Headsets and Earbuds

[Dazureus]

So I have an opportunity to spend more then $15 on a pair of cranium-mounted noise-pumps- anywhere up to $70, maybe $80 or slightly more if there's something superspecialawesome in that range. and I was wondering if anybody had useful experiences or input.

If I get earbuds I want durable (oxymoron? probably) wires, decent sound and if at all possible I want to avoid really weird shapes. Some oddness is okay, but stuff like etymotic's earbuds are a turn-off.
I'm looking at Logitech's Ultimate Ears series at the moment.
This may be a noob question but can you use earbuds with an in-line mic for stuff like TS3?

If I go for a full-blown headset I think I want either an awesome gaming headset or something that balances music and games well. Mic almost required, retractable or otherwise-ignorable mic preferable. The wires wouldn't be as big of a concern here because I wouldn't carry them everywhere but they're obviously sort of important no matter what you do. I like the look of the Steelseries Siberia v2 which definitely seems to lean into gaming sound instead of music.

Thanks in advance for helping me use the Herocraft community for my personal benefit! Of course I wouldn't have asked if I doubted that the community could help me out, and if I decide on something good I'll probably be in TS a lot more.

 

[Thunderjolt]

I'm not very knowledgeable in headsets. However, when it comes to earbuds I find standard Skullcandy: Ink'd headphones to work amazingly. These cost about $10-20 and blow the water out of the $80 pair of Sony headphones I have used.

The important part is to use the bud tips that "fit" your ear. If they are nice and snug you will not only HEAR the music you will FEEL the music

Best of luck to you Daz!

 

[what777]

Logitech G35. Surround sound 7.1, blocks off all sound from the area. REALLY good mic that almost has zero background noise even when there are people/tv talking in the background. I probally is more then 80 dollar but it is certainly worth it, I have it myself.
I don't know the exact price in the USA of it, but in my country (The Netherlands) It costs around 90-120 EURO.

 

[Jonsoon]

Skullcandy is an overall well brand, they do a good job and are priced fair. I have two sets of earbuds; one really old ones, then a set that is made from wood and gold, and one around ears. I had to buy the around ears for travelling because it is difficult for me to get earbuds into my ears since I have my tragus pierced n one ear, and my conch in the other.
These are not for gaming, however.

The buds cost ~$60 for the regular, ~$120 for the wood/gold
Around ear cost ~$80

 

[bearcat99]

I have had my share with music devices.

For earbuds,: The $15 Skullcandy sound amazing for the price it offers. It's great to know that I have good sound, yet it's only $15. You can get the "inked" version and more at Target.

For headphones: I have Dr. Dre's Beats Solo's. They are the cheapest headphones of Beats. Costs $179. Well worth it. Crisp sound and awesome bass. Don't get Skullcandy headphones. Not great quality as in materials used to make and sound quality. I have a $50 pair. Not worth it.

Game headphones: I have Trittons. I prefer them better than TurtleBeach. My first pair were TurtleBeach, but when I opened the package and put them on, one side of the sound was muted/broken. I returned them and got Trittons. Fantastic sound amplifier and surround sound. Also good quality. You can get them for around $100. Astro's are overpriced and suck. You need so many things to get a complete set, which will cost you a fortune. Only reason you see people using them is because they sponsor gaming events. (My Tritton cannot be used for music, but it has a removable/adjustable mic)

Computer Speakers: I just got Harmon/Kardon soundsticks 3. They look hella sick and have great sound/bass. Only for $150 on Amazon.

 

[Dazureus]

K, I think I'm settling on Skullcandy 50/50s. Apparently the sound is above-average, and the warranty and customer service are good. Plus I found a neat little adapter that lets you make use of earbud mics on a PC, so hopefully the TeamSpeak conundrum is solved. That's $60 total give or take and that's good enough for me. Thanks for the input you gave, folks.

 

[AlexDaParrot]

The important part is to use the bud tips that "fit" your ear. If they are nice and snug you will not only HEAR the music you will FEEL the music

Best of luck to you Daz!

As a person who has turned his skull candies down because the music was tickling his ears too much , I agree. The sound quality is great, but the overall feel of the earbuds are what really make them.

-Also, they are quite durable. While I may not be proud to say it, I have sent mine through the wash quite a few times - with no poor effects.

 

[eagles90809]

I have HP PREMIUM SOUND Headset with crystal clear mic for $24.99. Look into them. Theyyyyyyyre great

 

[OrangeAngel]

I'm not proud to say it... but I own this...
http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/en-us/p/lifechat-lx-2000

 

[ddrheretic]

http://slickdeals.net/f/4070734-SteelSeries-Siberia-v2-Gaming-Headset-40-Free-Shipping?

SteelSeries Siberia v2 Universal Gaming Headset W/ Retractable Microphone 40$

 

[ExiledBlood]

I have The Stretch headsets, they are made by Philips and O'Neil. Both very well known. The sound beats my Ear Force X11 Turtle Beaches - which cost about $60, have a mic, and headset volume control. The Stretch are about $90 or so. They have 40MM speakers, so kicking sound, it doesn't have a mic, but it has a neat feature - The Stress-Relief Wire, can be unplugged, while still plugged into your device, making the headsets not be stressed if you tug on them, the wires are also tangle-proof, I've tried to get them tangled, hasn't worked. The best part, is that the headsets band is flexible! Yes, Flexible. Making it so you can bend it upon itself, and it won't snap - like other headsets. It's very comfortable, and it's overall a nice headset.