Reddit reviews Sennheiser HD555 Professional Headphones with Sound Channeling (Old Model)

Sennheiser HD555

They sound and feel awesome. You can have them on for hours without any fatigue. You should also consider that higher end headphones are made to last a lot longer than some 20 dollar pair.

I'll take over. There is no such thing as 7.1 headphones. Headphones have two speakers, but given the proper construction and design, they can effectively reproduce the surround sound. You will want a pair of audiophile headphones to do this. You're looking around $100 minimum.

There are two types of headphones: closed back and open back. Open back phones like the Audio Technica ATH-AD700 and Sennheiser HD555 have a grill on the back of each ear which allows the sound to bounce and resonate more, creating a wide "soundstage" and effectively sounds like you aren't using headphones at all. These open headphones however may lack bass and they will leak a bunch of sound to the surroundings. Also, they wont isolate your ears from outside sounds.

Closed back headphones are what most headphones are. They have a solid back. A good pair will have a good soundstage, but not as good as a pair of open backed cans. They will have typically have more bass response and they will also isolate sound better, with less leakage. The Audio Technica ATH-A700 are a great pair of closed back headphones.

If leakage is a problem for you (say you play games in the same room your spouse watches television or works, or your computer fans are loud), or you really want a thumping bass, go for a pair of closed headphones. Otherwise, open cans will provide more of a surround experience at the cost of potential weak bass and lots of sound leakage.

I have a pair of ATH-A700 (closed back) and I love them. A lot of redditors like the HD555s and the ATH-AD700s as well, which is why I linked them. You will want a sound card with surround virtualization such as Dolby Headphone to fully take advantage of surround sound (this is what the logitech headsets use). I recommend a ASUS Xonar DG which can be found for $20 after MIR. It has surround in its drivers and also has a headphone amplifier, which will turn your headphones into a new beast. If you don't have a free PCI port, go for the ASUS Xonar U3 USB, which is essentially the DG in USB form minus a few things like 24 bit audio (games don't use this anyway) and speaker connections. Alternatively, you can use your onboard card, but it will not be nearly as good as a dedicated source.

Feel free to ask any more questions. I recently bought headphones and a sound card, so I did a lot of research and can help out if you need. Also, browse Head-Fi for reviews and advice about headphones, and /r/headphones and /r/audiophile here on reddit.

For around $100 you should be able to get some HD555s and perform this mod to turn them into 595s

Or if you have loud and annoying roommates, you could get some 280 Pros

I'm using a pair of HD555s that I got for $88 with a zalman mic.

Before that I was using a pair of AD500s.

While people are recommending headsets that come with the mic. I'm going to recommend something else. Get a high quality set of over the ear headphones. I'm talking something like the Audio Technica ATH-M50S, Audio Technica ATH-AD700, Sennheiser HD555/595 (The 595's are very similar to the 555's but sound better, there are links around that you can mod your 555's to become 595's), or Sennheiser HD380 Pro. And then attach a Zalman Mic to it.

I have a pair of HD595's and absolutely love them, I can wear them all day and not feel it. They are built like tanks and have amazing sound quality. With my Zalman mic, I not only have a headset that has much higher sound quality than any gaming headset, but I can also use it for VOIP.

I used to have a pair of Creative Fatal1ty MKii, but after picking up my Sennheiser's I can't go back to them. The comfort and sound quality is literally night and day.

Although slightly out of your price range, the two companies make extremely high quality audio equipment. If you look through their offerings you'll definitely find a pair of headphones that will fit your budget. If you watch Amazon you can find that they cut prices dramatically from time to time, I picked up my 595's for around $150, and now they're almost $250.

Standard recommendation for high quality headphone/microphone combo is a Sennheiser HD555 with a Zalman Clip-on Mic.

I have them both and I find they work well and that they work well together.

You could upgrade to HD555 for about $30 more.

If you do some research, you'll actually see that you can mod these in your own home to be the HD595 exactly, meaning a $150 ($350 before discount) pair of headphones for $70.

I got lucky and found a used HD555 for 40 bucks, which was a steal!

Here are some good headphones for the price.

Koss PortaPros - $50 (Usually you can find these for like $30, not sure why Amazon has them marked up)

Grado sr60i - $80

Sennheiser HD555 - $190

Audio Technica is another manufacturer to look into but I'm not familiar with their products. I only use open back headphones.

I think the Grado's are the best deal. I use sr80i's.

