[decimator]

So I returned my $60 headsets since I got a $50 Amazon gift card, and now I have $110 for a headset. My only requirements for a headset are that it is plug n' play with both PC and Xbox 360. I don't wanna have to buy extra cables or a MixAmp to use a headset with my Xbox 360. For strictly gaming and not listening to music, what would be the best headset for me given my budget? Also, I hate wireless headsets. The headset will be used for scrimming TF2 on my PC and playing Halo: Reach MLG on Xbox 360.

Based on the research I've done, the Tritton AX720's are at the top of my list. It seems to be the only headset within my budget that has Dolby 5.1 Digital Surround Sound. They're currently selling for $100 on Amazon. The only qualms I have with the Trittons are I've read some people having issues with quality and durability. Is this a trend with Tritton products? I take really good care of my stuff and don't throw things around in a fit of rage when I lose in TF2 or Halo: Reach or whatever it is that I'm playing, so will this be a problem for me? Does anybody have any other suggestions for me for around the same price?

 

[TheGimpAddict]

Edit: I'm stupid

 

[Juggalo23451]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGimpAddict Generally you see a lot of possessional gamers using Tritton or Tutrle Beach headsets. So with major brands like that you probably can't go wrong.

Gaming headsets are a gimmick

 

[chinesekiwi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGimpAddict Generally you see a lot of possessional gamers using Tritton or Tutrle Beach headsets. So with major brands like that you probably can't go wrong.

you heard of the concept of sponsorship and product placement?

 

[decimator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juggalo23451 Gaming headsets are a gimmick

Be that as it may, are there any products out there not called gaming headsets that satisfy all my requirements? I'm open to suggestions, but seeing as how it needs to be plug n' play for both PC and Xbox 360, I really don't know what I could buy that isn't a "gimmick" by your standards...

 

[Simca]

You seem to depend on USB, which is the problem. Anything that will really be worth the money is going to be analogue and that's not exactly plug and play unless you can plug it into a receiver or a sound card. That said, the best gaming headphones that will destroy all the "gimmicky" headphones in your price range are headphones called AD700s. HD 555s are acceptable as well if you can get them for significantly cheaper than AD700s.

uhhh...so..if you can find a way to plug in the 3.5mm jack into something useful for Xbox play then you're good to go. If not, the Tritons were the most "acceptable" headphones I've heard. I did not like my brother's Turtle Beaches. They were so trashy and felt like...:\\

I've had 20 dollar toys with better craftmanship.

 

[chinesekiwi]

the beyerdynamic MMX2 has both USB and 3.5mm input.

 

[cchoy87]

The Sennheiser HD555 are 88 on amazon right now

 

[Cacophony]

Quote:

. HD 555s are acceptable as well if you can get them for significantly cheaper than AD700s.

by 10 bucks.....not that much cheaper.


Amazon.com: Audio Technica ATH-AD700 Open-air Dynamic Audiophile Headphones: Electronics
$95 ad700


Amazon.com: Sennheiser HD555 Professional Headphones with Sound Channeling: Electronics
$85 HD555's

 

[decimator]

The Xbox 360 needs something that plugs into the 2.5mm jack on the controller for the mic to work, so take that into consideration. I've definitely looked into both the AD700's and the HD555's, and while they are both great headphones, I will need to buy a clip-on mic to be able to communicate, which I am not a fan of, but if it turns out that they are a better value with some crappy clip-on mic than a full headset, I might just go that route.

I would like to point out that both the AD700 and the HD555 are stereo headphones, while the Tritton AX 720 is Dolby 5.1 (not true Dolby 5.1, though...Dolby Headphone). What makes you guys recommend stereo headphones over a headset with Dolby Headphone?

 

[Cacophony]

Astro A40 if you want both xbox and PC.

 

[decimator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cacophony Astro A40 if you want both xbox and PC.

Way out of my budget, and even if I had the money to spend on it, I wouldn't buy it...kids just jizz over the fact that it's the official headset of MLG and they beg their parents to buy it for them. $250 is way too steep for what you're getting for those. Yes, the MixAmp that comes with it is a pretty good product, but not at that price. Reviews of the Tritton AX 720, priced at $100 on Amazon, say its sound quality is comparable to the A40's and cost $150 less.

 

[Dtrain]

This is what I have been using on my headset for almost a good two years.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWNX:IT
or
http://cgi.ebay.com/XBOX-360-Slim-He...item45f9526f99
or


Amazon.com: Xbox 360 PC Headset Adapter - Use PC Headset with Xbox 360 Live, Dual 3.5mm to 2.5mm: Video Games
I had this for a week and it broke and its junk imo, but it might just be my experience.

And I got the GameCom 367's

Amazon.com: Plantronics GameCom 367 Closed-Ear Gaming Headset: Electronics

This keeps everything under $30, PERSONALLY I wouldn't dump over $50 into a headset when it's not being amped or on quality headphones and a mic you really can't tell a difference and is a waste and a gimmick as EVERYONE has and will continue to state.

 

[179232]

I have the Logitech G930 Wireless gaming headset and I love it. It hasn't disconnected on me a single time in the 6 months I have had it. Has Dolby 7.1 Surround sound which is perfect for watching movies, and gaming alike. It has buttons on the headset which you can customize for anything you like, like the included voice filters with the software, or play/pause iTunes Music. The microphone has extremely good quality sound on the other end. Sound quality is superb. Really changed my gaming experience. I will hold onto this headset until Logitech releases the sequel.

