The Nameless Guide To PC Gaming: For PC Gaming Audio advice, I highly recommend you guys read this guide, which is written by NamelessPFG, and specializes in the PC related side of gaming audio, which I am 100% not knowledgeable of. I'd consider it a great extension to my own guide for those who aren't console gamers.
Last Update: 1/1/2013
Yuin G1A added
12/30/2012
Astro A50 (*wireless headset*) added, and all headphone scores revised (to reflect newer rating system)
12/24/2012
-External amp section added after the Virtual Surround Devices section. Fiio E9K, Objective O2, and Schiit Magni listings added
12/21/2012
-Skullcandy SLYR added
11/12/2012
-Sennheiser HD650 added
I found the video to demo Dolby headphone. EVERYONE can hear this, so try it! If you can't hear the surround cues at the time stamps I mention, then Dolby Headphone may not be for you, or your headphones don't pair up well with it.
NOTE: At 1:08, this is pretty much how Dolby headphone sounds on the Mixamp. The 5.1 DH: On section at 0:54 sounds like a weaker version, which honestly doesn't sound like the Mixamp's DH, but it still showcases positional cues. Now, if you didn't believe in DH before, you probably will now. Remember: At 1:08-2:00 is pretty much how the Mixamp sounds.
Mad Lust Envy aka. Shin CZ's Gaming Headphone/Headset Guide
Intro on how I came to start this guide and why. (Click to show)Before I start, let me get a few things out of the way. Everything I say is PURELY personal opinion. If you don't like it, well... tough. I'm not a professional. I have clearly stated that is is all my opinion, so don't get butthurt about anything I write. Okay, now moving on.
Hello everyone. I wanna make an introduction on my journey into headphone gaming, and pretty much headphones in general. I myself actually got into this audiophile hobby BECAUSE I fell in love with the sound of the AD700 when I paired it up with my Mixamp. I first started this journey when I looked for a discrete solution for gaming during the night time, where my home theater at the time (Pioneer HTS-G1) was just too much for my roomates and neighbors. Being someone who reads up on the things he buys before making purchases, I read up about how good the A40+Mixamp combo was, and that it would be all I would ever need. It was $250, which was extremely expensive for me at the time (at least I thought such a thing was too expensive back then). I caved in and went for it, as long as it delivered as promised.
Once I got it, I have to say that I was somewhat underwhelmed. I was expecting something that mimicked my surround sound. I wasn't feeling dolby headphone in the least. I was so underwhelmed that I barely used it, and decided to just play my games really quietly, which to me hurt, as I like to be immersed, and concentrate quite a bit when I game online. Fast forward to a few months later, where I decided to give it another try. Much to my dismay, my practically brand new A40s (very rarely touched back when I did use it) had lost the right side audio. I was so peeved that I didn't bother contacting Astro. I tossed them... just like that.
So there I was back again, with a seemingly useless Mixamp, and no headset. I went back online and read up on ACTUAL headphones that worked very well with gaming and the Mixamp in general. I, like many of you, heard how grand the AD700s were especially for games like Call of Duty 4, which was my favorite game back in the days I got into this hobby. So what the hell, I went for it. When I got it, I was somewhat turned off by the color, and they didn't exactly sit well on my head. It was slippery as hell, and it just sorta pissed me off. I then did the rubberband mod and then felt it was good enough to try.
I then hooked them up to the Mixamp, and fired up Call of Duty 4... let's just say... my mind was BLOWN. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was hearing EVERYTHING. Sounds were coming from all around me. I could hear exactly where people were around me. A pin drop was easily distinguishable for me. I did notice the distinct lack of bass, but for this game, I couldn't care less. I felt like I had an unfair advantage against those who DIDN'T wear a headset. Bass was the last thing on my mind. My speakers sounded like pure crap next to this ridiculous soundfield I was suddenly enveloped in. Dolby Headphone and Headphones in general showed me what a miraculous combo they could be, and I told myself I would never seriously game without either of them ever again. I had converted. This was just but the first step into this disease called upgraditis.
Since then, I have somewhat gone through literally COUNTLESS of headphones, both for gaming, and for music/movies. I knew I'd have to own at least two pairs: One for direct hardcore gaming, where bass was on the lighter side so I could focus on the more important sounds like a grenade pin being released, footsteps, or claymores being placed. The other would be for more, non-competitive gaming where I could enjoy what audio as a whole has to offer. I wanted a nice boost in bass, to feel the explosions. Something to directly contrast the sound of the AD700 but still work well with the Mixamp. I was also a budget headphone hunter. I loved what cheap headphones had to offer: bang for the buck. So I have bought my share of garbage, and gems.
Enough of that, I'm now going to attempt to remember ALL the headphones I have bought and used since the beginning of my journey. One criteria HAD to be met at first: The headphones would have to work well with Dolby Headphone, or they were gonna be returned or sold. It was that simple to me.