I currently use this combo:

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD555-Professional-Headphones-Channeling/dp/B0001FTVDQ/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1323130988&sr=8-6

http://www.amazon.com/Zalman-Zm-Mic1-Sensitivity-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B00029MTMQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1323130978&sr=8-2

I have had plenty of headsets over the years, and this one has been my best purchase. My friends on skype tell me the voice quality is fine.

You are also going to get way better sound quality through headphones rather than a headset.

I've got Sennheiser HD-555's, and I love 'em! From Beethoven to The Who, the sound is all-around excellent.

Not buds nor are they small but I love my Sennheiser 555s. I got them for around $90. Great build quality. I've had them for awhile now and no signs of wear or tear.

Koss PortaPro are loved by pretty much everyone for their incredibly low price and great sound quality. They fall under "small cans."

Very nice, I hope you enjoy them. It seems like not too long ago when I started this stuff. My first pair of good speakers was a pair of Swans M200MKii connected to an Auzentech soundcard. ~This must have been about 7 years ago now. Then about 3 years ago I got interested in IEMs and headphones and got a pair of HiFiman RE-0s and a Sennheiser HD555. And now, I've blown more money than I thought I ever would... Bower and Wilkens 686Bs with marantz receiver for one computer, Xonar essence stx connected to a Hifiman HE5 Amp and HE500 headphones to another computer, and Westone 4R IEMs.

In short, say good bye to money... it'll go soon, and it'll go fast.

Everyone recommends the M50's. And for good reason. However, I much prefer the sounds from either the Sony MDR-V6 or the Brainwavz HM5's. Not that these are the only options, but two great ones for that price range.
The Sennheiser HD555's are a little out of your price range, but depending on what you want, these are also a very good option.
However, because you will be listening to the hip hop and dubstep, the M50's might be slightly better in the bass.

I haven't used a pair of A2DP headphones for gaming, though I do use my Motorola S9-HD while exercising.

In regards to a bluetooth mic, I used to have an ok headset (mono+mic) but with noticeable lag and shitty battery life I decided to stop using it.

I now use the Xbox 360 Wireless Headset in conjunction with the Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver which work great.

When I'm not using my speakers on my PC, I have a pair of Sennheiser HD555s with an iBasso D2 (apparently no longer sold) USB Digital to Analog Converter/Headphone Amp.

I use a Senheisser HD555 and a Zalman Microphone Zm-Mic1.

I've used Steelseries/Icemat Siberias before and they were really good. I actually went through 3 pairs due to the cat eating the cord twice and the wires being pulled out once but Steelseries was gracious enough to replace two of them. When my last one broke, I decided to try the Senheisser HD555 and like it a lot more.

I've also used Logitech, Sony, Plantronics headsets/headphones in the past. They're okay. If I were on a budget, I'd just go with Steelseries Siberias.

I recommend getting a good pair of closed stereo Sennhiesers or something similar. Those 5.1 and 7.1 headsets are a gimmick (you hear perfectly fine 3d with only two ear holes don't you?). Couple with them one of those Zalman clip on mics on amazon and you have a sweet gaming setup that's good for music too.

I recommend closed because it gives better isolation (which works both ways, sometimes people don't want to hear what your listening to as well. I remember these and these getting excellent review, although they are both open headphones, so you may want to consider their use environment first. This clip on mic seems to be pretty highly recommended.

Get a set of Sennheiser HD 555's and do this to them. If you want a mic, get a Zalman ZM-1. This is almost always the most upvoted advice.

For headphones, you only need stereo. You only hear in stereo; your brain extrapolates the origin of the sound from the delay between each ear. Surround is useful for speakers, since the origin is actually relevant, but headphone speakers are close enough to your ears that the origin is irrelevant.

Grado SR80i

Sennheiser HD558 or HD555

Furthermore, check out the Head-Fi threads linked in the sidebar and see if anything there meets your requirements.

My Sennheisers HD 555

Beauties...

If you're willing to spend $100+, the Sennheiser HD555 and a Zalman clip-on mic are a popular choice for gaming. The HD555 has a giant soundstage and excellent sound quality.


The ATH-AD700 is a good choice as well.

On the OG Vive deluxe headstrap, it only take a few minutes to carefully remove the speakers and wires. I use Sennheiser HD555 with a shortened cord, and I absolutely love the quality.

When a mapper takes the time to align the notes with finer details of the music, you can actually hear them! I promise you its not hearing loss, there just is so much depth to modern music that most people never hear.

The Sennheiser HD555 is on sale for Black Friday -- 48% off!

Dude....awesome. Thanks for this. My dog ate my HD590s earlier today.

