Computer 5.1/7.1 Wireless Gaming Headsets, suggestions?

  • Thread starter Pako
  • 39 comments
  • 5,292 views
Pako

Pako

Staff Emeritus
16,450
United States
NW Montana
GTP-Pako
GTP Pako
Well, seems it's around that time of year again. My brother was kind enough to buy a set of Logitech G930 wireless headphones but they have been on back order since January 4th and continue to be on back order. I currently own the G35 wired versions of the 7.1 surround headphones. While I think these are good headphones for what they are, my experience with higher quality studio grade headphones has got me looking into other options since the G930's are still on back order.

Basically I am sitting with a $140 credit at the store so if I had to come up with a few more dollars for a superior and "available" product, I am all for it.

I am currently looking at the A40 Astro with the Mixamp 5.8 wireless RX/TX to support Dolby 7.1 virtual processing.

This will mainly be used on the PC, but the Mixamp 5.8 does support PS3 and XBox support which is interesting as well.

Any thoughts or considerations would be helpful.

:cheers:
 
Last edited:
Unfortunately, in my opinion most 5.1/7.1 headphones really aren't worth it. The ones with 2 drivers have no better positional audio than most studio headphones (While having much less sound quality), and the ones with multiple in-ear drivers, while having good positional audio, suffer the sound quality issues that arise from packing 3-4 small drivers in each cup.

I have a set of Audio Technica AD700 which I use for PC, which offer amazing sound quality, and soundstage for the price. I know many people use these with the Astro Mixamp as well. Obviously they have no mic though so that may be an issue...

May not be for everyone but in my experience I've tried heaps of 'gaming' headphones, wireless/wired, stereo, 5.1, multiple driver 5.1, and they don't hold up at to a similar priced set of 'real' headphones.
 
I have a Roccat Kave 5.1 Gaming headset and I love it.

It is not wireless.

But if you are after wireless go with no one better at making gaming gear and audio equipment.

But since you can not get these I would go with the mixamp since they work with PS3 which means 7.1 audio in GT5.
 
The Console support is a nice feature but not required. In fact, I highly doubt I would ever hook them up as switching between console and computer use would be a PITA. Thanks for the links Casio. Having a Mic is a must. I have a few pairs of the Sony MDR-7509 for the studio that I have used and even setup an external mic, but it really isn't a realistic setup. A mic on board is really a must for those BF3/Teamspeak sessions.

It's good to see such positive feedback on the mixamp, and all the reviews I've read on the mixamp 5.8 have been equally good. The since thing about the mixamp 5.8 is I can use it for "real" headphones also if I don't need a mic for a given session.

That Head-Fi seems like a good resource and will scour that forum for a bit as well.

:cheers:
 
This is a particularly strange setup, but I use a Blueant Supertooth car handsfree as my mic. Just pair it with my PC via bluetooth and it works great. Since it's designed not to be close to the mouth I just put it out of the way on the side of my desk. :) Other cool thing is I can also redirect voice audio to the built in speaker if I want authentic, bad quality, staticy voice communications. :lol:

If you're half handy with a soldering iron you can also mod the AD700 (Or other headphones of the like) to have a mic.

20110228161952.jpg

20110228183416.jpg


I was going to do it, but didn't want to drill into a $160 pair of headphones right after I got them...maybe further down the line.
 
That's awesome! I've never been shy cutting and soldering beyond my skill set. Sometimes it's worked out and other times, well....not so much. That is a very interesting mod and something I might have to look into.

In looking at the AD700, I found this little clip on mic for $10.

This has really been a good exercise as it has opened up my opinion of computer headphone options.

The Sennheiser HD 598 phones look amazing. I guess I need do some research before I jump on the Astro wagon. Have you seen the Sennheiser HD 800? Got an extra $1500 USD laying around? YIKES! :)
 
In any case, I am currently looking into the Sennheiser PC360.

The question is whether or not to include the Mixamp 5.8 into the mix for a quasi-wireless setup. I could always get the headphones now and the Mixamp 5.8 later. A nice feature of the mixamp is the voice/game mix control. Like I said, I do a lot of Teamspeak gaming and being able the mix the TS volume separate from the game volume is a plus.

