Need help with selecting a headset

[xKONIGSTIGERx]

Alright so I know this has already been answered somewhere but I need help, I have been browsing for hours and cannot really make an informed decision with my current setup.

So recently I came back from a trip to my astro a40's being broken so I am in the market for a new headset or headphones. I have a blue snowball so I do not really care about mics. I was using a creative sound blaster x-fi 5.1 pro to drive the headset and do not know if its any good for anything else. I also am retaining the working mixamp pro from the astros.

So I have a budget of around $200 and have been looking into different brands like sennheiser and others. I am sort of a audiofile but mostly a gamer so for me things like 7.1 entice me even though I know its only done through virtual. I was reading up on the HD 598s and was wondering would they sound good with my current setup an can they be driven to virtual 7.1 or 5.1 with my external card mixamp setup. Any help is appreciated.

**Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro Sound Card is w

 

[basroil]

7.1 is beyond useless, since you have two ears (and most software already mixes headphones for it). The HD598s should work beautifully with your sound card, as would the ATH-AD500X, G4ME ZERO, etc.

 

[xKONIGSTIGERx]

7.1 is beyond useless, since you have two ears (and most software already mixes headphones for it). The HD598s should work beautifully with your sound card, as would the ATH-AD500X, G4ME ZERO, etc.

My next question is what is position audio and does it work well with something like the HD598s and if I already have a desktop mike I am fine with what would be the benefits of going with something like the G4ME ZERO series?

Also, should I keep the mixamp or just junk it? Also will the sound card be able to adequately drive the 50ohms for the 598?

For the sound card, would it benefit me any to spend the extra money from my budget to upgrade?

Thanks

 

[basroil]

1) Positional audio has nothing to do with the number of "channels", since you only have two ears. Most games already apply binaural approximation transfer functions to the audio if you select headphone output, and it'll give you a much better "effective channel" number than just crappy 7.1 (real binaural audio is often stated as having infinite channels, and definitely above 64.1 some really high end systems have)
2) HD598s have slightly better reviews and specifications. G4ME ZERO has a mic. That's about it.

The x-fi 5.1 pro should be able to handle up to 600ohm, but even motherboard audio codecs can handle 50ohm without issue.

Not sure why you had a mixamp if you already had the x-fi, both are soundcards... Don't junk it, but don't expect to use both at the same time!