Fortunately they were on their way out anyway.....bleh.

Bonus: HD555 are only $81.23 on Amazon right now.

What on earth are you talking about? Of course they still sell them.

Amazon

If you have a yeti then get a Sennheiser 555. This is by far the best pair of headphones I've ever bought, taking into account I had a period of mild retardation and purchased a Beats by Dr. Dre Solo HD (RED) for $525 -_-

These go for like $100 or so locally. Incredible sound.

One problem I should mention: they are open backed so if you crank up the volume it's quite audible to everyone in the room.

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD555-Classic-Stereo-Headphones/dp/B0001FTVDQ

i've fallen asleep wearing these headphones on multiple occasions and have had no problems. they are really comfortable, and durable as well. plus they sound badass.

They are Sennheiser HD555s I got them for ~$80 but they have been discontinued and replaced by the HD558 I think

They are really nice headphones I can wear them for hours and sometimes forget I am actually wearing them

I've had this problem as well. Headsets, especially those marketed at 'gamers' seem to be able to get away with this stuff. Buy some quality cans (Sennheiser 555's are good from what I hear) and get a Zalman clip on mic.

Two suggestions: Sennheiser HD595 or HD555

I have 595s and I haven't regretted buying them for a second (they've also gotten a lot of love from other redditors). Only backside (for both) is that they are of "open air" construction i.e they don't isolate from outside sounds that well and leak out some sound. But they do sound great and are very comfy as well.

Should give Left 4 Dead 2 a shot. I use my ears more than my eyes while playing Survivor in Versus. I'm no audio expert, but I believe it all comes from the games' audio engineers. I've got crap on-board Realtek and switch between 5.1 and Headphones.

I got a pair Sennheiser HD555's for Christmas yesterday and I really love them so far. However, if you plan on wearing them out a lot they may not be the best option for you as they have a long cord (10 ft.) and a long jack as they require an adapter for 3.5mm connections.

My recommendation, for PC at the very least, is to avoid "gamer headsets" altogether. Generally what you are signing up for is a sub-par set of headphones attached to a sub par mic. What I did is research some of the best headphones in the business and matched them up with a very serviceable microphone. This setup has worked great for me and the sound and voice delivery quality has been head and shoulders above any "gaming headset" I've owned. Here's the setup that I use - you can go much more expensive or much cheaper, but this works great for me.

Headphones

Microphone

These aren't bad.

I wear Sennheiser HD 555s. I'm wearing them right now, in fact, watching a documentary and interleaving some 'inaccurate' bass. Sounds about right to me. Have seen a few women wearing these (not sure why, but they're always female...).

Anyway there are 500+ reviews on that page, but all you need to know about these is that they need a good headphone amp with a bass adjustment. Any basic receiver would have had it when I got them from eBay in 2005 for $69, but now it might be tougher. There is no bass dial on most multi-channel theater systems now, which I find completely odd.

Hmm...If you're willing to bump the budget up a few more bucks, You could try to find a pair of HD555s for $70-75 These things sound amazing, especially for the price; nicely balanced, and there's a "mod" you can do to get them to sound twice as expensive. A great beginner investment imho. They were my first pair of real headphones and I loved them. Comfy too. Like putting two clouds on your ears. :D

These are excellent

Sennheiser HD555

'nuff said ;)

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD555-Professional-Headphones-Channeling/dp/B0001FTVDQ

E-tip gloves: http://www.rei.com/product/803525/the-north-face-etip-gloves,-tnf-black,-medium?preferredSku=8035250003?cm_mmc&mr:trackingCode=44375AB1-3EB9-E011-9A77-001B21631C34&mr:referralID=NA

Mechanical keyboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823114012

Sennheiser headphones: http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD555-Professional-Headphones-Channeling/dp/B0001FTVDQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323989687&sr=8-1

I could find more, but knowing things like he likes FMA doesn't help because that would just mean more "useless trinkets" for the desk. If he has hobbies: watching/playing sports (which ones? i participate in a lot and have loads of decent accessory or equipment gift ideas), video games (pc/console), cooking, stuff like that. let me know, i shop most of the time i'm awake, so i have ideas.

I would advise a normal headphones with clip on mic, much better quality, and typically more comfortable.
For example, this

or this

I would be wary of surround sound headsets, as I've found that the drivers all far too close to great an effect for me, and simulated surround sound, via soundcard, receiver ,or ingame, works better.


And this is the Mic I use.

