31 replies to this topic

[Frenzy Engine]

Alright all,

I'm considering finally spending some cash on a Black Friday sale of the Corsair HS80 that I've been eying a long while now. Forever, I've just relied on a Blue Yeti mic sitting on my desk to speak in-game; I hit a remapped button to talk ... and I have comms.

Bear with me if you think this is a dumb question, I've just never used headsets like this yet. Are gaming headsets (like the HS80) voice-activated? Meaning you don't have to hit the mapped button for it to work? I know I've seen the term "voice activated" before, but looking at this particular headsets specs, I don't see that term anywhere in the documentation. Maybe I'm just confusing voip for voice-activated? Not sure.

Thoughts, opinions, reviews of your favorite headset? Please let me know. Black Friday is almost gone

[feeWAIVER]

Voice Activated is typically in the user settings of whatever game/app your using..
Not tied to the hardware itself.

That said, don't do voice activated- it's annoying.

[Davegt27]

I am using an SG500
https://www.amazon.c...e/dp/B08FX35S7K

it has a switch to turn off the Mic and a little volume control both on the cable

if you have big ears you might have problem with the inner cushions (might rub against your ears)

[Curccu]

feeWAIVER, on 21 November 2022 - 11:25 AM, said:

That said, don't do voice activated- it's annoying.

Voice activation is ok as long as its configured well and user also has mute button on fingertips and uses that button.

[Meep Meep]

The best headset is an actual studio quality set like an ath-50mx and an antlion add on mic. These 'gamer' sets even the expensive ones that cost almost as much as the mx are far inferior.

[Lucky Noob]

i use an Superlux HD 660 Pro headset and an Klim standing Mic for best results and low costs

Edited by Lucky Noob, 22 November 2022 - 11:44 AM.

[Meep Meep]

Yeah there are cheaper options for a good studio set than the 50mx. However they do need a quality soundcard or amp to get the best out of them. The easiest way is to find a cheap soundblaster z as that has studio level amps and s/n ratio and can drive any professional set perfectly. They also come with an excellent mic that you can clip to a stand.

[VeeOt Dragon]

hell i just use a cheap Logitech headset with mic, it works fine for me. you don't need anything to fancy to be honest.

[Meep Meep]

Sure for utilitarian purposes a simple gaming headset will work just fine. But for those that also enjoy single player games with moody soundtracks and effects or just movies and music having a quality set is very nice.

[Frenzy Engine]

So, I have some pretty decent Logitech speakers and a Blue Yeti which have been my go to for years, but I pulled out an old pair of my really good cans back when I used to edit video (I actually forgot about them as they were packed away), the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro, and I was actually blown away by how much more I could hear from MWO; from the sounds of the mech, to spatial differences, Bouncing betty sounded better, everything just sounded ... BETTER, not just different but BETTER. But the headset is going to fail soon, as one of the hinges on the right side can is almost out of whack. Now I remember why I packed them away.

So, hence the idea for a replacement but from a gamers perspective, not purely for work. Hence, just looking at the options (either the Corsair HS80, or the SteelSeries Arctis 7+) and I've been working hard all year, I want to spend some money on myself this holiday.

I was also real curious about the voice activation part of it. So, if voice activation is not part of the hardware itself, what programs are? I'm definitely not wanting to abuse voice activation or make others mute me, was just curious about the tech (or the programs it seems) that accomplish it.

[w0qj]

I just use my 'granddad' earphones...

Bose Quietcomfort 35 II

You have a physical button to turn off noise cancellation, if you need to audibly monitor the surrounding area...
like, honey, so did you wash the dishes yet?

But seriously, none of that touch control earcup nonsense...

[Scout Derek]

Frenzy Engine, on 21 November 2022 - 10:17 AM, said:

Alright all,

I'm considering finally spending some cash on a Black Friday sale of the Corsair HS80 that I've been eying a long while now. Forever, I've just relied on a Blue Yeti mic sitting on my desk to speak in-game; I hit a remapped button to talk ... and I have comms.

Bear with me if you think this is a dumb question, I've just never used headsets like this yet. Are gaming headsets (like the HS80) voice-activated? Meaning you don't have to hit the mapped button for it to work? I know I've seen the term "voice activated" before, but looking at this particular headsets specs, I don't see that term anywhere in the documentation. Maybe I'm just confusing voip for voice-activated? Not sure.

Thoughts, opinions, reviews of your favorite headset? Please let me know. Black Friday is almost gone

Corsair Void. It's what I use.

