[CAT] Scratching Post

[cut and paste from PBF]

So this evening my old Zalman 5.1 headphones fell apart on me. Time for some new ones...

I want some over the ear ones (not IN or ON ear) and I want good quality. Quick bit of research led me to these:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showprodu ... 58&subcat=

Thoughts? Reviews seem good and they look pretty snazzy. The only ones that seem to do better in reviews are Sennheiser and I can't find any over the ear Sennheiser 'phones.

Anywhoo, this then led me to thinking about soundcards... I have an old (same age as the Zalman 'phones) Audigy 2 that I have always been happy with but started wondering if I would see a significant improvement with a X-Fi card. This was the cheapest genuine X-Fi card I could find:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showprodu ... 11&subcat=

So, basically I was wondering 1/ Whaddaya think? and 2/ Am I gonna notice a big improvement in sound quality both with the new headphones but mainly going from the Audigy2 to the X-Fi? Cos the 2 of them together is pushing me a bit over my original £50 budget.

Cheers.

I'm probably the least knowledgeable person here about computer audio, but I just wanted to post a reply so this doesn't end up like your poker thread.

Been thinking about checking out the Razer 'phones, but I have to find a reason to replace my current pair, first.

^ Good call. That being said the bastard cut and pasted this from his thread at PBF so you may want to reconsider.

Span I stuck with my audigy 2 ZS gamer. Frankly I'm no audio expert but it works quite well. I can't see myself getting a $125 in value from upgrading that part. For someone like a Slade who is big time into music I could see it being worth it but my 50 gigs of music are fine coming through the audigy. My head phones are the ultra faggy Fatality ones. When I bought them the asian cashier cut off my penis. Clearly I've wasted yours and all who reads this time so I will leave it at that and wait for Mud to come in and sing the praises of onboard audio.

Hmmm. Just opened a letter - Car insurance renewal - Now up to £450. Having already paid out £180 for a fucking service this month and the bank just removed my overdraft facility I think I might give the X-Fi a miss and just go with the fancy 'phones for the moment...

It kinda cuts both ways. If you get great headphones but the card is lacking, you'll start to notice how all those 128kbps mp3's you've downloaded really suck. Now, I got the X-Fi Platinum when they still made them mostly for the front-mounted breakout box, because I use it for vinyl-to-digital conversion. The X-Fi Gamer will do just about the same thing as my actual card will, although I think mine came with lots more software (for all the recording shit). I don't know if you need Spamdez's $300 Sennheisers but I got myself a $100 set of Plantronics Gamecon 770's for $25 at Circuit City just before they slid under the waves of the Sea of Failed Commerce, and everything sounds great - music to games.

I've got the same headphones as Slade. I like 'em, but loud bass sounds are starting to cause a rattle in the right side speaker.

These.

http://www.powerdrive-computers.com/Gam ... /p798.aspx
£40, bargain.

I had the Zalmans and loves them, but these are definitely a step up. Much louder and form a really nice, comfy seal around your lugoles. Also the bendy mic is an improvement.
When i researched them they were seen as the best around alongside the Sennheisers. I think they are awesome.

PROTIP:
Dont get USB headsets. They look nice and convenient, but they have a built in soundcard which is gonna fail. Have those bins plugged into your 5.1 soundcard, not a USB.
That headset i posted has a USB plug with it, but thats for power to the amp, the sound comes from the plugs in the soundcard.
There is another vesion that is USB, dont get that.

You can get an X-Fi for around £40 these days, gotta do it and rest assured that you have the best gaming audio there is.

Yeah £45 was the cheapest true X-Fi I could find. Apparently the bottom echelon of X-Fi's aren't actually X-Fi at all but rehashed Audigy's.

Those 'phones look pretty good actually. What's the build quality like and is the mic detachable. As we all know, I don't use the mic too often... :oops:

Mic is not detachable, but what i do is just rotate it upwards so it kinda rests against the overhead thing.
Build quality is superb.

I really cannot fault them.
I loved the Zalmans, was stunned that 5.1 would actually work in a headset and for just 30 quid.
But these are a step up, the bass is fierce enough to make your ears itch, arty strikes are orgasmic.

Im a big fan of audio in games, esp with 5.1 listening for footsteps and the like.
Those and the X-Fi are the best auido ive experienced anywhere (My rig is the best thing ive sat before, have no PC mates).
For the combined price i think its a steal, one of the cheapest components of your rig, and one of the most appreciated.

I dont hold shares in the company, I just heart my gaming sounds.

Yeah I'm big on sounds as well. Still loving me some Total Annilation right now. Game looks fuckin wank but it SOUNDS superb. My big artillery pieces really boom.

I might go for them. Just reading some reviews now - One complaint seems to be that the USB powered ones hiss or whine due to not enough power being drawn via the USB connection. You can get the "Home Edition" that gets round this but they're like 50 notes.

Only spending £40 on the phones means I can spend the extra on a X-Fi card without feeling guilty.

Ive never heard anything other than great sounds. I wouldnt have thought the USM would cause that, I mean, it works without the USB just like the Zalmans, but the USB voltage gives it a boost i guess.

Hadnt heard about the powered ones, can you linky me the article?

Wunderschlung wrote:PROTIP:
Dont get USB headsets.

I've never understood why people go out and drop bank on a good sound card, and then get USB headphones that totally bypass the card.

IRT Wunder. I think it was one of the Amazon reviews. Check those out.

If you reckon it's not a problem I might just go for those. More inclined to believe you than some cunt off Amazon. You get some REAL windowlickers posting reviews there.

Maybe it happens, but ive not noticed.
The whole product is fine imo, they frigging feel good, really padded ear bit that forms a great seal. They are kinda firm on your head pressing against the ear padding.
As I say, they are kick as cans, and i love them, never heard better, and they are really comfortable too.
The only others that stand up to them are the Sennheisers, which ive not tried. (there are 500 quid ones but fuck that).

Would be shocked to hear you say they arent great.

Open Sennheiser are good. Got 2 old ones with selfknotting wires.