Okay, I'm gonna list my share of WORTHY headphones, especially for gaming. By worthy, I mean worthy of being discussed (some may be added to let you know they are NO GOOD for gaming with DH). This list doesn't include headphones I bought/used that were never intended to be used for gaming (for example, my HAS700, ES7, ESW9, though I did try them with meh results, obviously). I couldn't begin to remember them all anyway. Also rating them based on how good they are for 'fun' gaming (anything not taken too seriously, where sound accuracy isn't a huge concern), and competitive gaming (where sound is incredibly important, specifically positional accuracy and ability to pick up the finer details). The scores aren't scientific. It's just MY opinion on how they score from a scale of 1-10 by their own merits, and not how they compare to other scores whether higher or lower, so don't whine about scores, lol.
INDEX, RATINGS, MY TOP CHOICES
Use this for quick searching (highlight/copy what you're looking for, Ctrl+F, then paste)
Lists (Click to show)
HEADPHONES
D: $0-$50
Koss KSC35
Koss KSC75
Koss UR40
Philips SHP2500
Sennheiser HD201
Steelseries Siberia V1 (*headset*)
Turtle Beach Z2 (*headset*)
C: $50-$150
Audio-Technica AD700
Audio-Technica M50
Creative Aurvana Live! (aka "CAL")
HiFiMAN RE0 (IEM)
Sennheiser HD280 Pro
Skullcandy SLYR (*headset*)
Sony XB700
Tritton AX720 (*headset*)
Turtle Beach PX21 (*headset*)
B: $150-$300
AKG K701 (K702)
AKG Q701
Astro A50 (*wireless headset*)
Beyerdynamic DT770 (Premium)
Beyerdynamic DT770 (Pro 80 ohm)
Beyerdynamic DT880 (Premium)
Beyerdynamic DT990 (Premium)
Sennheiser HD598
Sennheiser PC360 (*headset*)
Tritton AX Pro (true 5.1 *headset*)
Yuin G1A
A: $300+
Denon D7000
HiFiMAN HE-4
HiFiMAN HE-400
Sennheiser HD650
Ultrasone Pro 2900
Ultrasone Pro 900
Virtual Surround Devices
Astro Mixamp Pro
Astro Mixamp 5.8
Beyerdynamic Headzone (Base only)
Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D USB
Tritton AX 720
Turtle Beach DSS (old version)
Victor SU-DH1
External Amps
Fiio E9K (aka E09K)
Objective O2
Schiit Magni
How to get Dolby Digital signals from DTS only Blu-Rays off your PS3
External Microphones
AntLion ModMic
DX Mini Clip-on Microphone (aka DealExtreme Mini Clip-on mic)
Labtec LVA7330
Final Notes
Ratings
10: Near Perfection
9: Amazing
8. Great
7: Good
6: Decent
5: Mediocre
0-4: Bad to worthless
MY TOP CHOICES (for quick reference)
Competitive:
K701
Q701
HD598
PC360
AD700
Pro 2900
DT990
D7000
HE-400
Fun:
D7000
DT990
Pro 900
HE-400
DT990 Pro 250ohm
HE-4
HD650
Creative Aurvana Live
DT770 Pro 80
DT880
Pro 2900
SLYR
All-rounders (for both uses):
D7000
HE-400
Q701
DT990
HE-4
Pro 900
Pro 2900
HD650
DT880
PC360
Creative Aurvana Live
Yuin G1A
KSC35
KSC75
HEADPHONES
Tier D: $0-50
Koss KSC35 (*clip-on*)
Sells for $45.
Review (Click to show)
How do they perform for gaming? Obviously, this is what you'd guys wanna know, and fortunately, they are pretty good performers, just the way the KSC75 is, but just a tad bit better. I played Black Ops for several hours today, and Dolby Headphone truly worked well together with the KSC35. There were sounds that would make me think were outside of the game. Soundstage with DH isn't huge, just like the KSC75, but it's not small either. It felt natural. Directional cues were quite easy to identify, so no complaints. All in all, it's a solid sounding headphone, that does work very well for gaming. Bass was strong but quick due to the open nature of the headphones, but slower than the KSC75. Based on sound alone, I'd say the KSC35 is a headphone you could use for hours without fatigue. Kind of like a smaller, more bassy PC360. Nice tonal balance that I don't think anyone would dislike.
My biggest complaint is the price. I'd put them at $25 at it's highest point. $20 would be perfect. For $45, I don't think I can recommend them since the KSC75 can be found for $15, are are just slightly inferior. However, if money is no object, and you want a great clip-on, the KSC35 is definitely worth the upgrade from the KSC75, and the difference between them with their respective stock clips is significant enough to warrant purchase.
Comfort-wise: compared to the KSC75, the KSC35 is quite noticeably lacking in comfort. The KSC75 has those very comfortable rubberized clips, that once you get used to, it's as if they weren't there. The KSC35 has some hard, slightly sharp plastic clips, that will never truly disappear off your head. At times, they can get bothersome, but with time, they're fine for several hours use.
Now, if you use the KSC75 clips on the KSC35 for comfort, you will lose a bit of SQ, and it will put them very close to KSC75 sound, with just a very slight hint of warmth (literally 90% alike). I'd say that it's worth the minor discomfort to use the stock plastic clips as it boosts SQ maybe 25% better than the KSC75, IMHO.
