Advice on new Headset

Associate
Joined
11 Sep 2014
Posts
21
Location
Cambridge, UK
Hey all!
Following a recent failure, I'm in the market for a new Headset (for my desktop PC) and am looking for advice/recommendations.

Budget: <£100 would be great but maximum would be <£200

Usage: PC Gaming (all sorts, FPS, strategy, RPG etc.), music, movies etc.

Requirements: 'Rich', reasonable quality sound, string bass, comfortable over long periods, preference for directional/surround sound if possible, microphone (doesn't need to be great but good enough that teammates don't complain...)

Previous ownership: MSI Immerse GH70 - comfortable to wear but generally underwhelming. Tinny sound. Little to no bass. 'Virtual' 7.1 surround just made it sound tinnier, but further away... Failed after one year, two weeks (one year warranty...) I've generally been unimpressed with the 'virtual' surround sound when trying on other peoples headset but maybe they just had rubbish headsets...
Roccat Kave 5.1 - the most uncomfortable thing I've ever put on my head but... I had them for five years. I loved the sound quality, the bass and the 'real' 5.1 surround sound. If I could buy them again I would but my head would never forgive me.
Creative HS800 Fatal1ty - simple but loved them. Still use them at work and currently borrowing my flatmates pair (makes me further appreciate how tinny the GH70 was...)

Current thoughts: A few people have told me good things about the HyperX Cloud II iirc. I popped into the local PC World and tried on a pair of the HyperX Cloud Alpha and they felt nice to wear with good quality sound. But I can't find any of the HyperX range on Overclockers. Should I take that as a warning sign?
I've occasionally glanced longingly at the ASUS ROG Centurion True 7.1 Gaming Headset but its at the top end of the price range and I've seen some mixed reviews.

Recommendations, thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated!
 
Associate
Joined
19 Dec 2005
Posts
1,436
Check the steelseries range, the 5 are wired I think and very reasonable. They are a step up from the Hyper-X Cloud IIs.

If you want to stretch then the Pros with Gamedac are meant to be one of the best gaming ones.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
11 Sep 2014
Posts
21
Location
Cambridge, UK

Thanks for the links! I think PC World had a bunch of the Steelseries on show so I might go back over later today and see what they're like to wear, listen to etc. The white ones are a touch over my budget but I can probably be convinced to invest...

Probably worth mentioning this - my Mobo is on the rather old side of old now (MSI P67A-GD65 (MS-7681)) and I'm only using onboard sound drives. Am I going to get the most out of a really good set of Headphones? Or is that the point of the separate DAC + amp that things like the Steelseries come with? (I did try out a separate sound card many years ago but I could never get it to work properly and I've been grumpy about it ever since...)
 
Associate
Joined
19 Dec 2005
Posts
1,436
Yeah believe so, heard nothing but good things about the ones with Gamedac. I have the Pro wireless ones as I wanted a wireless headset with two batteries, I didn't expect the improvement in sound quality to be so night and day over my HyperX Cloud IIs.

Note, I did and others also have found that you have to fiddle with the EQ to get the best out of it, but this is no hardship and is easily done via the Gamedac or software.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
11 Sep 2014
Posts
21
Location
Cambridge, UK
Yeah believe so, heard nothing but good things about the ones with Gamedac. I have the Pro wireless ones as I wanted a wireless headset with two batteries, I didn't expect the improvement in sound quality to be so night and day over my HyperX Cloud IIs.

Note, I did and others also have found that you have to fiddle with the EQ to get the best out of it, but this is no hardship and is easily done via the Gamedac or software.

Thanks for the advice and recommendations!

I ended up going for the Steelseries Arctis 5 (so the cheaper end of your recommendations) as I had to half my budget and I could also purchase them locally (for the same price as OcUK). So far, thoroughly satisfied - really comfortable fit, great sound quality. Haven't tried out the mic yet but I'm sure it will be fine!

Thanks again!
 
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