• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.

Headset (headphones) Advice Please.

Outback Bronze

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Messages
1,897 (0.41/day)
Location
Walkabout Creek
System Name Raptor Baked
Processor 14900k w.c.
Motherboard Z790 Hero
Cooling w.c.
Memory 32GB Hynix
Video Card(s) Zotac 4080 w.c.
Storage 2TB Kingston kc3k
Display(s) Gigabyte 34" Curved
Case Corsair 460X
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply PCIe5 850w
Mouse Asus
Keyboard Corsair
Software Win 11
Benchmark Scores Cool n Quiet.
Hi guys,

Im After some advice on some headsets.

My GF bought me a pair of new headsets for Xmas but unfortunately the right ear was cutting out sporadically so I had to return them.

The model was: Coolermaster CM Storm Sirus S (SGH-4000-KWSA1) True 5.1 Surround Sound Headset.

I Thought they were pretty decent. I paid $92 for them.

Now, unlucky for me is that they don't stock them any more.

These are the options this PC store has were I bought them.

Logitech G130 / G230 / G430 / G35 / G930 29/52/64/106/159

Creative Fatal1ty Gaming / Draco HS-850 45 / 45

Creative Tactic-3D ALPHA / SIGMA 58 / 78

Razer Kraken Pro / TIAMAT 2 / Kraken 7.1/ Blackshark 2.0 75 / 92 / 115 /112

Steel Series 51101 SIBERIA V2 /51125 SIBERIA v2 Frost Blue 89 / 129

Steel Series 61023 Foldable 3HV2/ 61031 5Hv3 detachable 49 / 86

Steel Series 61050 7H Pro Gaming / 51127 SIBERIA Elite Black 111 / 249

Coolermaster Storm Sonuz // Corsair Raptor HS30 / HS40 76 // 55 / 65

Corsair Vengeance 1400 / 1500V2-7.1/ 2100-7.1 99 / 109 / 169

Thermaltake TteSports Black Shock / Shock SPIN Gaming Headset 44 / 57

Thermaltake TteSports Black Shock ONE DTS 5.1 Gaming Headset 82

Thermaltake TteSports CRONOS / Dracco Captain 79 / 95

Prices are in bold.

I can put this $92 to any of these or they are offering me a full refund. Maybe I can go else where
to buy some new ones.

Was looking for non USB ones but am open to suggestions.

Cheers,

O.B.







 

Kursah

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 15, 2006
Messages
14,673 (2.29/day)
Location
Missoula, MT, USA
System Name Kursah's Gaming Rig 2018 (2022 Upgrade) - Ryzen+ Edition | Gaming Laptop (Lenovo Legion 5i Pro 2022)
Processor R7 5800X @ Stock | i7 12700H @ Stock
Motherboard Asus ROG Strix X370-F Gaming BIOS 6203| Legion 5i Pro NM-E231
Cooling Noctua NH-U14S Push-Pull + NT-H1 | Stock Cooling
Memory TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 32GB (2x16) DDR4 4000 @ 3600 18-20-20-42 1.35v | 32GB DDR5 4800 (2x16)
Video Card(s) Palit GeForce RTX 4070 JetStream 12GB | CPU-based Intel Iris XE + RTX 3070 8GB 150W
Storage 4TB SP UD90 NVME, 960GB SATA SSD, 2TB HDD | 1TB Samsung OEM NVME SSD + 4TB Crucial P3 Plus NVME SSD
Display(s) Acer 28" 4K VG280K x2 | 16" 2560x1600 built-in
Case Corsair 600C - Stock Fans on Low | Stock Metal/Plastic
Audio Device(s) Aune T1 mk1 > AKG K553 Pro + JVC HA-RX 700 (Equalizer APO + PeaceUI) | Bluetooth Earbuds (BX29)
Power Supply EVGA 750G2 Modular + APC Back-UPS Pro 1500 | 300W OEM (heavy use) or Lenovo Legion C135W GAN (light)
Mouse Logitech G502 | Logitech M330
Keyboard HyperX Alloy Core RGB | Built in Keyboard (Lenovo laptop KB FTW)
Software Windows 11 Pro x64 | Windows 11 Home x64
Get a sound card and a real pair of headphones.
Asus Xonar DG (If you have a PCI slot): $29.99 ($19.99 after MIR) - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045JHJSS/?tag=tec06d-20
JVC HARX700 - $39.99 - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013OWPV4/?tag=tec06d-20

