Donan Posted October 26, 1999 Share Posted October 26, 1999 I live in a place that has pretty thin walls and I'm usually gaming at odd hours. So in preparation for CM and wanting to hear that brush move, on my flank real well, I was wondering if any of you folks can recommend a good, yet economical pair of headphones or headsets. I have a Montego soundcard (would love to get the Quadzilla, but as I understand it, you just can't have surround sound on headsets.) Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foobar Posted October 28, 1999 Share Posted October 28, 1999 I just went to radio shack, and got a good set of OPTIMUS (in house brand I think). Anything that's comfortable with a quality sound. I haven't used my speaker's in weeks, since headphone sound is so much more focused. Oh, and I spent about $30 or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donan Posted October 28, 1999 Author Share Posted October 28, 1999 Thanks! I'll check these out. I've heard Koss one's are very good too...and at a reasonable price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Galanti Posted October 28, 1999 Share Posted October 28, 1999 just a quick note, a majority of the headphones at Radioshack are actually Koss 'phones. Radioshack just relabels them and sells 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donan Posted October 28, 1999 Author Share Posted October 28, 1999 Thanks for that information Ben! That pretty much makes it a done deal at my local Radio Shack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixman Posted October 28, 1999 Share Posted October 28, 1999 Koss does indeed make excellent phones. Their higher end lines are the ones you will most likely find in recording studios. My $.02 on Radio Shack is that they are rarely the best value. If you have a Circuit City near you, I would bet you can get a better set of phones for the same money. What I do love Radio Shack for is all the oddball hardware and gizmos they carry that nobody else has (cords, jacks, adaptors, transformers, etc.). Usually, when buying such items, you could care less about the price -- you just need it. Also, when trying out headphones, put ultimate emphasis on weight, fit and comfort. Although they are made adjustable, they are hardly one size fits all. Your head and ear areas can actually hurt after a couple of hours if you have a lousy fit. Final comment is to be very careful. Headphones have been confirmed to do serious permanent ear damage even at moderate volumes. Be very conscious not to turn them up loud. That means you have to objectively select a volume setting ("3" for example) and then leave it there. The ear is a self adjusting instrument. When it gets bombarded by loud sound, the cilia will start to "lie down", reducing sensitivity. The result is that a loud sound does not sound so loud anymore, so we turn up the volume and the ear adjusts again. This is a vicious cycle that will escalate until the cilia actually starts to be permanently destroyed causing irreversible hearing loss. Have you ever got into your car after being out of it for a couple of hours and the radio sounds incredibly loud? You cannot even imagine why you had it up so high. That is the phenomenon I am describing in action. Don't mean to harp, but I figure you'd rather hear this from me now than hear nothing later. Pixman ------------------ Fact is the enemy of truth. - Don Quixote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donan Posted October 28, 1999 Author Share Posted October 28, 1999 Thanks Pixman! More informative mail for me to digest. And thanks for the warning about volume. I don't see it as harping in the least when it's for one's own safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Arabian Posted October 28, 1999 Share Posted October 28, 1999 Pixman - you're either a medical professional or a parent I'm guessing... Not that I don't completely agree with you on all fronts. Incidentally - your post on gaulish surnames you seem to have forgotten the most obvious examples of Asterix, Obelix, and Dogmatix. Sorry. Couldn't resist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixman Posted October 28, 1999 Share Posted October 28, 1999 Lol, A Arabian!!! No, I am not a doctor and I don't play one on TV. I'm just one of those guys who likes to learn as much as he can about as many subjects as possible in these few years I have on earth. If the knowledge can be put to use for others' benefit, then it's bonus time baby! I attended MANY rock shows (some of which I actually remember)as a kid and was very close to some powerful walls of speakers for extended periods. I know I have permanent damage in my right ear. After I saw the Ted Nugent Gonzo Tour in 1978, my ears rang loudly for 5 days. But I would not have missed Great White Buffalo for anything!! Regarding the names, you also forgot Basilix, Carlton Fix and, my favorite, Herr Cervix (not to be confused with Sir Vick's, who was knighted in 1324 for inventing an aromatic chest rub to relieve the pain of jousting injuries ). TTFN Pixman ------------------ Fact is the enemy of truth. - Don Quixote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoomode Posted October 28, 1999 Share Posted October 28, 1999 Just a personal recomendation (if you haven't gone and bought a set already ). If you go to Radioshack, look for the Koss TNT-55's I've got a set and they sound BEAUT-E-FULL (liked em enuf to go back and pay $30 for a 3 year warranty )! Actually, I think they came out with the newer TNT model recently, think they're called TNT-58's now...not sure tho. Anyways, ask them to let you test them out, you won't be disappointed! Zoomode Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Michael emrys Posted October 29, 1999 Share Posted October 29, 1999 I went through two sets of Koss headphones for my stereo pretty quickly some years back and decided they weren't up to my needs. Since then I have used Sony and have been on the whole happy with them. YMMV. I would second the advice to get a pair that is comfortable...which means comfortable to wear over several hours. By all means try to get the kind that fit *around* your ear rather than resting on top of it. The latter kind become very uncomfortable after an hour or so. Haven't tried the kind that fit inside the ear, I doubt that I would like them, but you might. Light weight is important if you can get it, though the better sounding sets seem usually to be heavier in most cases. Also good is that they stay in place easily. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donan Posted October 29, 1999 Author Share Posted October 29, 1999 Thanks again everyone for the information. I'm still deciding and then will go try some. I had the conventional ones at first, but as several folks mentioned, it fit badly, on my ear and it was very bothersome in an hours time. I'll take a look at Koss, Sony and Phillips (and any other's other folks might mention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Posted October 29, 1999 Share Posted October 29, 1999 Try Sennheiser they're the best. They are probably a little bit more expensive than other headphones but they give a great sound and will last forever. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD 570 and they certainly fit my needs. The only problem with the HD 570 is that if the sample quality of the sound you're playing is low, the static like noise will really shine through. As a bonus they'll also give you a really funky hairstyle if you're wearing them for more than an hour. But i guess that won't be a problem since you'll probably shave your head before getting "down and dirty" with CM. Check out their web-site at http://www.sennheiser.com Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tss Posted October 29, 1999 Share Posted October 29, 1999 Incidentally - your post on gaulish surnames you seem to have forgotten the most obvious examples of Asterix, Obelix, and Dogmatix. Actually, if I remember correctly the "-ix" suffix in Gaulish names was used to signify a person of noble birth and even then only the noblest were allowed to use it. Of course, I read this about 3-4 years ago so I might be quite wrong. And no, I haven't tested the demo. I was already asleep when it was posted and now I'm still at work. -Tommi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted October 29, 1999 Share Posted October 29, 1999 I have AKG headphones (can't remember the model name/number). Excellent sound reproduction and quite comfortable. Mikester Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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