What should I get HyperX Cloud 2 or a Headphone and Mic combo

[Yahjin]

I was looking for new headsets to game with and I stumble across an article that states "Gaming Headsets are bad in Audio and have terrible mic for the price". I've heard that HyperX Cloud 2 are one of the best headsets on market under $100. And this got me thinking " Wouldn't gaming headsets have something that regular headsets don't. I haven't seen a Headphone with surround sound, and that they don't have mic attracted to them. I mostly play Counter Strike so Surround sound is a bit important. I was wondering what Headset and Mic combo would be a better solution than the HyperX Cloud 2.

 

[ssddx]

in terms of sound quality gaming headsets generally are inferior. you can compare them to how pc speakers sound horrible compared to hifi speakers. both are normally tuned to be boomy, overly warm and generally fair to average sounding for the price. basically they sound a bit exciting and are tailored to sound how the manufacturers think people want headsets to sound.

this does not mean all are bad. headsets made by actual headphone companies tend to be decent or are based on actual hifi headphones. a few examples:

-hxc is based on the takstar pro 80. under $100 its not a bad choice. mic is not best in class but its alright. avoid the soundcard with the hxc2 and use the core edition and your own soundcard if you go that route.

-game zero is based on hd555/595, pc363d, pc350se. very bass light headset but decent if that is what you are looking for.

-game one is a hd598 with mic attached. you pay for an all in one but if you can get it for a similar price to a modmic+hd598 its not a bad option.

-mmx300 is from beyerdynamics and is based on an old itteration of the dt770. normally the price is too crazy to consider it.

-adg1/ag1 are based on the ad700x/a700x. again, very bass light headphones but good if you want that kind of signature.

products from actual headphone companies are quite different than products from places like razer, corsair, etc. while some are of course better than others, it can be generally said that gaming headsets are inferior to hifi. while this is not always the case and personal preference comes into play its still normally true enough to make a general statement like that.

another misnomer: the vast majority of surround gaming headsets are NOT actual surround input. most are just a regular pair of stereo headphones, with a mic strapped on. the surround part comes from software they run called virtual surround sound. many have it on a soundcard included with the headset (often the case for usb models) but some may have the software run on pc with drivers. this fakes surround by distorting audio (different volume changes, tone changes, timing changes) to make it appear to come from a direction despite it coming from the same driver.

now, actual surround headphones exist (strix 7.1 and others) but the effect of actual surround (its not the same as home theater surround.. its odd) is sometimes worse than fake surround (virtual) since some people have noted you can hear that the sounds play out of different drivers and it gives an odd effect. also some people notice gaps in the 360 degree soundstage. again, personal preference is also important as some people may like this over virtual.

now, you can turn ANY (yes, any) headphone into a virtual surround sound capable device. one way is if your onboard audio or soundcard supports virtual surround you can use that. another way is by using the free razer software for it. last you can buy a soundcard to gain the feature.

a few examples of good headphones in the sub $100 range are the hd518, hd558, ad500x, 668b among others. you can use a boom mic like the modmic or moovmic, or if audio quality doesnt matter then a cheap mic like the zm1. lavalier mics can be used (be aware most need a preamp) or you can use a desktop microphone like the blue snowball or similar cost solution.

some headphones need an external amp, some dont. some benefit from a soundcard, others are not so picky. this can be true with headsets as well so its not just related to headphone - only purchases.

what kind of product you pick depends on your preferences, budget, needs and planned uses.