Gamecom 780.
These are actually amazing for their price.

I use these when playing most FPS and games with a lot of action, like Arma, Battlefield, Warthunder etc.


Getting a setup with high quality headphones and an appropriate soundcard is the next best step but that gets extremely expensive.

I for one enjoy most games with the digital surround sound and don't care too much to use my DT990 or M-50s. (I like using these for music and when I play games like Transistor or Grid).


I've tried quite a few other headsets that offer "surround sound" and even Razer's surround software, in my opinion this is the only headset I've found that actually gives the proper effect.
The mic quality is fantastic too and surpasses a "blue snowball" mic which costs ~£65

I have this


But I want this

I'm just going to upvote you and paste my comment here

I've had Plantronic's Gamecom 780 headphones for over a year now (purchased April 2013) and they're still going strong. When they break, I'm getting another pair.

It's a usb headset, with mic, and costs £45.

Purchase link (UK): http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0079G2Y52

4/5 over 92 reviews on Newegg link

4.1/5 over 791 reviews on Amazon UK link

4.2/5 over 2309 reviews on Amazon US link

In-depth review on Engadget link

The inevitable unboxing and review youtube link

Alternatively, get yourself a decent pair of headphones (several linked in this thread) and a clip-on mic like the Speedlink Spes Clip-On Microphone (£7)

Also, ITT: headphones and headsets massively over OP's £45-50 price range

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plantronics-GameCom-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B0079G2Y52 These are what i have, great quality, surround sound and a good mic. Cheap to buy too.

I've had THESE headphones, the Plantronics GameCom 780's since September 2013.

I've worn them all day. They are comfortable. The sound quality is really good. The mic quality is great. The price is good!

You can check out my past broadcasts on twitch to judge mic quality for yourself. I'm Zcotticus there too!

i use these. They are slightly above what you want to spend but the sound quality is amazing and they are extremely comfortable.

Location - UK

Budget - ~£60, flexible on price. Lower is also perfectly fine.

Source - Will be using them for Console gaming mostly but with a chunk of films and music also. So a bit of everything but mostly gaming.

Requirements for Isolation - Will be using them at home so no preference here, open or closed is fine.

Preferred Type of Headphone - Over Ear / Circumaural. I have a large head and fairly large ears and will be wearing them for fairly long periods of time for gaming so large cans would also be preferable.

Preferred tonal balance - Not too sure, whatever is best for the things which I will be doing. Maybe a bit more on the Bass side.

Past headphones - I am new to the world of decent headphones so my past consists of the bog standard apple and in ear Samsung earphones etc.

Preferred Music - Fairly general taste in music, little bit of everything but probably favour R&b/Rap and dance/ electro a bit more.

Notes - I have spent the past week looking into getting a pair of headphones but I am still fairly lost as to what to get with such a huge variety. The AD700s and Senn 558s and other models above those are widely recommended but they seem to cost almost twice as much in the UK as they do in the US and so they are out of my price range which is disappointing.
Audio Technica M50s and Senn HD 518s can be had for around £80 but they are really pushing it price wise for me unless they are definitely worth it. Found some cheaper Senns like the 419s or the 429s but what is their quality like? Sony MDR-V6s are also another pair i have seen recommended.

Obviously for gaming I would pair these with a clip on mic of some description. something like the Zalman clip on or similar and a 2 to 1 splitter to plug into the DS4 controller. The dislike of gaming headsets is well known but never the less I have seen a couple recommended here and there and they are reasonably priced so it's not a total loss if they are useless: [The Logitech G430] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CJ5FPUE/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2LHKRQNKZ0EPX&coliid=I1XWGCGB108WMV) and the Plantronics GameCom 780.

PS4 will likely be my console of choice that I will be using these for if that makes any difference. I have seen lots of talk about surround sound in relation to gaming headphones but a lot of it seems to be for PC, will it function properly on consoles too? does anyone know if the sound would be impacted if I was to plug into the controller jack or the USB slot on the console?

Thanks in advance.

I use these and recommend them to death. Mic quality is near perfect, audio quality is just as good. You'll have to find out if they work for PS3 though, sorry bud.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plantronics-GameCom-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B0079G2Y52

Hrmm. Looking at reviews, it seems pretty good. Will consider. Leaning towards this.

