Sound options + advice

DJ... said:
Obviously my complete lack of interest in gaming is showing here. I still don't see the need for it unless you have polyphony issues in games...
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Here are Sennheiser HD600's, audiophile/music headphones, with impedance of 300Ohm - http://www.sennheiserusa.com/over-ear-headphones-highest-quality-headphones_004465.

So assuming you are aware of high impedance headphones, not sure why you don't see why headsets targeted at gamers should not need to be high impedance?

Of course you could also try a Logitech G35/Roccat Kave/Steel Series Siberia/Razer Banshee yourself, and compare them to something requiring amplification, like the PC350's. As others have done.

Or look at the specs...
 
Personally I don't see the need for such headphones when it comes to gaming. Again this is just my gaming naivety coming through though...
 
PostmanPot said:
Fair enough, and when it comes to music...?
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For audiophiles, yes. For your average listener, they more often than not wouldn't be able to tell the difference between HD25s and a set of old Kenwoods. I've seen it time and time again.

My gaming experience is absolutely minimal though. My experience of games is limited to sports games from yesteryear and Doom, so my assumptions about requirements for current gaming audio reproduction is baseless, I admit...
 
Archer said:
How is the bass? I know logitech loves their bass, imo a bit too much. And $300 is the upper limit, I'm not deadset on spending that much obviously. If I can get great sound for $0.01 I'm there like butter on toast!

/waits for report back from killa tomorrow
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For me, the bass is perfect and this coming from a bass junky with a 15" rockford in his boot. ;) But again, you have to experience it for yourself.
 
DJ... said:
For audiophiles, yes. For your average listener, they more often than not wouldn't be able to tell the difference between HD25s and a set of old Kenwoods. I've seen it time and time again.

My gaming experience is absolutely minimal though. My experience of games is limited to sports games from yesteryear and Doom, so my assumptions about requirements for current gaming audio reproduction is baseless, I admit...
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Yup that is what i was thinking as well but i buy pretty much everything high end so why not sound i guess. Besides i have bought about 6 pairs of headphones in the last few years and the one ear always breaks. So perhaps it's time to buy the best(or close to it) and have it for 5 years.

I will see tomorrow, i got money burning a hole in my pocket anyhow. I play so much bf 3 i spend next to nothing on recreational stuff so i am saving so much money.
 
I have the Xonar Xense with the Sennheiser 350's and in the beginning I had them set up like a chop. But now that I have them set properly.... seriously the richness of just normal music is insane.... get a good Dubstep track and listen to it on the 350's. It gave me goosies! And tbh it was almost overwhelming in game (MW3 - where in my opinion the sound is shyte compared to Black Ops), I could hear people everywhere around me. Didn't know which way to look first! Takes some getting used to!

As for comfort and fit, I'll give it a 10/10. I live in Durbs, and it gets hot in my PC room (humidity factored in - stinking hot). The earphones are super light, cushion on the head is not painfull after hours of play, no sweating, just flippin good! The cups cover your complete ear, blocks out external noises very well. Again its super comfy, I wear glasses so to have a set of earphones that dont push on the frames of my glasses around my ears is worth every cent of what I paid!

I :love: my PC 350's
 
DJ... said:
For your average listener, they more often than not wouldn't be able to tell the difference between HD25s and a set of old Kenwoods.
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Gaming sound is clearly far more advanced and detailed these days than you think.

You were probably the same until you researched and started dropping cash...
 
Glad you came right IRG.

I'll just +1 to what the others say. that Xense + PC350 bundle is absolutely brilliant (on carbonite people were selling them off for R1600+-) which is insane.

Im using Xonar D1 (no amp) with HD 598's and its fantastic. Compared my sound to my mates logitech G35 and its a joke, its like comparing a ferrari to a golf.
 
DJ... said:
Personally I don't see the need for such headphones when it comes to gaming. Again this is just my gaming naivety coming through though...
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Compare them and see.. I have a gaming headset (Carcharias), and the Sennheiser HD 598 absolutely destroys it in games. On cheaper headphones, when shots are being fired, that's all you can hear, it drowns out everything else. With decent headphones and with Dolby Headphone enabled, it sounds like a good set of surround speakers, you can hear exactly where the sounds are coming from. Granted the HD598 is about 3 times the price, but dear lord they sound good.
 
poffle said:
Glad you came right IRG.

I'll just +1 to what the others say. that Xense + PC350 bundle is absolutely brilliant (on carbonite people were selling them off for R1600+-) which is insane.

Im using Xonar D1 (no amp) with HD 598's and its fantastic. Compared my sound to my mates logitech G35 and its a joke, its like comparing a ferrari to a golf.
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So driving 50ohm was no problem then? I dont generally game with the volume very loud, but I'd obviously want the option to crank it up once in a while. Thinking that perhaps a Xonar DX + PC 360 is a good combo, but just unsure if it will be able to drive the phones properly.
 
Archer said:
So driving 50ohm was no problem then? I dont generally game with the volume very loud, but I'd obviously want the option to crank it up once in a while. Thinking that perhaps a Xonar DX + PC 360 is a good combo, but just unsure if it will be able to drive the phones properly.
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HD5xx still require amplification to perform properly. But they do sound nice via normal 3.5/6.3mm jacks.

I have already covered the Ohm story. Short answer: NO.
 
Hmmm, guess at some point I'll have to find some closed ear headphones and figure out how hot I really get. Cause then I wont mind getting the Xense + PC 350, even though it has sucky mike/volume control :p
 
It still comes through loud enough but the amplification would be nice when u wanna crank it up proper :)
 
Archer said:
Hmmm, guess at some point I'll have to find some closed ear headphones and figure out how hot I really get. Cause then I wont mind getting the Xense + PC 350, even though it has sucky mike/volume control :p
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I've only read at how good PC-350's are at preventing hot and sweaty ears. Trust me, Sennheiser would think about this in their designs.
 
W00t w00t got my xense, now i just gotta make through the day, a dinner / dronkness and hope i don't break it when installing. So i may leave it for tomorrow depending on how drunk i am when i get home :p.

I also lost control and bought a 400 rand mouse pad battlefield 3, 60gb ssd for my work files as my 120gb is near 95% capacity plus a new keyboard, geezuz i had to force myself to leave before i bought a lcd haha :(. Bad esquire for having a shop :(
 
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Please don't tell me you bought the Cyborg keyboard. Please.

Or Razer Lycosa or Blackwidow.
 
killadoob said:
No i bought a razer arcosa 299 ex or something but it is for my work pc, my gaming rig still has the g15 which i am happy with.
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Cool, they aren't as problematic.

Let the sound discussion continue (what little is left of it ;)).
 
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