[AudioDwebe]

I need your help, as I know close to nothing about gaming cans.

My son recently got into playing Minecraft and Plants vs. Zombies in live mode against/with other kids. I bought a used gaming set that came with the cheap little xbox one earpiece with a mic set. The thing plugs straight into the gaming comtroller, which is pretty nice.

His birthday is coming up and I have decided to get him something better. But I don't know what to get.

I am looking for a good set of gaming cans with built in mic that will allow him to control the volume of the game and voices from other players separately. I'm also looking for an all-in-one solution that will plug directly into the controller without adapters.

Looking for wired cans only. Wireless technology sitting next to his brain for hours on end scares me a bit as a father.

Budget is up to $250 or so.

Thanks for your help.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Might try asking on this thread.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-update-4-17-2014-akg-k612-and-k712-pro-added-edits.
 
I would think to get a Astro Mix-amp (used if fine, check ebay), and the Sennheiser HD558 ($110-$122) headphones and get any add-on mic you like.

 

[Boochie]

Honestly, and I will probably get flamed for this, but the Turtlebeach x12 line of headsets work quite well for this application.  And, they are cheap.  I was at my local Big Lots discount store just the other day and saw that they had refurb x12's (I think) for $16.
 
If your son is like mine, he will probably not take care of them anyway so why spend $250 on something that he likely to destroy.  Your son may be different but when my son was 8, he had no concept of what quality sounds like (in terms of SQ) and only wanted something that was simple and that worked for his application.  In these terms, the Turtlebeach x12's (or the older model x11s) fit the bill. 
 
If that doesn't matter to you, like the poster above me said, the Astro line of gaming headsets and mixamps are generally very well received within the gaming community. 

 

[GeneraI]

  Honestly, and I will probably get flamed for this, but the Turtlebeach x12 line of headsets work quite well for this application.  And, they are cheap.  I was at my local Big Lots discount store just the other day and saw that they had refurb x12's (I think) for $16.
 
If your son is like mine, he will probably not take care of them anyway so why spend $250 on something that he likely to destroy.  Your son may be different but when my son was 8, he had no concept of what quality sounds like (in terms of SQ) and only wanted something that was simple and that worked for his application.  In these terms, the Turtlebeach x12's (or the older model x11s) fit the bill. 
 
 

I agree with this. Most 8yr old's don't really value a headphone that would cost $250. I know I didn't value expensive toys when I was 8. I would recommend thought to not buy him really expensive headphones first, because I mean c'mon what 8yr old needs a $250 Astro A40 headset. It seems like kind of a waste, unless he was some sort of professional gamer. 
 
Who knows, maybe if he keeps his cheap starter headphones nice, then you can always upgrade him to some Astro's or something. 

 

[DJDREEM]

$250 for headphones for can 8 year old child? What is the world coming to lol

 

[AudioDwebe]

Thanks, guys. I will look into the x12s.

cheers.