Spec me a USB gaming headset

Coomber

Coomber

Coomber

Associate
Joined
14 Jun 2009
Posts
59
Location
Kent
Budget is 30-40 quid, would prefer USB for ease of use and with a mic

I'm not a huge audiophile but would like decent sound for both games and music
 
Coomber said:
Budget is 30-40 quid, would prefer USB for ease of use and with a mic

I'm not a huge audiophile but would like decent sound for both games and music
Click to expand...

Just so that you know, if you use a USB headset or headphones then you cannot change bass/treble in any sound player or software or use any FX or other settings because USB headset/speakers/headphones do not and cannot use any sound card.
 
Well that's not quite true. USB headsets have a built in sound chip and they have varying capabilities. Some of them allow you to change settings.

Unless it takes a standard input, you won't be able to use a USB headset with a soundcard if you ever decide to get one.
 
Uriel said:
Well that's not quite true. USB headsets have a built in sound chip and they have varying capabilities. Some of them allow you to change settings.

Unless it takes a standard input, you won't be able to use a USB headset with a soundcard if you ever decide to get one.
Click to expand...

NO USB headset/headphones can use any part/any bass/treble/fx or other on ANY sound card.
I was not talking about the sound chip...............
I will bet £50 that NO one can use ANY part or control or setting on ANY regular sound card with ANY USB headset/phones.
Sound from or thru a sound card cannot enter into a usb headset.
 
You made it sound as if none of those functions are available on usb headsets. Effectively a USB headset is an external soundcard /dac (althogh not usually a good one).
 
Ben-Irvine93 said:
Uriel is right, ive got a usb headset from pcworld and i can change the bass and that
Click to expand...

Read what I said.
Regular sound card!.
You cannot pass any sound thru a sound card to USB headset/phones.
No controls or fx or anything on a sound card can be used with USB headset/phones.
Try connecting anything to the INPUT of a sound card and then try to listen to it thru the USB headset/phones............aint gonna happen.
 
How about some Goldring DR150's and a Logitech Desktop Mic?

I know it is not what you specced but would offer better quality x 10000.

Look around, I say no more than £50.
 
I am in the same boat, just heard today this was announced

The Creative Sound Blaster Arena Surround USB Gaming Headset features Silencer technology, which uses advanced algorithms to actively eliminate ambient background noise, allowing users to give crystal-clear voice commands. Furthermore, the headset allows users to transform into their game character by disguising their voices with VoiceFX, which offers 18 selectable voicemorph personas that range from Aliens to Orc.

The Creative Sound Blaster Arena Surround USB Gaming Headset is designed for comfort as much as performance. Ergonomic, plush ear cups are shaped for sound isolation so users can keep their head in the game during extended sessions, and the headband is lightweight, padded and adjustable for a custom, precise fit. The headset also makes a great set of headphones when users simply detach the boom microphone.
 
Looks like a noise headset with a built-in X-Fi Go! Creative have previously used Phitek for their noise cancelling products, the same OEM as Goldring used for the NS1000s so chances are the headset itself might not be too bad.

The X-Fi Go! is pretty dire though (I had one briefly). It's basically a cut down USB version of the Xtreme Audio.

If you must go USB, maybe a Xonar U1 (basically a full Xonar chip on USB - I've not tried it but note that Asus have updated the drivers to run DS3D-GX 2.5 so up to EAX5 support) with a set of Goldring NS1000s? It would do the same job much better.
 
I was under the impression that if you're using Vista, all sound is controlled by Vista. If you plug a set of Logitech QuickChat USBs into a PC with no sound device installed, you won't hear any sound. The same with a set of USB speakers. Vistas new drivers were a source of much annoyance when they first came out but they do help with somethings (you can remap any 3.5mm socket on a soundcard to any device for example, as long as the driver allows it).

If the only soundcard in the computer is the onboard Realtek, the USB headset is controlled from that. If you have X-Fi, then (under Vista) that will drive a USB headset.

The exceptions to this are devices like the the Speedlink Medusa's that have specific multi-channel soundcards built-in to give them 'surround' sound.
 
WJA96 said:
I was under the impression that if you're using Vista, all sound is controlled by Vista. If you plug a set of Logitech QuickChat USBs into a PC with no sound device installed, you won't hear any sound. The same with a set of USB speakers. Vistas new drivers were a source of much annoyance when they first came out but they do help with somethings (you can remap any 3.5mm socket on a soundcard to any device for example, as long as the driver allows it).

If the only soundcard in the computer is the onboard Realtek, the USB headset is controlled from that. If you have X-Fi, then (under Vista) that will drive a USB headset.
Click to expand...

Nope. It it's USB (speakers or headset) it generally has its own onboard sound device (usually a fairly basic C-Media chip). An the internal or onboard sound device can't control USB sound devices.

Some modders have made it work but it involves some fairly obscure 3rd party software to pass audio from one sound device to the other.
 
Uriel said:
Nope. It it's USB (speakers or headset) it generally has its own onboard sound device (usually a fairly basic C-Media chip). An the internal or onboard sound device can't control USB sound devices.
Click to expand...

OK -If that is correct, and I have no reason to disbelieve you, why is it when I disable my on-board realtek soundcard, my USB speakers and headset (microphone and headphones) die?

The soundcard is shown as the soundcard and the headset and speakers are shown as playback devices. Vista certainly thinks they are separate and talking to one another.
 
Ive got the creative wireless headset, which works a treat . been through so many sets and broken wires that it stopped being funny after 6 or so in 2 years. Now iam confused, using onboard sound but want an a separte sound card. Will i notice a difference since its a usb headset? Sorry ti hijack thread.
 
I used to have a pair of Sennheiser USB headphones, excellent build quality and good quality sound. Unfortunately our kitten took a fancy to them and totally ruined the cable so I ended up buying a pair of the Creative Fatality cans as a replacement. On a purely sound quality point of view, they did pip the Sennheisers, I suspect this is down to the sound chip rather than the headphones themselves. However, given the choice, given what I know now, I'd rather another pair of the Sennheisers. They are far more comfortable, build quality is far superior and one thing that is often overlooked, they can be used as regular headphones as the soundcard part is a separate bit of kit. That's to say, if you wanted to use them on your TV, iPod or whatever, you can, unlike the Creative ones which are hardwired in to the USB socket.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom