Gaming Headsets

Dazmaniac · May 31, 2011

Fellow iRacers,

I think it's about time I made the move up to some decent headgear for my online racing exploits and especially some tins with a mic attached (a large upgrade from the cheap and nasty Phillips headphones I currently use, lol).

I ain't Rockafeller, but I ain't Scrooge either, so happy to pay where it's worth it.

Keep seeing the Logitech G930 headset getting good feedback on the web (which I may plump for) as well as its predecessor, the Logitech G35.

Just wondered what you guys (who use voice chat during race sessions) were using.

Feedback much appreciated.

Eric Estes · May 31, 2011

I have a G35, really like it. Surround is good enough to let you know if an engine in behind you or beside you.

Richard Sobolewski · May 31, 2011

Personally I'd avoid getting Logitech headsets, or Creative or Plantronics for that matter. I've had headsets from all three brands and they've all broken and other than the Creative had extremely poor sound quality, especially with respect to tone.

I'd recommend these instead http://www.sennheiser.co.uk/uk/home_en.nsf/root/private_headsets_pc_pro-gaming_502141 - far superior set of headphones, some of the best sound quality I've heard for a headset on the £100 mark, in some regards better than my 5.1 speakers. Excellent mic quality and noise cancelling make it very good for teamspeak. Amazon currently have them for £107 - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-...FDWO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306880255&sr=8-1

I'd rather buy headphones from a quality audio brand such as Sennhesier, rather than one of the more common computing brands who in my expirence have had pretty poor audio, and perhaps more importantly, poor build quality.

Warren Dawes · Jun 1, 2011

I have just started using a G35, after my cheap and nasty old headphones died.
The difference is amazing, I had no idea that the sound from headphones could be so good. The microphone in the G35 is excellent too, others on TS immediately commented as soon as I swapped over.

William Nowell · Jun 1, 2011

I have the Steelseres 5hv2 and love them. Very comfy, has a pull out mic and inline volume control(very important with in headset you get). http://steelseries.com/products/audio/steelseries-5hv2

Todd Garner · Jun 1, 2011

I use the G35 and while I love the surround sound of it. It really is amazing but the drivers are trash in Windows 7 64bit. At least for me they have been. I have to unplug it and plug it back in at least every other day it seems to get it to show up again. The hardware is great though.

Warren Dawes · Jun 1, 2011

Todd Garner said:
I use the G35 and while I love the surround sound of it. It really is amazing but the drivers are trash in Windows 7 64bit. At least for me they have been. I have to unplug it and plug it back in at least every other day it seems to get it to show up again. The hardware is great though.

Strange, I have the same system, and have no problems like that. Do you have the latest drivers?

Todd Garner · Jun 1, 2011

Ya i do. I dont know why it does it. Have seen a lot of people on the forums with the same problem. I would say you are lucky that you dont

Ramon van Rijn · Jun 1, 2011

I have several headsets/headphones (5+) from Sony/Senneiser/Logitech.

They are all older models, and still working fine

The audio quality of the wireless sets are not as good as the wired versions. Seeing the newer Logitech wireless sets, I might upgrade to a newer model

I also have a wireless senneiser (headphone only) and the quality is poor. It feels fragile, batteries were gone after less then a year.

So the brand Senneiser is not always the quality you expect. I have several Logitechs, and some are poor and your ears are hurting after a while. And some are excellent.

[Edit]
I am about to get the G930

Why not

Lars Strijdonck · Jun 1, 2011

Except voor de Wire i kinda like my G35. As ramon stated i have a few so called Á brands in a box that are just not that great at all.

Richard Sobolewski · Jun 1, 2011

Yeah should have said that - avoid wireless like the plague.

Kevin Watts · Jun 1, 2011

I use a Logitech G35 and really like the quality of the sound, I wonder if I'm perhaps using older drivers to what Todd has as I have not had any issues he describes regarding having to plug them in and out.

Ramon van Rijn · Jun 1, 2011

And I just ordered the G930. Could not resist trying it out.

Javier López · Jun 1, 2011

I've got a Roccat Kave 5.1 and it works properly. Here is a review: http://xsreviews.co.uk/2011/02/roccat-kave/

Regards

Kevin Watts · Jun 1, 2011

I just checked my driver version now I'm home and its v1.01.178. As I said I don't have any issues with having to plug it in or out. It plugs into a USB port on the back of my PC, if you're plugging it into a hub you may want to make sure its a powered one as that can cause problems.

Mike Roe · Jun 1, 2011

Sennheiser PC 333 D - cracking

http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/16350011/Sennheiser-PC-333D-Gaming-Headset/Product.html?_%24ja=tsid:11518%7Ccat:16350011%7Cprd:16350011

Todd Garner · Jun 1, 2011

Hmm ya thats the same version I have. Not sure where my problem comes from. I too plug them directly into the back USB.

Dazmaniac · Jun 1, 2011

Richard Sobolewski said:
Yeah should have said that - avoid wireless like the plague.

For what reason/reasons Rich?

Richard Sobolewski · Jun 1, 2011

My main grip with it is that the fact they have to be charged or have batteries. All fine and well if they are fully charged or have healthy batteries but as soon as the power fails on them your are without sound, unless you can quickly switch over to your speaker system. Obviously having sound is pretty much crucial to racing, and if the headset fails mid race your in trouble. There's also a difference in sound quality, and clarity when the headset is wireless, some people might not be able to hear the difference but its something I've always picked up on when I've used wireless headphones/sets. Finally, I suspect there'll be a slight, very slight, lag time so sound might be slightly out of sync, essentially slower responses times, much like a wireless mouse.

The only advantage is that you don't have yet another wire to deal with, tangling around your neck or whatever. I can't even count the amount of times I've stood up and walked off still attached to the computer via my headphones

But at the end of the day I think thats a small price to pay for the comfort of mind that being wired up to your computer (ensuring power to the headset) when your racing.

Warren Dawes · Jun 2, 2011

Kevin Watts said:
I just checked my driver version now I'm home and its v1.01.178. As I said I don't have any issues with having to plug it in or out.

That is the same driver I'm using, and no issues for me.