Need help buying a gaming headset under €50 and can't decide between these two.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00F96KMT4/ref=s9_simh_gw_p147_d0_i4?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1FPVZV0JT509336C0ZW9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=455344027&pf_rd_i=468294

OR

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0079G2Y52/ref=s9_simh_gw_p147_d0_i1pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1FPVZV0JT509336C0ZW9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=455344027&pf_rd_i=468294

I have the plantronics gamecom 780, its a great headset and i have not had any issues with it so far and its nearly been two years.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plantronics-GameCom-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B0079G2Y52/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427381877&sr=8-1&keywords=game+com+780

its a very good headset, and I really enjoy it.

Ok, here is a list only with the non-core components:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) | £69.59 @ Aria PC
Monitor | ViewSonic VX2753mh-LED 27.0" Monitor | £197.12 @ Scan.co.uk
Keyboard | Microsoft Sidewinder X4 (UK Layout) Wired Standard Keyboard | £32.99 @ Novatech
Other| Mouse: SteelSeries Sensei Raw | £33.00
Other| Headset: Plantronics GameCom 780 | £42.60
| | Total
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available. | £375.30
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-07-04 16:27 BST+0100 |

What do you think? Do you prefer speakers over headphones? The monitor is 27" should be great for gaming as it has 1ms response time. It is not 1440p, but those are fucking expensive.

On the topic of Windows 8: While 7 is still a great OS, when you are buying new, might as well get the new OS. As a newer OS, Win8 is going to get better/more driver (and software) support. The only problem some people have with it is the new START menu, which you quickly get used to or use one of the million programs that bring the old one back. In that case, why get something that is older?

The gamecom headset 780 are great 7.1 surround makes everything sound utterly brilliant.

It's cool! I remember it took me a while to get going as well, and that was in University haha.


Firstly, the best program that you can use is called FRAPS, which is pretty much the industry standard. You can either buy an official copy here or find a torrent, it's quite easy to get ahold of. When you get it and download it, it's very easy to set up and use and is very user-friendly. Step to follow when first opening the program will generally be;

• Click on the 'Movies' Tab
  
• Check where the movies are being saved to
  
• Unless you have a VERY powerful computer, it's better to record 'half-size'
  
• Make sure it's recording Win7 Sound in Stereo AS WELL AS the external input....oh, definitely get a microphone too. You can use built in ones, but as an investment it seriously improves overall video quality! (I currently use this, but a cheap £12 one served me fine for a long time!!)
  
  When all of this is setup and he next opens minecraft, if it's working in the top left corner he'll see some big yellow numbers (the current framerate) and as soon as he presses record, that'll change to red. I think the default record button is F9 but you can check and change that in the program. You want this red number to generally be the same as what you set your frame-rate capture to be (30fps, 50fps, 60fps) etc but that all depends on the speed of the computer. Luckily Minecraft is quite easy so you can probably have it comfortably in at least 30 without any issues.
  
  
  As soon as he is done recording, he just has to press F9 again, the numbers will go from Red to Yellow and it'll all be in files wherever you set it to save them too.
  
  
  
  As far as it goes, this is all you really need to do! It's very easy and basic and is one of the reasons Minecraft has become such a big youtube hit is how easy and well it records through this method. Let me know if you have any further issues! :)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plantronics-Gamecom-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B0079G2Y52 I think these are 7.1 and they are really nice. Sorry if this isn't what you're looking for.

I cannot recommend these enough. Fit nicely in your budget and around your ears, great 7:1 sound, and, best of all, the mic isn't one of those flimsy ones that break after a month.

I bought a pair of these a month or so ago and I'm really happy with them. They're comfortable (my ears hurt if I wear my Steelseries Siberia for too long) and both sound and mic quality are really good.

My only complaint is that the mute-button for the mic doesn't mute the mic and perhaps that they're a bit too lound on the lowest setting.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plantronics-GameCom-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B0079G2Y52/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381422583&sr=8-1&keywords=plantronics+gamecom+780 My best buy this year :). You're very generous hosting this huge giveaway :O #2 looks epic

Alright, that's a bit on the cheaper side. If you're really looking for quality, I think we're up in the £110 - 130 range. I've a pair of Sennheiser HD 250 at work, and a pair of Sennheiser Momentum at home for gaming. I can highly recommend both if you decide to splash a bit more cash.