I have used a tritton 5.1 headset, g330, etc, and in sound quality, comfort, and reliability, my sennheiser 555 destroys them. (My trittons practically broke bimonthly while in warrenty)

I'm actually saying it's not a terrible idea, even though it does look a bit crap. My headphones plug in at the earpiece so if I do that then the plug just comes out - no damage, just annoying. Maybe you just need better headphones?

These are what I use at work to annoy my co-workers:

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD555-Professional-Headphones-Channeling/dp/B0001FTVDQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1323223374&sr=8-5

I've owned a pair of Sennheiser HD555's for 4 years and counting. The only wear and tear so far has been fixed by a single strip of electrical tape.
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD555-Professional-Headphones-Channeling/dp/B0001FTVDQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1321122676&sr=1-1

If I were you, I would get a pair of the Sennheiser HD555's

Then just buy a mic like this

I have two different full head phones

I have the Sennheiser HD 555 and I really do enjoy them a lot with listening to music and pen pointing certain sounds but when I am gaming I use my Sennheiser PC 350.

If you are looking for a brilliant headset then I would certainly suggest the HD 555!

If you're looking for gaming headphones in roughly the same price range as those 5.1 options, I'd suggest Sennheiser HD555's. As ZombieOrchestra has mentioned, soundstage is pretty important for many games and that's where the HD555's excel considering their price. The open back design lends itself to soundstage reproduction which is great for gaming and many types of music. You can find headphones with better tone and clarity in roughly the same price range but you would be hard pressed to find any with better soundstage reproduction.


These are basically my go to suggestion for people who game as they seem to be at the right price for most gamers and they're well-suited for that use.

you mean HD555, right?

if I may ask, do you have them ? compared to AD700s ( which is 100$ ), is the sound quality, and comfort better or the same ?

If you want to save some money, you could get a Sennheiser HD555 and foam mod them into HD595s. You could then get a clip-on microphone like this one which will be perfectly fine for gaming/voip.

As far as I can tell, the PC360s are HD595s with a boom mike. They're not a bad choice, and my alternative requires some modifications, so you wouldn't be making a bad decision by sticking with them.

The other sound-based upgrade I would recommened is a Fiio E7 DAC/amp. The Sennheisers probably don't need an amp, but the Fiio's DAC is a vast improvement over an integrated sound card, especially if you listen to FLAC files.

tedg12 mentioned headphones and you might not think that's such a great idea, especially since you just bought a new sound system. However, if you've never watched a favorite movie or listened to a favorite album with a really good pair of headphones you will be shocked at how good the sound is. If no one else is watching the movie with me, I'm wearing these: Sennheiser HD555.

I thought $100 for headphones? Get real! But its one of the best purchases I've made in a long time and I have yet to mod mine.

Price History @ Amazon - Sennheiser HD555

It looks like they have gone as low as $78.50 back in May. I bet as Cyber Monday approaches the price will dip again.

>I am investing in a pair of those really nice headphones with the mic though (any recommendations?)

It's generally recommended to purchase a decent set of headphones such as the Sennheiser HD555s paired with a clip-on mic. Although, if you insist on going the headset route, the Logitech G35 is what I use, and it's pretty great, albeit a bit heavyset. Another oft-recommended headset is the Steelseries Sibera.

I believe in spending a lot of money on headphones, because they are something I use a lot and plan on keeping a long time. My last pair of headphones probably lasted me a few thousand hours of listening time, or maybe about 2 cents an hour.

I have the 202s - they sound good, but their comfort leaves a lot to be desired. Spend a little more for something you'd actually want to keep on.

I would recommend open headphones, for example the Sennheiser HD-595s or the cheaper but very similar 555s. These headphones are more comfortable, and they are open which means they sound better and don't trap heat near your ear (no more sweaty ears!). You forget you have them on.

If sound leakage in or out is a problem, go with a closed pair. I don't know much about closed headphones, so I can't give recommendations.

I've never found a "gaming headset" that had anywhere near good enough audio quality.

Why not just get yourself a cheap desktop mic. and a decent pair of audiophile headphones?

I'd say get headphones first. Get monitors once you have more money/ know your DAW more.

As for which one to pick? I'd say don't worry about the money for that. What's more important is which one you are most comfortable in. For me personally, I use Logic. Albeton has some nice features that Logic doesn't. I'd say it's a good option, despite the price tag.

You should also consider whether you're using a Mac or PC. FL is PC exclusive, as Logic is Mac exclusive. Ableton can be used on both, same with Cubase, Reason, and Pro Tools. Pro Tools is best for recording, and not so much MIDI.

