Sennheiser Vs SteelSeries and Astro

[PCgaming098]

Out of the three, which are superior in sound quality. Really want to know about their 7.1 surround. I want to use them mainly for gaming and movies.
https/www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Performance-Surround-Gaming-Headset/dp/B008O515CK/ref=pd_sbs_147_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=7YAT2571JYA6K342SB1Y
https/www.amazon.com/SteelSeries-Siberia-Elite-Gaming-Headset-Jet/dp/B00MSOEWQY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1474927825&sr=8-3&keywords=steelseries+650
Also wondering If there is in need of a sound card to use their full potential I am currently using whatever my motherboard has. My motherboard is gigabyte z170 gaming 1

 

[ssddx]

i would trust sennheiser as they make actual headphones for hifi use. with that said, there may be better options then the 363d for you.

i suggest listing a budget.

the 363d is a very bass light headset loosely based on the 555/595 and pc350se and also similar to the current game zero. not a bad can but dont expect a whole bunch of bass.

the game one is based on the hd518/558/598 series and has a little more bass and neutral sound. another option is to just buy these seperately and put your own mic like the modmic on a pair if the price is a big difference. game one and hd558+modmic prices were similar last i looked so game one may be a fair deal on its own.

if you're looking at low bass high soundstage headphones dont forget audiotechnicas ad500x->ad900x series. you wont find larger soundstage in that budget and they have the same light on bass sound. the adg1 headset is based on this but its double the price it should be considering the headphones used (modmic +headphone suggested instead)

if you wanted something with more oomph.. the dt990 from beyerdynamic has a v-shaped signature with substantial bass for an open can as well as detailed bright treble. its a fun sounding can with great comfort though given how bright and detailed it is on the high end some may find it fatiguing if they dont eq the treble down a bit.

do you need an amp or soundcard? generally no unless you are using high impedance headphones or note an issue with your onboard like buzzing, static, etc. headphones like the dt990 i'd certainly suggest an amp for. the old 100ohm game zero doesnt work well on all onboard (weak onboard audio = bad).

as far as 7.1.. its all pretty much faked anyways. in other words, virtual surround sound. generally you have 3 options.. razer virtual surround free software or the better sbx/cmss3d (creative soundcards and onboard) or dolby headphone (asus soundcards and onboard). any stereo headset can be made into surround with said software. only a few high end headsets use actual multiple driver technology (true headphone surround) but honestly that is not as good as it sounds on paper (its disjointed and fake sounding and not better than virtual)

 

[PCgaming098]

i would trust sennheiser as they make actual headphones for hifi use. with that said, there may be better options then the 363d for you.

i suggest listing a budget.

the 363d is a very bass light headset loosely based on the 555/595 and pc350se and also similar to the current game zero. not a bad can but dont expect a whole bunch of bass.

the game one is based on the hd518/558/598 series and has a little more bass and neutral sound. another option is to just buy these seperately and put your own mic like the modmic on a pair if the price is a big difference. game one and hd558+modmic prices were similar last i looked so game one may be a fair deal on its own.

if you're looking at low bass high soundstage headphones dont forget audiotechnicas ad500x->ad900x series. you wont find larger soundstage in that budget and they have the same light on bass sound. the adg1 headset is based on this but its double the price it should be considering the headphones used (modmic +headphone suggested instead)

if you wanted something with more oomph.. the dt990 from beyerdynamic has a v-shaped signature with substantial bass for an open can as well as detailed bright treble. its a fun sounding can with great comfort though given how bright and detailed it is on the high end some may find it fatiguing if they dont eq the treble down a bit.

do you need an amp or soundcard? generally no unless you are using high impedance headphones or note an issue with your onboard like buzzing, static, etc. headphones like the dt990 i'd certainly suggest an amp for. the old 100ohm game zero doesnt work well on all onboard (weak onboard audio = bad).

as far as 7.1.. its all pretty much faked anyways. in other words, virtual surround sound. generally you have 3 options.. razer virtual surround free software or the better sbx/cmss3d (creative soundcards and onboard) or dolby headphone (asus soundcards and onboard). any stereo headset can be made into surround with said software. only a few high end headsets use actual multiple driver technology (true headphone surround) but honestly that is not as good as it sounds on paper (its disjointed and fake sounding and not better than virtual)

Well my max budget is 230. So you are suggesting the game one?

 

[ssddx]

that depends on what kind of sound signature you are looking for. i listed a few options with a few different signatures for you to consider.

 

[PCgaming098]

that depends on what kind of sound signature you are looking for. i listed a few options with a few different signatures for you to consider.

One last question, between the sennheiser 363D and Game one, What is the major difference. I know you said the bass was better on the Game one but are there any other differences. Main reason I ask is because the 363D are 177$ and come with the sound card that delivers 7.1 now the Game one sits at 170 without the sound card, with it, it's about 220$. At this point I'm just wondering what is the better offer. Is it worth getting the soundcard that "delivers" 7.1 or Just get the plain Game one without it?

 

[ssddx]

the hd518/558/598 line (game one) is more neutral in signature. eg, more flat sounding. the gamezero/pc363d are more mid and treble focused. i would not say they are without any bass, but it is certainly not something they are strong at.

the soundcard that comes with the 363d is not all that great. it works and its usable, but i wouldnt say its any better and maybe even a bit worse than low end cards like a dg.

both are good solutions but it really depends on what you want. bass light headphones offer better advantage due to being able to hear footsteps and the like in fps games better but as a whole sound less exciting. neutral headphones will focus a bit more on everything and while not as exciting sounding as v-shaped cans certainly hold the midground between the two and are good general use for anything cans.

if on a tight budget, getting a hd518 or 518 + modmic + xonar dg would run less than $170 and be the same thing as a game one or better.

as i stated before, a competitor to the gamezero/363d would be the adg1 or going with a ad500x headphone + modmic setup. in fact, if you dont mind the headband design i would say its probably even a better choice if you're looking for a bass light design.

that 7.1 is just virtual surround sound. any soundcard with dolby headphone or cmss3d/sbx will have it. you can even get a slightly inferior version free using razer software.

honestly any of them are good cans and are good in their own way

its hard to make exact calls as we really have no way to know for sure what you are thinking and what may fit your preferences best. that is why i try to recommend and describe multiple products so that you can do additional research and figure out which is right for you.