Fun: 7.5/10 (Very Good)
Competitive: 7/10 (Good)
Comfort: 7.5/10 (Very Good)
Koss KSC75 (*clip-on*)
Sells for $13-$20. Review (Click to show)
It belongs here. Most of you already know what a bang for the buck these are, and I'm more than happy to say that they are pretty good gaming headphones. Directionality is accurate, detail is fantastic for their price, and treble is sparkly and energetic. The bass is also no slouch, assuming you are in a decently quiet atmosphere. The KSC75 is very picky about what is around you, so the quieter the place you're in is, the better they perform. If you want to game on a budget, these should be not be taken lightly. I use them when I wanna relax and lay back, since I don't ever have to worry about them sliding off or out of position. They stay in place no matter what. I love them so much. You couldn't get me to give mine up unless it's for another pair. You get a lot of performance for the price, and everyone should pick some up.edit (6/2/2012): Just want to add that the way to present sound is considerably different from full-sized headphones. They are like a bridge between IEM and Full-sized cans, in which they don't have a FULL sound that envelopes you the way full-size cans do, but they project farther out than IEMs.
Fun: 7/10 (Good)
Competitive: 7/10 (Good)
Comfort: 9.5/10 (Amazing. After initially getting used to clips, they are just amazing)
Koss UR40
Sells for $25-30.
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise: Personally, I couldn't get them to sit right on my head, as they were too short. The net style headband didn't do anything for me either. This one is for small heads.
Fun: 4/10 (Bad. Give you an extra point for the obsecene bass... if that's a good thing...)
Competitive: 4/10 (Bad)
Comfort: 4/10 (Bad)
Philips SHP2500
Sold for $20 (discontinued?). Review (Click to show)
Very comfortable, and has a surprising decent sized soundstage for gaming. Not bad AT ALL for gaming with Dolby Headphone. Won't top the KSC75, but if you need isolation when gaming for the least amount of cash, this is a fine choice.Comfort-wise, they are pretty comfortable, the only issue that even with their velour padding, they quite hot due to a very good seal. No air escapes = sweat galore.
Fun: 6/10 (Decent)
Competitive: 6/10 (Decent)
Comfort: 7/10 (Good)
Sennheiser HD201
Sells for $20.
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise, it's not very comfortable. The pleather is cheap and plasticky, and the seal causes discomfort quite quickly. Like bad pressure to the head. Not as bad as the HD280 pro though.
Fun: 6/10 (Decent)
Competitive: 6/10 (Decent)
Comfort: 4/10 (Bad)
Steelseries Siberia V1 (*headset*)
Sells for around $35-50 (discontinued).
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise... quite possibly the most comfortable headphones I have ever worn. Seriously. The self adjusting headband is just AWESOME. Very light, and very open, so your ears breathe quite a bit. Looks like a budget Sony MDR-F1. The only area they lack in comfort-wise is that the pads are a bit too small to give them a perfect score.
Fun: 5/10 (Mediocre)
Competitive: 5/10 (Mediocre)
Comfort: 9.5/10 (Amazing)
Turtle Beach Z2 (*headset*)
Sells for around $50.
Review (Click to show)
The sound: Hmm... not good. Really. it's weak. Now I will tell you why I think that is: the pads. It uses neoprene pads that don't isolate, and don't form any sort of seal. I'd think that some pads that seal properly would probably make the Z2 sound a little better. I'm not a fan of the neoprene pads. They lose the isolation of pleather, and the comfort of velour. Really, no reason why I think neoprene should be used.
If you really want me to tell you how it worked with Dolby Headphone, well... not even remotely good. Lack of soundstage and positional accuracy. Actually, I think it's the very worst I have ever used with Dolby Headphone.
Comfort-wise, don't remember, but as with the PX21, the neoprene pads weren't great.
Fun: 3/10 (Really Bad)
Competitive: 3/10 (Really Bad)
Comfort: N/A
Tier C: $50-150
Audio-Technica AD700
Sells for around $100 (more or less).
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise, the pads are super comfortable, but the cans are way too loose for some people, and your ears may touch the drivers which a shock prone person like me couldn't handle anymore.
Fun: 6/10 (Decent. The soundstage is it's own brand of fun, but soundstage and clarity aside, they're not going to wow you.)
Competitive: 10/10 (Basically Perfect. It ditches warmth, bass, and musicality for sheer performance and detail-whoring.)
Comfort: 4/10 (Bad. Awesome pads, terrible headband design, drivers press against ears, and slippery fit. The comfort on the AD700 is love it or hate it.)
Audio-Technica M50
Update: I feel that because the M50s are one of my fave headphones, they deserve a bit more in the listing.
Sells for $120 (more or less).
Review (Click to show)
Mids: The mids are ever so slightly recessed due to slightly more prominent bass and treble. However, the mids aren't THAT recessed, and is well in line with the rest of the sound.
Treble: the treble is emphasized, energetic, and sparkly, They can get harsh, but it's nothing too worrisome, compared to other headphones on the list. The M50's treble gives you a crisp sound overall.
Comfort-wise, the M50 is the most comfortable pleather-padded headphone I have ever owned. You have to do the stretch mod, but once that is done, they are just godly in comfort.
edit: HERE is my thread with how to do the stretch mod.
As far as isolation goes, the M50's do extremely well keeping sounds from leaking out, and a great job isolating from the outside.