For a decent gaming headset at the price you mention though, I'd probably go for the SteelSeries 3H USB (Disclaimer: I used to work for SteelSeries, so I may be biased), or Plantronics GameCom 780. They're both good value for their price.

Location - England, should be available on Amazon UK

Budget - <£75 (~$110) - preferably lower if there's something good

Source - Laptop and Nexus 5. I've noticed white noise from earbuds in my laptop for a while after I stop playing audio, is that a sign of a bad sound card?

Requirements for Isolation - High; will mainly use at home, but want the option of a quiet library (i.e: don't want anything leaking out, but I shouldn't have much outside noise)

Preferred Type of Headphone - Was thinking full size over-ear because I assumed they'd have higher isolation and comfort, but then I also read these were often less comfortable than on-ear, so whichever ticks boxes.

Preferred music - Pretty big mix, but I'd say indie rock if I had to give a direction (Arcade Fire, Wilco, etc.), sometimes heavier. I assume that means I don't want high bass?

Past headphones - Various earbuds which I find break a LOT for me just from wear and tear, want something sturdier and much better audio quality. Also had Plantronics GameCom 780 headset which I remember liking the audio of, but I don't want a mic anymore.


I'm a complete headphone/audio newb, feel free to correct a requirement/give budget advice if they seems unrealistic. I'm not an audiophile, so while I want something that sounds significantly better than my earbuds, I also care a lot about comfort, durability and aesthetic (not necessarily flashy, but attractive). Thanks!

• Budget : £40-£120 ($65-$200) flexible.
  
  
• Source : Wireless (this is important because my last 3 pairs have had wires that have twisted horribly and snapped in one case). For use with my laptop for gaming and iPod for music.
  
  
• Isolation : Yes please for car journeys.
  
  
• Preferred Type : On/over ear.
  
  
• Preferred Balance : Balanced but leaning towards bass.
  
  
• Past Headphones : Plantronics 780 which had a cable manufacturing error, Anget Sades A-60 I pulled the cable out of the headset on these by accident.
  
  
• Preferred Music : A mix between dubstep and guitar heavy rock (not in the same song).
  
  
• Location : Scotland.
  
  Thanks in advance I've found it impossible to find wireless headsets anywhere.

So far I'm looking at the GameCom 780 by Planetronics

Nice catch!

And following up on what Kraken said above.
A second HDD in a Raid 1 configuration, I would recommend just for the security in which if data is lost it can be recovered immediately.

And in response to the OP :

>A HD webcam for conference calls, in addition to a gaming headset.....so wrap around headphones with mic. I'm looking for an across the board black theme.

I use this Logitech webcam and have no issues with it at all, added bonus is that it is currently on sale for £57.

This Sennheiser has some good reviews, suits the black theme while also being 'wrap-around'.

But, if you wanted a Black Gaming headset - I currently use this one

There of course could be other choices, but I can personally back up the webcam and the second headset.

I'd go with Triton headsets. The only reason I don't use them was because the cable was dead long, but other than that it worked a charm and had good build quality.

This is the PC headset that I used. Lasted me a very long time about two years.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plantronics-GameCom-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B0079G2Y52/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&qid=1394457495&sr=8-25&keywords=USB+Headset

The wire looks thin on it but its tough and the Microphone is really clear.

They're pretty decent headset. And you're in luck cause they're on sale on amazon - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plantronics-GameCom-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B0079G2Y52/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411418705&sr=8-1&keywords=gamescom+plantronics+780

+1 from me. I've had my 780 for about 2 years. Never gets uncomfortable, is very cheap, and very durable. The microphone on it is also great quality.

/u/dragnu5 is the surround sound not 7.1? It says so on the box and on their amazon page http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plantronics-GameCom-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B0079G2Y52

What's the matter with surround/gaming headsets? I'm not much of an audiophile but I like things to sound semi-decent. I have a Plantronics Gamecom 780 headset and I'm really happy with it for gaming audio and communication.

Plantronics Gamecom 780's are great, the dolby makes a good difference and the bass is impressive. However, the plastic headband is it's only downside as it seems a bit cheap. I think you can get them for around £40-50.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plantronics-GameCom-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B0079G2Y52/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411396430&sr=8-1&keywords=780+gamecom