Best gaming headphones/headset for under $150

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GetOwnedGaming

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The title says it all, I got some corsair 2100's and they are 100% CRAP. Do not get them. Anyways, I want to get some 7.1 surround sound headphones or a headset. I do not care if it is wireless or not. Budget of $150.
 
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All of the advice above is sound, but I know sometimes you just want an answer within your parameters, so that's what I'm going to try to provide. All arguments of gimmickyness aside, http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-audio/razer-kraken-71-chroma may be worth looking at for your wants. Lots of audiophiles condemn Razer, but it seems like you're more interested in the 7.1 Virtual than perfect Audio, and with that in mind, you may like these. I have tried Steelseries Siberia V2 with USB soundcard, which were comfortable, but ear piece went out after like less than a year. If I was shopping for 7.1 virtual integrated gaming headset because that's what I wanted, I would probably give these a shot.

To put more simply what was said above...

GetOwnedGaming

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Hmm, those look interesting, but would they work for Gaming? For example, I am playing Minecraft, and I hear lava bubbling, would it play it from the direction that the lava was coming from? Also, what do you think of the Razer Kraken 7.1 Chroma?
 

AznGOD

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Even $20 dollar headphones will play the sound from where the lava is coming from. ATH M50 are the best headphones under $300 hands down. If you really want a gaming headphones then this:http://www.amazon.com/SteelSeries-Siberia-Full-Size-Headset-Surround/dp/B002Q8IHEK

Everything razer sucks besides the deathadder 2014 imo
 

RazerZ

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How do people buy Razer headsets with that tacky bright green theme? That headset is subpar in audio and build quality, a trait common to many "gaming" headsets in your price range.

The m50s are great and although they don't have the widest soundstage you should still be able to pick up positional queues in minecraft. They are closed back however, have pleather ear pads which can get sweaty and hot over long usage periods, and have a high clamping force.

If you wanted a more comfortable pair of headphones you might want to look into an open back pair. The Sennheiser 558 is a great choice but since it is open back it will have greater sound leakage and worse noise isolation. It hass less bass compared to the m50s but has a more detailed and airy sound signature. The soundstage is great and positional queues will be easy to pick up. Since they are open back sweat/heat will be less of a problem and velour ear pads further add to the comfort.
 

GetOwnedGaming

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Okay, I just want to get something good quality, not the best maybe, but good. I would like 7.1 surround sound if possible, I do not really care if it virtual surround sound or not. At this point, I think I am getting a Razer Kraken. My current headset is the Corsair 2100 headset, and it is a $100 piece of crap.

Also, would it be worth it to go the extra dollars and get the Astro a40?
 

RazerZ

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The Kraken will the same or worse than the vengeance.

How cheap do you need the headset to be? If you're looking for value for your money it's always better to buy a pair of good headphones and a mic to them.
 

BlueFireZ

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What RazerZ and AznGOD said is true, but instead of the M50s you should be able to get the M50xs and look into a good external mic - thats basically my setup but instead of the M50x i have the M40x and a Blue Snowball mic, my laptop also has a nice Dolby 5.1 soundcard which helps. I woudlnt pay the extra $ for the Astro a40, its not worth it - so go with something like the Sennheisers or Audio Technicas which are respected brands and get a good external mic, and also have a look at the Ant lion modmic 4.0.

Antlion modmic 4.0: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVFKbVPTdG8

You said the title says that the Corsair sucks - it doesnt.

Hope this helps!
 

RazerZ

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The m50x and m50s use the same drivers, the main difference is that the m50x has a detachable cable. This could be a drawback since I believe the only cable the m50x has uses a special locking mechanism found in the cables manufactured by Audio Technica and they are relatively expensive. If you want to use any 3.5mm aftermarket cable you would need to mod the m50x's... might as well just get the m50s and save some money.

When I had my m50s they were easy to mod and I shortened the long cable that came with it. I could have modded it to use a detachable cable as well but at the time I didn't need that feature.
 

BlueFireZ

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True, I forgot about that, but most people will prefer a newer looking model. My new shorter cable is shipping right now, so if your looking to save $20, go with the M50.