Gaming: the M50s don't do very well with Dolby headphone. Their issue is their soundstage, which sound congested and doesn't give you a big enough virtual space to let Dolby headphone work it's magic. I feel that even the Hifiman RE0s (the IEMs) do it better. I'd say if you want a good headphone for plain stereo gaming (like say with a Vita, DS, phones, etc), the M50s will be just fine. Just don't take them seriously for console/PC gaming.
Fun: 7/10 (Good. Nicely balanced with a good emphasis on bass)
Competitive: 4/10 (Bad. Small soundstage depth and width really hurts positional cues for competitive play).
Comfort: 9/10 (Amazing. After the stretch mod, the M50s are absolutely stellar in comfort, even with it's pleather pads).
Isolation: 8 (Great. One of the better passively isolating headphones I've used.)
Creative Aurvana Live! (aka "CAL")
Sells for $100 (or less).
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise, I love them. For a pleather padded headphone, they are AMAZINGLY comfortable. Those pads are very soft and feel wonderful. The discomfort comes from my personal distaste for non-velour pads, which is just personal gripes, due to the heat/stickiness it causes. I'll keep that out of the scores though, as that would bog down all pleather headphone scores. The pads however, aren't that deep and may cause an issue for those who don't like to feel your ears pressing against the driver padding. They may not be big enough for those with large areas, so it may feel like an on ear, instead of an over ear headphone to some.
Fun: 8/10 (Great. Full, warm, and bassy. Just immersive and entertaining)
Competitive: 7/10 (Good. Even for a warm and somewhat reserved sound signature, the soundstage and positional cues are good for competitive play).
Comfort: 7.5 (Pretty Good. Even for a small circumaural, I find them to be very comfortable, with the only negatives being that the pads are shallow and small and may crush other's ears. I didn't have issues with it though.)
HiFiMAN RE0 (IEM)
Sells for $79.
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise, I'm not a huge IEM fan, and these weren't notably superior or inferior to any other IEM in comfort. The stock tips weren't great, and they would constantly fall out of my ears. I much prefer the JVC Marshmallow's tips for comfort, but not sure what they'd do to the sound, as I didn't own them at the same time.
Fun: 5/10 (Mediocre. The RE0 is pretty analytical/sterile and not exactly engaging.)
Competitive: 7/10 (Good. Despite it being an IEM with very small soundstage, the clarity is absolutely top notch, making details pop out very easily. Positional cues don't have a lot of depth to do their work as well as they should, but they are easy to pinpoint which direction they originated from).
Comfort: 6/10 (Decent)
Sennheiser HD280 Pro
Sells for around $100.
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise.... uhh, no. Just...no. Sennheiser loves it's clamp, and the HD280 Pro is a TORTURE device. It's a vice grip on your head, and the really 'perfect' seal adds heat and sweat on top of that painful clamp. Probably the worst I've used in terms of comfort.
Fun: 5/10 (Mediocre)
Competitive: 3/10 (Very Bad)
Comfort: 1/10 (Horrible. The clamp is unbearable after a few minutes. The airplane cabin pressure is also incredibly uncomfortable.)
Skullcandy Slyr (*headset*)
http://www.skullcandy.com/shop/slyr-black-yellow
Sells for $79.95
Review (Click to show)
I'm sure that pretty much anyone interested in headphones know the Skullcandy brand. Their name is instantly recognizable, and their headphones can be found in many stores, ranging from their very entry level headphones, to their higher end Aviator and Mix Master headphones. They do not have a shortage of headphones, and as such, have been the target of a lot of criticism for not catering to audiophiles but to the domestic market. Personally, I can easily say that I do not have a lot of experience with Skullcandy products. My first pair of Skullcandy headphones were a pair of Ink'd IEMs that I bought ages ago loved. I didn't know a thing about headphones back then, but I do remember liking their sound signature, and their cheap price. The next product I had some time with was the Lowriders...a PINK pair, I had bought for my then girlfriend, hahaha. I have never been a fan of on ear headphones, and the Lowriders couldn't stay on my head. I honestly couldn't tell you if they were halfway decent or not. I have a slippery dome it seems, lol. I wasn't exactly pleased with them, and their build quality was quite lacking from what I'm used to today, but they were very inexpensive, and my girlfriend liked them well enough.
Anyways, my point is, I don't have a bias for OR against Skullcandy. What I DO know is that they have made great strides in improving their line and becoming more serious about the quality of their products. I can surely appreciate any company doing that. With the arrival of the SLYR, PLYR, and PLYR2 (with help from Astrogaming, which is well known in the gaming community, and which they now own), it's hard to not be curious about what Skullcandy has up their sleeves for us gamers.
So I'm approaching these headphones with a completely open mind. Okay, maybe not completely open. I do have ONE bias: I don't expect much from headsets. With as many headphones as I have owned and tested, gaming headsets have been, for the most part, disappointing. Save for the Sennheiser PC360 (which remains the best headset I have used, and still among the best competitively even among the amazing headphones I have owned), the next best headset for me was the Tritton AX720 which was decent, but not 'good' overall. They are excused as they come with a Dolby Headphone decoder box which more than makes up for their lack of pure sound quality. Everything else was borderline forgivable to 'blegh'. So, with that bad taste in headsets overall, the SLYR had an uphill battle, and that's before I even opened the package. Still, I was excited.
