Headphones and mic

[Stepping.Razor]

as some of you may have noticed, i dont talk on teamspeak cuz i don't have equipment (although I have borrowed my daughter's karoake mic - lol).

I want to buy a headphone/mic rig. So here's my question:

Anybody use USB headphone/mic? i think it would be nice not to screw with the speaker outs at the back of my pC every time I want to use the headphones so if nobody can give a reason to stay away from USB, i'm gonna buy something like this:

headphones (http://store.yahoo.com/justdeals/9801250403.html)

any opinions?

[Pure_Evil]

If you have to use USB, I stronly recomend these (http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16826106379) I know, twice the price, but when someone's walking above you, I like to hear them above me ;) especially handy in TAM.

you cannot go wrong with SENNHEISER

[Stepping.Razor]

:D *lol*


"supreme gaming tool"

Those ought to increase FPS and make my aiming more accurate too!

:rolleyes:

seriously though -- you don't like USB?

[JIMINATOR]

I use a 5.1 headset and a line splitter to the front speakers. if I want to use the speakers, i just turn them on, headphones, i just turn off the speakers and put them on...

[JIMINATOR]

Those ought to increase FPS and make my aiming more accurate too!
also makes your penis grow three inches! :thumbs:

[BobtheCkroach]

as some of you may have noticed, i dont talk on teamspeak cuz i don't have equipment (although I have borrowed my daughter's karoake mic - lol).

I want to buy a headphone/mic rig. So here's my question:

Anybody use USB headphone/mic? i think it would be nice not to screw with the speaker outs at the back of my pC every time I want to use the headphones so if nobody can give a reason to stay away from USB, i'm gonna buy something like this:

headphones (http://store.yahoo.com/justdeals/9801250403.html)

any opinions?

If you're like me and you're cheap, I know that SAL has told me before that he uses and recommends the headsets here that you have picked out. However, if you've got the cash, i'm sure Pure's is a better option.

[BobtheCkroach]

I use a 5.1 headset and a line splitter to the front speakers. if I want to use the speakers, i just turn them on, headphones, i just turn off the speakers and put them on...

Question for ya...I have a stupid Sound Blaster Live! Value, and when it's set in the 5.1 mode, the Mic port is the rears (or the Center/Bass, whichever)...so basically, I'm screwed for the option you just described, no?

[JIMINATOR]

no
/ front speakers
F -> splitter<
\ headphone
S -> headphone
R -> headphone

obviously you can't do 5.1 sound from the speakers, but it works well enough.

something like this (radioshack, $6)

[BobtheCkroach]

no
/ front speakers
F -> splitter<
\ headphone
S -> headphone
R -> headphone

obviously you can't do 5.1 sound from the speakers, but it works well enough.

something like this (radioshack, $6)

But I won't be able to have my mic working AND having my system set up in 5.1 at the same time, will i?

I asked this to the guys in Circuit city about a week ago. He tried to convince me that even if I plug a mic into a speaker output port, it would still work as a microphone, b/c the signal just gets reversed.

his words: "Yeah, just plug it into a speaker port. This things are wired to work both ways. The signal just gets reversed. It'll work just fine"

I walked away at that point.

[JIMINATOR]

oh, i see. I am not sure how configurable to sb live is. if you have front & rear sound, that is all that you really need, so the center/side/whatever can be used for the mic. I think also some daughtercards are available to give the full set of inputs/outputs, and also worst case your MB may support sound, in which case it could be enabled for the mic. anyway I don't think the one channel is that much of a loss if you are looking to get some headphones.

[BobtheCkroach]

oh, i see. I am not sure how configurable to sb live is. if you have front & rear sound, that is all that you really need, so the center/side/whatever can be used for the mic. I think also some daughtercards are available to give the full set of inputs/outputs, and also worst case your MB may support sound, in which case it could be enabled for the mic. anyway I don't think the one channel is that much of a loss if you are looking to get some headphones.

I'm just gonna follow you around the forum all day, JIM...

Sorry...I said that wrong...I AM using my onboard...same situation, just a different controller...

My sound blaster does the same thing, though, regarding using the mic as an output in 5.1 mode...can I just install both cards and use the mic off the second card...? There won't be like IRQ conflicts or anything of that nature? Also, if I'm gonna do that, is that really any better than just getting a USB headset instead?

[JIMINATOR]

ok bobster, you are saying that you cannot get your system to support front/rear/mic?
Then that's a problem. as for using both sound systems, that should not be a problem, the sound ctrlpanel should allow you to select input and output sources.

[BobtheCkroach]

ok bobster, you are saying that you cannot get your system to support front/rear/mic?
Then that's a problem. as for using both sound systems, that should not be a problem, the sound ctrlpanel should allow you to select input and output sources.

Alright, after a quick look at my sound blaster Live! card, I concede that I'm a complete idiot. I have a mic port that is completely seperate...

Wow...

