Best headset/headphones under 100$?

[jtpetch]

Right, so, my Logitech G930's just crapped out on me (plastic in the rim broke, liquid plastic wouldn't hold together. Also, yeah. they're not a great headset, but I got them for 20$ from a friend), and I need a new headset.
I've looked at a few, and right now, I'm stuck between the Hyperx Cloud II and the Creative Sound BlasterX H7.
I'm also not opposed to non-gaming headphones, as I've seen quite often that they generally have better sound quality than gaming headsets.

I'm no audiophile, but I do like good sound quality. I'm always listening to music, and I would also use them for gaming, and video editing. Look doesn't matter to me (i don't need my headset to match the colors of the wind), nor do onboard buttons/etc.

For reference, the best sound I've probably ever gotten has probably been from my G930's. I've had a crappy "uber 1337 gaming" 15$ headset, and Skullcandy Smokin Buds 2 earbuds, which sound pretty decent for earbuds (to me), so pretty much anything would be an improvement. I just don't want something that sounds /worse/ than the G930's. It also doesn't need to be wireless. I'd prefer if the weren't, actually. Our router is in my room, and that causes some 2.4ghz interference here and there.

My only (possible) problem with non-gaming headphones, is I don't know if they'll sound good in games, and I don't know if they'll have as good of positional audio (yes I'm aware that gaming headsets do not have true 7.1
I'd also highly prefer that the headset/phones have a mic (or something similar to a modmic which doesn't go over 100$).

So, I'm not sure what to go with here. What would be the best headset/phones option for under 100$?

Also, as a side note, if I get 3.5mm input headphones, will my MOBO produce good sound from them?

 

[madmatt30]

The cloud II's mate , most definitely.
Top of your budget but worth it.

 

[ssddx]

keep in mind the cloud ii soundcard had issues in the past if i recall correctly. they said it was fixed but i recall a few cases here after that fact. i would suggest the cloud core with your own soundcard like the xonar dg if you feel your onboard is crappy. otherwise, onboard.

a better option would be likely the sennheiser hd518 (neutral) or audiotechncia ad500x (bass light). the hd518 is a good all rounder with fairly flat response and is laid back for easy listening and long sessions. positional audio and soundstaging is fairly good. the ad500x is tuned to be bass light so while it has some bass presence its going to not be very powerful. this makes it great for fps games since you can hear footsteps easier. its soundstage is abnormally huge and its often very favored by competitive gamers.

modmic normally costs around $50 and is the best solution right now for add on mic. there is a cheaper design called a moovmic for $22 by a different manufacturer which may be a cheap alternative but i havent heard much feedback yet on sound quality. reviews look promising though. hd518 costs around $80 and ad500x around the same.

 

[jtpetch]

@ssddx Probably should've mentioned this, but I record with a desktop mic (on a boom, Blue Snowball); Would those open headphones leak enough sound to be heard from a mic ~1ft away from the mic?
And are there any similar closed ear options? I'd like to be able to use these without other folks hearing what I'm listening to.
Also, how do the M40x's compare to those two? The sennheiser's look fine, but I'm not a big fan of the style or fit of the hd518 (honestly, I loved how my G930's fit lol)

And I do like bass in music (though, "Bass light" may be different to you than it is to me), but I don't like it to /drown out/ everything else (*cough dubstep cough*)

Thanks a lot for the help!

 

[ssddx]

if you keep your volume levels in check and talk loud enough so you dont need your gain maxed i would say sound leak shouldnt be a problem. after all, its not like there arent plenty of open headsets/headsets being used while using a mic.

i know personally how the m50 and m30 sound.. not sure about the m40 from listening. i know the 30/50 have very small soundstages and a v-shaped signature but i've heard the m40 is different with more midrange and less bass. the m30/50 arent gaming cans given soundstage and are more for music. i've used mine for a little gaming when traveling but i dont mind the soundstage issue. otherwise, sound quality on the (m30/m50) was good for the price. the m50 had deeper earcups than the m30 and overall earcups are on the smaller side.

a500x is the closed version of the ad500x.
sennheiser has some closed headphones as well you might like.

dt770 is a nice closed can with v-shaped profile and bassy signature but is over budget and you would want at least a decent soundcard driving it. a good choice, but given your budget probably not likely.

perhaps the sony mdr v6? its closed. i dont have much experience with it besides knowing its often recommended.

bass light.. agreed its hard to know for sure based on description. best i could say is that if you imagine equal volume for bass, mids, treble that bass would be a little on the anemic side and would have less energy. its not like it has zero bass but its not strong.

listening to dubstep on bassy cans is fun. its like a head massage.

 

[mdcmartin]

I strongly recommend the Razer Kraken 7.1 Chroma sound USB gaming headset. They have awesome sound and are very comfortable to wear. Right now they sell at Amazon for $92.40. It also has a retractible advanced digital microphone that is an excellent mike