 

GetOwnedGaming

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Here is the deal, I have a crappy laptop that probably has crappy sound. I just need 7.1 headphones. I just don't want a stereo set of headphones. The last ones I had were Logitech g230, which had good sound, but there was no way to tell which way the sounds were coming from. For gaming, that is key. I will be playing lots of games, but mostly minecraft, directional sound is what I need. All of that said, best headphones would be?
 

RazerZ

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No no no . Stay away from gaming headsets. For the same price as those Tiamats you could get much nicer headphones like a Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80ohm.

One of our community members, jimthenagual owned that exact pair. Here's what he commented on their "true" 7.1 surround sound:

" It's a gimmick. I just sold my tiamat 7.1 as I was extremely disappointed. It didn't have the bass or the highs I would expect from such an expensive set of headphones. I don't play FPS, so I can't really comment on how well they alert you to enemies from behind, but I would not recommend them based on the sound quality alone. Also, the mic is garbage on them. Constantly had ppl complaining about my voice quality."

http://www.tomsguide.com/forum/id-2435537/logitech-g930-razer-tiamat.html



 

GetOwnedGaming

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I will be playing not just Minecraft, I will play CSGO and such too, when I get my Gaming PC...
 

GetOwnedGaming

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I do not want to sound rude, but here is what I am going to say...
I want 7.1, I didn't come here to ask if I needed it or not, I know it is more of a preference, but I want it. So with that said, which is the best for under $150?
 

jjb8675309

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I had the corsair 2100 and they were absolute crap, I tried some other razer and steelseries "7.1" headsets all crap. As much as you are gung-ho about buying something like this I will still say that they are ALL crap. If you want 7.1 then buy a receiver and a real surround sound setup, you will not be satisfied by the "directional" sound of 7.1 headphones. Like many other posters already suggested, buy an audiophile grade studio headphone. There is just no "best" or "good" "7.1 gaming headset" out there imho.
 

GetOwnedGaming

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Thanks jjb for the reply, that explained a lot. I have one more question. On the Astro A40 headset, it doesn't have surround sound unless you get the mixamp. I couldn't really figure out how the Astros connect to the PC. Could I get the Astros without the mixamp and get razer surround? Would that be a good idea?
 

Bast

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All of the advice above is sound, but I know sometimes you just want an answer within your parameters, so that's what I'm going to try to provide. All arguments of gimmickyness aside, http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-audio/razer-kraken-71-chroma may be worth looking at for your wants. Lots of audiophiles condemn Razer, but it seems like you're more interested in the 7.1 Virtual than perfect Audio, and with that in mind, you may like these. I have tried Steelseries Siberia V2 with USB soundcard, which were comfortable, but ear piece went out after like less than a year. If I was shopping for 7.1 virtual integrated gaming headset because that's what I wanted, I would probably give these a shot.

To put more simply what was said above, virtual 7.1 and perfect audio do not exist together in a headset. You sacrifice one for the other. I've used virtual 7.1 for gaming, and while the sound quality is not as good as it should be, it is more immersive for gaming. It may not sound great for music or movies, or maybe it will. it all depends on your expectations. You said you wanted a gaming headset with 7.1 for gaming, so that's what I'm suggesting. If you don't like them, you can always send them back and try something like http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B003VANOFY which are wireless and 7.1, but mic is questionable.

Finally, as far as the Tiamat goes, those are "Real" 7.1, which means there are 10 tiny drivers in the headset as opposed to 2 big ones. this means it might be the best surorund experience you can get from a headset, but the audio itself might be limited (for example, low bass) and they would probably sound really bad doing anything other than gaming with them. Important to note though, they require a 7.1 ready sound card installed to use. If you were on a gaming rig, you would need to buy one if you didnt have one already (I recommend http://www.amazon.com/Xonar-DSX-Engine-Playback-Support/dp/B007TMZ1MY). But since you said you're on a laptop, we can cross these headphones off the list.

In the end, nobody can tell you what you're going to like best because everybody has different expectations. We can suggest, but the choice is yours. Just remember you aren't locked into them for eternity. Trial and error. If you don't like them, send em back and try again. Hope this helps.

Bast
 
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