Surround-sound Headset advice

[tomhart9]

I searched this but most of the threads are old and with the market of electronics are like I was thinking things may have changed since those threads were active.

Basically I'm looking for a high quality (preferably surround sound) headset so I can game with great sound quality and also chat in high quality.

I'm in the UK if that changes anything, I'm also a student so really pricey stuff is a no no but any advice and tips are welcome!

I look forward to your tips and opinions

 

[Sharky.]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0017IUFAE/?tag=gtplanetuk-20

Too pricey?

 

[tomhart9]

Looks cool but yeah very much so!
Is that a quite expensive one or is that the normal price range?

 

[fatkrakr]

I have the trittons and love them. Turtle beach has some cheaper versions but there not true surround sound. They get good reviews. Just dont sound as good.

 

[Patrick]

What is your price range if I may ask.

 

[tomhart9]

Ok thanks, well I'm not too sure how much these are but I'm likely to be looking at the cheaper ones, but not sure how much those are!
Might have to save up haha, is surround sound worth it? Does it really enhance your gaming experience?

 

[Dragonistic]

Ok thanks, well I'm not too sure how much these are but I'm likely to be looking at the cheaper ones, but not sure how much those are!
Might have to save up haha, is surround sound worth it? Does it really enhance your gaming experience?

I'm using these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004322VGC/?tag=gtplanetuk-20

They're not surround sound, but they're loud enough and stereo of course so you get some left right split and you can hear things to each side to an extent. They've been great for me though the mic quality for others hearing you isn't great (I think, but only compared to my last which everyone said was super crisp but was only for chat) I rarely use it for chat so there's no issue there for me.

Pros:
Price
Decent build and audio quality
Easy to set up
Relatively comfortable
Individual chat and game volume

Cons:
No surround sound
Will begin to get uncomfortable in long sessions, but if you rest them around your neck between games problem solved.
Mic not neccessarily best quality

All in all surround sound wouldn't particularly benefit me and definately aren't worth the extra money, I get good enough sound quality at a fraction of the price but it depends what you want the headset for. If you're some aspiring pro gamer surround sound may be a useful tool on shooters but if you're just playing to have fun or don't focus on shooters where the surround sound will matter, unless you're made of money I wouldn't suggest surround sound headsets due to their price.

 

[tomhart9]

Thanks for the advice, that link looks good although I think I'd need a wireless one given the distance from where i sit and my PS3! Thanks though

 

[Dragonistic]

Want me to measure my wire? I forgot to mention it doesn't work with my laptop and I imagine not a 360 if that is of any concern

Edit: Amazon says 4 metres.

 

[tomhart9]

Haha! actually I think 4 would be long enough, if anything a little awkward.

Nah I wouldn't use it with a laptop or 360, mainly 'cus I don't have either

 

[Patrick]

I'm looking at getting Astros they say they're the best and you can get them wireless.

 

[fatkrakr]

Should compare the astros to the px5. I was looking into these.

 

[Patrick]

Should compare the astros to the px5. I was looking into these.

PX5s need batteries unlike the Astros.

 

[oohhh yeah]

Question, how does 5.1 surround sound work with headphones? There is two speakers on the side of your head, versus true surround sound with two rear surround speakers and front, left and right speakers with a subwooofer.

 

[Cale]

I've got Turtle Beach PX 21 or something. While not surround sound they sound pretty damn good to me, I use them for music also since they sound better than any speakers I have set up to any computers at my house. The cord is 16ft long, so I can be dropping the kids off at the pool and still be chatting. Also has separate chat/game controls, and an expander whatever the hell that is.

 

[tomhart9]

Question, how does 5.1 surround sound work with headphones? There is two speakers on the side of your head, versus true surround sound with two rear surround speakers and front, left and right speakers with a subwooofer.

