What are the best 5.1 headphones??

Surrey_Man

Surrey_Man

Surrey_Man

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hi all i got me a Zalman 5.1 headset but there on the way out any one know if theres any thing better then the zalman???

and if so how much would i be looking to pay ??
and if posable a link or pic of what they look like

There going to be hocked up to a SB Audgy 2 zs :D

Thanks for helping ;)
 
I'm quite happy with my Speedlink Medusa 5.1 headsets. As long as you're not too fussy with sound (like me) then they'll be fine.

You can get them on overclockers :)
 
FENIXfatboy said:
cool what are they like for gamming???
as am a hardcore gammer :cool:
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They're great! Since going from my 2.1 speaker setup to these i've started to hear things that i'd never heard before. Obviously because you've already used 5.1 headphones they won't be as different but they should sound better with your Audigy 2 ZS. I'm hoping to get a Audigy 4 for my birthday and am looking forward to using the headphones in their full glory :D
 
Speedlinks are great , love mine to bits , Love the vibration when nad's go off near you , and for what you pay for them , they realy are a bargain .

great for movies and music as well :)

*EDIT*
and they got a 3 meter cord on them which helps if you move about a lot like me :)
 
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I've got some Senn PC160's along with an X-fi. Although they arnt true 3D, they do a very good job of emulating it, along with the X-fi.

A bit more pricey than the Medusa's though.
 
I've got a pair of speedlinks.

The sound quality is not genuine hi-fi, but then they are for use on a PC not a hi-fi.

They are GREAT for gaming. They allow you to hear where the enemy is, and where their shots are coming from etc.

In first-person shooters they give you a definate advantage over someone who doesn't have a pair! ;)

They some in a snazzy box too!

I recommend them.
 
I've owned both the Zalman and Medusas. The Zalmans I thought were horrible. I read someone describe them as sounding like listenning to music through a drain pipe, and that's exactly how I felt about them too.

Medusas are better, but still not that great. A lot of people say the surround sound isn't convincing. I think it's sort of half convincing. The surround sound is the only reason to buy them though, because they do not have a high quality sound. It's no good saying 'well they're cheap' because £20 Sennheiser stereo headphones will give a clearer more competent sound.

If you really want cheap surround sound headphones, then the Medusas are about the best there is, but personally I've gone off my Medusas and probably think stereo headphones (or a stereo headset), with your soundcards 'pseudo 3d' trickery (especially if you have an X-Fi) would be a better option.
 
I was in the exact same position as you. As a gamer, needing surround sound and all. I had a pair of zalmans that just broke on me.

I looked at the medusa's but nearly all pairs have drawbacks.

The usb ones effect game performance.
The 3.5mm ones require an amplifier that you need to plug in mains.
The usb powered hybrid model cost a stupid price for what is just a gaming headset with medioka reviews.

I decieded to get an x-fi sound card with a high quality pair of headphones that arrived this morning. I have to say that I am blown away by the accuracy of sounds that im hearing. The virtual surround sound REALLY works, and it sounds so real. Its very easy to get drawn into the game.

Cs:s is a lot better. I can pin point the direction of where the sound is coming from. Very very cool :cool:

I admit, that I did spend quite a lot on the headphones. (£110) but they sound very nice and are really comforatble. Everything sounds crisp and clear.

I brought:

Headphones: Sennheiser HD 595 New Top Range 500 Series (not from ocuk)
Sound card: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Music (from ocuk)

Hope this helps :)

Fenny
 
well it goes to show the more you pay the better they are

just anit got that sort of money tee hee about£50 tops have got some now (cheep yuck ones which kids or mrs will end up with :D )

so ill prob save up and some thanks for help all much appreciated :)
 
I would like to try (but not buy) those 5.1/7.1 headset just to see what they are about at some point. It's already been established they are not hi-fi. What I wonder though, is how they compared to £50-60 entry level non 5.1 headphones when it comes to 3D positioning.

(Must also say that I have a preference for the HD580 myself in the 5xx series)
 
TooNice said:
I would like to try (but not buy) those 5.1/7.1 headset just to see what they are about at some point. It's already been established they are not hi-fi. What I wonder though, is how they compared to £50-60 entry level non 5.1 headphones when it comes to 3D positioning.
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Well obviously on their own without your soundcard doing its pseudo 3d trickery, stereo headphones don't have any 3d positioning. If you mean how do 5.1s compare to stereo headphones with your soundcard doing it's pseudo 3d thing, that would probably depend on the soundcard.

I would put money on stereo headphones + X-Fi doing surround sound that's just as convincing as the Medusas or Zalmans though. The reason I say that is having owned both Medusas and Zalmans, I didn't find that either did convincing surround sound.

Fenny said:
The 3.5mm ones require an amplifier that you need to plug in mains.
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The Medusa amp is a good thing in some ways though, because it means you never have to unplug any cables to switch between speakers and headphones. Changing 3 stereo plugs all the time with the Zalmans is bloody annoying.

Fenny said:
I bought:
Headphones: Sennheiser HD 595 New Top Range 500 Series (not from ocuk)
Sound card: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Music (from ocuk)
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Excellent choices :)
 
I can see that the amp would come in great use if you allready had surround sound speakers, however I only use headphones. imo its kind of silly to have to plug your headphones into the mains when they run fine from the computer.

Im happy I made the right choice on the headphones. I checked a lot of review websites and im thrilled to bits with them. :)

GL on your purchase.

Fenny
 
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