headphones

[ICE*T]

does anyone else use headphones or do you all use speakers;i use headphones all the time and I think it gives you an advantage...

[Mukky]

[FPS[VT_NERD]]

I use both depending on what's going on in the house. If I need to be able to hear something from a different room or whatever then it's speakers. If I'm playing a match I use my headset with the simulated 5.1 to provide better audio cues for the direction of enemy fire.

I think my 5.1 headset gives me an advantage over my 2.1 speakers, but any positive effects would be nullified if I had to constantly take them on and off because of something else going on around me.

[The_Eliminator]

I have heard using headphones is very bad for your hearing so i lay off of them and use my surround sound speaker setup

[oplock1000]

headphones, some logitech gaming one

[dOwnsizer]

I have heard using headphones is very bad for your hearing so i lay off of them and use my surround sound speaker setup

not necessarily true... a poor pair of headphones (fit wise) can definitely lead to ear fatigue, just as mousing for a few hours straight leads to arm fatigue... this is completely independent of loudness... try a pair of "open" headphones... they are typically designed to have less isolation/ noise suppression, but tend to be much more comfortable.

However, alot of devices today (cough iPod cough) tend to be overpowered, at least for output level, with headphones, this can be extremely dangerous to your hearing, but so can turning up your car stereo to 11...

use common sense for loudness

Bottom line is take breaks... your body can fatigue very easily after an hour or 2, so put down the voss and walk away for a half an hour

[onehitah]

this is completely independent of loudness... try a pair of "open" headphones... they are typically designed to have less isolation/ noise suppression, but tend to be much more comfortable.

Agreed. I myself, have been using Grado, SR 80 headphones for a long time. My job requires me to work with audio all day long. One of the nice things about these is that they block out a lot of the high frequency noises that are bad for your ears. That and you can hear whats going on outside of the headphones while you're playing.

Also they come flat. Meaning they dont have the bass or treble boosted like most headphones. So you are working with a clean slate as far as setting up your eq...Like you'd want in a studio.

They aren't cheap but they're so much better for your ears and they sound fantastic. I wont even go into how good they are for music.....turns out. I just did.

[Trippet]

I use both depending on what's going on in the house. If I need to be able to hear something from a different room or whatever then it's speakers. If I'm playing a match I use my headset with the simulated 5.1 to provide better audio cues for the direction of enemy fire.

I think my 5.1 headset gives me an advantage over my 2.1 speakers, but any positive effects would be nullified if I had to constantly take them on and off because of something else going on around me.

Hey VT Nerd, do you use an actual 5.1 headset like the Medusa or Turtle Beach X-52s, or are you talking about a standard headset and simulated surround provided by a card like the X-Fi?

[iQue]

Headset, or if noone else is in the house, my speakers with megabass

I have a Logitech open headset which owns, feels like I'm not wearing them at all.

[Bardo]

headphones all the way. i have some awesome Ultrasone-HFI700's... but they cost a pretty penny. about $250.
ultrasone use a different type of driver which pretty much eliminates ear fatigue. you can listen for hours and hours, unlike most headphones where you have to take periodic breaks to avoid ear damage.

they've been king of the headphones with a rating of 8.6 according to cnet.com until recently. there is one headphone rated at 8.7 but it's a $500 pair.

the draw is, no mic... so i had to get a stand-alone usb desktop mic.

anywho, when not on these, i have a huge stereo with 13 speakers ran by 3 amps =) i do think the headphones are better. you can locate enemies better by sound.

[ICE*T]

I have heard using headphones is very bad for your hearing so i lay off of them and use my surround sound speaker setup

my ears are alreay messed up Ive been a DJ for 1o yrs:laugh:

[Quemical]

Speakers only. Played with headphones only once. I have a niice speakers system so i get great sound, can't bring myself to go down in sound quality and going with headphones, only if it's late at night and people are sleeping, once again i state this has only happend once

[dOwnsizer]

Agreed. I myself, have been using Grado, SR 80 headphones for a long time. My job requires me to work with audio all day long. :

Grado rocks, especially with an outboard HP amp (can you say DeParavinci/E.A.R.) what do you do? (working with audio) I've been a freelancer (both live and studio) for 11 years now...

[Ins4n3]

I use a Sector 7 Xtreme Gaming headset

Just got it yesterday.

[bravespear]

Same here, they rock.

USB headphones ftw!