headphones for gaming? Intergrated mic or not?

[audionewb]

Hello,

As always when I have an audio question I come looking here but so far haven't found an answer to what I would like to know.

Basically, due to having moved i couldn't fit my 7.1 creative speakers into my room so I have moved my floorstanders into my room, not really big enough for them but they are better than nothing.

The problem is they ain't ideal for gaming due to them being too near to me and also at a volume i like the sound travels and is not good for late night gaming which is the only time i really have.

Now the main point of mine, would it be better to buy some headphones with an intergrated mic and use my x-fi front panel or buy some stand alone headphones and a seperate mic and use the headphone jack of my amp for the headphones.

From the sticky i am guessing it would depend on the impedance of the headphones for the main part?

Is it worth buying a headset with an attached mic or not as it kinda limits me to using them with the comp only. I would also be using them for listening to music so don't really want the mic in my face.

I ain't really wanting suggestions (although welcome) for which headphones to get as there are plenty of those threads already, just wondering about the type of headphones i should get and how i should power them.

[EndlessWaves]

Several headphones with integrated mic let the mic either swivel up out of the way or be detatched completely so if you could find a nice pair that'd give you the best of both worlds.

[torr1x]

I tried finding a headset with a mic and found audio quality severely lacking, if you are planning to listen to music i would avoid 5.1 sets. Not to mention the horrendous amount of wires they involve, you feel like being hooked up to life support !

I would have thought the dolby headphone sets would be the way to go, but you will struggle to hear voices through them whilst gaming unless you turn them right down. I guess it depends on how important the mic is, if i must use one i listen through my speakers instead, or have the headphones on low volume. Plugging normal headphones straight into your amp will of course not give you dolby headphone if your amp doesn't support it.

[audionewb]

thanks for the replies.

no i ain't looking for 5.1 as i am planning on listening to some music with these.

This is making me think i'll go with normal headphones and pick up a stand alone mic that i can mount on my desk, i don't usually use a mic but there are time when i always want to say something to my team mates and can't stop and type.

I think i'll just have to browse the threads on what headphones would be best although i am wondering how much noise open backed headphones leak, enough to someone in the next room would hear?

I'm sure one of the sennheiser range would suit my needs, now will have to look at what sort of cash i can justify spending.

[audionewb]

well after a bit more browsing i cannot seem to decide which headphones to buy, main two points are what gains i have buying some of the more expensive one but mainly this issue of how much noise is leaked by open backed phones.

Some people say it can be quite loud depending on how high the volume is and people in another room can hear it which would defeat the purpose and others say it isn't that bad.

googling hasn't turned up that much although i may be using the wrong terms.

if people in another room could hear me then it would have to be closed ones and at least that would narrow it down.

anyone, got any advice even if subjective. A link to a test involving measured leaked volume would be nice.

[insomniak123]

I've got the same setup as you had (7.1 speakers and an X-Fi front panel) - but for seriously late night (aka early morning) gaming, I use a pair of Creative Headphones. They've got the flip up or down mic, and can simulate 7.1 surround psychoacoustically using the Creative Software (CMSS-3D Headphone setting)

Sounds pretty damn good to me. Sound leakage is minimum too in my experience, in that people in the next room can't hear it

[audionewb]

thanks for the reply although i will be getting a sperate mic now, probably a logitech one. I have heard that cmss works well with head phones but i have never been a fan of altering the sound too much using EQ's of any kind bar normal EAX effects and that is gaming specific.

Also creative aint really a proper audio company if you know what i mean, i own the gigaworks S750's and while nice enough for gaming and the like they are crap speakers sonically and i only bought them as they have little competition in the 7.1 arena at least at the price point.

I am looking for all rounders really, good for gaming but also for as many types of music as possible preferably quite neutral if possible although able to carry off explosions and gun fire well.