Headset vs speakers.What do you prefer for gaming?

I have bought some $15 headset and on one side i really think that this is a very imersive way of playing and on the other hand the sound quality is so pathetic especially the gunfire and effects that it makes me wonder than even the better headsets have inferior sound quality.

Can you get a more than decent headset for gaming around $40-50 that will have better or on par sound quality to my logitech X-540 speakers using realtek HD audio?I mean my current headset is pretty decent for music but it's just pathetic while gaming.

Who hear owns both a good speakers and a good headset and what do you prefer for gaming?

I only use speakers because you have to keep headsets low unless you don't care about damaging your ear drums. Headsets damages your ears overtime unless you keep it very low.Deihmos

[QUOTE="Deihmos"]I only use speakers because you have to keep headsets low unless you don't care about damaging your ear drums. Headsets damages your ears overtime unless you keep it very low.achilles614

Is this a good headset?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826159227

So do you mean that unless i spend a $100 on headphone and $50 on soundcard,i wont get satisfied with gaming with a headset?

Perhaps that is true cuz with a headset you can easily spot discrepancies in sound quality and it can be annoying.

Def headphones over speakers. I use ATH-AD700 and they are great. I'm not sure how good those ones you listed are. Probably not that great. :PTrilvester

I only use speakers because you have to keep headsets low unless you don't care about damaging your ear drums. Headsets will damage your ears unless you keep it very low.Deihmos

You're thinking of in-ear/earbud headphones. Those do pose a risk as far as hearing damage; much more of a risk than your typical on-ear headphones/headsets or moderate-volume speakers.

Obviously with all types of headphones you want to keep the sound from reaching excessive levels, but that holds true with speakers as well. But again, it's in-ear/earbud headphones that are known to cause hearing damage.

To answer the thread question: I use a headset in online FPS games, and speakers for most other gaming.

Quite the opposite: headsets almost always have WAY better sound quality. With me, the headphones are preferable when I want to seriously play an online game or feel immersed, and speakers are for teh internetz. Excuse the internet talk. :P

Basically, if you invest in an extremely expensive headset of about $25 like mine then you may find the quality to far surpass your speakers. Unless you're pressing your speakers to your ears, that is. Headphones are concentrated and they don't have to pump out the volume like speakers, so they can afford great quality. With speakers, you have all this space between them and you, and it has to have enough power to get the sound across.

Just buy a $25 headset and you'll see how good headphones can be.

My ears are extremely sensitive, so I can only wear headphones for around 2 hours tops, then I take them off and turn on my speakers for about 30 minutes.

Even if I do have my headphones on, they arent turned up all the way, just too painful on the ears.

I use headphones for two reasons,

One is that the mic is on the head phones for Teamspeak or In-game Voice options

Two i hav e kids and i don't want them hearing all the naughty language that come out of alot of those 10-12 years mouths when i pop them in the head from a far.

I have been using Logitech headphones for years.. never had any problems other then sitting on them or yanking the cord out of the jack by accident.

Quite the opposite: headsets almost always have WAY better sound quality. With me, the headphones are preferable when I want to seriously play an online game or feel immersed, and speakers are for teh internetz. Excuse the internet talk. :P

Basically, if you invest in an extremely expensive headset of about $25 like mine then you may find the quality to far surpass your speakers. Unless you're pressing your speakers to your ears, that is. Headphones are concentrated and they don't have to pump out the volume like speakers, so they can afford great quality. With speakers, you have all this space between them and you, and it has to have enough power to get the sound across.

Just buy a $25 headset and you'll see how good headphones can be.

DarCowAlways

The thing is that they are pretty decent for music after i selected the headphone equalizer in winamp but the bass is pretty bad.And for gaming well they are pretty terrible.Now it's either these are not good for gaming or do i need to fiddle with a settings or 2?

I am just thinking that a cheap headphone wont satisfy me.

I use headphones for two reasons,

One is that the mic is on the head phones for Teamspeak or In-game Voice options

Two i hav e kids and i don't want them hearing all the naughty language that come out of alot of those 10-12 years mouths when i pop them in the head from a far.

I have been using Logitech headphones for years.. never had any problems other then sitting on them or yanking the cord out of the jack by accident.

deadwolf13