Beyerdynamic DT 770 vs Ultrasone Pro 550 vs Audio-Technica ATH M50?

Roccat Kave 5.1 headset mate

Dave.

If you must have some sort of surround, which is not really 5.1 or whatever, I would go with these, GameCom 777

If you MUST have a headset, and not a headphone/microphone combo (I use HD595s with a Zalman wire mic) then you can try these:

Comparable sound to the HD595s with a decent mic. Though at a premium price. Like all headsets, you're basically paying 40% more than a similar pair of headphones just by the nature of it having a microphone attached to it. When considering a Zalman clipon mic is like, 10 bucks~ is a bit silly to me. Still, if I had to buy a headset, that's probably the one I'd go for.

The PC360s however are open headphones, versus the above which are closed. I hear they give off a better soundstage and clarity, but they are both way over your budget.

Are you against using a quality headphone with a mic at all? Are you just traveling/competing a lot and just need the convenience of a headset?

Kinda going off of the last post, I just want to give you some user experience. Please note that what I am about to write WILL be outside your price range but it is worth considering saving for (IMHO).

I own the following kit:
Asus Xonar Essence STX (Not on current rig, doing some sound card testing)
AKG K701

The reason I bring this up, is because this is probably the best I have achieved for PC sound so far (pending further testing), without using an external system - such as my Grado RA1 Audio Amp - and I have to say, its worth it. Its probably the first time in a long time where I have experienced the same sense of awe since I first installed a discrete sound card on my PC.

Some things to note, the sound card choice is SPECIFICALLY because it has a built in headphone amp, which if used correctly DRASTICALLY can effect the level of detail you experience when listening. Of course, however you need a good headset, which is where the AKG 701 comes in.

Now, for the recommendation part, I'd recommend you grab a soundcard if sound quality really concerns you. It is true that onboard audio evolved from crap to decent in the past few years, but it is pretty well known that it can't display all the detail that a discrete card can. Pick this up when you can get a good price, if not hold off until you can pick a set of headphones and soundcard.

Since it sounds like you use personal audio rather than speakers, I'd recommend the AKG 240 Studio or
Grado SR60. These are both stand-alone headphones that deliver superior audio detail, but to achieve that detail, you need a headphone amp. The AKG 240 Studios can run about $120 and the Grados are BY FAR the best deal at $60. That being said, I'd still buy AKG because they are much more comfortable. Rather, the AKGs are insanely comfortable and self adjusting, since the cups are quite big. I can't wear the Grados for more than 2-3 hours at a time, and that is pushing it. Both of these have fantastic build quality (the Grados seem cheap, but my dad has a set of SR60 from the 1980s...I think that says something) with leather bands. None of these headphones have an integrated surround sound solution, however, since I recommend they be paired with a soundcard, it is possible to use a virtual surround solution(which is what I use). For all intents and purposes, it can be considered better than having it being processed by the headphones. Since sound positioning is done by the card, or some software therein, it is irrelevant of the headphones.

Now for the final part...I actually don't use ANY of my audiophile equipment for gaming. Like you, I owned a Logitech G35, and have recently moved onto a set of Razer Chimaera 5.1. Yes, readers, I know, what a let down. The reason why is because for the purposes of gaming, I only use the headset for chat and the occasional headset gaming when I want to be quiet. For me, the convenience of being wireless while gaming and having the mic and headphones in one unit far outweigh the loss of quality I experience.

Now the decision is yours, but I just wanted to give some input. Whew! That was long...

P.S. WHOOO AUSSIES! - Canberra, Australia, studying in the US
Edited by lynnperformance - 11/2/11 at 11:42am

Ultrasone 550 Pro and Zalman MIC1 those are about 150-160 USD (i dont know how much in AUD)

$200 shipped to Aus

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ULTRASONE...ht_2235wt_1163

get a Xonar DG locally as well.