Headset +/- soundcard

bJN

bJN

Soldato
Joined
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Norwich
I've been looking at a new headset for a while now as I'm slowly getting fed up of the (pretty below-average) sound quality of my desktop mic and my Sennheiser HD201s (as much as I love them) are slowly dying on me and the quality isn't what it once was - that and they keep slipping off my head at times when I lean forward :mad:

Sennheiser PC350s are out of the question, I'm trying to budget around to get enough money for a complete system overhaul soon so I'd rather spend as little as possible.

The Creative Fatal1ty headset seems to be winning at the moment, however I have come across somewhat of a dilemma.

Is it worth getting the USB Creative Fatal1ty headset found here and rely on the inbuilt sound card in them or should I get the analogue version found here and a standalone sound card to go with them? I would use my on-board sound card but I'm not exactly a great fan of it, the quality of the sound just isn't there and I hate my microphone on it.

Thoughts and recommendations? :cool:
 
Associate
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Please don't buy the Fatality stuff, its just a gimmick, I had the originals and they where poor, good treble but weak bass and mids but comfort was good.

I'm in the same boat kinda, looking at a Plantronics 377 with a Asus Xonar DS to give them some clout or just get a better quality headset for around £60 and use the onboard!
 
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Thank you for the advice Uriel, for my buget what you suggest seems very good so I've gone and purchased some DR50s for £21 which I thinks a bargin and the Xonar DS for £37, no need for the mic as I have a Asus Soundmax Superbeam.

At least with the DR50s you can wear them out and about and not look a fool you would with the GAMECOM logo over your head.
 
Soldato
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Derbyshire
Ahh - sorry I said the DX - not the DS. The DX has Dolby Headphone which makes a huge difference for headphone use (it simulates 5.1 over stereo heaphones). The DS has no equivalent feature.

All the same - the DS is a decent card for stereo use.
 
Associate
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Laughs at ones reading ability, I just hope it's better than my onboard now or I've just wasted £37, my order is in the warehouse queue so I could change it, is it worth spending the extra £21 for the DX over the DS?

and is this the one so I'm sure?

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-002-AS&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=

Although my only problem with this is I only have one PCI Express slot which is above my GPU, will it be ok?
 
Soldato
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8 Feb 2009
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Sheffield
No doubt it will be better than your onboard, but I do think you would benefit greatly from the dolby headphone feature. I own a DX and there's a definite advantage between nothing and Dolby Headphone + 7.1 shifter (not too much difference between nothing and DH, but the 7.1 shifter can't be activated without DH).

If your DS is anything like my DX without DH, then yes, I think you would be worth spending the extra £21.

If the PCI-E slot is a problem, the D1 is identical to the DX but it uses a PCI slot (Or so I have been told). It is also cheaper and doesn't require an extra power connector.
 
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Associate
Joined
26 Jan 2009
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860
Yes, for a complete headset in the >£25 range, the 377s seem spot on but I'd never be seen dead on a bus or train with them.

So I got some Goldring DR50s which were delivered this morning and they're another level over my old Creative Fatality ones, can't fault them so far even with onboard sound and the HDMi sound through TV, although I should be raving about them even more tomorrow if I get my new Xonar D1.

I would advocate DH without the 7.1 shifter. It depends on the synergy of the headphones' soundstage with Dolby Headphone though.

Nothing like having to google a word/phrase so you understand it!
 
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Associate
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26 Jan 2009
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I'm not keen on the whole GAMECOM logo embossed over the headstrap, looks a little tacky imo and if I was to see someone wearing them on a bus I'd laugh to myself, hense why I would't be seen dead in them :p, maybe I'm a little fashion conscience but if I was just going to wear my headphones/set in doors all the time then I would have got the 377s.
 
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