Hmm, the Skullcandy SLYR (pronounced Slayer). Upon opening the package and taking them out, I was still neutral. They were unassuming, and relatively stealthy in a dominantly matte black finish with sort of yellow/green 'windows' on the cups. From what I have seen of earlier Skullcandy designs, they tend to be fashion statements, with lots of urban/street flavors, etc. The SLYR is humble looking in comparison. I actually like this. I tend to prefer a more classy approach to my headphones, rather than ones that scream at you. The SLYR still has an edgy design to them with sharp angles, but it's not 'loud'. It's hip for the younger crowd, but still reserved enough for adults.
So that was my first impression on looks. Looks are not my top priority in a headphone. Comfort and sound first. How did they fare? Well, as soon as I put them on, I immediately thought: "Crap, these are on ear." I'm not a fan of on ears. Still, the pads were very soft, and they weren't pleather. Things I DEMAND in a headphone nowadays. I absolutely avoid pleather/leather like a plague. Then I realized, with a little bit of adjusting, the SLYR is actually circumaural/over ear! YES! Very happy about that. Certainly not the biggest cups, but they did fit my ears well enough (bigger openings than the Creative Aurvana Live, and much deeper pads). The SLYR is off too a good start, and I haven't even heard them yet.
As with every headphone I buy, my first listening test is ALWAYS music. Gaming comes later. I fired up some songs, let my ears adjust to their sound signature and soon after, I knew; Skullcandy meant business. These don't just sound like a good headset. They sound like a good headphone. PERIOD. I absolutely did not expect this sound coming from an $80 headset. The first thing that I immediately noticed was the balance between the bass, mids, and treble. I am not exaggerating in saying that headphones costing 3x the price of the SLYR can't manage to find such a great balance between fun and balance the way the SLYR does. I mean it. With the Sennheiser PC360, you get a really good and overall neutral-ish tonal balance, with not much sticking out of place, but not being exciting tonally. The SLYR on the other hand manages to sound balanced, with the right amount of bass emphasis and energy to make them exciting. They are forward sounding headphones, with not a hint of boredom in it anywhere. The Creative Aurvana Live sounds considerably more reserved in direct comparison, darker, and warmer. (which I had on hand at the time of review). While the CAL was still more refined overall, I have to say, I preferred the sonic signature of the SLYR. It was immediately more engaging and exciting. The SLYR isn't the fullest sounding headphone I've heard, nor the most refined, but they definitely got the balance right for my ears.
Bass: To be honest, I expected to have more bass than they did. I expected bloated bass. Bass that gets in the way of detail. This is NOT what I got. Instead, I got punchy, impactful, energetic bass that is quite present, but never overwhelming. It also has good speed and decay. Quite impressed with the SLYR's bass. A very good start. If I had to give the bass a quantity, I'd give them an 8. Plenty of bass for me. Not perfectly in line with mids and treble, but it's a GOOD emphasis.
Mids: I'm used to v-shaped curves, with bass and treble emphasis, and recessed mids. Yet, the SLYR has some pretty up front mids next to the typical v shaped can. Can't pinpoint if it's the smaller soundstage, or just the mids in general, but they certainly weren't what I consider really recessed. Maybe just slightly so next to the bass, but I'd say they're pretty in line with the treble. They are pretty forward in the sense that vocals are near you basically at all times unless a song purposely mixes them further back.
Treble: You either expect dull, veiled treble, or treble that is too sharp, too spiky, too peaky. Again, the SLYR surprises in it's sonic characteristics. The treble is energetic, but it's not harsh. It's very close in balance to the mids for me. It is RARE for treble to be in the safe zone between too soft, and too harsh. The SLYR is DEFINITELY in that safe zone. I honestly wish the DT990's treble had a similar line. That's right.
Amping: As to be expected, the SLYR is a very efficient headphone, and I didn't feel they needed any extra amping.
Soundstage: This is definitely the only aspect of their sound that I was personally not entirely happy with. Part of it is because I'm grown so accustomed to open headphones, with an airy, wide/deep soundstage, and going back to a closed headphone's soundstage and typical closed headphone signature is a bit jarring. After getting used to the closed headphone sound, I'd still say the SLYR's weakest aspect is the soundstage. It's relatively small even comparing other closed headphones. I have VERY little experience with closed headphones, and I feel that out of the few I have on this guide, the SLYR is near the bottom in terms of soundstage. Thankfully, everything else is so good, so this drawback doesn't hurt as much. Still, it is small, and everything sounds pretty packed together next to other headphones in direct comparison like the CAL and A40s (the two main headphones I had on hand).
Positioning: Now that we're getting into the gaming side of this review, the first thing to discuss is positioning. Since I feel that positioning is very dependent on soundstage, I feel they did suffer just slightly compared to my faves. That is the nature of closed headphones (with the exception of the D7000, and DT770s which have some truly large soundstages for closed headphones), and the Pro 900 which, with the aid of S-Logic helps give a sense of depth not typically found on closed headphones, though not by much. The SLYR does place positional cues properly around you, though with the lack of soundstage, there isn't much space between you and the virtual space to make pinpointing easy. Still, it does a good job. Not great. I was able to dominate pretty easily in Call of Duty 4, and didn't feel lie I was at all hampered by the SLYR's positional cues. I didn't feel like they gave me a huge advantage compared to some of my fave headphones, but they did their job well. Again, good. Bear in mind, the SLYR was definitely marketed as a stereo headset with a mixer that plugs into RCA cables. I'm fairly certain that those who play in stereo will have VERY little to complain about.
