Oh noes!! not another spec me a headset thread

Oxide™

Oxide™

Oxide™

Soldato
Joined
26 Dec 2007
Posts
2,702
Location
Broadstairs
to be used in decending order of music >> voicechat >> gaming >> movies.

Been reading posts on ocuk for advice and its apparent that the way to go is sennheiser 595 with elara clip on mic as it seems you dont get good quality headsets unless only used for gaming?

I think the senn's look a bit naff tbh but what can you do.

I currently use Medusa 5.1's with X-Fi xtremegamer and find the medusa's lacking in the music department. Would I hear a big difference with the senn's? and are the 595's far better than the 555's?

budget is max £100

Please help and again apologies for another spec me thread on headphones :)
 
Thanks willy - im thinking HD555's for open headphones but after further research, I may just be leaning towards closed circumaural headphones and people have recommended the Sennheiser HD280PRO

Are they good? would I hear a difference with my current setup?
 
also bear in mind the music I listen to can vary between trance (gabriel n dresden), metal (old school metallica) and anything from bon jovi, belinda carlisle, eagles etc

AND...

they need to reproduce good surround sound for when I play the occasional game...now before you go on about how kek 5.1 headphones are and how good a decent pair of stereo headphones can reproduce surround sound, is this really the case with an x-fi soundcard?

I admit, I am noob at headphone technology

Where is -Ad- and Uriel with their expert advice? :confused::p
 
wouldn't say that I have a massive head, but when going go karting, i have a hard time finding the right size :p

they fit perfectly.


never used 555's so can't comment, my 595's were around £90
 
Me - expert? Naah. I've just tried more soundcards than is healthy. Anyway I'll only be reapeating comments I've already posted. The following could all be gleaned from searching the forums.

Any true X-Fi (not external or Xtreme Audio) can do a pretty good job with surround sound over headphones with CMSS-3D headphone. You can tell what's in front of you or behind you etc anyway.

If the X-Fi comes with a THX speaker setup (which can be found if you look around), you can tweak the settings so the positioning sounds more natural. I think the sound is too 'wide' by default so things noises related to stuff at the edge of the screen sounds like it's directly to the right or the left but the THX console can remedy this.

CMSS-3D on the 'lesser' X-Fis or Audigys is not as good and I didn't find it convincing. I would rate the Medusas (only 5.1 headphones I've tried) as having better positioning, although not sound quality (depending on what headphones you're using). CMSS-3D headphone on my old Audigy 2 is what had me clinging on to the Medusas for so long.

Dolby Headphone on the Xonar does something similar in games, effectively simulating a speaker setup. It can give a sense of space, as well as direction, so it can seem like you're not wearing headphones. The 'distance' effect is quite headphone dependent though. I've found that it can sound fake on a lot of headphones (particularly DH3), the Sennheiser HD600 and Goldring NS1000 being the two exceptions I've tried. It adds reverb and if your game already has reverb, it can be a bit of an echo-fest. I think Dolby Headphone sounds more natural than CMSS-3D headphone but it needs a good set of cans to really shine.

To be honest I think Dolby Headphone and, to some extent CMSS-3D headpone (X-Fi only), have made 5.1 headphones redundant.

Edit: Pretty much any set of stereo headphones I've tried over £20 destroys the Medusas for music quality. My £6 philips stereo earbuds aren't far off the same quality.

Further Edit: Your Xtreme Gamer should be fine for CMSS-3D headphone.

Yet another edit: I have only demoed the HD595 in a shop, hence haven't heard it with DH or CMSS-3D.
 
Last edited:
HAHA at the realtime editing Uriel :)

Thanks for your comments guys, ok Ive decided that 3d positioning is taken care of by cmss 3d (thanks to uriel's comments)....only thing now is deciding on the right set of headphones for me. Im thinking closed circumaural sennheiser HD280's, are these good?

I listen to music while the missus watches TV in the same room as me, hence the need for closed (unless someone says that the sound quality is far better with open headphones and the leakage isnt THAT bad)

this sound business is well confusing lol :confused:, I thought home cinema thread was confusing originally :eek:
 
Last edited:
Well I haven't heard the HD280s. May be worth looking for comments on soundstage / headstage in reviews. CMSS-3D headphone really benefits from a set of cans with a good soundstage (more so than Dolby Headphone, which sort of fakes it).
 
Uriel said:
Well I haven't heard the HD280s. May be worth looking for comments on soundstage / headstage in reviews. CMSS-3D headphone really benefits from a set of cans with a good soundstage (more so than Dolby Headphone, which sort of fakes it).
Click to expand...

ok will keep that in mind thank you :)
 
Hope the OP doesn't mind me posing a related question:

At the moment I use my motherboard's SPDIF digital output -> DAC -> amp -> HD555. This sounds great for music, but I'm quite interested in whole CMSS-3D/Dolby headphone thing. I'd like to be able to position things even better when playing COD. Would a Xonar be able to do this over an optical connection?
 
p4radox said:
Hope the OP doesn't mind me posing a related question:

At the moment I use my motherboard's SPDIF digital output -> DAC -> amp -> HD555. This sounds great for music, but I'm quite interested in whole CMSS-3D/Dolby headphone thing. I'd like to be able to position things even better when playing COD. Would a Xonar be able to do this over an optical connection?
Click to expand...

Not at all but may I ask you a question lol

So many people reckon the 555's are good so my question is....is sound leakage really bad? are they good SQ and build wise? would they fit my above normal sized head? (like I would choose a big helmet if I went carting)

also I think the medusa's are open headphones, in which case, me getting open headphones is fine
 
Oxlde said:
Not at all but may I ask you a question lol

So many people reckon the 555's are good so my question is....is sound leakage really bad? are they good SQ and build wise? would they fit my above normal sized head? (like I would choose a big helmet if I went carting)

also I think the medusa's are open headphones, in which case, me getting open headphones is fine
Click to expand...

There is sound leakage yes, but it's obviously not as loud as having speakers.

The SQ is fantastic. The build quality is excellent, I can't see any obvious way of breaking mine without using a power tool.

I also have a large head, and they fit fine.:)
 
right thats sealed the deal - Thanks all for your comments and help - Im set on the 555's now (£57 from a big river website too) :D
 
p4radox said:
Hope the OP doesn't mind me posing a related question:

At the moment I use my motherboard's SPDIF digital output -> DAC -> amp -> HD555. This sounds great for music, but I'm quite interested in whole CMSS-3D/Dolby headphone thing. I'd like to be able to position things even better when playing COD. Would a Xonar be able to do this over an optical connection?
Click to expand...

I pretty sure it can send 2 channel PCM audio with dolby headphone over a digital connection. I could probably try it with my mini-disc recorder if you're interested. Might not be able to do it until tomorrow though.
 
Uriel said:
I pretty sure it can send 2 channel PCM audio with dolby headphone over a digital connection. I could probably try it with my mini-disc recorder if you're interested. Might not be able to do it until tomorrow though.
Click to expand...

If you could that'd be awesome.:)
 
Just came across the Sennheisser PC 350.....are these good? have I done the right thing getting the 555's with an additional elara clip on mic? :confused:
 
p4radox said:
If you could that'd be awesome.:)
Click to expand...

Sorry after a quick search, I couldn't find the optical adaptor for my MD recorder. The Xonar certainly lets me select Dolby Headphone with SPDIF out set to PCM though. Can't see why it wouldn't work.

If you did decide to go for it, I'd be interested to hear your impressions on the quality of the Xonar's analogue output vs the exteral DAC.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom