PC Gaffers, do you play PC games with headphones or 2.1/5.1/7.1 speakers?

I use AKG K701, produces absolutely beautiful mid-range, might be lacking little bit in low-range. This thing needs good headphone pre-amp.
I also have Onkyo 7.1 receiver and set of Infinity speakers for movies and surround gaming.
 
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Running AKG K501's out of a Little Dot I+. Soundcard is a Sound Blaster Audigy 2.

The amp is less than ideal, since these headphones are kind of high impedance, but it certainly doesn't sound bad.
 
I am mulling over getting a sound card. As of now, I am plugging my Senheiser 558's into my keyboard.

I do have a sharp ear and feel that the sound in some games falls flat. Would a sound card make a notable difference?
 
Those Denon AH D7000's are stunning in person, I just didnt like lack of a noise cancellation feature. Grated I was using them at a convention, but I could hear everything around me while listening to a moderately loud demonstration.

What amp do you use with them?
 
Btw, regarding onboard sound -- the EMI interference / static drove me nuts for the few weeks where I was stuck without a sound card. In particular when any USB activity like mouse motion causes squealing noises to bleed into the audio feed.

Both shielded and as well as unshielded discreet sound cards seem to mitigate the issue.
 
I use Sennheiser 558's with an intergrated sound card and a cheap little clip on mic for comms. Sound quality and mic quality are both better than any high end gaming headset I've used, although I could probably get more out of them if I invested in a decent sound card. I really liked the wireless functionality of the Logitech G930 headset, and the sound and mic were both pretty good, but sadly I had to return them since they would crackle horribly with anything bassy.
 
HRT Music streamer II DAC -> Cambridge audio 540a se amp -> wharfedale diamond 10.1 speakers / sony mdr v6 headphones. yeti blue mic for comms.

da bess
 
why is that? audio monitors are designed to give the flattest and most accurate representation of the sounds and component frequencies, not necessarily the best sounding version. sound effects that were meant to be played on lesser equipment will not sound good.

That's not how sound design works. If it sounds like shit on a studio monitor you bet your ass it will sound like shit on a low end system. Low end sound systems do color the sound but you can't design for each and every situation.

At the absolute best they will sound the same but never does a clip sound bad on a monitor but sound good through some generic cheap tv speakers. The only exceptions I can come up with is running a raw square wave at a high frequency and that's just because the crap sound system won't reproduce the sound properly.
 
I'll never go back to desktop again. On my 60" 3D display, I have a HTPC setup with 5.1 speakers rocking the man cave. Position surround audio and booming bass makes the expense worth it.

I do this in the living room minus the 3D. I find it hard to go back to consoles myself.
 
I am mulling over getting a sound card. As of now, I am plugging my Senheiser 558's into my keyboard.

I do have a sharp ear and feel that the sound in some games falls flat. Would a sound card make a notable difference?

It will be better than pretty much most of the onboard stuff, but I would prefer dedicated headphone amp.
 
Picked up a pair of HD25s through OzBargain several months back, not the best for gaming (hurt the ears over prolonged use) but they're crisp as anything and fantastic for electro music. Been thinking about getting a pair of HD598s for the PC if I can find them cheap enough, those are some comfy cans. All stereo.

Don't even own speakers, running mobo sound too: no dedicated card.
 
When at my desk I use the Logitech headphones posted above. When on the couch my PC goes through my Yamaha receiver for 5.1 sound.
 
Thats what i use, love em though i will be replacing them with the Razer Tiamat 7.1 headset when i next have spare funds available.

You really don't want to upgrade to the Tiamat.

They are literally some of the worst headsets you can buy, and thats saying a lot because the average audio quality of a headset is incredibly low.

Expensive (I can't stress this enough, for that price you could have some ridiculously high quality 'phones)
Razer build quality
low audio quality
simulates 7.1 with little tiny speakers that are cheap
Sound quality because of this is low
Any headset that says 5.1/7.1 is a scam, simulated surround with stereo is much more accurate.

Look around this thread if you are in the market for some. Or just ask with what kind of music you listen to, and what type of games you play.

Gaming peripheral companies have sizable marketing budgets. Although, to be fair, a lot of people like the idea of an integrated mic + headphone combo, and other than Senns, there aren't too many options that aren't bling plasticky "gamer" headphones. Some euro company showed a line of Beyer-based headsets a while back, not sure if they're for sale yet or not.

Yes I agree, sometimes people are tricked into thinking that headsets are the only option on the market.
 
I went for 'inexpensive easy mode' 5.1 with the Logitech Z506 speakers. It doesn't make me forget about my living room setup or anything but for our little home office it's great. I don't have a discrete audio card, my Dell has integrated WAVE MAXXAudio 4 7.1 audio, which is fine for me. I used to know/care a lot about PC audio cards, dreaming of having a pimp Turtle Beach card and settling for a SoundBlaster Pro etc but onboard is good enough for me now.


One annoyance is that due to the way my computer desk is situated in the room positioning for the rears is kinda crap, but it's only a matter of the left rear being off five feet or so and sitting at a desk it's not worth buying a speaker stand for me. A bigger annoyance is how my monitors make my speakers tough to arrange to my liking.

