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1/11/2013 12:43:29 AM
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[b]Audio General; Speakers, Headphones, Souncards:[/b] [url=http://i.imgur.com/LdZMp.png]The average day of audiophile.[/url] [b]Headsets?:[/b] [quote]Alright, here's where Fluffy is going to lay some science on you. Generally, gaming headsets range from $50-$300. What exactly is a gaming headset? Well, imagine it as a $20 gas-station headphone with a built in microphone. Yeah, they really are that cheap. So I come here to offer you an alternative, head[i]phones[/i] made for music, but ones that perform exceptionally better than headset brands such as [b]Tritton, Turtlebeach, Razer, Logitech,[/b] or [b]Astro.[/b][/quote] [b]Microphones:[/b] [quote]First off, you're going to need a mic to work with them. This is the easiest part. If you want a cheaper solution, don't mind having an extra cord down your side, travel often, and would rather use a 3.5mm jack than a USB, then get a [url=http://www.amazon.com/Zalman-Zm-Mic1-Sensitivity-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B00029MTMQ/]Zalman clip-on mic.[/url] If you have ten more bucks, only want to have the headphone cord in your way, have a spare USB port, and care about quality, get a [url=http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-981-000246-USB-Desktop-Microphone/dp/B002RL84OY/]Logitech desktop mic.[/url] I suggest the second, but either one works. A third alternative is the [url=http://www.modmic.com/]AntLion Modmic,[/url] but be prepared to wait a while to order one. If you really want to get into high-quality microphones, you can look at [url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004QJREXM/]Audio-Technica[/url] or [url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008F4USMS/]Blue.[/url][/quote] [b]Brands:[/b] [quote][u]Grado[/u] - generally, bright, forward, aggressive, with great sense of immediacy/speed and energy, but not as spacious sounding as Senns or AKGs or Beyers. Easier to drive than the competition, but do benefit a good deal from amping, especially tube amps I think. [u]Alessandro[/u] - technically like Grado, but more relaxed and neutral. [u]Sennheiser[/u] - Generally balanced with some extra warmth. Smooth and relaxed sound compared to Grados with better sense of space and better imaging (depending on the models compared). More neutral. Some find them not as detailed as Grado's and veiled or lacking energy. Most of their high end cans need a great amp and source to shine and also balancing. [u]Denon[/u] - Bassy. Great soundstage and imaging for closed cans. Good detial accuracy. Bass is very deep but can be boomy with wrong source and/or amp. Mods apparently help a lot (i.e markl mod). Also need good amp and source. [u]Audio-Techinca[/u] - Their open models and some closed ones are bass light for some, but bass quality is generally good. Their closed cans can actually be quite bassy. Midrange is usually a bit forward or recessed depending on the model. Treble can also be forward or recessed. Something like a mix of Grados and Senns - not as aggressive as Grado, but not as laid back as Senn. Known for great imaging and soundstage. Generally easy to drive. [u]AKG[/u] - Known for great clarity. their full-sized open cans are also known for excellent soundstage and imaging. Some think their open cans are a bit lean on bass and forward on treble (i.e K701) Other think they neutral. Also known for realistic tonality. generally hard to drive and require a good amount of burn-in to open up. [u]Beyerdynamic[/u] - known for great treble. Some cans like DT770 are also known for huge bass which some think is overpowering and/or bloated. Are generally not easy to drive, but easier than Senn HD6** series. The sound is usually clear and clean and somewhat bright/enthusiastic. Generally more neutral than Audio-Technica, kinda like Senn, but with different flavour. Some think Beyers are more neutral and Senns sound too sweet, but that depends on which models you compare. [u]Ultrasone[/u] - Very controversial cans. Some think they are very neutral and revealing, but need a lot of juice and/or burn-in to reach their full potential. others think their basses are bloated or overpowering and treble is harsh/metallic and mids are recessed. They are generally acknowledged as having good soundstage for closed headphones though.[/quote] [b]Headphone Suggestions:[/b] [quote]Now that you have a basic idea of what the brands are, I can show you the prices. [url=http://www.head-fi.org/a/headphone-buying-guide]Here is the go-to headphone buying guide.[/url] It has the most information out of any thread I have seen in a while, and thus I will refer to it often. The best setup for your money would be an [url=http://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATH-AD700-Open-air-Audiophile-Headphones/dp/B000CMS0XU/]Audio Technica ATH-AD700[/url] with a Zalman clip-on mic. The total would come out to $100. "But Fluffy, that's as much as a [url=http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B003VANOFY/]Logitech G930.[/url]" Well, yes, but it's ten times better. The AD700 is [i]the[/i] most comfortable headset on the market for under $150. This is due to the grips that suspend the drivers from your ears without actually touching your head. Speaking of the drivers, they're [b]freaking huge.[/b] Again, you won't find this quality in this price range. If you want an upgrade from this style, you can get the [url=http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-AD900-Dynamic-Headphones/dp/B001AQ7KII/]AD900's.[/url] I have not listened to both, so I can not accurately compare them (I own the 900's). However, I can attest to the fact that they have the best soundstage out of any headphone. 7.1? More like 9.0 (The .1 being the lack of a sub. They aren't very punchy with the bass. These are treble headphones). Although they only use two drivers, as with any other headphone, the soundstage simulates a much broader environment due to the size of the drivers, not only in games, but in music. Yeah, don't forget that you can also use these babies with your iTunes library (although it will reveal the glaring flaws in lossy files, and then we'll have to start talking Foobar and Bandcamp). One thing though, the 900's are NOT portable in any sense of the word. They are open headphones, so they are very exposed to moisture. They're also super fragile. Expect these to stay at your computer. If you want on-the-go headphones, look into the [url=http://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-Crossfade-Noise-Isolating-Headphone-Shadow/dp/B005HSDLCO/]V-Moda M-80's[/url]. Bass heavy, removable cable, foldable. You can purchase custom ear-shields for about $23, and your first purchase is 15% off. You can also upgrade to any pair after that for 50% off if your cans break.[/quote] [b]Best Headphones for the Price:[/b] [quote]Audio-Technica's ATH-AD900 ~$195 Beyerdynamic's DT880 (600 Ohm) ~$340 Sennheiser's HD600 - $399 HE-400 - $399 HE-500 - $699[/quote]
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