A good long lasting gaming headset that is comfy for long sessions.

[Bynaric]

Hello all
I bought logitech clearchat for around 50 new zealand dollars and it was just the most horrible thing I've spent my money on. I'm currently looking at buying the G35 or the G930 but they both seem a little pricey :/. I have the budget to buy them but I was wondering if theres a huge difference between them and is it worth the 60 dollars extra? I'm also looking for a headset that will be comfortable for long sessions of raiding and Counter strike that doesn't pick up background noises too. I play at the living room because our router isn't all that great and theres often guests coming over. I'm also on a budget of 100 dollars but I think I could squeeze about 50 dollars if it's a good buy.
Thanks!

[Whidbey]

This is what I use.. the sound is terrific and mic is crystal clear.. http://industrialcomponent.com/gembird/ap51.html
search around as mine was only 21 bucks when amazon had it in stock.

[Bynaric]

Does your ears hurt after a long session? around 4 hours? does it pick up background noises?

[Deleted]

Take a look at Plantronic Gamecom 780 (probably the cheapest), Corsair Vengeance 1500/2000 or AKG GHS1.

[Riaya]

I use the Turtle Beach Z6A and it works fantastically. It is real 5.1 surround so you need to have the right ports. But Overall from what I have heard this is one of the best out there right now.

[Bynaric]

I was planning on buying the corsair 1300, Is that any good? Which one do you use? and which do you reccomend the most?

---------- Post added 2012-12-14 at 11:31 PM ----------

Oh that does look nice.

[Bynaric]

Heads up for telling me this. Ive had 3 nagas and 1 lycosa. all broke within the time period of 9 months. would you reccomend the corsair vengeance 1300?

[Bynaric]

Just did some research and heard it was very uncomfortable after 1h+. Oh not a usb connector?

[Deleted]

Vengeance 1500 is USB connected and so is Gamescon 780.

Vengeance 1300/1500 review + MMO thread from actual users it's the 2000 but it's practically the same just wireless

Review Gamescon(1), Review Gamescon(2)

[Bynaric]

Seems like a good buy.

[geewhiz80]

I like my turtle beach headset. I've got the dx11 7.1 wired version. Great sound quality, never have mic issues, and never hurts my ears if I have them on for more than a couple hours.

[Kardezar]

They are made of cheap, fragile plastic and will break in under 2 months (as they did with me and I used with care). I also found them very uncomfortable when compared with my Corsair Vengeance 2000.

All in all, avoid Turtle Beach products. They are the "Razer" of headsets.

This cannot be said about all turtle beach products. I believe they are fantastic and would highly recommend them to anyone. I used a pair of TB X41s for two years on my xbox 360. Now i sold them to my neighbor and they still work great, that's after 3-4 years of active use.

And even if anything does happen, you can buy each part individually on their website to replace and fix the problem with ease. I just can't see why someone wouldn't recommend Turtle Beach.

[Bynaric]

I'm really leaning towards a logitech g35 or logitech g390. Anyone got one?

[Eroginous]

I've owned several headsets, and I've come to the conclusion that there aren't any good ones out there for less than $100, and even some of the more expensive ones are cheaply made.

Things to look for in a headset:

- Sturdy construction and flexible design. Headphones should stay where you put them, but slips DO happen, and if they slip off, they shouldn't break.
- The headband and components which move/swivel should be made of metal. This is the first area where headsets have problems and break, when those parts are subject to a lot of stress, and break because plastic is brittle, while metal is flexible.
- Large gauge wire and intuitively designed eyelets. One of the worst parts of most headsets is the use of nanowire, which is coated in non conductive finish and wrapped around fiber insulation. If you have a wire break, it's extremely difficult to splice said wire without involving the use of a soldering iron and some skill. Wire breaks happen a lot when using headsets because the cords end up getting twisted and it puts tension on the wires, making it especially problematic with any headset that uses nanowire. This is where having good eyelets comes in. They should allow for free movement of the wiring without putting tension on them, and unfortunately, I don't think there is a single headset model that uses that sort of design.

Most headsets use nanowiring and low grade ABS plastic, even the more expensive ones. After going through a few headsets at all different price points, I finally broke down and bought an ear bud style headset with only a single speaker and an in line mic for roughly $10. It's made of plastic, uses nanowiring, and is the embodiment of everything that makes a headset utter garbage. But the sound and mic work great, it was dirt cheap, and it's far more flexible/durable than most full headsets. If I break it, I have 3 more unopened ones I can just grab and use.

In the end, I view headsets like I do mice and keyboards. Both expensive and cheap ones have the same life span for a user, might as well go with the least expensive options and save money over the long run.

I'm really leaning towards a logitech g35 or logitech g390. Anyone got one?

The last Logitech headset I bought was this one: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Heads.../dp/B003NREDHS

It lasted a surprising 3 years despite heavy use and lightweight design. The sound and the mic were both perfect, but sadly, the materials the headband is made from (some sort of neoprene or silicone blend) deteriorated to the point where they snapped in the middle and it killed the headset. Up to that point, the ear pads had been falling apart, and I spent some time stitching them up with a needle and thread to extend their life (logitech does not sell replacements for those, you have to buy a whole new headset).

Those headphones were extremely lightweight and comfortable, you'll forget you have them on. They sound great, especially for smaller external ear speakers, and the mic works wonderfully. I got mine on Clearance at Walmart for $40 before Walamart stopped carrying them. Unfortunately, Logitech has been cutting costs in their audio departments, and as a consequence, use cheaper materials and lower quality sound devices for peripherals at the same price point.

Not sure I would ever buy logitech again (except maybe that headset, if it wasn't $65 most places).

[The Ogdru Jahad]

you really can't go wrong with turtle beaches. I generally get the lower end versions of them, the $40 ones and they last hella long. I jsut bought a new pair today though cuz after 3 years my old ones bit the dust. They are VERY comfy and have great sound quality. Turtle beach is known for its high quality headphones. They're the way to go imo.

[Bynaric]

Thanks for the awesome reply. I take note of buying cheap headphones. Atleast it doesn't cause much stress if they break!

[Woceip]

Astro A40. Most comfortable headset I've ever had. Have had them for several years now, still in just as good condition as the day I bought them. Love the sound. If you're looking for people to not be able to hear your music though, I'd look elsewhere. Also, they are not cheap.

[Keller]

Headphones + external mic are usually the way to go. Here's a big large thread about it:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-...er-hd650-added

Basically, there's no need to get a gaming-labled headset because they dont actually use all that great of components, the only one of these i would honestly buy is the corsair, and that's a last resort, you should look into a microphone plus a pair of headphones - this combination usually lasts much longer, USB headsets have a tendancy to have their PCBs die due to bad design. ( those little box things that control audio levels )

[Bynaric]

Yeah I would definately buy them but I don't have that much of a budget. the only good ones in my price range are a g35 or a g930

[Blazefury5]

I have been using the Sennheiser PC 360 headset for about two years now, picked them up during a sale for $150. Very comfortable, the padding hasn't worn out and the audio is still in peak condition.