Recommendation for true 7.1 headset + sound card [if needed]

[AceFalcon]

hello
I need the help of the community since my knowledge in headset is pretty low.
I want to purchase a new headset but I have several demands, hope you can help me choose.
- I want a true 7.1 surround, for example Razer Tiamat 7.1
- drivers should be compatible with both windows and linux [Ubuntu and Debian].

now, Im not sure about the sound card thing, so i'll post here my system and please help me understand the dependency and recommend one if needed.

my system:
I7 4770k
Asus z87-k
GTX 770
16 gb 1600 MHz

my budget is around the 200$, if thats not enough please let me know.

thanks a lot friends

 

[migronesien]

I can recommend the Razer Kraken 7.1 but i dont own a whole range of 7.1 headsets so i dont have that much to compare.
It's quite nice, because you can setup the 7.1 system to fit your ears and it has really really nice sound. Heavy deep bass and clear high tones.

Only thing which is anoying is that it has no slider to adjust the volume. (I mean like wtf i paid 100€ for that thing)
Not sure about newer versions thou.

Im not using a sound card and never had but i think that you really only need one if you want to produce music on a high quality level.

 

[AceFalcon]

I can recommend the Razer Kraken 7.1 but i dont own a whole range of 7.1 headsets so i dont have that much to compare.
It's quite nice, because you can setup the 7.1 system to fit your ears and it has really really nice sound. Heavy deep bass and clear high tones.

Only thing which is anoying is that it has no slider to adjust the volume. (I mean like wtf i paid 100€ for that thing)
Not sure about newer versions thou.

Im not using a sound card and never had but i think that you really only need one if you want to produce music on a high quality level.

i thought so too, but Razer does not support linux so there are no drivers for Razer peripherals for linux....

 

[migronesien]

I can recommend the Razer Kraken 7.1 but i dont own a whole range of 7.1 headsets so i dont have that much to compare.
It's quite nice, because you can setup the 7.1 system to fit your ears and it has really really nice sound. Heavy deep bass and clear high tones.

Only thing which is anoying is that it has no slider to adjust the volume. (I mean like wtf i paid 100€ for that thing)
Not sure about newer versions thou.

Im not using a sound card and never had but i think that you really only need one if you want to produce music on a high quality level.

i thought so too, but Razer does not support linux so there are no drivers for Razer peripherals for linux....

Dont know about drivers for any other OS than Windows but found this:

https/bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=178749

"I can say from experience that the Kraken 7.1 works fine with Linux"

E: Not sure about setting up the 7.1 sound on Linux

 

[AceFalcon]

i would like to hear some more opinions if possible please

 

[ssddx]

not quite an answer to your question but thought i'd mention this:

one thing to note: the 'true' 7.1 headsets with multiple drivers per ear use smaller cheaper drivers. sound quality is better on stereo headphones and headsets with larger better drivers however if you used virtual surround with them the sound would distort a bit - which it does not on 'true' 7.1. both sides win and lose on different fronts.

generally in terms of quality, headphones and a separate microphone are the way to go.

 

[Urzu1000]

The Razer Tiamat 7.1 is great for gaming. I've been using mine for a couple years. If you can get your sound card drivers working in Linux, then the headset should work fine. It's analog, so it is pretty much universally compatible in that regard. There are a couple things to keep in mind though.

1: True 7.1 is noticeable over Virtual 7.1 in games, but you won't notice it unless you have a decent sound card. On board 7.1 audio doesn't count. Even if you meet all the requirements for the "best" experience, the difference is still minor, and it really boils down to how sensitive your ears are.

2: The Razer Tiamat 7.1 has great audio quality, but it's somewhat cheaply made despite what you might see in reviews. I'm actually browsing the forums looking for a replacement. The mic died after a year (wasn't a big loss, as it wasn't very good to begin with), and now the audio is mucking up.

3: No analogue headset will sound right if you don't have the proper software for your sound card. You also have to configure the settings to get the best sound.

4: If you're decided on a "True" 7.1 headset, as opposed to a Virtual one, then you have two choices. The Razer Tiamat 7.1, which is analogue, so it pairs well with sound cards, or you have the ASUS Strix, which claims to have its own on board sound card and uses USB. After hours of searching, those are the only two True 7.1 headsets I have been able to find, which is somewhat saddening.

If you play a lot of FPS games, and you have a 7.1 sound card, then go with the Razer Tiamat. If you play a lot of FPS games, and you were planning to use the integrated 7.1 on your MoBo, then the ASUS Strix may be up your alley. If you do not play a lot of FPS games, then picking up a decent pair of Virtual 7.1 headphones would be more up your alley.

And just as a final side note, the mic really sucks in the Tiamat. Feels cheap, sounds cheap. Don't make a microphone a requirement when looking for a headset. You can always use something like this http/www.tomshardware.com/news/antlion-modmic-4-hands-on,30094.html .