Mic:
Zalman clip-on - $8: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00029MTMQ/?tag=tec06d-20
Boom type - $2 - (run 3.5mm extension cable to act as mic cable to sound card, zip tie to headphone, plug this in when ya need it... it's what I do and works great! These are better than the Zalman mic in my experience.): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002EQ6E9E/?tag=tec06d-20
+
10ft 3.5mm male to female cable - $3 - http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_...m/Category?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021813

Overall should be quite a bit better quality combination for all audio-related activities. Spend your money more wisely and get a lot more in return. There are a lot of other headphones one could choose in that price-range, that's just the pair I've enjoyed the most in that price-range. I still have mine and listen to them. Very durable, they are large but sound damn good...especially from a sound card (can make a HUGE differnece, even with gaming headsets that use 3.5mm jacks). I would never go back to a gaming headset after going with a sound card + harx700 + boom mic mod combo.

Food for thought. :toast:
 

Outback Bronze

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Messages
1,897 (0.41/day)
Location
Walkabout Creek
System Name Raptor Baked
Processor 14900k w.c.
Motherboard Z790 Hero
Cooling w.c.
Memory 32GB Hynix
Video Card(s) Zotac 4080 w.c.
Storage 2TB Kingston kc3k
Display(s) Gigabyte 34" Curved
Case Corsair 460X
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply PCIe5 850w
Mouse Asus
Keyboard Corsair
Software Win 11
Benchmark Scores Cool n Quiet.
Are those headsets you linked 2.0?

Ive been recommended some quality 2.0 headsets paired with a sound card.

Atm i can only run with a pci-e sound card.

Im still debating which way to go.

I collected my refund so im able to go somewhere else.

Just couldnt make a decision in store.
 

fullinfusion

Vanguard Beta Tester
Joined
Jan 11, 2008
Messages
9,909 (1.67/day)
Im running an Asus Xonar Essance STX with the asus beta driver with a set of Sennheiser PC 350 cans and use the sound cards Ultra High Gain control set @ (+18db for 300~600 ohm) setting for some unreal sound.

And man do they vibrate your head BIG time with some great audio!
 
Joined
Mar 15, 2013
Messages
3,630 (0.89/day)
Location
GMT +2
System Name Red Radiance l under construction
Processor 5800x
Motherboard x470 taichi
Cooling stock wrath
Memory TridentZ Neo rgb 3600mhz (2x8 kit)
Video Card(s) Sapphire Vega 64 nitro+
Storage 970 evo nvme
Display(s) lc27g75tq
Case tt core x5 tge
Audio Device(s) sennheiser's pc323d usb soundcard
Power Supply corsair AX860i
Mouse roccat burst pro
Keyboard roccat ryos mk fx
Software windows 10
Joined
Mar 6, 2009
Messages
5,976 (1.08/day)
Location
Cybertron aka Canada
Processor Intel Core i5-3570K
Motherboard Asus P8Z77-V Pro
Cooling Noctua NH-D14
Memory 8GB Mushkin Blackline DDR3-1600
Video Card(s) Gigabyte GTX 670
Storage Intel 520 60GB, Seagate Barracuda XT 2TB
Display(s) BenQ 24" XL2420T
Case Corsair 550D
Audio Device(s) Sennheiser HD600, Audeze LCD-3F, Mytek Stereo 192 DSD, La Figaro 339, Burson HA-160, Geek Pulse X
Power Supply Corsair AX650
Mouse steelseries Sensei MLG edition
Keyboard Cooler Master QuickFire Pro
Software Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium
Are those headsets you linked 2.0?

Ive been recommended some quality 2.0 headsets paired with a sound card.

Atm i can only run with a pci-e sound card.

Im still debating which way to go.

I collected my refund so im able to go somewhere else.

Just couldnt make a decision in store.

there is no reason you shouldn't buy a pair of headphones over a gaming headset. cheap headphones and headsets have poor build quality and the usual problems with low frequencies, high frequencies, distortion, ringing, etc.

something like this

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042A68R8/?tag=tec06d-20

will always be better than a $150 Razer, Logitech, Turtlebeach or Corsair gaming headset. what does a company that makes mice know about audio? Sennheiser has been making headphones long before any of us were born. Sennheiser spent a lot of money on R&D making the driver which is the same one used in the HD598 ($249).
 
