Best ~$54 Headset?

[joel96]

Hi everyone. I'm looking for a gaming headset with a mic that is USB for around $54. I can go with a USB to jack adapter, and the cheapest one is around $30 (the X-fi adapter). I've narrowed down my picks for a new gaming headset to these: Razer Cacharias (not USB, possibly flimsy construction); Logitech G35; Creative Labs Sound Blaster Tactic 3D Alpha USB Gaming (it has the THX TruStudio DAC); and the Sound Blaster Arena (Creative). So do you know of any more reviews or personal experiences for these headsets? Also, do you have any other recommendations for the $54 range (I'm going to buy whatever set on eBay, so there is a little bit of room for the price range).

 

[joel96]

Thanks cloudy2010! Sennheiser has a good reputation for audio quality, and the Evolutions look lightweight, though that isn't a factor for me much at all. I would need to find a mic to use for voice chat since I play a lot of multiplayer games, so that would add a bit to the cost. Thanks again, keep the recommendations coming--even if I find something I like there's going to be other people reading this.

EDIT: Found some professional reviews of some of the headsets I've been researching. The Creative Alpha set was said to have decent sound quality, but lost out to the Carcharias set on comfort (but for me, the Charcharias lose out due to lack of a USB dongle; if I were willing to pay more, the Megalodon have a DAC of their own). The sound quality on the Carcharias is also said to be above average. Since the fancier version of the Alphas--the Sigmas--are beat out in terms of sound quality (but not ease of pronounciation), I'm prone to think of the Carcharias as the superior set.

 

[joel96]

I ended up going with the Carcharias. In general, the bass response is not as good as the 777's, they leak noise more, so if you're listening to music with explicit lyrics, it's best to do it privately. The cord has held up very well, but does have a few kinks in it from twisting too much. The cloth pads are hair and dust magnets, but they are way more comfortable than the 777's for long periods of wear. It's kind of a toss up between the two, but when I'm playing games, I prefer the 777's; when I'm listening to podcasts for long stretches, I prefer the Carcharias.

EDIT: As of last week, I have yet another pair of broken headphones. They lasted about ten months before the wiring broke at the insertion point of the left earpiece, but keep in mind, I made a habit of throwing them around. The way they were built makes it very hard to get to the breakage point, instead of setting it up to where the cord could be replaced easily by making a spring hinge on the exterior of the left earpiece and the lead-out from the volume adjuster, allowing the cord to be replaced with the same part. I now know that I should go with a different model, since the Carcharias were disappointing in their durability.