Anyway, I recommend Ableton, and a decent pair of open ended headphones. Despite the retardedly long ass input jack, the Seinheiser HD 555's are literally amazing. I'm so happy with the sound they produce, even years later. But again, they're open ended, which means that they are easy on the ears, but many outside sounds can be filtered in. Check em out: http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD555-Classic-Stereo-Headphones/dp/B0001FTVDQ

I'd highly recommend you go to the store and listen to them yourself first. Hope this helps!

Here is the set I am referring to:

Sennheiser HD555

Newegg Link

> Featuring a special internal surround reflector, your sound is generated into a spatial sound field, for a wonderful surround sound that makes you feel like you are right there, in the studio!


> Extended spatial field surrounds you with sound; ergonomic Acoustic Refinement enables ideal sound channeling for a new kind of listening experience


Edit: So after further review, you're totally right. The HD555s aren't true surround sound headphones. Kinda bummed out... Are the gaming headsets any better though? Aren't they essentially normal stereo headsets with surround sound emulating mixamps?

~$30 A good large frying pan with a cover. Take care of its nonstick surface and it'll give you plenty of great meals with easy cleanup.

~$200 A 22"+ computer monitor (Acer works well). The extra space is really nice.

~$100 A very nice pair of headphones, such as http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD555-Professional-Headphones-Channeling/dp/B0001FTVDQ They can last a lifetime and greatly enhance your music listening and gaming experiences.

Maybe out of the question ($190) but I couldn't recommend HD555s higher

Buy a nice set of headphones. Add on a mic. Viola! You have not only a great gaming headset, but you can use the headphones for things other than gaming. My current setup Sennheiser HD555 (don't know why they are so expensive right now but I got them for like $90 shipped) + this clip on mic. Works amazing.

I love my Sennheisers. I recently gave my sister my old 555s and upgraded myself to the 598s and it's like my ears are having sex.

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD555-Professional-Headphones-Channeling/dp/B0001FTVDQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1344021157&sr=8-3&keywords=sennheiser+hd+550

I would recommend those. I have had mine for about 1 year now, and they're still going strong. Really really comfortable, amazing sound quality. Try it, Buy it, you won't ever regret it.

I dont have any sound hardware in my pc but use high quality sennheiser headphones. I think the model I have is a little bit outside of your price range, not sure about the US prices but you might wanna lookup the RS170 wireless headphone (listening to music while on the toilet is just the best). I cant complain about the quality eventhough I only have onboard sound.
I also heard quite good things about this one here: [HD555]
(http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD555-Professional-Headphones-Channeling/dp/B0001FTVDQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1345059516&sr=1-3&keywords=sennheiser+hd595)

I got two options for you. Both very well kept and in great condition.

HD 555 (discontinued now, most similar is probably the HD 595) for $50 shipped.
ATH-A900X (also discontinued) for $70 shipped (I prefer these over the m50x for the natural reproduction and better soundstage)

Let me know! I'll send you pictures tonight if you're interested. http://imgur.com/Fn8wb9o

Cool! I'm planning on doing the same thing with my Moto Droid in regards to pluggin it into the aux in jack and the headphones with it's respective jack. It's nice because the app that I have actually has a parametric eq so I can get the lows out of some songs that are hard to hear normally. They look pretty comfy too! I'm going to have a hard time deciding on either these or some Sennheiser HD 555's. I saw them on /r/guitar and I guess there's an easy modification you can make to upgrade them.

currently it's just the on-board sound of my laptop however I plan on building a new rig soon so I'd probably include a nice soundcard, so it would kinda be a waste with USB headphones.

Iv'e narrowed it down to these: one, two, three. I am unsure if I were to buy the steelseries V2's if i should also get this to compliment it. I am totally unsure about which is is the bet of the 3 choices though.

I would recommend some Sennheisers...I''ve got the hd 555's. A cool note about these is that they are the same as the 595's and all you have to do is remove a pad on the inside of the outer wall. This is sennheisers way of dampening the "breath" for the bass and sale them as a lower model...also I just purchased the Koss MV1's which are awesome, but I feel they require a simple amp and they also seem to need some burn in time. Then there's the marshall majors, which I actually really like.


Sens 555's

Sens 518's

AT M50's

Marshall Majors

Koss MV1

Koss Pro4AAAT

A great headphone resource I use is headphone.com

Good Luck!

sennheiser hd 555 are awesome, comfy, and i even wear them out around campus lol. headphones

If your worried about having to mic, just buy this. mic

If it's your first pair you shouldn't need to spend $300. Id suggest HD 555 for headphones and to get a dac NuForce uDAC2-HP. You can mod the 555s into the 595 model.