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Crappy pic, but if anyone knows a better way to arrange that it'd be nice. The monitors are pretty much the way we like 'em so I'd hate to screw that up, but having one speaker between them doesn't work so great (hard to tell in the pic, but the speaker is actually a bit behind both monitors) especially since my wife insists on having a little fan in front of it.
 
If I'm playing a single player game, I'll use my Astro A40's for game audio. Generally though, I'm just playing LoL with friends on skype, so I'll have skype through the Astros, and game sounds/music through my ancient Logitech 2.1s. For some reason I never really liked game sounds and voice chat both coming through headphones.

I adore the Astros, by the way. I'm not an audiophile by any stretch, but to me they sound perfect and are the most comfortable over the ear headphones I've ever had. I'll wear them for hours and not even notice them, while most other headphones end up giving me headaches, especially where they press my glasses earbands into my skull.
 
Does anyone here use a stand alone mic for PC gaming? I have a decent set of headphones, but I just hate wearing them with a passion. I would much prefer to have voice chat come through my speakers and have a stand alone mic.
 
5.1 at my desk (Optical output from built in Realtek card to Logitech Z5500)

7.1 from my couch (HD7970 output via HDMI to my Onkyo receiver)
 
I do have a sharp ear and feel that the sound in some games falls flat. Would a sound card make a notable difference?
Headphones on my DAC+Headphone Amp instead of my laptop jack is a HUGE improvement. Especially the interference sucks. Sometimes even something as little as mouse scrolling or closing tabs create buzzing or crackling sounds. Some PCs outs sound better then mine, but all I tested still sounded bad. A clean 128 KBit/s .ogg playback sounds much better than any high-res FLAC you throw at my PC output. I thought our living room Hi-Fi was broken when I played music from my laptop.

For the people who listen to analogue radio recordings or youtube downloads, it won't make a difference. But if you've got 'sharp ears' then I'd say definitively.

So I'd say the most important parts in audio quality are:
1) Decent File Quality
2) Speaker/Headphone quality
3) Digital-Analog-Conversion (if possible outside of the PC case)
 
Either cheap logitech 2.1's with onboard sound, or "7.1" G930. I like the directional sound, but in terms of quality of sound my ability to discern sort of tops out in the midrange.
 
Does anyone here use a stand alone mic for PC gaming? I have a decent set of headphones, but I just hate wearing them with a passion. I would much prefer to have voice chat come through my speakers and have a stand alone mic.

I use the multi-directional that's built into my web cam, and my speakers are a 5.1 setup. If you do this, please turn on push to talk. Otherwise you will annoy everyone listening to you due to game audio and echo.
 
Souncard: X-Fi XtremeMusic
Headphones: AD700 (ordered waiting for deliver)
Mic: Modmic.com (ordered waiting for deliver)

I haven't decided if I will buy an Amp (I don't know shit about em). I got the above on a recommendation in my own thread on Gaf. Looking at this thread it was a good buy.
 
got the logitech z-5500 but use my sennheiser hd555 like all the time. fantastic headphones which i can use beyond infinity. want to get something better, but i dont want to buy something that replaces something that isnt broke. when i eventually get some new headphones i will get an amp for them to.
 
Onboard sound output through HDMI by my 560 Ti to my Denon 2113 receiver and 5 Triangle speakers (with the panny as a display obviously). Comfy couch is comfy.
 
I either connect it to my dell 30 inch monitor or my Sansung 46 inch tv with 5.1 Surround Sound. Currently 2.2 sound due to living situation.
 
I hate people like you on Ventrilo
Oh god, this so much. The echo feedback and hearing your own voice because someone on Vent or VOIP is using speakers near their mic...

Btw, lots of fellow AD700 users I see. Probably one of the goofiest looking headphones every made, with a pair of arches at the top and the giant purple and gold ear cups. I would not be caught dead in public or at the office wearing them, but they're ridiculously comfortable and marshmellow light. Aluminum frame I think, instead of steel or plastic.
 
5.1 full home theater setup with 52" LCD TV.

My Retina MacBook Pro sits on my desk a little ways away and I run a HDMI cable to the comfy couch setup.
 
Does anyone here use a stand alone mic for PC gaming? I have a decent set of headphones, but I just hate wearing them with a passion. I would much prefer to have voice chat come through my speakers and have a stand alone mic.

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Zalman ZM-MIC1

Only a couple bucks and they last forever.
 
Souncard: X-Fi XtremeMusic
Headphones: AD700 (ordered waiting for deliver)
Mic: Modmic.com (ordered waiting for deliver)

I haven't decided if I will buy an Amp (I don't know shit about em). I got the above on a recommendation in my own thread on Gaf. Looking at this thread it was a good buy.

lol I remember that thread. Good pick up.

You don't need an AMP for the AD700's, AMPs are usually reserved for higher impedance headphones.

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Zalman ZM-MIC1

Only a couple bucks and they last forever.

There's also

Logitech stand alone
Mod Mic
Blue Snowball
and so many more good ones
 
7.1 speakers

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If for some reason I decide to play on the monitor though I'll plug in my cheap Panny noise cancelling ear buds.
 
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