I looked at the AD700, and although tempting, the lack of mic support and me not wanting to mod new headphones, I am looking for a more OEM solution without getting too crazy. Still open to ideas but just sharing some initial thoughts of the direction I am heading.
 
I have used Astro A40s with the mixamp for well over a year now and anyone who says the mixamp's simulated surround sound isn't much better than a standard set of headphones have never used the mixamp in a Call of Duty game.

I used budget Turtle Beach X1s and Sennheiser HD555s (if I wasn't talking to anyone) before I bought the mixamp for a year or two in Modern Warfare 2, and moving over to the mixamp was amazing. Rather than thinking shots or a person was somewhere to your right, you can pin point exactly where they are. You need to try it to believe it - you do miss out on a lot of pin point audio accuracy with standard headphones.

Of course, it's only as good as the audio in the game. It's not so good in say, Gears of War (everything sounds much closer to you than it actually is), but in general they work very very well in games like Call of Duty.

So I would suggest a good headset + mixamp for the best effect. :)
 
Thanks G.T! I am heavily leaning towards the Sennheiser HD598 with the Mixamp 5.8 so I can use the headsets in my cockpit or at the computer desk. I will add either a clip on mic to the HD598 or heavy duty velcro with a side boom style mic. Apparently the results of the 598's with the mixamp is amazing. People are finding the 598 for around $180 USD.
 
Last edited:
Casio
This is the link I was looking for before.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1014902/most-commonly-recommended-audio-products

Specifies for gaming headphones. To reiterate what they said:
Click to expand...

Whoever wrote that article you linked to, is someone very ignorant:

2) If it says FATAL1TY on it, junk it. It's trash.
Click to expand...


I especially love how at the top they recommend Creative, and in the next post they are trashing Fatal1ty. Yeah, because the Fatal1ty headset isn't made by Creative. Oh wait.

I'd also love to read a review why they think it's crap. My gaming headset is a Creative Fatal1ty, and I've yet to find anything to complain about. Neither have I heard anyone complaining to me about the quality of my microphone.
 
Ecchi-BANZAII!!
Because soundcards make it sound as if it was real surround speakers.

Because... who'd buy expensive headphones and use built in soundcard?
Unless those headphones use the dreaded USB port.
Click to expand...

I currently own the Logitech G35 USB 7.1 headset. I am looking for something better, studio grade reference is my preference. I have grown to really enjoy the simulated 7.1 that the Logitech's produce, but with Dolby Headphone technology taking a discrete 5.1/7.1 matrix signal from a dedicated sound card and processing it through a dedicated decoder sounds very interesting to me and is worth exploring.

Simply not talking about it does not offer any help to myself or anyone else in the same situation.

Bram Turismo
Whoever wrote that article you linked to, is someone very ignorant:

I especially love how at the top they recommend Creative, and in the next post they are trashing Fatal1ty. Yeah, because the Fatal1ty headset isn't made by Creative. Oh wait.

I'd also love to read a review why they think it's crap. My gaming headset is a Creative Fatal1ty, and I've yet to find anything to complain about. Neither have I heard anyone complaining to me about the quality of my microphone.
Click to expand...

It's all relative right? I mean, I'm not saying anything good or bad about your Fatal1ty headphones as I haven't tried them. If they work for you then great.

I used to have a pretty high end system in my car. I was very proud of it and thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. This was until I heard an electrostatic baffle speaker system running off of all tube power. It was absolutely amazing. It made my "awesome" stereo in my car sound like an AM radio. It took me months to get that experience out of my head so I could start enjoying my stereo again.

I do agree with you that placing blanket statements like "brand X stuff SUCK" just isn't helpful and is pretty short sided to some great products that might be out there.
 
Last edited:
Pako
How have you been liking your A40's?
Click to expand...
Not had a single problem with them!

I game a lot - sometimes had 10 hour stints with them. They haven't once felt uncomfortable or made my ears/head hurt. The microphone is brilliant - ultra clear on Skype and blocks out background noise on Xbox very well. Best microphone I've come across.

My only small niggle with it is there are a couple of screws that come loose every month or two. It isn't an issue if you remember to tighten them every once in a while though.
 
That's good to know....