If you listen to music at work I'd suggest Sony MDR-V6 (what I currently use at work), for these you don't need an amp and they're closed so it wont bother anyone around you.

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Desktop-Microphone-Black-Silver/dp/B00009EHJV + http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-555-Stereo-Headphone/dp/B0001FTVDQ

the mic was like $20 back when I bought it, no clue why it's so expensive now

They used to be about a month ago but now they are like 100 now

These.

You're treading in very dangerous waters asking about headphones. In all honesty, you don't need to spend more then $100 for a nice pair of headphones.

That being said. I have 2 pairs of these... They have served me well for many years.

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD555-Professional-Headphones-Channeling/dp/B0001FTVDQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313951179&sr=8-1

I have been using Panasonic Technics RP-DH 1200's for the last two years. Great highs and great lows, while being super durable. The cables are detachable so you don't end up losing the headphones just because the cables break. I love them!

In addition, I have a friend who uses Sennheiser HD 555's. They have great clarity but they have an open ear design. So if you listen to music around other people, they might be able to hear a bit.

Can you specify about how much you're willing to spend? I currently wield a pair of Sennheiser 202s, which I love to bits, but they are fairly cheap cost wise, and very entry level in terms of sound quality, as well as being on-ear. I have my eye on a pair of 555's, however.

I have Sennheiser HD555 and Audio Technica ATH-A700 Headphones.

The Audio Technica's sound much better and they don't bleed the sound like the Sennheiser's.

You wouldn't notice any difference unless the onboard sound had some faults with it, or is just a seriously cheap motherboard, but neither of these are likely.
You should give a nice pair of headphones a chance if you've never tried something really good before. I'm currently wearing some Sennheiser HD 555's, I've had them for just over 3 years now, they are extremely good quality, in audio, wear, and comfort. Seriously not a single thing has gone wrong with them, the cushions aren't quite as silky smooth as when they were new but I could never go back to anything less for my extended gaming sessions. I'll probably be buying some new ones soon only because I just want more, these were my first set of quality headphones and they have not failed to astound me or just about anyone that puts them on (that doesn't already spend a lot on headphones).

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD555-Professional-Headphones-Channeling/dp/B0001FTVDQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1318519026&sr=8-4
+hd555 hack http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD555-Professional-Headphones-Channeling/dp/B0001FTVDQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1318519026&sr=8-4

== $200 amazing studio headphones for $100.
i wouldn't recommend using this setup if you're playing games in a loud room since they're open dynamic.
comfort wise, these things are AMAZING. the fabric cups around your ear so you'll never have ear pains from extended use.

It's probably not worth it just for the 7.1. Tho i have heard the 780 is more comfortable. A pair of headphones and a clipon mic would give 3x sound quality tho. Go for it if you want, just seems stupid imo.

http://www.amazon.com/Superlux-681-Dynamic-Semi-Open-Headphones/dp/B002GHIPYI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1372477796&sr=8-2&keywords=superflux

http://www.amazon.com/Zalman-Zm-Mic1-Sensitivity-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B00029MTMQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1372477826&sr=1-1&keywords=zalman+mic

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003JOETX8/ref=s9_simh_gw_p267_d0_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-

http://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-108323-Premium-Hi-Fi-Headphone/dp/B007SP2CO2/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1372480848&sr=1-2&keywords=monoprice

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD201-Lightweight-Over-Ear-Headphones/dp/B0007XJSQC/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1372478683&sr=8-14&keywords=Headphones

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-202-Professional-Headphones/dp/B003LPTAYI/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1372478683&sr=8-11&keywords=Headphones

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013OWPV4/ref=s9_simh_gw_p23_d0_i6?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-5&pf_rd_r=18Q5QKCBHMV5Q21JT9WK&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938731&pf_rd_i=507846

You could also look after used headphones. I found a pair of [Sennheiser 518] (http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-518-Headphones-Black/dp/B0042A68R8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372478808&sr=8-1&keywords=518) for about 50$~

Finding a used pair of 555 or 558and doing the [foam mod] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvQ8PzBrHXE) is by FAAAR the best value ~~

As /u/mrpeppr1 suggested, get some good headphones and a 25$ usb desktop mic. I use a old logitech mic, and a set of 90$ Sennheiser headphones. I've used this setup since June 2010 and it's still running strong!! Check out this buying guide over at head-fi.org