Best headset solution

I need a headset, as I'll be doing some voice recordings and overdubbing for a presentation.

I have a Creative Audigy soundcard with my speakers and a cheap 3.5mm desk microphone plugged into that. The front sound ports on my case doesn't work any more (I suspect the little electronics gizmo at the front is borked).

So without having to change cables everytime I want to use the headset (infrequently), what's the best solution? I have heard that USB sets are of less quality for recording, and at the same time, I'm not sure how the headset can be enabled / disabled at a click. I assume if the headset is enabled, the speakers ought to cut out.

I found this (£43 at Ebuyer):

http://www.trust.com/products/product.aspx?artnr=17554

I prefer an 'over the ear' set if I can get one, both for comfort and background noise, but does the price reflect the quality? I had a set of trust speakers with an older PC back in 1998, and while the spec was difficult to find, the sound was excellent. Two satellites with 50w RMS combined. They lasted until 2006.

However, while I want some quality, I don't want to be paying £43 for something which will be stunted by the USB aspect, or if there will be conflicts with the existing setup.

I'd appreciate some info folks.

USB itself will not compromise the performance or quality but the DAC used will do. Without any compression or other algorithms, just pure PCM:

20 bit (>CD quality) sound with 44k1 sampling requires 1.764 Mbps

Pro audio at 48k sampling with possibly 24 bit requires 2.1168 Mbps

If you want quality - look at the Sennheiser range.

Sennheiser don't offer an 'over ear' solution for under £50. Not stretching m,y budget that far. Wouldn't have posted about this if the ones quoted were under £25, as it's no big deal, but I want to know what £43 gets me that £25 doesn't.

For that you need to get a spec for the DAC - but the information seems rather scarce!

I think I might go for it. Reviews are very thin on the ground, but here's how I decided. I read this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trust-17554-GXT-Surround-Hea...

Then I read:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B002NZGCSE/r...

Then I compared them:

http://www.trust.com/products/productcomparison.aspx...

So then it comes down to the 26 GXT being better (supposedly) for gaming,but having a 2.2m instead of a 2.5m cable. Both are sufficient. Add to that, hopefully the price and product numbering should mean that the 17554 is more up to date. I don't plan to do any gaming, but you never know.


What's more the Internet needs a review, so I guess it's up to me.

With headphones, you most certainly do get what you pay for.

The general consensus, is that it is better to use Hi Fi quality headphones (rather than so called 'surround' headphones which are generally a gimmick) and a seperate mic, but you also notice the sound quality in pretty much everything else you do too.

The quality of the headphones in conjunction with the quality of the source, is plenty enough to deliver a quality surround soundstage just from stereo headphones (with no post processing)

You would have to generally double your budget to get a good set of Hi Fi Headphones, they will have the quality, performance, and reliability over cheapo Headsets (which are notoriously bad and uncomfortable).

Clip on mics are a few quid.

When you say prefer over the ear, and judging by the link of the ones you are interested in, you seem to prefer circumaural, which imo are the most comfortable, and this is an important point - comfort - some headphones are closed back, versus open back, the trade off is that the former produce deeper base sounds, but the soundstage is narrower, and your ears will sweat, whilst the latter has a broader soundstage (fantastic for gaming) and are far more comfortable for extended use, but a little (only a little) lighter on the low range.

Cheaper brands idea of circumaural is that they don't actually quite fit, and become very uncomfortable very quickly - even ones which appear to have minor adjustment bands etc.

Three quality brands which excel at headphones/headsets, is Sennheiser, Audio Technica, and Beyer Dynamic (imo).

Another consideration, is have you ever thought about wireless...Sennheiser are strong in this area.

But again, your budget may have to change, upwards. But you do truely notice the difference, not only in sound quality, but comfort and reliability. They thus become a worthy investment, compared to el cheapo.

Cheap PC/Console accesories are terrible, they are generally inferior, uncomfortable, and fall apart very quickly. I include such brands as Creative, Speedlink & Trust in this category.

Of course doing it seperately has the other advantage over all in one cheapo solutions, in as much as if the mic fails, its a cheap replacement and you don't lose the headphones while you RMA the mic, or buy new ones. Returns and repairs with high end headphone manufacturers significantly outweighs that provided by el cheapo manufacturers, in as much as they don't mess about.

edit-

Here come some examples then~
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-ATH-AD700-Hea...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-HD-518-Circumaura...

There are others but these types are very popular amongst gamers and people who just prefer a bit of quality and oodles of comfort. Mild audiophiles if you like.

Headphones like these last you years, cheap brands/all in one headsets do not!

Edited by deleted (Fri 27-Jul-12 14:40:01)

but I want to know what £43 gets me that £25 doesn't.

Not much, both will be poor quality, generally uncomfortable, and won't last long.

i tried several different brands of headsets , most are poorly made and low quality sound , in the end i tried some Sennheiser 3D G4ME which was a vast improvement in quality


edit: Trust brand is usualy low quality which you dont want for voice recordings

Edited by deleted (Fri 27-Jul-12 15:22:18)