PC Headphone audio, what are the options under £100?

[EndlessWaves]

I'm getting a new computer so I thought I'd look around and see what there was to replace my current setup.

Obviously there's the tradional sound card (x-fi) and headset/Headphones+microphone.

I've also read that dolby headphone is supposed to provide nice positional audio so the Asus Xonar U1 looks pretty nice as it provides that, a nice volume control and a microphone.

However, do I have any other options? Are any of the USB headphones/headsets any good at this price? Is there anything I'm missing entirely?

[EndlessWaves]

Sorry, the post above was written in a bit of a rush. This one should hopefully be better.

Like I said I'm getting a new PC soon. My current PC has an Audigy 2 ZS with an Icemat siberia headset plugged in. Although it started life with a Zalman Theatre 6 plugged in, which broke, followed by a speedlink medusa, which broke, and a replacement speedlink medusa, which also broke. Since then my sibera has stayed intact (well almost, the volume control on the bottom half of the cable broke and had to be replaced) but the sound quality is rather muddy.

Since everything else on my computing setup is changing now seems a good time to try and find something with the durability of the sibera but with decent sound quality.

This will be used for gaming, but all types of gaming. Battle music in RTS games, atmospheric music in atmospheric games, dialogue in narrative games and footsteps and gunshots in competative action games.

My priorities are:

1. Durability. It should last through at least three years of moderately rough treatment (falling off the desk etc.).

2. Good sound and good positional audio. Sound quality is probably the slightly higher priority.

3. Microphone. I want some sort of microphone that's either part of the headset (removable boom or otherwise) or stands on the desk. I don't want one that clips on the cable or my clothes. I guess this won't be a problem but as I don't know much about audio equipment I thought I'd better state it.

Things that would be nice to have:

4. Fixed volume control. I dislike the inline volume controls. A nice big box I can sit on top of my computer or a dial on the headphones would be excellent.

5. Wireless. No cables means they're not going to break.


The £100 figure is just there because it seems like a reasonable price, if I have to go up a bit (£150) to get what I'm looking for then that's fine (as long as the durability matches that price!).

As I said above I am first and foremost trying to discover the ways I can acheive this, if there are any more, and which of them is best. Any recommendations about specific equipment will be warmly welcomed though!

[Naqv]

I use Sennheiser HD595 with x-fi fatal1ty card and the sound quality is absolutely amazing (crystal clear on all levels, wonderful during music and films, excellent base).