Headphone Recommendations (Megathread)

Does that RCA TV have any inputs?
You could probably grab a 3.5mm adapter for next to nothing.
I wouldn't bet everything on it being the headphones, though. Could be the TV itself. Try testing those headphones on something else first—like a phone—to see if there's any Bluetooth lag.

wiredotter14 said:Does the TV have RCA ports?
You can grab a 3.5mm adapter for next to nothing.
Besides, I wouldn't bet everything on it being the headphones. Could be the TV itself. Try testing the headset on your phone first—see if there's any Bluetooth lag.

It does, but honestly, I've realized I just have way too many cables cluttering up my room.
Good call. Either way, I still need some solid headphone recommendations. 😛

Hey everyone, anyone else dealing with weirdness when plugging their headset (headphones + mic combo) into a phone or whatever? I just picked up some SteelSeries Arctis Nova and I'm having a hell of a time getting them to work right when I plug them into the front panel jack on my PC, my phone, or any other audio port.
I'm thinking maybe it’s because of the 3.5mm connector being a 3-pin setup since there's a mic involved. They came with this long extension cable that splits the headphone and mic jacks out separately, and I actually bought a little short splitter a while back too—when I use those splitters, everything works perfectly fine.
But now I'm stuck wondering... is it just a bad connection where the pins don't line up with the jack, or is this just how things normally go with headsets that have built-in mics?

It is finally time to invest in some new headphones. 😁 Is there anything actually worth considering for under $110 that manages to check all of these boxes:
- They absolutely must be wireless.
- Over-ear design is required; closed-back would be ideal, though I suppose open-back isn't a total dealbreaker.
- They need to be viable for gaming—meaning zero latency issues. I don't specifically need a microphone 🤷, though if one is included, it shouldn't be intrusive or unnecessarily bulky.
- Decent sound quality for listening to music.

Or am I simply going to have to stretch my budget a bit further if I want anything remotely decent? 😳

Of course, because life is just perfect like that... everything was working fine last night, then I get home from work today and—bam—the right earbud is dead. Total silence. I’ve tried every little trick in the book short of taking them apart, but nothing works. They're my old SteelSeries Arctis Nova, bought about three years ago, probably out of warranty by now. I picked them up at Best Buy. I might dig through my junk drawer to find the box, but let's be real, they're probably toast. Maybe I'll crack them open to see if there's any hope, but honestly? It feels like time to just bite the bullet and get something new.

I always thought SteelSeries made the best gear, but looking around, it seems like their newer stuff isn't even hitting the shelves here anymore; most of what I see are the same models I grabbed back when I first started using them three years ago. What's actually worth the money right now, maybe around $167? Give me some ideas. And yeah, obviously they need a mic and a volume wheel on the side 🙂

quietrider16 said:Of course, typical luck... they were working fine last night, then I get home from work today and suddenly the right side is dead. Tried everything except tearing them apart and nothing works. They're my SteelSeries Arctis Nova bought about 3 years ago, pretty sure the warranty is long gone. Got them at Best Buy. I'll check the box just in case, but yeah, probably toast. Might try to take them apart, but honestly, it's probably time for an upgrade...

SteelSeries was easily the best, but it seems like they aren't even on the shelves here anymore, or at least the models I bought 3 years ago are all anyone carries. What's a solid best buy right now for maybe $167? Looking for some suggestions. Obviously needs a mic and a volume wheel 🙂

Maybe try Logitech. I've cycled through all sorts of different brands and ended up back with Logitech because their stuff doesn't just die the second the warranty expires or if you look at it the wrong way. If SteelSeries was actually good, I can't even imagine how bad the others are. It feels like those newer companies are just built to fleece people for quick cash—I mean, SteelSeries isn't exactly new, though Wikipedia says they're part of Poly now, while Logitech has been the same name for decades. Some of these brands are just total scams, like Prestigio, where the mice always quit right after the warranty ends...
https://www.amazon.com/gaming-headsets/b?node=40

https://www.amazon.com/gaming-deals/b?node=40

quietrider16 said:It’s funny how things work—everything was fine last night, but I get home from work today and suddenly the right side is dead. I've tried everything short of taking them apart, but no luck. They're my SteelSeries Arctis Nova units from about three years ago—I'm pretty sure the warranty is long gone. Picked them up at Best Buy. I'll double-check the box, but it seems they've finally given up. I might try to crack them open, though it probably just means it's time for an upgrade.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova line has always been top-tier for me, but looking around, it seems like most of the models I originally bought aren't really on the shelves here anymore. What would you consider a solid "best buy" around $167 right now? I'd love a few suggestions. Just needs to have a decent mic and a volume wheel 🙂

Take them to a repair shop. It shouldn't cost much, and they are your favorite pair after all.
If these are the ones:
https://www.amazon.com/gaming-headset-black-61758011

then they are wired. The issue is likely in the cable, so someone will need to take a look.

Is picking up the Razer Kraken X at Best Buy actually worth the money $100?

I need some headphones with a decent mic. Specifically, I need something with enough noise cancellation so whoever I’m talking to doesn't hear every single thing happening in my background. If that makes sense? Just looking for something that won't break the bank, either.

I need some wireless Bluetooth earbuds to pair with my iPhone 14 just for listening to music. Looking for something budget-friendly that actually works. I’ve been messing around with some cheap knockoffs from Amazon, but they're a total headache—constant charging, the connection drops constantly, or one side just dies on me. Give me a solid best buy. Samsung buds are way too pricey if you ask me, and I'm definitely not dropping over $100 just to listen to tunes on my phone occasionally.