BTW - Just ordered my Mixamp 5.8. I figured regardless what I do for headphones (still deciding), they will be going through the mixamp. :)
 
Bram Turismo
I especially love how at the top they recommend Creative, and in the next post they are trashing Fatal1ty. Yeah, because the Fatal1ty headset isn't made by Creative. Oh wait.
Click to expand...

To be fair they recommend Creative Soundcards, not headsets. Completely different products.
 
Casio
To be fair they recommend Creative Soundcards, not headsets. Completely different products.
Click to expand...

You are correct on that point. I did make a very swift statement there. I should've been a little bit more careful with it.

But still, I don't agree at all with them plainly saying that my headset is complete trash and that people need to stay away from it. I will admit it's not the best piece of kit you can buy, but compared to what I paid for it I don't have any complaints about it all so far.
 
Bram Turismo
You are correct on that point. I did make a very swift statement there. I should've been a little bit more careful with it.

But still, I don't agree at all with them plainly saying that my headset is complete trash and that people need to stay away from it. I will admit it's not the best piece of kit you can buy, but compared to what I paid for it I don't have any complaints about it all so far.
Click to expand...

One man's trash is another man's treasure. :)

Seriously, if they work for you then 👍 all the way!
 
First off, thank you everyone that contributed to my research. I have settled on a setup that I hope will last me a long time.

I already received shipment on the Astro Mixamp 5.8, and the Labtec LVA-7330 mic. Today I ordered the Sennheiser HD-650 and the ASUS XONAR ESSENCE STX sound card to drive it all.

Expect pictures and a brief write up once I have everything up and running. My only concern is that the HD-650 is a 300 Ohm head phone but others have said that the mix amp drive's it just fine. I can expect delivery in about a week so I will be able to find out first had.

:cheers:
 
Last edited:
Like you said in my recent HDTV thread. "Glad you found a headset that satisfies your need or OCD" 👍

As you have seen in my other threads I am a massive audiophile and videophile so I know exactly how much of a relief it can be when you finally find what you are looking for. I know you are the exact same way when it comes to the quality of electronics. Nothing but the best! The best news is that if you are not happy with them, its a full refund on the return and you can try another set. Good luck and looking forward to the feedback. We are currently trying to find a wireless headset for my wife that she can use on the 360 AND the PS3. She loves her Turtle Beach for the 360 but we need 1 headset that will work on both machines. No sense in having 2 headsets.
 
:lol: Fair enough! Yes, OCD and G.A.S. are both very expensive personality traits, but the rewards can be great.

As far as wireless goes, do some checking into the Astro Mixamp 5.8. It offers a 5.8 ghz wireless solution where you can use any analog style headset and mic and it works for the PS3, XBox, and PC. Just hook up the optical to the mixamp and away you go. I have tried it with my Sony MDR-7509 Studio Head Phones and the mix amp drives them well. Pretty sweet DD 5.1 wireless solution for your consoles if you aren't going through a home theater setup. I don't know what the sensitivity is on the Sony's, but they are rated at 63 Ohms. The Sennheiser HD-650 are a 300 Ohm set. Typically, the higher the Ohm the higher the resistance, the more power is required to drive the phones. Like I said, not knowing the sensitivity of either one, this could be a little misleading and will rely on my ears to be the judge.
 
Thanks for the info Pako. I wrote that down and will see what I can find while at Best Buy or ABC Warehouse tomorrow.
 
Just ordered up some Camo braided sleeve stock for my wire management.
coloredsleeving-new.jpg


Lots of colors to choose from if you don't mind ordering by the roll.

I had to order up a 125ft roll so if anyone wants to buy some off me, I'd be happy to cut a chunk off for ya! :D

To dress out the ends, I have some white heat shrink tubing that should look pretty good.
 

Similar threads

G
Best Headset for GTS?
Replies
13
Views
4K
Gabesayes28
Gabesayes28
kilesa4568
Which Headset? £70 limit.
Replies
16
Views
940
kilesa4568
kilesa4568
Dave A
Quiet gaming PC build suggestions
Replies
13
Views
1K
GilesGuthrie
GilesGuthrie
Kitten
Looking for a new wireless router.
Replies
10
Views
719
NLxAROSA
NLxAROSA
Grayfox
Headset Choices
Replies
13
Views
2K
Ellis
Ellis

Latest Posts

Back