What headsets would you recommend to use with an ASUS Xonar U7?

carlitoswayec

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Sep 24, 2013
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Hello,

I have a hard time deciding which headsets to use with an ASUS Xonar U7 I am planning to buy. Please be mindful I am trying to find a good balance between price, and sound fidelity. The headset should support 7.1 surround sound.

The headset should be best to detect positioning during gaming, than for music but if it works great in both situations, I'd hit the jackpot, hehe. It should be comfortable to use over glasses.

Thank you for your comments and advise.
 
Solution

Try the Audio Technica ADG1. Same drivers as the AD700x, but with a high quality mic. Same price as the AD700x plus an Antlion Modmic. Great open sound stage.
Most, if not all gaming headsets are overpriced rubbish.

I see that your budget for headphones is $100...

RazerZ

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Aug 18, 2013
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Price and sound fidelity? Look no further than a good pair of stereo headphones. Attatch a mic to them and you will be set. Most gaming headsets are nothing more than a normal pair of stereo headphones with a mic attached to them. The problem is that most of them are greatly overpriced for what you get.

Do you have a budget for the headset? Are you ok with the idea of using headphones and attaching a mic to them? Will sound leakage be a problem?
 

carlitoswayec

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Sep 24, 2013
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This sounds interesting. How would that work out, or how would I "attach" a mic to a headphone? Sound leakage can be annoying, I'd like to reduce it as much as possible.

Most headsets come with 3.5 mm (1 for mic, 1 for sound), which you plug into an included usb sound card. I would like to use the ASUS Xonar U7 instead.

@Kenneth Barker suggested a good pair of headsets, but I really would not like to not to spend so much money $200 is a too much for my budget, I am thinking to spend up to $100

Thanks!
 

Kenneth Barker

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Aug 17, 2015
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For true 7.1 surround. You have very little options and they would have a number of plugins that would pretty much fill your sound card up with 3.5mm plugins for 7.1 (It takes them all)

All other "7.1" headsets I have seen are all simulated by software, and the vast majority of those are connected via USB (not using your sound card at all)

a standard headset (even one with a separate Mic) would plug into your sound card, but only be Stereo, or 2.1 as that is all a single stereo 3.5mm jack can pass through. That is what those 2 black rings on a 3.5mm jack do. That is the divider for the stereos sound channel. There are some 3.5mm cables that that 3 rings. However I think that third ring is a special channel for very low quality (low res) video passthrough. Sort of like the Analog (yellow, Red,White) cables we all grew up with for our old game consoles and VCRs.

Just keep that in mind if you are looking to get something that will actually use your dedicated sound card. You will need to get the hardware that will use it.

Best of luck
 

carlitoswayec

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Sep 24, 2013
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Hi, thanks for the detailed reply... I am wondering though, shouldn't the Asus Xonar U7 emulate 7.1? I actually don't mind that.

Cheers,
 

Kenneth Barker

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Aug 17, 2015
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That is just an external sound card of sorts. It is still a true 7.1 card. You see in the back of the Asus card though? All those inputs? Those give you all your dedicate 7.1 channels. the two in front (The headset and Mic) are still 2.1 for the headset, and a dedicated mic input if you have an external one. It will still sound good, but a true 7.1 headset, or speaker system will simply have more channels of sound for location oriented sound.
 

pp2076

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Sep 9, 2015
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Try the Audio Technica ADG1. Same drivers as the AD700x, but with a high quality mic. Same price as the AD700x plus an Antlion Modmic. Great open sound stage.
Most, if not all gaming headsets are overpriced rubbish.

I see that your budget for headphones is $100. It's not worth buying an Xonar if that's all you are prepared to spend on cans, unless you want the Dolby Home theatre or Sonic Studio Pro that comes with the U7. Both provide simulated surround sound. I have both switched off on my U7, as they are artificial and just enhance some frequencies resulting in a cacophony of noise making it impossible to hear, let alone detect the direction of footsteps..
You would do better putting the budget for the U7 and the cheaper headphones together and buying a better set, like the ADG1's above. Run the game settings in stereo and you will be amazed at the result.
 
Solution

pp2076

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Sep 9, 2015
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the U7 has 7.1 outputs for speakers (amp needed or powered speakers). The headphone output is stereo.
The software, Dolby Home Theatre and Sonic Studio Pro, both generate pseudo surround sound. They are both overwhelming and artificial in a game such as BF4 and should be turned off (flame suit on :) ).
If the game has been well coded, you can get positional clues using headphones alone, after all, the brain downsamples true 7.1 to stereo (ears) to determine positioning. It does that through the use of subtle clues.
If you find that difficult to believe, Google 'virtual barber shop' and pop some headphones on.

 

pp2076

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Sep 9, 2015
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All those inputs are actually outputs. The only inputs are line-in and USB
 

carlitoswayec

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Sep 24, 2013
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Thank you all for your help and suggestions. I appreciate it enormously. I finally decided to get the Creative Sound Blaster Omni Surround 5.1 USB Sound Card with High Performance Headphone Amp and Integrated Beam Forming Microphone https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EZT7RE4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 instead of the Asus Xonar U7, seemed to have better reviews plus the mic connector in the U7 has a history of putting out low volume. The Creative Labs was also cheaper. I don't need 7.1 in the end, as my speakers are 2.1, which I plan to upgrade eventually to 5.1, because of physical space having a 7.1 set is cumbersome. The headset should work fine :)

Thanks a lot again. :)

@HenryKam Your suggestion fills nicely into my budget and they seem to be a nice pair of headsets.