Posts by Joshua Smith42

Honestly, Nanook, thanks a million for laying all that out for me—you really nailed it. When you’re dropping cash on a new pair of headphones, you absolutely have to try them on first if you can, but if you're stuck buying online or something, you definitely need someone like you to give them a proper, honest breakdown before you commit. 🙂

hollowcanyon56: That’s exactly what I was getting at—I’m talking about total isolation from the outside world. That’s the whole point; I need them to shut everything else out. Since my ears are on the larger side, could you please just tell me one thing: will these actually fit *inside* the earcups? I need the pads to fully surround my ears rather than having my ears pressed right against the driver.

gamerz.ivan: The Alphas are decent enough, but honestly, my ears just won't fit inside them; I gave it a shot and it didn't work. I haven't had a chance to test how the Sigma models handle that, but since they're pricier than the Razer stuff, I think I'll stick with my first choice, coffee.

darkowl72: Look, I know a thing or two about audio quality because when it comes to my music setup, I swear by Grado 🙂. But for this specific situation, I'm looking for something strictly for gaming.

Thanks for such an exhaustive breakdown. I realized after hitting send on my first post that I actually left out a few crucial details:

1. I’m looking for a strictly analog headset—none of that USB sound card nonsense; it needs to plug directly into my Creative Sound Blaster
2. Standard stereo is fine, though obviously, if we can find a solid 5.1 setup that won't break the bank, I'd much prefer that.
3. Wired only. No wireless excuses here.

Also, just to give you some context, I've been using 5.1 headsets for ages now (gone through several different models over the years). The Rocat Kave looks decent so far, but does anyone know if it's truly "closed-back"? I need to know if the passive noise isolation is actually legit and capable of blocking out the world.

Look $167, if we’re talking serious audiophile territory—like, say, picking up some used Bavaria gear—I’d be willing to drop even 1,000 🙂

Does anyone out there have a solid recommendation for a high-quality stereo headset? I'm looking for something that hits a few specific marks:
1. It needs to be fully closed-back so I can actually block out the world and get some peace and quiet.
2. Over-ear design is a must. 🙂 My ears are... let's just say they aren't exactly small, so I need drivers large enough to actually fit comfortably without feeling like my head is in a vice.
3. Most importantly, it has to be light enough that I won't feel like I'm wearing a heavy construction helmet after a few hours of use.