[newn]

Currently I'm using Roccat Kave - amazing headset due to the multiple speakers - it's very immersive when watching movies or playing games, and I like how it encloses my ears so that I'm sort of isolated from the outside noises when listening to music (and doing the things above).

However it's broken and is held together by tape, so I'm looking to buy something new. I thought why not wireless? I like walking around while talking to people on Skype, articulating and all, and there isn't going to be that annoying wire that'll keep me from moving freely.

I have a few concerns though: while I'm low on budget (maybe up to $150-175?), I like high quality (and I'm sensitive to it - able to see the difference without trying), which Roccat Kave was able to provide me with compared to all the other headphones I had before that. Wireless however, may be limited in quality due to it being wireless, not to mention that it may have latency when playing competitive games (battlefield, red orchestra, counter strike), although I'm not sure if those things are true.

So here are some bullet points:

1. I'm gonna listen to music, play games (including competitive where reaction is very important) and watch movies
2. Currently I've a 5.1 headset with multiple speakers on each side (Roccat Kave) and I love how immersive it is - that being said, I want something that'd provide me with at least somewhat similar experience
3. I need a microphone - I often use Skype
4. Despite my budget being low, I like and notice high quality - Roccat Kave was able to provide me with that so far.
5. I hate headphones that don't cover my ears - I want it to cover my ears and "isolate" me from the environment (like Roccat Kave)
6. Wireless is a nice extra, but if it's impossible - I'd settle for wired

Note: My prices would be around the same as those at amazon.co.uk, I'm not from the US.

 

[CybDev]

It seems to me you pretty much just want another Roccat Kave... If it works for you why change it for something else?

 

[newn]

It seems to me you pretty much just want another Roccat Kave... If it works for you why change it for something else?

Because I get bored of same things and I want something new. Also because Roccat Kave is really heavy and because both of my headphones (a warranty replacement and initial) had broken sound controllers in a couple of months, as well as the fact that it broke rather easily physically (not a strong design). I'm also annoyed at the blue lights it has. Essentially, I never buy the same technology twice, I like changing and trying things rather than reusing the same.

 

[CybDev]

Well, cans with multiple elements per side is pretty rare, and all of those I've tried sounded absolutely crap for anything related to music and movies.
Yes they give you a real nice feeling for where things are in games, and also movies, but to me that's just not worth the degraded overall sound quality.
Note I've never tried the Roccat Kave.

You said you wanted something with a mic, and you wanted over-ear closed ones for the isolation?
If the over-ear closed cans thing is just for the isolation you really should be looking into a decent IEM, many of those come with microphones and provide excellent isolation against the environment, but of course, they have other issues like any IEM will have...
I would try something entry level universal, like Shure SE-215 perhaps, and see if that gives you anything remotely what you want.
They are very low "bling" factor, and as a bonus very portable as well.
I usually play FPS with HD800's and separate mic, but if the ambient noise is high or it's late at night, I use my SE-535 IEM's, they are excellent for hearing those finer details like footsteps or environment, granted they might be a bit out of your price range, and I'm not much of a competitive gamer these days so I really have no idea what you are looking for.

In my experience closed cans or IEM's won't be able to compete with open cans/speakers/multi-driver headpones when it comes to positional audio, but there are approximations with the "virtal surround sound" options, ymmv.

 

[newn]

Well, cans with multiple elements per side is pretty rare, and all of those I've tried sounded absolutely crap for anything related to music and movies.
Yes they give you a real nice feeling for where things are in games, and also movies, but to me that's just not worth the degraded overall sound quality.
Note I've never tried the Roccat Kave.

You said you wanted something with a mic, and you wanted over-ear closed ones for the isolation?
If the over-ear closed cans thing is just for the isolation you really should be looking into a decent IEM, many of those come with microphones and provide excellent isolation against the environment, but of course, they have other issues like any IEM will have...
I would try something entry level universal, like Shure SE-215 perhaps, and see if that gives you anything remotely what you want.
They are very low "bling" factor, and as a bonus very portable as well.
I usually play FPS with HD800's and separate mic, but if the ambient noise is high or it's late at night, I use my SE-535 IEM's, they are excellent for hearing those finer details like footsteps or environment, granted they might be a bit out of your price range, and I'm not much of a competitive gamer these days so I really have no idea what you are looking for.

In my experience closed cans or IEM's won't be able to compete with open cans/speakers/multi-driver headpones when it comes to positional audio, but there are approximations with the "virtal surround sound" options, ymmv.

 
I suppose I should edit the additions of what I want and what I can buy.
 
I'm willing to spend up to $210 (or 130 pounds as the prices should be checked at amazon.co.uk). I'm not necessarily looking for noise-cancelling headphones, however I don't want to hear something happening outside my apartment (even with closed windows you can hear cars passing buy, someone working or kids playing). I've a 7970 with a bad coilwire as well as 3 fans on it, which goes all speed when I'm gaming. I wouldn't want it to prevent me from immersing into the game or hearing things in competitive gaming. I'm looking for something that'd allow me to hear where the enemy is (positions), and a 5.1 imitation (surround) would be nice as well, both in music, movies and games. I'm willing to use a clip-on microphone, so it doesn't have to have a microphone. I don't have preferences for extra-strong sounds - I want it to sound natural (no heavy or weak bass, no heavy or weak mids/treble/etc.). I don't care about portability at all - they're gonna stay connected to my rig ever since they'll arrive. They have to be over-ear - I want them to cover my ears, I don't want them *on* my ears or in my ears. I like details and I do listen to fast-paced (as well as slow) music, so if they wouldn't 'merge' sounds - that'd be great.
 
Note that I've never tried open headphones, so I have no idea how they would sound or how much sound would actually come in. As for the sound going out, I couldn't care less for the most part - if on a rare occasion I'll need to be quiet, I'll use Kave for a little bit. It's rare that I'd need that anyway.
 
Hope that helps.