. For 30€, I will buy it as extra headphones!

 

It's ok for the noise, there is a door!

 

After some search, i will go for the Sennheiser HD650 wich is more bassy than the HD600.. But I need to find a shop to hear it with my own ears first! The next month,do I need an amp or something?

There is still the problem of the microphone... Is it confortable for gaming to have a separate mic? Like I said in my first post, I was going for the Bird UM1 (+ a metallic arm + anti-pop filter).. All this stuff wont be annoying for my vision while playing video games?

I wouldnt choose HD650 for gaming...It isnt easy to drive correctly and doesnt have good soundstage for an open back.

I would look into a Philips Fidelio X2,or a used X1. 

 

[LanceK]

Thanks a lot guyz, i gonna buy the Philips X2 Fidelio and a V-Moda Boom Pro microphone!

You don't know how much you helped me! When i started this thread, i was at the end of the line after hours and hours of research on the internet! You rock