Joined
Mar 6, 2009
Messages
5,976 (1.08/day)
Location
Cybertron aka Canada
Processor Intel Core i5-3570K
Motherboard Asus P8Z77-V Pro
Cooling Noctua NH-D14
Memory 8GB Mushkin Blackline DDR3-1600
Video Card(s) Gigabyte GTX 670
Storage Intel 520 60GB, Seagate Barracuda XT 2TB
Display(s) BenQ 24" XL2420T
Case Corsair 550D
Audio Device(s) Sennheiser HD600, Audeze LCD-3F, Mytek Stereo 192 DSD, La Figaro 339, Burson HA-160, Geek Pulse X
Power Supply Corsair AX650
Mouse steelseries Sensei MLG edition
Keyboard Cooler Master QuickFire Pro
Software Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium
also if you look in "post a picture of your desk" or "show your rig" threads on various forums you will notice a lot of gamers are using Audio Technica or Blue Snowball USB microphones these days. you can easily tell who has one on Mumble or Teamspeak. these microphones use a dynamic or condenser capsule, the A/D converter is built in and bus powered.
 
Last edited:

Outback Bronze

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Messages
1,897 (0.41/day)
Location
Walkabout Creek
System Name Raptor Baked
Processor 14900k w.c.
Motherboard Z790 Hero
Cooling w.c.
Memory 32GB Hynix
Video Card(s) Zotac 4080 w.c.
Storage 2TB Kingston kc3k
Display(s) Gigabyte 34" Curved
Case Corsair 460X
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply PCIe5 850w
Mouse Asus
Keyboard Corsair
Software Win 11
Benchmark Scores Cool n Quiet.
there is no reason you shouldn't buy a pair of headphones over a gaming headset. cheap headphones and headsets have poor build quality and the usual problems with low frequencies, high frequencies, distortion, ringing, etc.

something like this

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042A68R8/?tag=tec06d-20

will always be better than a $150 Razer, Logitech, Turtlebeach or Corsair gaming headset. what does a company that makes mice know about audio? Sennheiser has been making headphones long before any of us were born. Sennheiser spent a lot of money on R&D making the driver which is the same one used in the HD598 ($249).

Thanks mate.

Ive found some locally where I live but they are not cheap.

Here is the link: http://www.jbhifi.com.au/portable/mp3-players/head-phones/sennheiser/

I might have to sign up for amazon!!

Thanks for your help mate they sound good going by the reviews.

Will they be suitable for gaming and paired with a nice sound card?

Also are they 2.0,5.1 or 7.1 or something?

Thanks.
 
Joined
Mar 6, 2009
Messages
5,976 (1.08/day)
Location
Cybertron aka Canada
Processor Intel Core i5-3570K
Motherboard Asus P8Z77-V Pro
Cooling Noctua NH-D14
Memory 8GB Mushkin Blackline DDR3-1600
Video Card(s) Gigabyte GTX 670
Storage Intel 520 60GB, Seagate Barracuda XT 2TB
Display(s) BenQ 24" XL2420T
Case Corsair 550D
Audio Device(s) Sennheiser HD600, Audeze LCD-3F, Mytek Stereo 192 DSD, La Figaro 339, Burson HA-160, Geek Pulse X
Power Supply Corsair AX650
Mouse steelseries Sensei MLG edition
Keyboard Cooler Master QuickFire Pro
Software Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium
Thanks mate.

Ive found some locally where I live but they are not cheap.

Here is the link: http://www.jbhifi.com.au/portable/mp3-players/head-phones/sennheiser/

I might have to sign up for amazon!!

Thanks for your help mate they sound good going by the reviews.

Will they be suitable for gaming and paired with a nice sound card?

Also are they 2.0,5.1 or 7.1 or something?

Thanks.

try

http://www.addictedtoaudio.com.au

the Sennheiser HD518 are stereo. the Xonar DG sound card is often recommended because it has Dolby Headphone and it's a nice upgrade over on-board audio for the money.

the microphones I mentioned are

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QJREXM/?tag=tec06d-20 (comes with tripod)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006DIA77E/?tag=tec06d-20
 

TomGuru

New Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2013
Messages
11 (0.00/day)
I'd go for the Siberia Elite chech em out if you're interested
 
Top