Clarity: The SLYR is a warm headphone, but with enough crispness to say that they are plenty detailed for gaming. The closed design hurts clarity again only compared to open headphones like the PC360 and K701. As a closed headphone, I found them to have a nice balance between fun and detail-whoring, so I'd say that if I had to rate clarity separately, they'd get a 7 (good). I doubt there will be any complaints about clarity, especially at their price range.
Comfort: Pads? Soft, deep, comfy velour. They could definitely be bigger as larger ears MIGHT make these on ear ear headphones. Clamp? Not too loose, not too firm. I find them just right. Weight? Very light. Check. They stay relatively in place at all times, with not a lot of readjusting needed. A huge win here.
Microphone: The microphone is permanently affixed to the SLYR, but like the PC360, you swing it upwards. Unlike the PC360, the mic on the SLYR tucks away nicely into the cup, and is relatively well hidden when not in use. it's also small, but sensitive enough to pick up my voice quite easily. My voice came through clearly on my PS3 device settings, so I have very little to say about it, other than it does it's job well. It may be just a little too sensitive for my setup, as I have a large, noisy fan near me, and the mic picks it up unless I sit further back than what I'm used to. Still, that shouldn't be an issue for most people.
Build Quality: The SLYR is made out of all plastic. The plastic feels sturdy enough for my taste, somewhat reminiscent of the PC360 plastic. I have more faith in tossing these around than I would the Creative Aurvana Live. Assuming you're not abusing the hell out of the SLYR, I don't see these breaking with normal use.
Accessories: The SLYR comes with a stereo mixer. Think of it as a stereo alternative to the Mixamp, with the ability to mix voice/game audio at your desired levels, with three different EQ presets. One bass heavy, one flat, and the other treble heavy. I personally don't have much use for the Mixer since I own the Mixamp and prefer gaming in Dolby Headphone surround, but I did test the mixer and found the presets to work relatively well, and the mixer to also work pretty well in mixing game and voice without a lot of distortion. If anything, the closest alternative to this Mixer is the Steelseries Spectrum Audio Mixer, which retails for $40 and is for the 360. The SLYR's mixer works for both the 360 and PS3 (as well as PC). I didn't find a need for the EQ presets as the SLYR already has such an agreeable sound signature.
The Mixer has a very lengthy cable terminated in RCA jacks with piggyback female inputs. The Mixer is powered by a standard USB plug, and comes with a 3.5mm input for ANY headphone, as well as the 2.5mm input for the 360's controller for chat audio. The SLYR comes with a detachable 3.5mm male/male cable (a bit on the short side, IMHO) that carries chat audio. You can indeed use your own 3.5mm male/male standard audio cables, though the entry on the headset side may not accommodate thicker plugs. I found that the CAL's extension cable fit, but the first gen Astro 3.5mm cables didn't. I used the CAL's extension on the headset side, and my own 3.5mm male/male cables on the female end of the CAL's extension cable when using the SLYR for music on my main headphone setup (non-gaming). Basically, you will want cables with thin 3.5mm plugs if you want a lengthy cable for the SLYR. I don't know where to get lengthy ones that also carry voice audio, unfortunately.
Value: $80 gets you a damn good headphone that just so happens to actually be a headset. Convenience, comfort, and a relatively forward, engaging, and still balanced tone makes the SLYR the very first headset in the sub-$100 bracket that I recommend to anyone who absolutely needs a headset.
Final Impressions: While the SLYR isn't perfect, and aren't as refined as to what I'm personally used to (hello "Head-fi standards"), I must say that even with my higher end tastes, I really, REALLY like the SLYR from the sound, all the way to the comfort. These are great for music, pretty good for fun gaming, and good enough for competitive use. Skullcandy's first serious gaming headset gets a solid B from me, and have made me a true believer. I can't wait to see what else Skullcandy has up their sleeve. If their $80 headset is this good, I have high hopes for their higher end models. One last thing that you will want to know: I prefer the SLYR over the A50s.
Final Scores...
Fun: 7.5 (Pretty good. They really did a great job in finding a great balance between fun and balance. Very impressive for this price.)
Competitive: 7 (Good. They absolutely do their job. I'd say stereo gamers will particularly love them, kind of like how I personally see the M50s if a little better in terms of positional cues. For us virtual surround gamers, I'd still say they are worth looking into if you absolutely need a headset.)
Comfort: 7.5 (Very good. Those with larger ears may have to use them as on ear as mentioned before, though they are still comfy in that way.)
Sony XB700
Sells for just over $80.
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise, the XB700 is a hit and a miss. The headphone is luxuriously comfortable...until all that padding makes the surface area it made contact with, incredibly hot and sticky. Then that comfort takes a large step in the wrong direction. Seriously, they get hot and sticky in a hurry. Considering how much surface area the pads take up... it's not a pleasant feeling at all. They'd be perfect for near freezing temperatures though.