True surround sound headphones actually don't have 2 speakers
Tritton AX Pro:

I've got Turtle Beach PX 21 or something. While not surround sound they sound pretty damn good to me, I use them for music also since they sound better than any speakers I have set up to any computers at my house. The cord is 16ft long, so I can be dropping the kids off at the pool and still be chatting. Also has separate chat/game controls, and an expander whatever the hell that is.

Ooh they look nice, I think I really need to try a pair myself. But these ones are the kind of thing I'm looking at

 

[Cale]

True surround sound headphones actually don't have 2 speakers
Tritton AX Pro:

Ooh they look nice, I think I really need to try a pair myself. But these ones are the kind of thing I'm looking at

Just be weary some of these are super sensitive to your breathing at it pisses people off.

 

[Bonefork]

STAY AWAY FROM ASTRO.

I went through FOUR A40 headsets from them in a year. I gave up on them a year ago when the mic finally died completely. They're quick to apologize and send you new pairs and return boxes, but none of them ever work right.

- The left audio channel cuts out sometimes, occasionally it stays cut. I sent back two pair for this problem.
- Low bass or extremely loud sounds (like thunder in L4D2) usually cuts out completely.
- Xbox Live friends and players report constant buzzing and choppy voice chat... when you can get it to work. Sometimes you have to reboot the MixAmp or unplug the cable several times.
- They pick up radio signals (loudly) while you're playing with the mic on or while charging from the wall.
- The left audio is never the same as the right audio volume because of the way MixAmp works, one is always slightly louder than the other.
- The wires inside the headset are paper thin and fragile as hell, and the screws holding the cups to the headband frequently unscrew themselves, resulting in the cups disconnecting from the headband and the wires becoming exposed, then they chafe against the moldings and their insulation shreds off. I believe this is part of the reason for the left cup frequently cutting out.
- The "battery pack" is just that, 4 of those low-quality rechargeable AAs taped together. They work for about a month and then they don't charge anymore.
- They're not real surround sound, they use the Dolby Headphone codec, something most receivers already have built in. It still sounds okay, but it's inferior in every way.
- The cable connecting the headset to MixAmp frequently comes unplugged. I had to tape it together for my first two pairs. The Xbox cable also doesn't fit snug in the controller or the MixAmp, AND it has the added weight of a large resistor, so that also falls out all the time.
- They say they're wireless, but you still have the wire to the amp, and the amp to the controller... it's about as wireless as two wires can get.
- They're EXTREMELY comfortable for long sittings. The only good thing I can think to say about them.

I could go on and on. STAY AWAY from that trash.

I just use the wireless Xbox headset and keep the volume low now, but if I ever live in an apartment building again I'd try a pair of Trittons... or maybe cut into the ear piece of one of the headphones I have so I could use the receiver's Dolby Headphone and wear them over the Xbox mic.

 

[tomhart9]

Thanks for the info 👍

 

[Sharky.]

Looks cool but yeah very much so!
Is that a quite expensive one or is that the normal price range?

The AX Pro is a high-end headset (as are the similar model AX 720s, Astro A40s, Turtle Beach PX5s etc), but it is an excellent headset. Unlike most other "surround sound" headsets, the Trittons are actually true 5.1; as you can see from the picture you posted the AX Pro has four speakers in each cup (1x front 1x centre 1x rear 1x sub) instead of the typical single speaker.

Might have to save up haha, is surround sound worth it? Does it really enhance your gaming experience?

Absolutely. Games are 100x more immersive.

Question, how does 5.1 surround sound work with headphones? There is two speakers on the side of your head, versus true surround sound with two rear surround speakers and front, left and right speakers with a subwooofer.

With a two-speaker headset it's always pseudo-surround where the left and right channels are mixed in a certain way to create the illusion of true surround - Astro A40s use a mixamp and a Dolby codec, others just use the Dolby codec.

"True" surround headsets, namely those with a full complement of drivers in each ear cup, work just as you'd expect. One or two drivers in each ear act as a specific 5.1 speaker, so overall you have the full 5.1 complement of front, centre - usually x2 so stereo sound is symmetrical - rear (surround channel) and sub (LFE).