Thanks for your help, JIM! :thumbs:

[Pure_Evil]

I concede that I'm a complete idiot.
:hmmm:


:rolleyes:



nah.... too easy :D

[BobtheCkroach]

:hmmm:


:rolleyes:



nah.... too easy :D

Yeah...ROFL!

[BobtheCkroach]

Alright, after a quick look at my sound blaster Live! card, I concede that I'm a complete idiot. I have a mic port that is completely seperate...

Wow...

Thanks for your help, JIM! :thumbs:

Awesome...the drivers don't work for it! Yeah Creative, sucks to be me. Looks like maybe a new sound card is in the future...I'm gonna try stealin' my bro's tomorrow, first, though.

[A-Wal]

Maybe you should try updating your drivers? I don't have any problems with mey SB Live! However, I do have the Live Drive thingy that I plug my headphones and mic into instead. It seems to work just fine for me. Plus, it's much easier to plug stuff into the front, rather than the back.

[Aries]

Plus, it's much easier to plug stuff into the front, rather than the back.

:hmmm: I'm a frontman too :wootrock: ;)

[Stepping.Razor]

well, this discussion has focused on the very reasons that i want to go USB.

1) don;t wanna disconnect my speakers
2) limited output jacks on MB
3) dont wanna crawl around behind the PC
4) don;t wanna reconfigure speaker setup manually to use headphones.....blah blah

Nobody has said any specific reasons for not going USB, so i ordered a refurbed logitech 200 from ebay for $21 delivered.

I actually have no headphone output on the MB (NF7-S) even with the vaunted Soundstorm crap. I kinda miss my MSI MB that allowed you to choose the functionality for each audio jack kinda like the ciruit city guy told BobtheCkroach (though it was a manual software selection, not automatic).

BTW, the MSI board also had extra headers and a PCI bracket that added even more audio jacks............ Oh well, it couldnt OC like the Abit. :bawling: | :D

Ill let you guys know how the headphones/ mic turns out in a few days.

[BobtheCkroach]

Maybe you should try updating your drivers? I don't have any problems with mey SB Live! However, I do have the Live Drive thingy that I plug my headphones and mic into instead. It seems to work just fine for me. Plus, it's much easier to plug stuff into the front, rather than the back.

I literally tried 10+ diff drivers last night - including, as a last resort, a 3rd party driver. This is, more specifically, a Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 Digital....the one one they list on the site is the "Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 Digital (Dell)"...i'm pretty sure that I don't have a dell card, but regardless, none of the drivers for that card work...they all say no SB card detected. I tried to get the drivers for a regular SBL!5.1 - same result. The 3rd party drivers actually installed just fine - they just didn't do anything. What's really weird is - when I try to run the drivers...it installs the gameport...just not the sound...and I have 2 SBL!5.1D...both result in the same error...WEIRD.

[A-Wal]

I just did a quick check on Creative's site, and found the drivers you'll need. The links below are for WinXP, so if you have a different OS you'll have to start a new search.

-The Primary Drivers-
http://us.creative.com/support/downloads/download2.asp?Product_ID=50&dlcentric=1926&Product_Name=Live%21+5%2E1&OSName=Windows+XP

-Patch to the Drivers-
http://us.creative.com/support/downloads/download2.asp?Product_ID=50&dlcentric=1925&Product_Name=Live%21+5%2E1&OSName=Windows+XP

If These don't work for you, then I don't know what's going on.

[BobtheCkroach]

I just did a quick check on Creative's site, and found the drivers you'll need. The links below are for WinXP, so if you have a different OS you'll have to start a new search.

-The Primary Drivers-
http://us.creative.com/support/downloads/download2.asp?Product_ID=50&dlcentric=1926&Product_Name=Live%21+5%2E1&OSName=Windows+XP

-Patch to the Drivers-
http://us.creative.com/support/downloads/download2.asp?Product_ID=50&dlcentric=1925&Product_Name=Live%21+5%2E1&OSName=Windows+XP

If These don't work for you, then I don't know what's going on.

I already tried these...I've kinda given up...I stole my bro's card, which is a SBLive!5.1 but not a SBLive!5.1 digital. I got his installed, but my machine refused to be friendly and let me use both cards to achieve what I needed, so I've decided that I'm gonna teach this motha - I'm getting a new sound card next week. :devil:

[Stepping.Razor]

If you're like me and you're cheap...
Ya, i am.

The Logitech USB model 200's appear to work pretty good.
A noticeable improvement in sound quality was made when i went to the "advanced" tab and set them to "stereo headphones" instead of "2-speaker" setting.

Once that was done, the sound quality is acceptable. i have lost a little spatial orientation over my 4-speaker system, but its not too bad.

They are pretty comfortable, and most impt (to me) they are easy to use. I just have to set the "default playback" to the headphones ILO the nvid onboard sound device in the control panel, before going in to UT.
i made a shortcut for this, right next to my UT icon.

.... so it seems as though they were a good buy..... :thumbs:
I would recommed them for anyone on a budget, and the USB connection in particular seems to be without problems.