Fun: 6/10 (Decent. The bass is something to hear once in a lifetime, though it is quite omnipotent and distracting.)
Competitive: 3/10 (Very Bad. While the XB700 isn't one of the most undetailed headphones I have heard, the bass is still way too strong making details hard to hear.)
Comfort: 5/10 (Mediocre. The comfort starts off amazing, but the large amount of pleather to skin contact is a bit too much. Causes sweating, skin reddening quite quickly.)
edit: XB500 info. The XB500 is even muddier and bloated in bass than the XB700. I'd give them similar scores, except the fun score gets a solid 3/10...
Tritton AX720 (*headset*)
Sells for $129 (Best Buy).
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise, I didn't find them bad or great. They do their job, though for a sealed headphone, they are comfortable.
Fun: 6/10 (Decent)
Competitive: 7/10 (Good)
Comfort: 7/10 (Good)
Turtle Beach PX21 (*headset*)
Sells for $80 (or less).
Review (Click to show)
All this tells me is that you should not use headphones that have in line amps, especially with another amp like the Mixamp.
Comfort-wise, don't remember much, but the neoprene pads weren't amazing.
Fun: 5/10 (Mediocre)
Competitive: 5/10 (Mediocre)
Comfort: N/A
Yuin G1A (*clip-on*)
Sells for $150
Review (Click to show)
I am a huge fan of clip-ons. They don't hurt my ears like IEMs. They stay in place no matter what I do, short of literally touching them. They are small enough to lay down with. After a few days of adjusting to how clip-ons feel on your ears, they may as well be the most comfortable headphone design ever made.
It helps that my first experience with clip-ons was with the Koss KSC-75, which for a mere $10-$20, should be in every audiophile's inventory. The KSC-75 hits well above their price range, is extremely comfy, pleasing, and just... legendary.
My 2nd taste of clip-ons headphones was with the rare and mature KSC-35. The KSC-35 is older than the KSC-75 and discontinued everywhere, but can be bought directly from Koss on their website. The Koss KSC35 sacrifices just a little comfort in place of more musicality and warmth compared to their cheaper, and more common sibling. It's also now sold for 3x the price of the KSC-75, though I personally don't believe they should be priced so high, despite my overwhelming love for them.
So how does the Yuin G1A stack up next to the budget conscious Koss offerings? Does the overall package justify the huge price difference? Let's find out.
The package is quite small. A nicely designed cardboard box, with a nice presentation. Doesn't look as generic as the Koss packaging. Upon opening the package I am greeted by the sleek Yuin G1A.
Build Quality: The 'cups' have a sexy, brushed metal finish to them, which immediately puts it well above the KSC-35 and 75 in aesthetics. With that said, that really is the only physical aspect I find superior to the Koss clip-ons. Everything else is so ridiculously similar to the Koss clip-ons, they may as well have been made by the same OEM. The cable's only difference is that the two sides merge further down the line, making it easier to wear the G1A behind the neck, so you can take them off and let them rest on your shoulders/chest, which isn't that easy to do with the Koss clip-ons due to how close the clip-ons are to where the cables merge.
The build itself is... well, it doesn't inspire confidence. The clips are plastic (a very comfortable curved plastic), which seem like they won't take a beating the way the KSC-75's silicone/metal clips, or the sharper, stronger plastic on the KSC-35 would. The cable is quite frankly, sad. It is essentially the same thin, flimsy cable found on the Koss clip-ons. My KSC35's cable is already pulling away from the drivers, and I have feeling the same would probably happen to the G1A's cables.
The good thing about the Koss clip-ons is that their ugly 'hubcaps' aren't luxurious, so I doubt you'd fear messing them up. They are rugged to say the least. On the other hand, you have the G1A with it's amazing brushed metal finish, which might be just as sturdy, but I'd be scared to just toss them in a bag in fear of scratching them or leaving any marks whatsoever. The fact they are $150 further enhances my fears of treating them with wild abandon like I'd do with the Koss clip-ons. In the end, they are expensive, yet very cheap feeling other than the back cover. Very disappointing overall. It's fine with the Koss clip-ons, NOT so with a product this expensive.
Comfort: If there is one thing that can be said, it's that the Yuin G1A is amazingly comfortable. They literally disappeared on my ears. The most important part of a clip-on in terms of comfort is the clips. If the clips don't feel good resting on your ears, that can be quite problematic. Thankfully, the Yuin's plastic clips are smooth and curved just right. They share a very similar form factor as the KSC-75's clips, which are both quite a bit better on the ears than the KSC-35's relatively sharp-edged clips. I also like that the clips are so smooth, they easily slide on my ears. The KSC-75's rubberized clips 'grip' on my skin, so it's a little harder to put on than the Yuin clips. They are both wonderful to wear, however. As mentioned before, the small form factor, secure fit, and super comfort make these practically unrivaled in terms of long sessions, relaxing, or physical activities. As usual, clip-ons may not be the best in comfort for those who wear glasses, as they have to share the same placement on the ears.