Costs $129.99

 

[decimator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dtrain This is what I have been using on my headset for almost a good two years. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWNX:IT or http://cgi.ebay.com/XBOX-360-Slim-He...item45f9526f99 or Amazon.com: Xbox 360 PC Headset Adapter - Use PC Headset with Xbox 360 Live, Dual 3.5mm to 2.5mm: Video Games I had this for a week and it broke and its junk imo, but it might just be my experience. And I got the GameCom 367's Amazon.com: Plantronics GameCom 367 Closed-Ear Gaming Headset: Electronics This keeps everything under $30, PERSONALLY I wouldn't dump over $50 into a headset when it's not being amped or on quality headphones and a mic you really can't tell a difference and is a waste and a gimmick as EVERYONE has and will continue to state.

Good suggestion with the adapter cable. Definitely opens up a world of possibilities with PC headsets now. I'm limited to stereo headsets with this route, though, so I dunno...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ComradeNF I have the Logitech G930 Wireless gaming headset and I love it. It hasn't disconnected on me a single time in the 6 months I have had it. Has Dolby 7.1 Surround sound which is perfect for watching movies, and gaming alike. It has buttons on the headset which you can customize for anything you like, like the included voice filters with the software, or play/pause iTunes Music. The microphone has extremely good quality sound on the other end. Sound quality is superb. Really changed my gaming experience. I will hold onto this headset until Logitech releases the sequel. Costs $129.99

Sorry, not a fan of wireless. I would hate if my headset's batteries died in the middle of a match or something.

 

[Scrumptious]

Why not try a Razer Carcharias? It's what I have...those plush ear muffs will comfort your ears enabling you to wear the headset for hours with no strain:

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826153043

 

[decimator]

So I've looked into the adapter cable for Xbox 360 and the one posted by Dtrain looks like the build quality sucks. Some of the reviews say the connector started getting loose and wouldn't stay put, so if I'm gonna go that route, I would be getting the SteelSeries Xbox 360 Headset Connector, which isn't in stock now. As I said before, though, this limits me to stereo headsets, so I'm hesitant to go this way.
Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrumptious;13048413
Why not try a Razer Carcharias? It's what I have...those plush ear muffs will comfort your ears enabling you to wear the headset for hours with no strain:

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826153043

Good suggestion. It depends on whether I end up getting a stereo headset, though, in which case the Carcharias is up there on my list.

Can someone explain why headphones like the AD700 and HD555 are such a good buy when they're stereo headphones and a Dolby 5.1 headset (the Tritton AX 720) is only $5 more than the AD700 ($15 more than HD555)? I know that everyone has good things to say about the AD700's. I'm just wondering if it's the better buy for me in this situation if all I use a headset for is gaming and not listening to music. The positional audio that (simulated) Dolby 5.1 offers seems like it would really help when I'm trying to hear enemies sneak up on me.

 

[superhead91]

Quote:

Originally Posted by decimate;13049376
Can someone explain why headphones like the AD700 and HD555 are such a good buy when they're stereo headphones and a Dolby 5.1 headset (the Tritton AX 720) is only $5 more than the AD700 ($15 more than HD555)? I know that everyone has good things to say about the AD700's. I'm just wondering if it's the better buy for me in this situation if all I use a headset for is gaming and not listening to music.

Think of it this way. The point of having surround sound speakers is so they surround you. They're spaced apart so that the sound is coming from different places. When you put that in headphones, the speakers can't really be spaced out, therefore rendering surround sound useless. This also forces the headphone drivers to be smaller and usually cheaper, resulting in a loss in sound quality. Hope that clears things up. I would also like to add the JVC HA-RX900s to the list of headphones. They're extremely comfortable and have good clean bass. I have a pair and I really like them.

 

[decimator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by superhead91;13049449
Think of it this way. The point of having surround sound speakers is so they surround you. They're spaced apart so that the sound is coming from different places. When you put that in headphones, the speakers can't really be spaced out, therefore rendering surround sound useless. This also forces the headphone drivers to be smaller and usually cheaper, resulting in a loss in sound quality. Hope that clears things up. I would also like to add the JVC HA-RX900s to the list of headphones. They're extremely comfortable and have good clean bass. I have a pair and I really like them.

Yeah, I see where you're coming from. The headsets I'm looking at right now aren't even true Dolby 5.1 headsets. They use Dolby Headphone to simulate Dolby 5.1 surround sound through stereo. I'm only saving $5 by going with the AD700's though, but I'm really going to end up spending more since I'll need to buy a separate clip-on mic and a headset adapter for Xbox 360.

The JVC's are a good suggestion. I'll look into those.

EDIT: I just found the perfect solution for me -- the SteelSeries Siberia V2 for PS3 (also compatible with Xbox 360 and PC). It's not hitting retail until Q3 2011, though

.

 

[decimator]

UPDATE: So the Tritton AX 720 is no longer an option since Amazon ran out of stock and the next cheapest retailer is CircuitCity, which sells it for $30 more and doesn't have free shipping

. If I buy from Amazon, they say it won't ship out for 3 to 5 weeks

.

This turned out well for me, though, because it forced me to do a bit more research and I think I'm ditching the headset route and going with the headphone + Xbox 360 adapter + clip-on mic route.

The product that made me change my mind -- the Superlux HD668B.

The only problem is that there are no American retailers for it. The closest is an eBay seller named audiohipster (who is a top-rated seller, so I wouldn't have any qualms about buying from him), but this completely negates my Amazon $50 gift card, so I'm not sure.

The other candidate is the


Samson RH600
, which I can use my gift card on and it's cheaper to boot. These seem like legit audiophile headphones for a casual price, so I'm leaning toward these right now.