About headphone/headset for PC Gaming/Audio on PC and iPod/HTC

[EasyLover]

This post is on behalf of my client.

He is looking for a headset/headphone for various requirements which are: -

PC Gaming [Must be comfortable for long sessions plus good looks]
Music Listening [On PC, iPod, HTC One]

What are the differences between Audiophile and Gaming headsets?
What are the differences between USB, stereo and analog connections on these headphones?

Will Audiophile be good enough for gaming?

Single headset/headphone for all requirements.

Budget range from $100 to $150.

 

[gumbykid]

"Audiophile" headsets are headphones that are designed to portray the sound that the artist was trying to produce. They are typically well balanced, high quality headphones that attract a demographic of audio enthusiasts.

Gaming headsets are headphones that are designed to look cool and typically include a microphone to communicate in games. These are poorer quality and tend to favor heavy bass. These are usually not headphones that you would like to walk around with, since they are typically bulky. They also like to have software features to enhance the gaming experience.

USB is computer only and uses software to deliver sound to the headphones. Stereo plugs directly into the sound card in ones computer or into the 3.5mm headphone jack in phones. If you want headphones that are compatible with multiple devices, this is typically where you'll find them. Analog has more than one jack and is typically found on gaming headsets, generally isn't used with phones.

You should be aiming for "Audiophile," as gaming headsets lose the bang for their buck past $60 or so.

 

[EasyLover]

"Audiophile" headsets are headphones that are designed to portray the sound that the artist was trying to produce. They are typically well balanced, high quality headphones that attract a demographic of audio enthusiasts.

Gaming headsets are headphones that are designed to look cool and typically include a microphone to communicate in games. These are poorer quality and tend to favor heavy bass. These are usually not headphones that you would like to walk around with, since they are typically bulky. They also like to have software features to enhance the gaming experience.

USB is computer only and uses software to deliver sound to the headphones. Stereo plugs directly into the sound card in ones computer or into the 3.5mm headphone jack in phones. If you want headphones that are compatible with multiple devices, this is typically where you'll find them. Analog has more than one jack and is typically found on gaming headsets, generally isn't used with phones.

You should be aiming for "Audiophile," as gaming headsets lose the bang for their buck past $60 or so.

Please recommend some models/brands. I've finished the build for my client and now only thing which remains is headphone. I've never bothered about headphones though, but he is insisting to give him a balanced headphone.

 

[gumbykid]

Sennheiser and Audio Technica are good brands. Almost all of them are balanced, just read the reviews of ones your client might be interested in. Many of them are bulky unless he gets the ear buds.

 

[Silibant]

I use Sennheiser HD 202's. There are certainly much better cans, but they're comfortable and I've never heard anything so good. The other thing to note is that these come with a rather long cord, good for being able to move about, but they come with a little thing to wrap the extra around if you don't want a trail of wires behind you. If you want a mic as well, check out the AntLion ModMic; it's a nifty little attachment that allows you to have a removable, high-quality microphone on any set of headphones you like. Hope I helped.