Accessories: The only accessories is a 3.5mm to 6.3mm (1/4") adapter (the same exact one found on the HE-400, coincidentally), as well as an extra pair of foams.
Isolation/Leakage: As with the Koss clip-ons, the Yuin G1A is open backed (though they actually LOOK closed). This means that they do not isolate well, if at all. External noise will come in with very little contention. I find this to be more good than bad for my Koss clip-ons, as I'd like to be able to hear things around me when I wear my clip ons at work. However, the G1A being hard to drive for such use (more on that later), as well as my fear of physically damaging them makes their very open nature not as beneficial, seeing as the GA1 is more content being used at home with a dedicated amp.
Amping: As I briefly mentioned, the Yuin G1A is a rare breed of clip-on, in that it has a relatively high impedance of 150ohm, and take advantage of that by being harder to drive than typical clip-ons (as well as lots of full sized headphones), which results in more refinement at the expense of versatility. They don't demand a LOT of amping, but amping is necessary nonetheless. I find that it sounds cleaner with an external amp than with the Mixamp alone. Soundstage and overall positioning didn't change, but I feel the improvement in audio fidelity warrants using an amp. Still, these can be used with the Mixamp alone without much drawbacks.
Sound Signature: Before I get started on it's sound, let me state that all three clip-ons I have used can easily swap clips with the others (i.e. KSC35 with Yuin clips, G1A with KSC75 clips, etc). The problem I see with this, is that the sound signature of the headphones change quite a bit just by whatever clip you have equipped onto them. The reason being that each clip places the drivers at certain distances from the ears, which greatly vary the sound signatures. Even with the same clips, just a light bending of them will alter sound quality (easily done with the KSC75's clips). The Yuin clips can bend just a teeny bit, but be prepared to possibly break them in the process if you attempt to. The KSC35's clips don't seem to have any give whatsoever, so what you hear is what you get. For the purpose of this review, I will be rating the G1A based off it's stock clips, which I found to give the most balanced sound signature.
Now on to the sound itself. Upon first listen, the first thing I thought of was that the Yuin G1A sounded like a mini Q701. Well balanced, relatively neutral, with just a hint of warmth. Obviously lacking in soundstage, as well as being lot smaller in presentation of sound, but mini-Q701s is the best description I can come up with.
Bass: Starting with the bass, I can say that the Yuin G1A has neutral bass. The bass is neither strong nor weak. It's present, but not emphasized nor lacking. The KSC35 has more bass impact and presence by quite a bit, and the KSC75 has a slight lead in bass impact.
Mids: Really nice, balanced mids. Not forward or recessed, they sound natural and full. Some frequencies are ever so slightly forward than others, but overall, I find it well integrated with the rest of the frequencies.
Treble: Nice and smooth. SOMETIMES has some sparkle, but overall, it's presented quite naturally. A nice improvement over both the Koss clip-ons which sound grainy and unrefined next to the Yuin, especially in the treble.
Soundstage: Like the other clip-ons, the soundstage isn't big, but it's somewhat airy and spacious, still not rivaling a full-sized headphone's soundstage.
Positioning: I find the G1A to perform very similarly to the Koss clip-ons. They do good. I didn't have a problem playing competitively, though there is room for improvement.
The positional cues don't have a lot of space to work with, but with what they have, they do a good job placing sounds around you. It helps that they are a bit more clearer and fuller sounding than the Koss clip-ons, so soundwhoring is easier.
Clarity: Very clear. Very impressed with how detailed the G1A is. Detailed, and full sounding. Just a lovely balance all around, making these very good for all around gaming.
Value: It's hard to judge the Yuin G1A's value. They deliver a rich, detailed sound which is noticeably improved on what the Koss clip-ons offer. On the other hand, the improvement doesn't justify the huge price jump, nor does the shoddy build quality on the cables. I would say these would make more sense being sold at $75, and even then, they could use some improvement on the cables and perhaps the clips, even though I love the clips.
Final Impressions: The Yuin G1A is a fantastic clip on, though overpriced when everything is taken into account. They won't replace full-sized headphones in either competitive or fun gaming, but they are great alternatives if you wanna lay back and listen without the feeling of having something on your head. If you are a huge fan of the Koss clip-ons, you may wanna give the Yuin G1A a chance, as it refines and fills out the already great sound found on the budget friendly Koss offerings. Just be prepared to pay a steep price for a fractional improvement. Do I recommend it? No. The only people who should look into the Yuin G1A are those who love clip-ons and want to see what the best sounds like. Other than that, $150 gets you close to some legitimate full-sized headphones that eat the Yuin G1A alive.
Final Scores...
Fun: 7 (Good)
Competitive: 7.5 (Very Good)
Comfort: 9.5 (Amazing)
Tier B: $150-300
AKG K701 (K702)
update: my impressions are for an older K701 (7 bump version). New K701s (8 bumps on headband) MIGHT sound close, or the same as the Q701. Too many conflicting reports to say who is right, and who is wrong. All I know is that my old K701 sounded different enough from the newer Q701s.
Sells for around $250-300.
Review (Click to show)
Source: http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-updated-1-1-13-yuin-g1a-added
Pink Floyd 12 12 12 Concert miley cyrus miley cyrus amazing race Cam Cameron RG3
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.