As a head's up:

DONT BUY WIRELESS HEADSETS

Their sound quality (Mic) is terrible and you'll sound like some xbox mic from the 2010s.

Edited by Scout Derek, 22 November 2022 - 04:41 PM.

[Meep Meep]

Old fashioned wired high impedance sets for me please. Usb can be ok but finicky depending on the game. I'd rather use a high quality sound card.

Oh and I forgot all about rtings.

This should give you all the info you need to make an informed purchase.

https://www.rtings.c...80-rgb-wireless

I love these guys and their reviews are always spot on.

edit; and they have a black friday all round review.

https://www.rtings.c...by-usage/gaming

Edited by Meep Meep, 22 November 2022 - 05:43 PM.

[VeeOt Dragon]

yeah anything that requires "high quality sound card" isn't gonna work for me. my PC is a $500 PC from like 2010 with only limited upgrades (i upgraded the graphics card and RAM but thats it). its honestly one of the charms of MWO in that you don't need a high end gaming PC to play it.

honestly if i could afford it m might get a slightly better head set but i like USB because of where my PC tower sits most headsets don't have a long enough cord to reach the back of it and still be comfortable for me to sit and play. so will stick with my USB cheapo logitechs (speaking of its getting about time to replace them as i rarely get more than 3 years out a set still at like $10 its till cheaper than a $50 or even $100 set that might only last 5 years max as i can be a bit rough on headsets)

[Meep Meep]

VeeOt Dragon, on 23 November 2022 - 05:43 AM, said:

yeah anything that requires "high quality sound card" isn't gonna work for me.

You don't need the pricier soundblaster z I just mention that because its a super high end sound card for a not super high end price. But for normal gaming and stuff this is about as good since it shares the same headphone amp and a similar performing dac.

https://www.amazon.c.../dp/B00EO6X4XG/

Whips the ever loving crap out of any on board audio including usb sets. But of course thats if you have a set with a long enough cord.

[chaosshade2638]

I use this one, it's pretty good and I haven't had any trouble with it. My only gripe is that the lights stay on as long as it's plugged in.

https://www.amazon.c...ps%2C153&sr=8-3

[RickySpanish]

Maaan, why waste money on gaming headsets? They sound garbage. Just buy some actually decent headphones instead and a cheap lapel mic. E.g. Beyerdynamic 990s, and a $30 mic you can clip to your shirt off Amazon. 'Gaming Headsets' are such a rip.

[VeeOt Dragon]

Meep Meep, on 23 November 2022 - 07:53 AM, said:

You don't need the pricier soundblaster z I just mention that because its a super high end sound card for a not super high end price. But for normal gaming and stuff this is about as good since it shares the same headphone amp and a similar performing dac.

https://www.amazon.c.../dp/B00EO6X4XG/

Whips the ever loving crap out of any on board audio including usb sets. But of course thats if you have a set with a long enough cord.

i honstly don't even think my PC has a slot for an upgraded sound card its been a while since i cracked the case.. i tend to use USB headset because of the convenience of swapping them between my PC and my PS4. at this point i will likely just get a new PC before i ever upgrade this one anymore. i have important things to spend my very limited funds on (i'm a disable vet and on SSI so i make less than $850 a month)

[Meep Meep]

VeeOt Dragon, on 23 November 2022 - 03:21 PM, said:

i honstly don't even think my PC has a slot for an upgraded sound card its been a while since i cracked the case.. i tend to use USB headset because of the convenience of swapping them between my PC and my PS4. at this point i will likely just get a new PC before i ever upgrade this one anymore. i have important things to spend my very limited funds on (i'm a disable vet and on SSI so i make less than $850 a month)

What is your current system specs? Recent drastic price drops mean this is a very good time to buy pc parts especially used for cheap. I'm betting there are at least a few items in your rig that could be swapped over making an upgrade quite cheap depending on what is needed. You can build a competent modern 1080p gaming rig for under $300 if you already have some of the essentials like storage and a case etc.

edit; This is a great base for building up a new gaming rig using your old components as long as they are compatible.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/gxDcv3

Buy that and then you can upgrade it with a new gpu and other bits over time so its not a huge hit to your budget. Also paypal typically gives out credit lines with no info other than the typical stuff you give for any credit application on your word with no proof.

These guys are the king of budget friendly builds.

Edited by Meep Meep, 23 November 2022 - 08:41 PM.

[CFC Conky]

I'm quite happy with my Razer Kraken Ultimate.

Good hunting,
CFC Conky